Baptism
Introduction
Not long ago, I was travelling with my eldest son, Alon and we stayed a
night in a country town he had previously worked in. The next morning was
Sunday, so we went to the local Presbyterian church where he had worshiped
during his stay there. There we heard a solid, evangelical sermon, were
welcomed by numerous friendly people, and had a great morning tea. As we were
walking back to the car, we both commented on what a nice, godly church it was.
Being me, I also felt the need to add that, while Heather and I had also
worshiped in a Presbyterian church, I had never been able to come to terms with
infant baptism.
Alon agreed, and then said, “funny thing, on my first Sunday here, there
was an infant baptism. There are actually a lot of Baptists who attend the
church, so probably in a real effort not to offend them, the baptism never
mentioned the child, but stressed the responsibility of the parents to raise
the child in the knowledge of God, and of the church likewise”. At this point,
a strange thing happened; my mind was happily thinking what a gracious act,
what a kind, thoughtful and generous thing to do, but my spirit burned with
anger. Like in Psalm 42:5, I was puzzled by this reaction, and tried to work
out why I was feeling so angry.
They were being thoughtful, and going the extra mile so as not to
offend, so why was I offended? They were, I reasoned, trying to make baptism
inoffensive - and then I understood. It is not in the nature of baptism to be
inoffensive. You cannot neuter baptism.
Baptism is about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. It is
about dying to self and being raised from the dead and crowned with glory. It
is a statement before God and demons, before the church and society at large,
that that which was lost is found, that you have chosen peace with God and
thrown down the gauntlet to the world. It is about salvation and eternity,
about your name being written in the Lamb’s book of life. It is many things,
but it is NOT inoffensive! That was why my spirit burned within me.
So, today I would like to take a look at Baptism, what it is, and what
it is not.
What it is
A sociologist would tell us that baptism is the Christian initiation
rite, its gate-keeper. It identifies to the church and to the world those who
are in as opposed to those who are not.
Fair enough as it goes, yet it begs the question, how do you become a
Christian?
Acts 2:37-39 brothers, what shall we do? Peter replied, "Repent and
be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is
for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord
our God will call."
Acts 16:30-31 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must
I do to be saved?" They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you
will be saved--you and your household."
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 10:9-11 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is
Lord," and believe in your 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.
1Peter 1:9 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will
never be put to shame." for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the
salvation of your souls.
John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can
see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
We become Christians by being saved, by being born again. And what is
our part in this process? We need to believe, and to repent, Here God meets us,
we are joined with Jesus, given new, eternal life in him, clothed with his
righteousness, filled with his spirit.
Baptism is a dramatic re-enactment of our salvation. Baptism proclaims
this inward transformation, this journey from death to life, so others can
understand and be blessed.
Romans 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace
may increase?
2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or
don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized
into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death
in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the
Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this
in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin
might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died
with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that
since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has
mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the
life he lives, he lives to God. 11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to
sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
This is baptism! You go under the waters, dying to self. Here, you are
united with Christ in his death, and united with him is his resurrection – you
are re-born and raised to new life in him! Note also that this passage is
NOT about baptism! It is teaching about salvation, and uses baptismal
language to do so, because that is what baptism is, a dramatization of
salvation!
Colossians 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with
him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
Colossians 3:1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your
hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set
your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your
life is now hidden with Christ in God.
Romans 8:11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is
living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your
mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Galatians 2:19-20 For through the law I died to the law so that I might
live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
1Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you
also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience
toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
So, we have died to what we want, and now live for Jesus and through
Jesus. Indeed, if you were to take the symbolism of baptism a little too
seriously, if Jesus has not been raised, then we would just float about at the
bottom of the baptismal pool, with everyone growing increasingly nervous and
concerned. But, praise God, Jesus has been raised, and we see the young person
bursting up out of the waters, full of joy and showing everyone they now belong
to him.
Baptism is the public witness that you have become a follower of Jesus. It is an amazing preaching of the good news to others. I have been at
several open air baptisms, one in a waddi in Israel, and people wandering
through were naturally interested, and asking questions about what was
happening. “See that person, well, they are going under the water, showing they
are dying to their own desires, and now they are coming back up, because they
want to live for Jesus.” And the joy of the Lord was just beaming through them.
The final part of our definition of what baptism is, is that baptism is
a commandment.
Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Mark 16:15-16 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach
the good news to all creation.
