Baptism
Before the time of Christ the Jews were granted favor through the Old Covenant of circumcision but now Gentile and Jew alike are saved through baptism, the promise of the New Covenant. It is through baptism that we are given the grace to do good things onto others, to preach to others, and to become one with God on judgment. Baptism is the cleansing of all sins for God forgives when you come to Him. But I shall explain to you the purpose of baptism and its significance.
The need for baptism comes from the reality of Original Sin, a sin that taints all human beings. It is not an offense in which one commits or earns but rather a sin that originates with Adam and Eve. With the fall of Adam and Eve comes the heavy price that every man is tainted with sin and without baptism will be depraved of the graces necessary for salvation.
The eating of the fruit condemns Adam and Eve to a spiritual death, (Gen. 2:17) for they did not die on the day that they ate the fruit. Rather they died inside and from that day Satan was cursed for corrupting man into disobeying God’s command. Women from that time forth were forced to feel the pains of childbirth and man was forever to labor and toil for his nourishment. (Gen. 3:14-19) As Satan shall be cursed, women shall feel pains, and man shall toil, so be it that all of humanity from that time on be tainted with original sin.
But why should man have to face such a burden due to the sin of just those two? It is necessary in order to bring man to God. In the Garden of Eden God was always present and in no place could Adam hide. Outside the Garden it is necessary for man to declare his dependency and faith in God. Without baptism are we no better than Cain and his descendents? They were children of Adam and Eve yet they did not follow God and were destroyed in Noah’s flood.
And so the descendent of Seth, Noah, was saved from the waters and was granted a Covenant that declared that the world was safe from another flood. And so it was revealed to the Jews, the descendents of Abraham and Isaac of original sin. For indeed, how can something of sin, how can one that is unclean, bear a child that is pure. Even an infant a few days old is unclean and full of trouble. (Job 14:1-4)
We can admit as a people that we are born in inequity and that we have been conceived of sin. (Psalm 51:5) However, there is still hope and is through the grace of baptism. For Adam’s sin entered the world, caused death by sin, and so death is passed to all men, it is thus that all men has sinned. (Romans 5:12) But we are given a free gift of baptism but it is not just for Original Sin but in the many offenses against justification. The obedience of Christ has allowed for the free gift of baptism that may make many worthy of justification. (Romans 5:16-19)
Through Adam there came death but through Christ there is life. (1 Cor. 15:21) For man without the grace of God is corrupt, sinful, wrathful, disobedient, and works in the fulfillment of the flesh and not of the spirit. (Ephesians 2:1-3) It is needed the grace of baptism for a change in our nature and in our justification.
Why does Paul bring up the sin of Adam? To reminds us of an irrelevant fact? No, for he reminds us the true reality of man. Man is unclean from the moment of conception for no creature can be pure of sin from a creature that is unclean except Christ. For how is it possible for such a person to be perfect from an imperfect being? But how can an infant sin or even a child? Within each and every person is the desire, the thought, the possibility to sin. And this possibility and ability to sin makes us different from Christ who had none. In this sense, Original Sin is not what we have done but what we could and will do which makes us unclean. It is our spiritual condition. It is through baptism at any age that cleanses one of Original Sin.
In a physical sense how can we see the regenerative abilities in baptism? I would say that in (2 Kings 5:14) we can see the power of water and the Holy Spirit at work. For baptism is a regeneration of the soul, we can see the regenerative qualities in Naaman’s joy of being healed. It was prophesized that Lord would come to pour out his water and his spirit upon the people. (Isaiah 44:3) For the Lord will sprinkle water upon us to clean us of our sins and idols. The Lord will give us a new heart and a new spirit and as such you will obey the statutes and the judgments of the Lord. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
We know this to be important for Paul reminds us of this verse in (Hebrews 10:22) for we shall have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and we shall wash our bodies with pure water. So Christ being perfect from the beginning would have had no need for baptism but he shows us for example and in the fulfillment of scripture. In this way Christ revealed who he was to the people of Israel. John the son of a Levite announces Christ king for he is the Son of David. We can see the parallels in (1 Kings 1:39) and so we can now understand the significance of Christ’s baptism. Never-the-less upon the baptism of Christ the image of a dove descended upon Christ, the Holy Spirit. (John 1:32)
Christ commands us to be “Born Again” in order to see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3) Christ explains that one is Born Again through water and the Holy Spirit. (John 3:5) After this teaching Christ’s disciples begin baptizing with water. (John 3:22). For John the Baptist declared that the one after him would baptize with water and with fire. That fire being the Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that Christ’s disciples baptized more converts than even John the Baptist. (John 4:1)
The necessity of baptism with the use of water is realized by the eunuch after he is converted by Phillip on his journey. (Acts 8:36) Indeed for how can any man forbid the use of water, to forbid baptism, to forbid the receiving of the Holy Spirit? (Acts 10: 47) For the water washes away our sins and causes the regeneration of the self. (Acts 22: 16)(Titus 3:5-6)
Even so I am suspicious that there is a war of words concerning the Biblical significance of baptism. Could baptism be simply a symbolic ceremony? I tell you that the Bible says otherwise.
