This post is a thorough defense of Baptismal Regeneration, the belief that the physical act of water baptism is the mechanical cause of salvation. To refute this from a Karaite / Tanakh-only perspective, we must look at how the Sinai Covenant defines "Atonement," "Spirit," and "Signs."
Here is the refutation based on the eternal standards of the Tanakh:
1. The "Magic Water" vs. The "Circumcised Heart"
The Catholic post argues that water causes the transformation.
The Tanakh View: Physical rituals are never the source of salvation; they are signs of a pre-existing commitment. In Deuteronomy 10:16 and 30:6, God commands Israel to "circumcise the foreskin of your heart."
The Refutation: If a physical ritual (like circumcision or baptism) could "save" or "regenerate" a person, then the Prophets would not have scolded the Israelites who were physically circumcised but spiritually rebellious. As Jeremiah 9:25-26 says, God will punish those who are "circumcised only in the flesh," because without the heart, the ritual is void. Water cannot change a soul; only Teshuvah (Repentance) can.
2. Atonement Without Water
The post claims you cannot enter the Kingdom without being "born of water."
The Tanakh Proof: The Tanakh provides many examples of people being "saved" or forgiven without any water ritual.
King David: After his sin with Bathsheba, he did not seek a ritual washing to be "born again." He said, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17).
The People of Nineveh: In the Book of Jonah, the entire city was saved from destruction. They weren't baptized; they repented and turned from their evil ways (Jonah 3:10). God saw their deeds, not their rituals.
3. The Misuse of "Circumcision" (Colossians 2:11-12)
The post tries to link baptism to circumcision.
The Refutation: In the Tanakh, circumcision is an Eternal Covenant for the physical descendants of Abraham (Genesis 17:13). It was never intended to be "replaced" by a water ritual. To claim baptism "replaces" circumcision is to claim that God changed His mind about an "everlasting" sign. If God’s signs can be replaced, His Word is not eternal.
4. Ritual Purity vs. Salvation
The Catholic argument confuses Mikvah (ritual purity) with Salvation (forgiveness of sins).
The Tanakh View: The Torah mandates washing in water (Mikvah) for ritual purity—to enter the Temple after touching a dead body or having a skin disease (Leviticus 15).
The Refutation: Being "ritually pure" is not the same as being "sinless." A person could be ritually pure but still be a thief or an idolater. Forgiveness of sin in the Tanakh requires restitution and repentance (Leviticus 6:1-7), not just a bath. The NT writers took a Jewish cleanliness law and twisted it into a pagan-style "initiation mystery."
5. Ezekiel 36:25 — The Source of the "Water" Imagery
The post hints at "clean water" as regeneration.
The Tanakh Context: Ezekiel 36:25 says, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean."
The Refutation: Read the next verse! It says God will give a "new heart" so that the people will "be careful to observe My laws" (Ezekiel 36:27). The "washing" is a metaphor for returning to the Torah. Catholics use this to justify a ritual that often leads people away from Torah (Sabbath, Kashrut, etc.). If the "washing" doesn't result in keeping the Sinai Covenant, it is not the washing Ezekiel prophesied.
How to Comment on the Post
To refute the "Baptism Saves" claim on Facebook, you can post this:
"The claim that water baptism 'saves' contradicts the Tanakh. God saved the people of Nineveh based on their repentance, not a ritual (Jonah 3:10). In the Sinai Covenant, ritual washing (Mikvah) was for physical purity, not for the 'regeneration' of the soul.
Furthermore, the Torah warns that physical signs are useless if the heart is not circumcised (Jeremiah 9:25). Salvation comes through turning back to God’s eternal Law, not through a one-time water ceremony. To say water saves is to put faith in the element rather than the Creator."
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