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not
believe will be condemned.
Jesus commands that we tell others the good news, and baptism is our
first act of obedience to that command. Saying it is a command might make it
sound like a burden, but anyone who has seen a baptism knows this is not true.
God’s commands are for our blessing, and for the blessing of others, and in
baptism we see the truth in the verse; “I delight to do your will.”
So, baptism is the Christian initiation ceremony, it is a dramatic
re-enactment of that salvation, it is a public proclamation that we are saved,
and witnesses as to how to be saved, it is a commandment of our Lord, and it is
an absolute joy.
With all that good stuff in mind, lets now look briefly at a few of the
questions that are often asked about baptism. These can be summarized as;
Must I get baptized?
When should I get baptized?
How should I get baptized?
Who should get baptized?
Must I get baptized?
This tends to be one of those odd questions where people come up with
bizarre scenarios, and then want a general ruling on the basis of them. So, the
answer is a provisional no. If circumstances make it impossible to be baptized,
God wont send you to hell. God loves us, he wants to save us, he died to save
us. He does not tell the thief on the cross (the favorite bizarre scenario), if
only you could now get baptized, you could be with me, no! God knows our
circumstances, and judges rightly and with mercy.
However, if like almost everyone, you are able to get baptized, but just
didn’t want to, then that would be a real problem. You cant decide to follow
Jesus, then refuse his first command on your life. In that case, you would have
to doubt the genuineness of their salvation.
John 14:15 If you love me, you will obey what I command.
1John 2: 4 The man who says, "I know him," but does not do
what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
Remember, baptism is something those who are saved want to do and
delight in.
Also, baptism does not save us – it is something we do because we are
saved. It is however totally ties up with our salvation, and, as said,
re-enacts that salvation. Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were
baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
When should I get baptized?
Baptism is the celebration of our salvation, and it should naturally
occur as soon as you are saved.
Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three
thousand were added to
their number that day.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of
the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men
and women.
Acts 8:35-36 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and
told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they
came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why
shouldn't I be baptized?"
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household
believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and
were baptized.
How should I get baptized?
The two options here are by full immersion, and by sprinkling. As we
have seen, full immersion, the going under the water as dying to self, and then
being raised up to new life in Jesus, beautifully and fully reflects what it is
meant to symbolize. On the basis of Romans 6 alone we would prefer it. None of
this wonderful symbolism is found in sprinkling. Hebrews 10 indeed has us
sprinkled with the blood, and washed in pure water. The New Testament also
draws several Old Testament allusions to baptism; 1 Peter 3:20 links it with
the noahic flood – an escape from the judgement on all flesh to new life, while
1 Corinthians 10 sees it in the journey through the Red Sea – slavery on one
side, new life and freedom on the other. Both are images of immersion by vast
amounts of water.
There are also other reasons to choose it.
Baptism was already practiced within Jewish society before the New
Testament. The early church did not invent it – rather, under God’s grace, they
showed it fullest meaning. Within Judaism, purification rituals were a big deal
(see John 2:6). Jewish baptism was by full immersion, this requirement being
basic to the design of the baptismal pools, or mikvahs that archeologists are
continually uncovering all over Israel from this time. Complete immersion was
very important. Before entering the mikvah, women would brush their hair, so
that each strand would be washed, and even today, there are conflicting rulings
concerning the appropriate management of dreadlocks. The Temple in Jerusalem
had many ritual immersion baths connected to it, including over 48 on the
ceremonial steps of the complex alone. Herod indeed had nearly 90 kms of
aqueducts built to make sure there was always enough water for them. The Temple
was well able to cope with the baptismal needs of the tens of thousands who
visited during the Holy Days, and so the baptism of 3,000 on the first day of
Pentecost would have provided no logistical difficulties.
Baptism by full immersion is not only the symbolism of the New
Testament, it is also its practice;
Mark 1:9-10 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was
baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water,
John 3:23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there
was plenty of water,
Acts 8:36 As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and
the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
… 39 When they came up out of the water,
None of these passages would be necessary if baptism did not require a
significant amount of water. So, the teaching and the practice of the New
Testament are in agreement, and these combine with the preparation from the Old
Testament to make full immersion the way to go.
