A story is told of a preacher who liked to preach on water baptism. Week after week he preached about it. Finally, the deacons asked him to preach a sermon on Genesis 1:1. They said, “Let’s see him get a sermon on baptism out of that.” When he got up to preach, he said, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth is 2/3s water. Today’s subject is Water Baptism.”
We laugh, but the fact is, to ignore what the Bible teaches on baptism is no laughing matter. There are 3 commonly asked questions about baptism. Let’s consider them and notice the answers the Bible gives.
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1. Who is to be baptized? – v. 36-37
Some of your Bibles have verse 37, while some do not. Those that do not, like the NIV, have a footnote, letting you know what that verse is omitted. It is because the oldest manuscripts do not have that verse.
The idea is like the old game, where people pass along a message, only to find it has changed by the time it reaches the 100th person in line. The theory is that the manuscripts closest to the original will be most like the original. Why is this important? Because we believe the Bible was inspired by God as to be without error in the original manuscripts.
We don’t know if we possess the “autograph” copies, so scholars give greater weight to those that are oldest. Often, there is little difference in the message, even when a disputed verse isn’t included. If verse 37 wasn’t part of the original text, the answer to the Eunuch’s question is obvious. He could be baptized because he had placed his faith in Jesus.
That’s the answer to the first question - only those who believe on Christ as their personal Savior are qualified to be baptized. The reason for this is because of what baptism signifies. Jesus commanded His church to go make disciples and to baptize them as a way to identify themselves as belonging to Him (Matthew 28:19-20).
This command made perfect sense to our Lord’s disciples.
The Jewish term for baptism is “Mikvah, ”which is full immersion for the purpose to symbolize cleansing. In the Old Testament, this is a ritual people go through if they had been considered “unclean” due to an illness, or touching a dead body, or for any other of the things which might cause one to be considered “unclean” and thus, unfit to worship God or associate with the people of God.
Jesus instituted the “Mikvah” as a symbol that one has repented and placed their faith in the Messiah (Jesus) and thus, received the cleansing made possible through His sacrifice on the cross.
- Messianic Rabbi Barney Kasdan -
A wedding ring is an outward sign that a person is married. Similarly, water baptism is designed by God to identify a person as a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ.
This is why infants are not to be baptized. An infant cannot decide to become a follower of Christ. Only one with an awareness of their
accountability to God can knowingly repent and choose to be saved.
So, how did the practice of infant baptism develop? As a result of the false teaching that baptism saves. But one isn’t baptized to be saved, but they are baptized because they have been saved (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:36; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:14-15; 16:32-33; 18:8; 19:4-5). As the false teaching that baptism saves spread, the conclusion was that people needed to be baptized as young as possible. Hence, infant baptism.
But baptism doesn’t save. It doesn’t matter if your baptism was by
immersion, pouring, or sprinkling - if you haven’t trusted Christ for salvation, baptism (no matter the method) is meaningless and useless.
“He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” - Titus 3:5 (NLT)
Water baptism is a step of obedience to be done after salvation as a public profession of faith in Christ and identification with Him.
2. When are they to be baptized? – v. 36
The Bible says we should be baptized as soon as it can be arranged. Baptism isn’t to be put off. Why? Because Christ commanded His
followers to publicly declare that through baptism; and if I am serious about following Jesus, I will want to do what to do His will.
Someone answered the question of “How is God’s will done in heaven?” with “right away!” Well, that also applied to being baptized. We should be baptized as soon as we possibly can.
How do you supposed that Baptists got their name? Why are we called “Baptists?” Well, the reason for our name is that the group that became the first “Baptists” felt the need to return to the Bible with respect to their faith and practice.
The earliest Baptists can be traced back to 1609 in Amsterdam. In studying the Bible, they determined that, contrary to the practice of the Church of England, baptism was for believers only, not infants. They therefore, began practicing believer’s baptism, which resulted in their persecution and receiving the name “Baptist.”
Despite persecution, they continued to practice believer’s baptism. Why? Because they believed followers of Christ should obey Him.
Today, believers around the world suffer persecution when they publicly identify themselves as a follower of Christ. In Nepal, for example, a Hindu nation, it is illegal to share your faith. Those who become a Christian are often disowned by their family, which often means loss of inheritance; loss of livelihood; and that you become the object of derision and persecution. Yet, as soon as they can arrange it, believers in Nepal are baptized.
Why are they willing to risk the loss of family, livelihood;
reputation; standing in the community; imprisonment; and even death? Because they believe followers of Christ should obey Him.
“Most Westerners take baptism for granted, but for many in the world the act requires immense courage. In countries like Nepal it once meant imprisonment. For Soviet or Chinese or Eastern bloc
believers, it was like signing their own death warrant.”
- Chuck Colson in The Body
In light of the price believers in the past and present are willing to pay in order to obey the Lord’s command, it makes the procrastination of many here in the States look to be, at best, empty excuses, or worse, evidence that we truly have not been touched by the life-changing power of the living Christ, no matter what we claim.
“Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses
to believe is damned.” - Mark 16:16 (The Message)
We aren’t baptized in order to be saved, but if we are truly saved, we should want to be baptized.
3. How are they to be baptized? – v. 38
There was enough water for both Philip and the Eunuch. In other words, this man was immersed! The word “baptism” occurs 116 times in the New Testament. Baptizo in the Greek word used. It means “to dip or to immerse.” So if the Bible says baptism is by immersion, where did sprinkling or pouring come from?
Well, as infant baptism because more common, so did the death of
infants who were immersed. So, sprinkling developed as an alternative to immersion. But leaders of groups that practice sprinkling recognized immersion as the biblical method.
“I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imports the mystery signifies.” - Martin Luther (The
Lutheran Church)
“The word "baptize" signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church.” - John Calvin (The Presbyterian Church)
“Buried with Him, alludes to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church.” - John Wesley (The Methodist Church)
Why is “Baptizo” not translated “immerse”? Because of the influence of older Bible translations. The KJV, for example, was authorized by James the 1st, the king of England, who also headed of the Church of England. Their mode of baptism is sprinkling. So, how do I translate the Bible without discrediting my church or getting in trouble with the king? I transliterate “Baptizo” rather than translating it. Because of the influence of the KJV, subsequent translations continue to transliterate the word, “Baptizo” rather than translate it, “immerse.”
Why is the mode of baptism important? Because we want to do God’s will, God’s way; and because of the picture baptism portrays.
Baptism portrays a three-fold testimony:
A. Jesus has come for me - I believe Jesus died, was buried, and raised from the dead for me (Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
B. Jesus, the Messiah, has come to me - Through faith in Christ, my old life is dead, and buried, and I have been raised to walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6: 3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:12).
C. Jesus, the Messiah, will come again - Jesus will one day come again, and complete His work of salvation in my by giving me a
glorious resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Philippians 3:20-21).
Conclusion:
Are you a candidate for baptism? have you given your life to Christ?
Are you a believer who has delayed being baptized? Whay not commit to obeying the command of Christ today?
Perhaps you are a believer who has never been immersed. Why not do God’s will God’s way?