It is the command of Christ to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and in the Holy Spirit to all nations. For this power is granted to the disciples by Christ for he has power over heaven and the earth. We as Disciples of Christ shall teach the Word of God and observe every command Christ has given us. In this way baptism is not merely a ceremony or a ritual but has meaning. For if baptism is simply a symbolic reenactment for what reason do you baptize in the name of the three persons of God? (Matthew 28:19-20)
For baptism to have meaning we must repent of our sins before receiving it. For as Peter said baptism is the way to receive the Holy Spirit. And this promise of salvation through baptism is to the people being baptized and to the next generation and so on. As such the promise of baptism did not end with the first generation; it still exists for us today until the end of time. (Acts 2:38-39)
Belief and Baptism is necessary for salvation for one who does not will be damned. (Mark 16:16) It is not just belief for even demons acknowledge God but the water and Spirit of baptism.
The phrase Born Again is “anothen” which literally means “begotten from above.” As such baptism truly grants salvation (John 3:3, 5)
For belief is the only thing necessary for salvation why do all the people stay to be baptized in Acts 8:12-13. It is one thing to believe, one must pledge allegiance to Christ. It is one thing to acknowledge but another to serve. Do you hear and not do? Do you believe but have no Spirit in you?
Be not like the confused hosts of Paul for he asks them if they have received the Holy Spirit. More importantly why does Paul even ask? If baptism is symbolic that why would he ask if they have received the Holy Spirit? They believe, this is true, but they do not have the Holy Spirit present in them. For they have been baptized by John, a baptism of repentance. For it was John’s baptism that was only of water. That baptism was symbolic, in that way the people could symbolically wash themselves of their sins. Why is this not enough? It is due to the fact that Christ would come to baptize with water and with fire. And for this reason this host family is immediately baptized and in so doing so they provide proof of the Spirit’s work. You can see that that they spoke in tongues and prophesied after the baptism. (Acts 19:1-6)
Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this , they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Paul who decided to give his life to Christ after being converted on the road to Damascus was still baptized. For what reason if he was saved? For what reason if he believed? He was baptized for the cleansing of his many sins. (Acts 9:18)
Acts 22:16 gives further evidence of the washing away of sin even onto Paul who converted on the road to Damascus. So thus all people converted and all people who believe shall be baptized. We shall also die in Christ through baptism and not die in death. (Romans 6:4)
At one time we too were sinners but now we are washed from sin, we are sanctified in baptism and we are justified in the name of Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. In this way Baptism is necessary for the washing away of sins and it seals us as a follower of Christ. (1 Cor. 6:11)
Again, baptism is not symbolic for in baptism Christ dwells within us, we put on Christ in our souls. (Gal. 3:27) It is not through the righteousness that we have done or according to Christ’s mercy that we are saved. Rather we are saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. In this way we are justified by grace which gives eternal life. (Titus: 3:5-7) The act of baptism allows for good conscience toward God, it is not symbolic. (1 Peter 3:21)
There are two exceptions to the water baptism and that is (baptism by desire) and (baptism by blood). The good thief is not baptized but shows a great desire to be remembered by Christ in his last hours. In this way he is promised paradise which is not the same as heaven but the righteous dead. As such the good thief by his desire is destined for heaven with Christ’s resurrection.
Baptisms by desire are for those who have died preparing for formal baptism into the Christian church. At the point of death a person can ask for a baptism without the use of water and is saved by this desire. The question then remains as to why are not all baptisms treated in this way and I would say that the water baptism is the preferred way. It is the baptism given to us by Christ and by his disciples. It is the baptism that we can be sure without a doubt that the workings of the Holy Spirit are at work. We know this because it was promised to us.
But while water baptism is preferred God is not bound by His sacraments. There is another baptism which is baptism by blood. The baptism Christ is talking about is that of his death. In other words martyrs for the faith are considered saved even without baptism. For what greater act is there than to die for one’s friends? Matt. 20:22-23
That said unless by unusual circumstances baptisms are to be performed as water baptisms. I would also say that the evidence overwhelmingly presses that baptism is not symbolic by a real meaningful pouring of the Holy Spirit and granting people the grace necessary to accept Christ and receive salvation.
