Baptism is one doctrine that has brought about differing opinions in the body of Christ There are some people that believe baptism is necessary for salvation. They believe that someone can miss his place in heaven because he was not baptized. Others believe that although it is good to do it, it is not a serious mandate that can cost someone their place in eternity.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of Living Faith Church, has declared that anyone, who is not baptized, will not make it to heaven, even if he is a general overseer. He made this statement during the closing moments of the midweek communion service.
He made this declaration as he was announcing the upcoming baptism service he was going to organise. He declared that the service was both for new converts and those who had never been baptized before. He explained that without baptism, salvation is incomplete, and it is necessary to enable the new convert to walk in the newness of life.
"Please note; salvation is incomplete until you are baptized in water after you are saved by immersion. Ring it to every new convert. It is not magical; it is one of the requirements for you to walk in the newness of life.
Everybody must be baptized. If you are a general overseer of a ministry, and you are not baptized, you will not make heaven," he declared.
He shared the experience of his baptism, declaring that he got baptized when he was a pastor, invited to speak at a conference.
"I got baptized while I was a speaker at a conference. I was baptized in the Holy Ghost, but I was not baptized in water by immersion. So after the other speaker finished, I joined the queue of people who wanted to be baptized. They thought I was coming to baptize people," he explained.
He told his congregation not to argue with instructions from God, but to allow what God tells them to do to suit them.
"Anything God says suits me. Let this one suit you too," he said.