I have entitled our message this morning, “The Baptism of John.” We have recently been learning about baptism, and today, I am going to be discussing false baptisms; and the best way to present this message is by looking at what the New Testament refers to as “the baptism of John.” This was a topic of much debate in Jesus and the apostles’ day and time (cf. Matthew 21:25-26); and the question of John’s baptism is actually one that we will place under the lens today.
The term “baptize” can mean to immerse; however, there is another New Testament use of this word. The Greek word baptesma, which was used in reference to John’s baptism, can also be defined as a “purification rite by which men on confessing their sins were bound to spiritual reformation.”(1) Baptism was “a rite of confession” that served as a profession of faith as to what someone believed.
We must understand that baptism is not a saving work, but a symbolic act identifying us with what we believe (cf. Romans 6:3-5). In Romans 6:5, for example, the apostle Paul used the word “likeness” in reference to baptism, to mean that we don’t really die with Christ in a physical sense; but rather, those who have been baptized into Jesus “symbolize” His death, burial and resurrection, in order to signify and declare unto others that they are truly followers of Jesus Christ.
Based on the definition of baptism that I just shared, it is a religious “rite” that identifies a person with a certain belief system and specific tenets of faith. When speaking of the baptism of John, an individual identified with the particular teachings and beliefs of John the Baptist. And, as we examine the baptism of John this morning, we will come to realize that his baptism – what it represented and the message that went along with it – was insufficient to bring about salvation, as his baptism was incomplete.
The reason why I have chosen to address the topic of false baptisms is because when a person’s baptism is performed under the wrong premise or belief system, then the individual needs to be rebaptized. Rebaptism is a topic that evokes strong emotions; and in order to soften any offense, we need to come to an understanding that rebaptism was a common New Testament practice, and there are actually some circumstances that call for rebaptism. As we examine this topic, I am going to propose that some people today have been baptized into John’s baptism. So, let’s get started with our first passage, which is Mark 1:4-8.
An Incomplete Baptism (Mark 1:4-8)
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
We read here that John the Baptist was “preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (v. 4). Those who went out to him at the Jordan River (v. 5) were following John and latching on to his teachings; and since they believed what he was saying, they were therefore baptized “by” him and “into” him (so to speak), in order to affirm that they truly identified with John’s teachings. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 mentions how the Israelites were “baptized into Moses” at the Red Sea crossing. Remember, baptism is not a saving work, but a symbolic action declaring what we believe.
The baptism they underwent was “a baptism of repentance” (v. 4). Before Christ came, people had to repeatedly offer sacrifices or undergo rituals, in order to demonstrate their repentance and receive the forgiveness of sins. This could have been animal sacrifice, ritual bathing, or even baptism. Rituals of atonement and other works, however, were insufficient at completely cleansing people of sin (Ephesians 2:8-9); for we read in Hebrews 10:11 that “every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”
When Jesus arrived on the scene, He brought the complete revelation. Hebrews continues to tell us, in Hebrews 10:12, “But [Jesus] . . . offered one sacrifice for sins forever.” So, the complete revelation was a message of total and absolute forgiveness; not a mercy that had to be sought after over and over. In Acts 10:34-37, Peter declared that “whoever fears [God] and works righteousness” (v. 35), who has found “peace through Jesus Christ” (v. 36), then that individual “is accepted by [God]” (v. 35). In the same passage, in Acts 10:37, Peter stated that this message about finding peace through Jesus Christ “began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached.”
Did you catch that? The complete revelation of repentance – the one leading to absolute and once-and-for-all forgiveness of sin – came “after” John’s ministry; and it came through Jesus Christ. That’s why John the Baptist emphasized in Mark 1:7-8 that there was One coming “after” him who was greater. The baptism of Jesus would result in complete forgiveness, total spiritual transformation, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. John preached repentance, but repentance is only half the gospel. This means that John’s baptism was incomplete; and we’re going to see this sentiment expressed by some of the apostles and early believers as we go along. Our next passage is Acts 18:24-26.
An Intellectual Baptism (Acts 18:24-26)
24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. 26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Apollos was an individual who had an incomplete baptism in John, and his was an intellectual baptism. We read here, that he “had been instructed in the way of the Lord” and “he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord” (v. 25). He was extremely intelligent, had great knowledge about God, and He knew the Scriptures and could expound and debate theology with the best of them; but something was lacking in His relationship with the Lord, for we read that Aquilla and Pricilla “took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (v. 26).
His relationship with the Lord was purely intellectual, and it had something to do with being baptized under John’s ministry. Some scholars propose that John the Baptist practiced a form of asceticism. “Asceticism” is defined as “the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial”(2) (cf. Jeremiah 35:6-10). It has at its core the notion that salvation is related to intellectual pursuit. It holds that the knowledge of God must take priority over the needs and wants of the human body. Now, we don’t really know if John held this knowledge-based idea of salvation. It’s just a theory proposed by scholars; but it gives us something to consider.
