The subject of Baptism is often a controversial subject among denominations when it deal with salvation. There have been disagreements over who is to be baptized- infants or adults. Disagreements over how people should be baptized, by sprinkling, pouring water over one’s head or immersing completely into water. There have been disagreements over when someone should be baptized such as after a waiting period, or immediately upon the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.
So why is there so much confusion? Does the Bible not have an authoritative process to make this easy? I believe it answers all questions that we have. What does the bible say about baptism?
As the apostle Paul recounted his own baptism experience he stated that his teacher Ananias told him in Acts 22:16-NKJV
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
The water itself has no power, but God has chosen to make our obedience to the command to be baptized in water the means by which we demonstrate our faith, and on that basis we are cleansed. It’s like putting on a new set of clothes!
Galatians 3:27-NKJV
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:27-NIV
27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Galatians 3:27-Easy-to-Read Version
27 You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This shows that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul clearly states that the obedience to the Gospel is how you are saved! The gospel stated here is the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Christ.1 Corinthians 15:1-4-NKJV
15 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Paul goes forward clarifying so there is no confusion about the significance of baptism.
Romans 6:1-6-NKJV- 6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
We were baptized into the death of Christ and this is the key to understanding why baptism is essential for the forgiveness of sins. Baptism is the only way the Bible has ever described how we come in contact with the blood of Christ. We are redeemed by His blood:
Ephesians 1:7-NIV
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
We become dead to sin when we become united with Christ in His death. While the sinner is being immersed in water by faith, God is operating justification and regeneration on his spirit.
Colossians 2:11-12-NKJV
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Baptism further signifies our being raised to a new life. When we are baptized we are born again. Nicodemus asked Christ about this new birth in: John 3:1-5-NKJV
3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
Therefore as Christ was raised from the dead we too are raised from our state of spiritual death, and begin to walk in the newness of life, Born Again!
Baptism is immersion. From Bapto, to dip comes baptize meaning to immerse, plunge, dip, submerge. The words sprinkle and pour come from different greek words and are not substitutes for the word Baptizo. (sprinkle- Rhantizo, pour –cheo)
Leviticus 14:15-16-NKJV
15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour (cheo) it into the palm of his own left hand. 16 Then the priest shall dip (bapto) his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle (rhantizo) some of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord.
The apostles in Matthew 28:19 NKJV
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
They were commanded by Jesus to teach and baptize all nations. Of those recorded instances, all went down into the water and came up out of the water, including Jesus, and none were recorded as being sprinkled or having water poured on them.
The 3000 on Pentecost (2:1-41), The 2000 at Solomon's Porch (3:1-4:4),
The Samaritans (8:4-25) ,The Ethiopian Eunuch (8:26-40), Saul of Tarsus (9:1-19; 22:6-16; 26:12-18), Cornelius and His Household (10:1-48; 11:1-18), Two Households at Philippi (16:6-34), The Athenians (17:16-34)
The Corinthians (18:1-11), The Twelve Disciples of John (19:1-10)
If these examples are there for us to see WHY do something other than what is given in scripture?
Once there was a mother bird who decided to teach her babies how to build a nest. She started her teaching by saying, to build a nest you must first find a secluded place. One of the little birds immediately flew away. The mother bird continued to teach the lesson. She said next that you needed to find some straw, then another bird flew away. The mother bird continued you must find some mud and mix it together with the straw, and yet another bird flew away. The mother then demonstrated to the remaining bird how to put it all together to form a reliable nest.
Later each little bird was found, and each one claimed to have listened and built their nest. The first bird called his secluded place a nest. The second bird had only a pile of straw and called it a nest. The third bird had a ball of mud and straw rolled up and said it was a nest, but only the last bird that listened to the complete teaching and followed the plan made a real nest. The others had essential elements of a nest, but not a nest.
So it is with obeying Christ’s commands concerning salvation! To obey the teaching of Christ and to follow the biblical examples and the pattern set forth for salvation we must
Hear the word of God proclaimed.
Romans 10:17-NKJV
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Then you believe what you have heard.
Mark 16:15-16-NKJV
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
When you hear something that produces faith you believe it! That belief causes change so as the Bible instructs us repent and turn away from a sinful life.
Acts 3:18-19-NKJV
18 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
After one’s heart is changed confession is made that Jesus is Lord of your life!
Matthew 10:32-33-NKJV
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
Then one must be baptized, fully immersed into water.
Mark 16:16-NKJV
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:38-NKJV
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 22:16-NKJV
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
Does it matter what you believe? Your destiny depends on it. Accepting Jesus into your heart is a good thing, but not in itself all inclusive for salvation. Believing is part of the plan but not only belief. Saying the sinner’s prayer is not all inclusive!
Romans 10:9-10 NKJV
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Raised from the dead! That’s the Gospel!
Romans 10:13-NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Absolutely! But not ONLY!
It’s not hearing only, It’s not belief only, it’s not faith or confession, repentance or baptism only! It is obeying the plan that was used in all examples of conversion.
It is obeying the Gospel, the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Now that you have heard it proclaimed, you must believe it and repent and turn from sin confessing Jesus to be Lord of your life and be baptized having your sins washed away.
This is what the Bible Authority for salvation is! Nothing more but…. Nothing less!
