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Baptism in the Bible

June 2, 2017 by Keith Swift Leave a Comment

About Baptism:


1. Baptism was commanded by Christ: Matthew 28:18-20. (Also read passage in the list below: Major Passages on Baptism)

2. Baptism is done in His name. It is to be done “in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit“: Matthew 28:18-20.

3.  Baptism does not save you.  Baptism is not necessary for salvation.  It follows naturally after salvation.  It is an outward expression to the world — of obedience and identification with Christ.  With baptism one is saying to all: I have died to sin and have been raised to new life in Christ.

The most obvious illustration of salvation without baptism is — the thief on the cross.  The thief was told by Jesus Himself that “this day you will be with me in Paradise” (–Luke 23:39-43).  Obviously the thief did not climb down off his cross, go get baptized, and then return to die on the cross!  Jesus told the thief that he was born again in that moment in time — without having to be baptized.  The same is true for all of us.  (Also see: Acts 10:44-48)

Many misinterpret John 3:5 to mean that the “water” here is baptism.  A more consistent interpretation, however, is that there are two births, the natural physical birth through the womb of a woman, in “water“, and the other spiritual birth when one is born again by the Holy Spirit through the forgiveness provided by Christ.  One must be born physically first, then born again by the Spirit through salvation in Christ — in order to enter God’s Kingdom.

John 3:5 :
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
unless one is born
q of
water
and
the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

One must continue to verse 6 to be clear about what Jesus is teaching here:

John 3:6:
6 r That which is born of the flesh is s flesh,
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
3
7 t Do not marvel that I said to you,
‘
You 4 must be born u again.’

All God’s creatures are born of the flesh, obviously! We are all “flesh”.  But then we human creatures are given the grace option of getting out from under the condemnation of God (which came on us because of sin).  The grace option is to be “born of the Spirit”, what is often called being “born again”.  If I do not bow the knee to God (figuratively), yield to Christ, and confess that I am a sinner and He is God, and ask for forgiveness — then I will die in my sin and condemnation.  Only Jesus saves, and His salvation is through this second birth experience where we acknowledge Jesus as God come down to earth in the flesh to save us from our sinful condition.

We are born in the flesh with our spirit dead.  We must be “born of the Spirit”, to then have our spirit made alive inside us (John 3:6).  Only “live” spirits go to live in the spiritual world of God’s Kingdom.  Humans with only dead spirits are sent to live forever with Satan and his fallen angels.

Interestingly enough: Jesus says that once we are born again, then He will always be with us.  He will never leave us:

“and lo, I am with you [b] always, even to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:verse 20

As taught in other passages, Jesus is saying that once we are born again by the Spirit, nothing can take us away from Him.  Nothing.  (The key of course being that we must truly be actually born again — not fake believers, but genuinely saved.)  This is one of the passages that lead us to believe “once saved, always saved”, the teaching of “the security of the believer”, “eternal salvation”.  That is why Paul so often tells those within the church to “examine yourself” to see if you are actually of the faith.

4.  Baptism is your testimony of repentance.  Acts 2:36-38.  Paul saw that many were “wounded in conscience” or “pierced to the heart“, convicted and wanted to respond to Christ.  So he said basically, Hey — all of you repent!  And we will baptize you right here and now!  Jesus will forgive you of your sins.  And as you are saved — you will be filled by the Holy Spirit.

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart,
and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,
“Brothers, what shall we do?”
38 And Peter said to them,
“Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins,
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
– Acts 2:36-38

41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized  – Acts 2:41

Interpretation requires careful examination of the context and comparison with other similar passages — in order to extract the accurate teaching.  One must be careful not to read into the passage what is not being said. 

Contrary to what some churches teach:

  • This passage (Acts 2:36-38) is not saying that baptism is “for the forgiveness of your sins”
  • A repentant sinner does not get saved by the act of baptism
  • The act of baptism does not get one “filled with the Spirit”. 

There are many examples of baptism in water where the gift of the Spirit had already been received  — previous to baptism, at the moment of salvation. Salvation is a separate act, apart from the act of baptism: Acts 8:12-13,  Acts 10:44-48, Ephesians 2:8-9.  You can add nothing to get saved by your acts.  You are only saved by God through your faith in Him.

8 For by grace
you have been saved
through faith;
and that
[i.e. that salvation] not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works,
so that no one may boast. 
– Ephesians 2:8-9

5. Baptism illustrates salvation.  It is a physical act of obedience illustrating what happened to us spiritually at salvation.  We go under the water, as if dying with Christ on the cross and being buried, and then we are raised up out of the water, just as we were raised from the dead in Christ — to our new birth and new walk of life in Christ.  See Colossians 2:12,  Romans 6:3-4:

 
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been
baptized into Christ Jesus
have been baptized into His death?

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him
through baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead
through the glory of the Father,
so we too might walk in newness of life.

– Romans 6:3-4
 
Our salvation — being born again, receiving the forgiveness of God — is not based on any physical act on our part, be it good deeds or baptism.  Salvation through Christ is a matter of the heart, and is done totally in the heart — by repentance and volition.  God does the actual saving when we do the sincere repenting.  That’s it.  And we know we are saved because we follow Him, and Scripture assures us that we are saved. 
 
Titus puts it very clearly:

5 He saved us,
not on the basis of deeds
which we have done in righteousness,
but according to His mercy,
by the washing of regeneration
and renewing by the Holy Spirit…
–  Titus 3:5

6. Baptism is by immersion, not sprinkling.  Nowhere in Scripture is there an instance of sprinkling for baptism.  This practice is from traditions of men, not from Scripture.  The whole symbolism of baptism used in the Bible is always one of burial (going under the water), and resurrection (coming out of the water) — an illustration of being buried with Christ in His death and then being raised up with Him to new life in Christ.  The practice of “sprinkling” for baptism negates the true meaning of salvation, and confuses believers as to what baptism is all about, and even what is necessary for salvation.  
 
Dedicating your baby and his/her future to the Lord by presenting the baby to the Lord in a ceremony, even with sprinkling — is a perfectly fine and good act on the part of parents.  It is not baptism of the baby.  It is, rather – a dedication of the baby to God.  It is a public commitment by the two parents to raise up their child in love and godliness.  There’s no better way to start out parenting a baby than by committing to being godly parents!
 

 
Major Passages on Baptism:
 
Matthew 28:18-20
8 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 [a]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [b]always, even to the end of the age.”
 
Acts 2:36-40
36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and [a]Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”  37 Now when they heard this, they were [b]pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “[c]Brethren, [d]what shall we do?” 38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “[e]Be saved from this perverse generation!”
 
Acts 8:12-13
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. 13 Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
 
Acts 10:44-48
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the [a]message. 45 All the [b]circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
 
Romans 6:3-4
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
 
Colossians 2:12
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
 
Mark 16:16
16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
 
Titus 3:5
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit…
8 For by grace
you have been saved
through faith;
and that
[i.e. that salvation is] not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God;

9 not as a result of works,
so that no one may boast. 
Ephesians 2:8-9
 
 

 
Other References on Baptism: Acts 22:16; Acts 8:12; Mark 16:16; John 3:5.
 
FOR MORE:
 
Salvation Is A God Thing
 
Examine Yourselves
 
Accepting What God Rejects
 
Following
 
You are My friends
 
Losing It

 
 
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Filed Under: Christianity Tagged With: baptism, baptize, Salvation

About Keith Swift

Created by God, born to die, born again, now living forever with Creator God - soon to be in His Home. Forgiven forever, still learning to live in Christ.

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