Here’s the thing we need to understand: Incredible knowledge about God does not necessarily mean a person is saved. Some people familiarize themselves with the Bible simply for the sport of entering theological debates, or perhaps to impress others with their vast array of Bible trivia. You have no doubt met non-Christians who know the Bible better than many believers. The reason why is because they have been under conviction by the Lord, and they have been studying the Scripture with the sole purpose of looking for loopholes, in order to alleviate the burden of conviction.
When Aquila and Priscilla took Apollos “aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (v. 26), they gave him the correct information. Being baptized into John doesn’t mean you are saved. Being a great Bible teacher or trivia whiz doesn’t automatically make you a Christian. If you only have “head knowledge” about Jesus and not “heart knowledge,” then you haven’t truly been saved. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Being saved has more to do with the “heart” than it does the “head.”
If you confessed Christ because “it made sense” and you didn’t feel it in your heart, then it was not right. If you received the wrong information about baptism, and you were immersed under the false premise that baptism is what saves you, then you probably never truly believed in your heart that Jesus is Lord; therefore, you’re not saved, and on top of that your baptism was done in vain. Perhaps you were raised in a denomination that emphasized intellectual pursuit, or maybe the denial of self as a means of pleasing God. If so, then you were baptized into John, and you should consider being rebaptized into Christ. Let’s now look at our last passage, which is Acts 19:1-7.
A Spiritless Baptism (Acts 19:1-7)
1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would 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 hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all.
Here, we read about some disciples in Ephesus who were baptized into John, and they knew nothing about the Holy Spirit. Paul informed them that John’s baptism was based on repentance as a means of pleasing God (v. 4); however, repentance is only the first step in salvation, meaning that one’s salvation is incomplete without having followed the second step. The second, and most crucial, step is to have faith in Jesus Christ as one’s Savior and Lord; and after trusting in Jesus, one needs to be baptized into Him as an expression of identifying with His death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5).
This passage has nothing to do with proving that baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate work of grace as some Pentecostal groups believe. Paul did not ask the Ephesian disciples about the Holy Spirit to emphasize that they were lacking the Spirit; but he asked the question in order to open their eyes to the fact that they had an incorrect faith and baptism, for they had been baptized into John instead of Jesus.
Paul wanted these disciples to realize that their baptism was not founded on the truth of salvation in Christ, therefore, they were not really saved; and since they weren’t really saved, they lacked the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. We read here that when they finally professed faith in Jesus and were baptized into Him, then at that moment “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied” (v. 6).
If you are lacking the power and presence of God in your life, then perhaps you were never baptized into Jesus; for if you have, then the Holy Spirit will bring power to your walk with the Lord. If you are lacking joy and peace, then maybe you were never baptized into Jesus, for “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Paul contrasted insufficient salvation in John with true salvation in Jesus Christ, saying they were baptized into John until Christ came into the world; but once He finally arrived, they were supposed to be baptized into Jesus (v. 4). They underwent a rebaptism at the request of Paul, and they did so in humble compliance.
When Paul heard that they didn’t know about the Holy Spirit, he didn’t have a problem questioning their previous baptism. He wanted to know that their baptism identified them with the correct belief – which is faith founded on Christ’s work of grace alone. When he dug deeper and realized they had been baptized into John’s belief system, he requested they be rebaptized; and they didn’t argue that their previous baptism was sufficient, and say that they didn’t need to do it again. We read how “when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (v. 5).
Time of Reflection
Only you know in your heart whether your baptism was correct. Keep in mind, however, that the church you were baptized in (if not here) might believe and teach things differently; and sometimes those slight variations in tenets of faith can make all the difference between having spiritual life with the Lord or suffering spiritual death. This is the reason why some Baptist churches request that someone be rebaptized, when the individual seeking membership has come from another denomination.
Since baptism is a symbolic action declaring one’s faith in Jesus Christ, it should be viewed as a privilege to celebrate again its significance in identifying you with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. And so, I am asking you to consider this morning whether or not your baptism was done under the correct premise of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. Paul declared in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
If you have put your trust only in repentance and good works, then your faith and baptism are incomplete. If you believe that you can enter heaven based on the pursuit of knowledge or neglecting yourself of certain bodily needs, then your faith and baptism are incorrect. If your walk with the Lord seems powerless and fruitless, then perhaps your faith and baptism are incomplete. If you find yourself questioning that moment of faith, or moment of belief, which led to your baptism, then it could be that you never truly received Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord.
NOTES
(1) “Baptesma,” Strong’s Number G908, Blue Letter Bible: www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G908&t=KJV (Accessed July 13, 2012).
(2) “Asceticism,” Dictionary.com: dictionary.reference.com/browse/asceticism?s=t&ld=1032 (Accessed July 13, 2012).
