What Do You Know About Baptism?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BAPTISM?

To understand what baptism is all about, one must find the roots of it. When should a person be baptized? What does it mean to be baptized? What is the significance of it? Do I really have to? Shall we see what Scripture says of it?

It doesn't take long in the New Testament for the teachings of baptism to be made known. Matt. 3:1 - 17, Mark 1:1 -11, and Luke 3:1 - 22 all cover the baptism of Christ, and each give us a little more about it. In Matthew, John the Baptist preached repentance, which is a change of mind bearing fruit in a changed life. One must repent the past sinful life and accept Christ as Savior before being able to be baptized. This excludes the baptism of infants, because they are unable to verbalize or conceptualize the need to repent or accept Christ Jesus. At the time, only Jews were being baptized, and there was no church to join, so for them, they were acknowledging the truth of his message and choosing righteousness. The people in those days found it shocking that John and Jesus should preach personal repentance over the typical teaching of the day about the merits of Abraham. John taught that baptism was symbolic of an individual's need to repent in order for their sins to be forgiven. When many of the Pharisees and Sadducees were noticed by John coming to his baptism, John spoke skeptically to them, knowing them to be hypocrites, self-righteous, and they were the most persecuting of Jesus. He urged them to demonstrate repentance, and not lean on Abraham as their father, but take personal responsibility of the need to repent. Christian baptism is performed in the name of Jesus (Acts 2:38) as a witness to one's faith in Christ.

Jesus had His own personal baptism to be baptized into, and He spoke of it in Luke 12:50; "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!" It can also be found in Matt. 20:22 - 23 & Mark 10:38 - 40, and the sons of Zebedee who were His apostles volunteered to be baptized in His baptism. Not the one we typically get baptized in, but rather the baptism of suffering and death. James was the first of the apostles to die, and his brother John was also martyred for Christ.

There is an instance of Christ using baptism as a problem for the chief priests, because He knew they could not admit the truth that it was from heaven; "And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, 'By what authority doest Thou these things? And who gave Thee this authority?' And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? From heaven, or of men?' And they reasoned with themselves, saying, 'If we shall say, 'From heaven'; He will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe Him? But if we shall say, of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.' And they answered Jesus, and said, 'We cannot tell.' And He said unto them, 'Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.' (Matt. 21:23 - 27, Mark 11:27 - 33, Luke 20:1 - 8)

There are many among us today in the world who reject the counsel of God, who reject the need for baptism to repentance, and it was the same in John and Jesus' day. Gospel evidence is available to attest of this; "And all the people that heard Him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him." (Luke 7:29 - 30)

When John was baptizing, in the first chapter of John's Gospel, he makes a distinction between his baptism with water and Jesus' baptism; "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me cometh a Man which is preferred before me: for He was before me. And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water." And John bare record, saying, 'I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."'" (John 1:29 - 33)

Is baptism necessary for salvation? Consider this passage; "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." (1 Cor. 1:12 - 17) Paul is clearly saying here that baptism is not necessary for salvation, but this begs the question, "Then why bother?"

It is an instruction from our Savior! "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 'All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.' Amen. (Matt. 28:18 - 20)

Peter explains in other words why be baptized; "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:22) "Then Peter said unto them, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'" (Acts 2:38) Does it seem to you that if you be baptized in the name of Jesus as affirming your belief in the resurrection of Christ, this is your public demonstration not only of your repentance, but that you accept Christ Jesus as your Savior to everlasting life in His resurrection? "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.' While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 'Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?' And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days." (Acts 10:34 - 48) Here we have biblical proof that believing in Christ is a prerequisite for baptism, and to Peter's amazement, Gentiles were included in God's plan of salvation. Since the Gentiles with Peter spoke in tongues, a gift of the Holy Ghost, he perceived they were included in the salvation plan of God, and this is the first documentation of the baptism of Gentiles.

The early church had some confusion about baptism. Acts 18:24 - 19:6 tells of an eloquent speaker named Apollos who taught of the baptism of John, and later he was corrected privately by Aquila and Priscilla. Paul found disciples on his third missionary journey who were baptised into John's baptism, and Paul baptized these into Christ's baptism, and Paul laid hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came upon them. While John's baptism was with water for repentance, it was in contrast to Jesus' baptism, which stands for eternal life and salvation because of belief in Him.

So what was the necessity of John's baptism when the more perfect baptism is that of Christ? "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. 6:1 - 11) John's baptism was the prototype of a concept of being condemned in sin transforming to salvation in eternal life. As the body is totally immersed in water (not sprinkled water on the forehead), it signifies burying the old nature, the sinful self, the washing away of your sins, the former life of rejection of Christ, the former self that was condemned by the holy and just law of God. When the body is lifted up out of the water, no longer fully immersed, it is symbolic of our faith in Christ Jesus that like the Father raised Him from the tomb and from death, so we shall be raised to eternal life with Christ to exist eternally with God. Coming up out of the water pictures coming back to life as a new creature in Christ Jesus. Let there not be confusion about baptism concerning infants, for they are unable to express faith in Christ Jesus, and I defy anyone to show me an example in scripture of godparents speaking for infants who are unable to grasp the concept of sin or salvation. Infants and toddlers are developmentally unable to grasp the concept of faith.

Here's a little more explanation of baptism; "And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Col. 2:10 - 12); " The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him. (1 Pet. 3:21 - 22)

Okay, I see this coming; another question: so how many times should one be baptized? If one is baptized correctly, only one baptism is necessary; for you cannot lose salvation. If you find a way, you cannot retrieve it, for Jesus only died once. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ." (Eph. 4:4 - 7) Let me show in another scriptural passage the irretrievability of the loss of salvation; "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame." (Heb. 6:1 - 6) Arminians and others versed in Scripture rage a debate about this passage. They hold that the backslidden who've fallen into apostacy are able to lose their salvation, while others hold that these weren't genuine believers, but only professed believers. Nevertheless, it's also written here that to try to regain salvation lost is to put Christ on the cross another time, putting Him to an open shame.

I feel I have exhausted further explaining the concept of baptism. If one not understand still after all this, let we who do know pray for them, and may God bless them with enlightenment because of our supplications on their behalf!