Baptism
Baptism Introduction: Most religious groups practice some type of baptism. Baptists were given their name because of their method of baptizing people. There are different viewpoints about the method and meaning of baptism. As with any other subject, our belief should be determined by the teaching of the Scriptures. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Therefore, we will attempt to come to a correct understanding of baptism by studying the Scriptures.
Question: By what means should a person be baptized? Answer: By immersion. When a person is immersed, it means that he or she is taken completely under the water and made fully wet. Reasons:
A) The New Testament Example -Every example of baptism that is recorded in the New Testament is of this type. Let me share two examples of this. First, when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:13-17), "Jesus immediately came up from the water," and this clearly pictures immersion. Second, when Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch after his conversion (Acts 8:26-40), they "went down into the water, and he baptized him."
B) The Meaning of the Word -Baptism is the English transliteration of the Greek word, baptizo, which literally means "to make fully wet" (Strong's Comprehensive Concordance of the Bible). Therefore, if a person has not been made fully wet when baptized, he or she has not been baptized in the biblical sense.
C) The Symbol of the Act -According to Romans 6:3-5, baptism is a symbol or picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and it is also a picture of the fact that the believer has died to sin and been raised to walk in the newness of life through Jesus Christ. Only the act of being taken under the water and being raised up again can accurately symbolize these biblical truths. Thus, immersion is necessary for proper baptism.
2) Question: In what name should a person be baptized? Answer: In the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit Reason: Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Therefore, a person is to be baptized in the name of the Triune God. Some people object to this and say that converts should be baptized in the name of Jesus only because there are references in the Book of Acts to people being baptized in the name of Jesus (2:38 for example). However, to quote New Testament scholar Craig Keener, "This phrase simply means that the person being baptized confesses Christ. (Acts always uses this phrase with "be baptized' -the passive, never the active; it does not denote a formula said over the person being baptized, but rather indicates the confession of faith of the person receiving baptism.)"
3) Question: Should Christians be baptized? Answer: Yes Reasons:
A) Jesus set an example for us by being baptized (Matthew 3:15)
B) The Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the Body of Christ, the universal church (1 Corinthians 12:13), at the moment of salvation, and water baptism pictures this.
C) Water baptism pictures death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
D) Baptism pictures the fact that when we were born again we died to sin and were raised to walk in newness of life in Christ (Romans 6:1-6).
E) Baptism is the way we make our public confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (see the book of Acts).
F) Baptism is part of truly being a disciple according to Matthew 28:18-20.
4) Question: Is baptism necessary for salvation? Answer: No, it is only for those who have already been saved. However, it is important that a believer be baptized as soon as possible after salvation because it is our first act of obedience as Christians and is the biblical way we make our public confession of faith in Christ. In addition, the Book of Acts shows us that people were baptized very soon, sometimes even immediately, after their conversion. However, baptism does not contribute to our salvation. Why? Reasons:
A) The Work of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." According to John 3:5, we are born again by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if the Holy Spirit baptizes us into Christ at the moment of salvation, water baptism, while important, has nothing to do with salvation. We receive the Holy Spirit at the moment we trust Christ and not when we are baptized. Water baptism only pictures what took place at the moment of salvation.
B) The Nature of Salvation: Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Jesus Christ paid the full price for our sins on the cross. We can add nothing to that. His blood is totally sufficient (1 Peter 1:18-20). We have absolutely no merit before God, no matter how many good works we do. Baptism is a work, and according to the Bible, we are not capable of earning or even helping to gain our salvation by working for it. We work because we are saved (Ephesians 2:10).
C) The New Testament Example:
1 )The Thief on the Cross(Luke 23:39-43): Jesus promised one of the men that were crucified with him that "today you will be with me in Paradise" (v. 43). However, this man did not realize the identity of Jesus, repent of his sin, and request that he be saved until he was on the cross. Therefore, it is impossible that he could have been baptized. Yet, Jesus promised Him that he would be in heaven (paradise and heaven are synonyms) after his death. The only possible conclusion is that baptism was unnecessary to his salvation.
2) The 3000 Saved on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47): Verse 41 says, "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." "Received" is the Greek word, apodechoma, and it means "to take fully." James 1:21 says, "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls." I believe, therefore, that when we compare Scripture with Scripture it becomes clear that they were saved before they were baptized because they had fully received God's Word, and that brings salvation according to James. Furthermore, in verse 38, Peter said, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." The word "for" means "because" in this instance. Peter was telling everyone to repent and then those that repented were to be baptized because of the remission of sins.
3) The Ethiopian Treasurer (Acts 8:26-40): Philip was led by the Spirit to the Ethiopian who was reading from the book of Isaiah. This man did not understand what he was reading so Philip took the Scriptures and preached Jesus to him. The Ethiopian then asked Philip, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" However, Philip did not immediately baptize him. He first said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." After the Ethiopian responded, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God," Philip baptized him. The Ethiopian had to confess Christ and be saved before the man of God would baptize him.
4) Paul's Salvation Experience (Acts 9:1-19): Paul was saved on the Damascus Road when he encountered the risen Christ and confessed Him as Lord (v. 6). He was baptized by Ananias over three days later.
5) The Gentiles Saved in the Home of Cornelius (Acts 10): God sent Peter to begin the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. Peter preached in the home of a man named Cornelius. Verse 44 says, "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word." The Jews who were with Peter were amazed that Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit. Peter answered them by saying, "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" They were baptized with water. Therefore, it is obvious that these people were saved before they were baptized.
6) The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:16-34): Paul and Silas were in jail. God sent an earthquake that opened the doors and loosened the chains, but they did not escape. The jailer was trembling as he ran to Paul and Silas and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They answered him, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved" (v. 30-31). This is the only time that question is directly asked in the New Testament, and the answer called for faith and did not involve baptism in any way.
7) The Believers at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-10): Paul encountered a group of false disciples at Ephesus. They had been deceived. They had been baptized into John's baptism, but they had not truly believed on Christ and received the Holy Spirit. After Paul explained the truth to them, "they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (v.5). Therefore, they had been baptized once, but they still needed to have believer's baptism after their salvation.
4) The Nature of Sinners: 2 Peter 2:22 says, "But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit', and "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire'." It is possible to take a pig away form mud, wash it, and dress it up. However, that pig will always return to the mud because that is its nature and cleaning up the outside does not change the inside. By the same token, it is possible to take a sinner and baptize him, but the sinner will always return to sin because it is his nature. Regeneration is the inward cleansing and changing brought about by the Holy Spirit. It is not an external act accomplished by baptism. Conclusion: Baptism is a very important act. All Christians should be baptized by immersion; in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and as a public testimony to what Christ has done in their lives. It is hard for me to conceive how a truly born again Christian would not want to be baptized. However, the act of baptism itself has absolutely no saving power. Jesus and Jesus alone paid the price for our sins. He is sufficient for salvation. We "are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power" (Colossians 2:10 ). It is a slap in the face of Christ for us to attempt to add anything to His finished work on the cross.