Why Baptism?
Every so often the pastor of the church I was attending would ask me: “Are you ready for baptism Gregg?” To which I would always reply: “Pastor, I was already baptized when I was a baby! Why do I need to be baptized again?” To which he would look at me and just smile.
If there ever was a mind game, this one left me puzzled for quite some time. Why is he always asking if I was ready for baptism. Why couldn’t he just accept that fact that I was already baptized as a child... and that should be enough. Yet, it continued to play in my mind. Man, that preacher was good ... but little did I realize that it just wasn’t the preacher ... it was the Holy Spirit moving in my heart and mind ... gently pushing me to a greater understanding as to what Baptism was really all about. The end result is that I did get baptised a few months later ... and during that time I began to understand why John, Jesus, and the other apostles shared this message ... “Repent, and be baptised.”
Scripture: Acts 16: 29-34
In order to fully understand why baptism is so important, one must first understand what baptism is not.
1. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation.
When I was born, my parents were attending a church that was very traditional and conservative. As I grew up I began to appreciate the things that went on before and during the worship service.
One thing that happened before the service was the “Breaking Of Bread” or the celebration of the Last Supper - Communion. In this church communion happened every Sunday, however, it was not for everyone ... it was only for those who had met 2 qualifications. Salvation and Baptism. Both Kenny and I had been saved ... we knew Jesus was in our hearts ... but we had not taken the last step ... baptism.
My friend Kenny and I would sometimes talk about this event. We would go to church with our parents and they would make us sit in the outer circle while our dad’s and mom’s sat in the inner circle ... when the bread and cup were passed around they would take it, but us kids could not take it ... even though we understood what it meant. You see we had not given a testimony of salvation and baptism.
Then one day my buddy Kenny got baptised ... how he got there I don’t know, but I remember going to church one Sunday and there he was in a white robe stepping into the big bath tub on the stage and then being dunked. I thought that was kinda funny, but I never talked about it with him until the next week when we got to church and there he was ... in the inner circle ... and so I wanted to go sit beside him, but I was told I couldn’t. He took communion, but again I was left out ... what a bummer. When I asked him about it later he simply said that he had gotten saved and baptised and that now he could take communion.
In my little mind I began to think that I wasn’t really saved ... because I hadn’t been baptised. Well, let me tell you this ... scripture does not say that you have to be baptised in order to be saved.
Jesus when he spoke to Nicodemus simply said “unless a man is born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3). Jesus when he spoke to the adulterous woman simply said “go and sin no more” (John 8:11). He did not tell her to be saved and get baptised ... he simply told her to stop sinning.
Salvation is a gift ... a gift that is given by God through Jesus ... it is the blood of Jesus that washes away the sin and cleanses us ... not the water of baptism.
2. Baptism is also not a pre-qualifier in order to get into heaven. In other words baptism is not a requirement or a guarantee for getting into heaven.
So often I will hear of churches that will publicly declare that salvation is not enough ... but you need to be baptised in order to qualify for heaven. No baptism ... no guarantee that heaven is yours. How sad ...
In some faiths they practice child baptism ... as an act that is required so that a child can be guaranteed heaven from that time on .... and then when tragedy hits and a child dies without being baptised it is devastating to the parents who then feel the child is lost. How tragic that religions put such fears into people, and teach a doctrine that is not even a part of God’s teachings.
Jesus said to his disciples in John 14:6 “I am the way and truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Simply said ... recognize that Jesus is who he is ... he is the only way to the Father and heaven ... so receive him, and follow him. Again, here Jesus does not add “and be baptized!”
When Jesus prays for all believers in John 17:20-26, he does not pray for people to let him and his message into their hearts and then confirm it through baptism ... but rather prays that God would help them to believe and receive so that they would know that he is in them ... and in this they would share in his glory. Again, if baptism was a pre-qualifier Jesus would continuously have taught this, but he didn’t. Instead we are reminded once again in Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord: and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”
Paul also added this in 1 Cor. 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel ...”
3. Baptism does not guarantee that you will never sin again.
Story of thief who was saved and baptised, except his hand right hand.
Paul said it best in Romans 7:19 when he said I do the things I do not want to do, and the things that I want to do I do not do ... There is such a struggle in our lives when we first come to know Jesus ... the sin that once bound us still crops up from time to time ... until we get to the place in our walk where we are always watchful of it ... and stay away from temptation when it comes our way.
So what is baptism then?
1. Baptism is not the Gospel it is my response to the Gospel. It is a BOLD DECLARATION.
The story in Acts 16 about the Philippian Jailer is a wonderful example of this.
Vs’s. 29 - 31 “And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."
When Paul shared these words with the jailer he spoke the truth of the message ... the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the correct message ... “believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” What a powerful message ... this is the message that when accepted brings us salvation ... a change in our lives ... and eternal life ... the gift of being with Jesus forever ... WOW!
Then we read in verse 33 “And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.” The jailer first responded to the message of the gospel ... he and his household ... they believed in Jesus and were saved AND THEN they made a bold declaration by being baptised into the faith of Jesus ... signifying that they were now followers of Jesus, and not just of a religion.
Baptism is our ‘stand up, be bold, and let others see’ response to what has happened in our life because of Jesus ... and we want to make it known. Baptism is the response of what Jesus has done in our lives ... it is our bold public response... it is our outward testimony. It is our public declaration of our commitment now to the Lord Jesus ... to God.
2. Baptism is not the end of the journey it is the beginning.
Matthew 28:19 says that it is just the beginning: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
When a person makes a life change it is a conscious decision. It is so easy for people to say I’m going to change ... and then when a trial or temptaion comes up, they find they can easily falter and fall back.
On the inside we know we are changed ... and yet when it comes to living for Jesus daily, on the outside, this is a greater challenge and more often than not people stumble, get defeated, and often feel that they can never really change; and then sometimes find themselves going back to an old life style.
How can baptism help this?
The Lord provided one more step that will help us become more grounded in our walk and that was in the act of commitment to him publicly, through baptism. Baptism takes you from the point of salvation to the point of public accountability.
Baptism takes you to the feet of Jesus and says that by this act I am not only saying to Jesus “I DO” ... and making a covenant with him that you are his and will follow him ... but you are also sealing it with an act of obedience ... and declaring this covenant with the Lord through your spoken testimony and your public declaration of stepping into the water of baptism ... and in this act declaring that the old you is indeed dead and buried, and the new you is rising up as a follower of Jesus. It is standing up and declaring ... ‘see me now! I am a follower of Jesus Christ.’
In pagan religions baptism was a relevant act. When a person changed religions they would often be baptised in one manner or another to signify that they had changed allegiances and religions ... and that the baptism was their public display that vouched for their decision.
So thus, it brings us to our 3rd point.
3. Baptism is not an addition to faith but is an expression of faith.
There is no greater testimony than one that is declared by word and deed. When a person is baptised it is an ACTIVE expression of his faith in Jesus ... and his willingness for this faith to be made public.
When we witness baptism in the church, and with those who have made a commitment to Jesus, we are standing together as a witness to the testimony of the person, and we are also standing together to say that we will help you grow in your faith and walk with Jesus. We are identified with each other through our faith in Jesus, and our willingness to publicly declare that faith. Baptism for the new candidate is his expression to the world that he has changed from the old life to a new life with Jesus. For those of us who have already made that stand it is also a re-expression of our faith, as we acknowledge the confirmation of this changed life for those being baptized, and we affirm them and agree with them in this expression of faith ... we stand up and acknowledge their salvation, their baptism, and their commitment to walk a life that is pure and good, and led of the Holy Spirit ... the life of Jesus.
Let’s pray!