Baptism is an expression of faith not a work. In this way it is not a ceremony, an observance that in someway pleases God. It is not a chore nor could it be considered an act of charity. For if it were to be a work it would have to be symbolic in nature. I also conclude that even if baptisms were to be a work it is legitimate for faith, in that faith without works is dead.
I also say that it is not sufficient to simply declare the divinity of Christ and to express that he is your savior. You must have the Holy Spirit within you and you must act on your faith or it will be dead. For demons know the divinity of Christ and they acknowledge him, thus they tremble, but they do not have the Holy Spirit in them.
Without the pouring of the Holy Spirit how can one perform demonstrations of faith such as speaking in tongues? Indeed how can one perform any work or demonstration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit without water baptism?
It should also be noted that Christ never performed a baptism himself, but why not if was symbolic? Nowhere is it mentioned Christ performing a baptism for in John 4:2 it is specifically mentioned that he does not join the disciples in baptizing. The reason for this being is that why would the second person of the Trinity interfere with the work of the third person the Holy Spirit?
I would also say that there is a great deal of religious precedence to water baptism and to its non-symbolic importance. Great theologians such as Martin Luther and John Calvin made their opinions known even after 1500 years of Catholic precedence.
“What gifts or benefits does Baptism bestow? ... It effects forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and grants eternal salvation to all who believe, as the Word and promise of God declare. What is this Word and promise of God? ... As recorded in Mark 16:16, our Lord Christ said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” How can water produce such great effects? ... It is not the water that produces these effects, but the Word of God connected with the water, and our faith which relies on the Word of God connected with the water. For without the Word of God the water is merely water and no Baptism. But when connected with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul wrote to Titus (3:5-8), “He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. The saying is sure.” Martin Luther
“Nor is it to be supposed that baptism is bestowed only with reference to the past, so that, in regard to new lapses into which we fall after baptism, we must seek new remedies of expiation in other so-called sacraments, just as if the power of baptism had become obsolete... We ought to consider that at whatever time we are baptized, we are washed and purified once for the whole of life. Wherefore, as often as we fall, we must recall the remembrance of our baptism, and thus fortify our minds, so as to feel certain and secure of the remission of sins. For though, when once administered, it seems to have passed, it is not abolished by subsequent sins.” John Calvin
There is only one baptism for if it were to be symbolic people could and would baptize themselves several times during their life times. Rather we are not called to be baptized again and again to be absolved of sins but in repentance.
“In Baptism we are given the grace, Spirit, and power to suppress the old man so that the new may come forth and grow strong. Therefore Baptism remains forever. Even though we fall from it and sin, nevertheless we always have access to it so that we may again subdue the old man. But we need not again have the water poured over us. Even if we were immersed in water a hundred times, it would nevertheless be only one Baptism, and the effect and signification of Baptism would continue and remain. Repentance, therefore, is nothing else than a return and approach to Baptism, to resume and practice what had earlier been begun but abandoned.” Martin Luther
While baptism is necessary for the salvation of man one must continue to have faith. Without faith baptism cannot save you.
“He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” that is, faith alone makes the person worthy to receive the salutary, divine water profitably. Since these blessings are offered and promised in the words which accompany the water, they cannot be received unless we believe them wholeheartedly. Without faith Baptism is of no use, although in itself it is an infinite, divine treasure,” Martin Luther
So what if a person was to be baptized without faith? What if he is a Judas, an imposter, one who is not true of heart?
How dare we think that God’s Word and ordinance should be wrong and invalid because we use it wrongly? Therefore, I say, if you did not believe before, then believe afterward and confess, “The Baptism indeed was right, but unfortunately I did not receive it rightly.” Martin Luther
Now that you are armed with the truth and overwhelming evidence go out and advance the cause of baptism. If you are not already baptized this would be the time to consider becoming a Christian, so close as it is to Easter. If you are in the process of becoming a Christian I say to you that your reflection and discovery of the faith in order to achieve baptism is not in vain. It is a necessary experience not to just be a number in a church book, but indeed to be written in the Book of Life. While it cannot be promised that all challenges and temptations will disappear after the moment of baptism you will be assisted and strengthened by the Holy Spirit within. You will be encouraged through the will of the Holy Spirit in those around you, the congregation. As you prepare for baptism realize that on the day of it you are now a member of the church, the Christian community. You are the saved, the elect, the faithful; you are one with the Body of Christ. You become a temple for the Spirit and thus you must act accordingly so as to not defile the body which is the temple.
In conclusion I hope that when you experience baptism or witness it that you have a greater appreciation for its importance in Christian life.