I well remember my own baptism, and as I was one of a number getting
baptized that day, I noticed that the person ahead of me did not go fully under
the water. Now, I know it is only a symbol, but I remember thinking, I don’t
want any part of me not to die to self, I want to belong fully to Jesus, and I
remember pushing myself way down as the pastor was doing it.
Unless completely impossible, it is a requirement of all believers. It
should be done by full immersion, and to adults who have made a public
declaration of their faith in Jesus. Finally, there is the divisive question of
who?
Who should get baptized?
Who is a fit subject for baptism? This question is answered by our
definition of baptism. What is it? It is the sign of our salvation. The link
between baptism and salvation is absolute;
1Peter 3:21 water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the
removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.
It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized,
Acts 8:12-13 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news
of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both
men and women., Simon himself believed and was baptized.
Acts 18:8 and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were
baptized.
Now, if the link between baptism and salvation is absolute, the question
then is, how are we saved?
As seen, the answers revolve around repentance, believing, faith,
confession.
Romans 10:10-11 For it is with your heart that you believe and are
justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the
Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to
shame."
So, baptism is for those who have repented and believed, for those who
have died to self and been born again into the kingdom of God. For those who,
by faith, have trusted in Jesus. It perfectly and beautifully describes and
proclaims what has happened to a person who has become a Christian.
No one disputes this. The question is, what about babies?
Well, do babies repent? Do they confess their sins and ask God to
forgive them? Have they trusted in Jesus? Baptism does not rightly describe a
one week old baby’s life experience or spiritual journey. They are not suitable
candidates for baptism. They have been born, they have not been born again.
Baptism is profoundly damaged if it is applied to them. Remember, baptism is a
public teaching and witness to salvation. The teaching and proclaiming of
salvation is a big deal to the church – to get that wrong is likewise a big
deal. Infant baptism fails the church in three ways;
1.
The church’s witness to
outsiders is corrupted – being invited to watch a baby get water sprinkled on
them does not teach them about salvation, yet it may be the only time the go to
church. We are commanded to preach salvation to the nations, a salvation that
is by faith and belief, not one by ritual and genealogy. This is a big deal.
2. The church’s witness to
its own membership is corrupted. How often do you hear someone say; “I am a
Christian, I was baptized as a baby.” They have been badly misled by a false
ceremony within a church so they do not understand their desperate need for
faith, repentance, and new birth in Jesus, without which no one will see God.
Baptism is indeed related to salvation, and they misunderstand salvation
because their church has misinformed them. This is a big deal.
3. Christians within such a
church are denied the ability to obey this command of Jesus. Infant baptism
also robs such children of the blessing of true baptism. They never get to
testify to their personal faith in this wonderful way, they never get to obey
this command of Jesus. That they would have to leave their own church to obey a
command of Jesus is a terrible indictment. This is a big deal.
Those who argue for infant baptism argue from a very weak position.
Infant baptism is neither taught nor practiced in the New Testament.
Regards to teaching, it is claimed that circumcision was given to babies
in the Old Testament, so baptism should be given to babies. That is to
completely misunderstand the nature of the New Covenant, however.
John 3:3-8 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one
can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. " "How can a man
be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a
second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I
tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of
water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to
spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' The
wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where
it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the
Spirit."
Baptism is not about physical birth, but is all about being born of the
Spirit. This is when we become the children of God, spiritual babies.
1Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it
you may grow up in your salvation,
Baptism is about being born again.
1Peter 1:21-23 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the
dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you
have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for
your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born
again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and
enduring word of God.
This is not about physical birth (via perishable seed), but the Word of
God!
1John 3:9-10 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because
God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of
God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God
1John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God,
1John 5:4-5 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the
victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes
the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
New birth involves believing. Now, there is indeed a link between
circumcision and baptism, as entrances into God’s people, but it is applied to
the new birth – to those who by their faith in Jesus have been made alive with
him, as illustrated by baptism. This does not apply baptism to circumcision,
but relates circumcision to baptism.
Colossians 2:11-13 In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off
of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with
the circumcision done by Christ,
having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your
faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in
your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive
with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
Unless a baby has been raised with Jesus through the power of that
babies’ own faith, then this verse does not apply to babies. The linkage with
circumcision is explicitly made in the New Testament, but in such a way as to
prohibit it being used to justify infant baptism. Baptism re-enacts a person’s
faith journey, therefore one must have faith to be baptized.
Lastly, what about 1Corinthians 7:14? “For the unbelieving husband has
been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified
through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as
it is, they are holy”.
Paul is talking about the situation of believers who have unbelieving
spouses. Paul says that the unbelieving, unbaptized spouse has a sanctifying
covering due to the marriage bond (a new question requiring a new answer), and
then backs this up with reference to the (uncontroversial and already
understood) state of their own children; the unbelieving, unbaptized spouse has
a sanctifying just as your children (though likewise unbelieving and
unbaptized) are also covered by God’s grace. Now, if those children had been
saved and baptized, then their status would be the same as the rest of the
community, and in no way analogous to the unbelieving spouse. Note that Paul
also accepts the possibility that the still unbelieving spouse may decide to
leave, that is, the sanctification imparted by the marriage does not as such
save them or make them a candidate for baptism. He hopes that they will come to
be saved (verse 16), but there is no guarantee, or impartation of that status
in the meantime - see 1 Peter 3:1 for a similar thought (1 Peter 3:1 Wives, in
the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not
believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their
wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives). While the
unbelieving spouse is with the believing one, they are blessed in that they are
able to see up close the gospel in action, but they must still act on that if
they are to be saved. Just as your own children are also blessed by being
raised in a Christian home, but will also have to make their own decision for
Christ as they reach the age of understanding. Again, if the children of
believers were saved, and therefore fit candidates for baptism, then Paul could
not compare their state to the situation of an unbelieving unbaptized spouse.
Turning finally to New Testament practice – did Jesus or the apostles
baptize babies? If so, then it is Biblical, if not, then it is neither taught
nor practiced in the Bible.
Because there are no explicit examples of children being baptized,
(Jesus himself blessed the little children, he did not baptize them) the
argument descends to one about the composition of households, and were children
therefore included when we are told that someone and his entire household were
baptized. Fortunately, this argument does not depend on the various usages of
the Greek work oikos in Koine Greek.
The relevant passages in mainly in Acts, and are wonderful examples of
Romans 10:13-14;
for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be
saved." 14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can
they hear without someone preaching to them?
In these accounts, they all gather to hear the preached word, they all
believe, and then they are all baptized. In the house of Cornelius, all were
devout and God fearing, in the household of Crispus, all believed and were
baptized. After receiving the Spirit, they then all speak in tongues and praise
God. Two of the accounts are shorter, but are in harmony with the rest. To read
into the shorter versions something not in the text, but rather in direct
contradiction to the longer accounts (and in direct contradiction to the
unanimous teaching re salvation throughout the New Testament), would be
indefensible.
There is nothing of infant baptism in these accounts.
Cornelius (Acts 10) Lydia
(Acts 16) Jailer
(Acts 16) Crispus
(Acts 18) Stephanas
(1 Corinthians 1)
He and all his household were devout and God-fearing; (Acts 10:2)
He will bring you a message through which you and all your household
will be saved.' (Acts 11:14) and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?"
31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be
saved--you and your household."
(Acts 16:30-31)
Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the
Lord has commanded you to tell us." (Acts 10:33)
We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
(Acts 16:13) Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the
others in his house. (Acts 16:32) Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue,
trying to persuade Jews and Greeks…
Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews
that Jesus was the Christ.
(Acts 18:4-5)
the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. (Acts 10:44) The Lord
opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. (Acts 16:14) then immediately he
and all his family were baptized. (Acts 16:33 ) Crispus, the synagogue ruler,
and his entire household believed in the Lord; (Acts 18:8)
they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,
47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water?
(Acts 10:46-47) When she and the members of her household were baptized, she
invited us to her home. (Acts 16:15) he was filled with joy because he had come
to believe in God--he and his whole household. (Acts 16:34) and many of the
Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. (Acts 18:8) I also
baptized the household of Stephanas (1Corinthians 1:16)
they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and
encouraged them. (Acts 16:40) You know that the household of Stephanas were the
first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of
the saints. (1Corinthians 16:15)
To conclude, baptism is fantastic!
It is a public proclamation that we are saved, and witnesses as to how
to be saved. It is a commandment of our Lord, and it is an absolute joy. It is
available to all who hear and believe. Unless completely impossible, it is a
requirement of all believers, and should be done by full immersion to adults
who have made a public declaration of their faith.
It blesses the Lord, it blesses the person undergoing it, it blesses
God’s people and it blesses others who see it. God’s commands are a delight,
and we are right to praise him for them.
