In this series of articles I will answer questions about baptism, not from theology, tradition or church doctrines, but from what we can read straight from the Bible. I will go through some basic investigative questions: Who, what, where, when and why. Please consider carefully what the scriptures actually tell us as we consider these questions about baptism.
This simple approach helps us to see that most Bible controversies are not about what the Bible actually reveals / teaches, rather, they are about whether or not we need to do exactly what the Bible teaches. Do you think it is necessary to do just what God reveals in His word?
Why be baptized? What does baptism do?
The answer varies in the religious world: to obey God, as a symbol because you are already saved, to take away sin, for salvation. The greatest controversy is over whether a person is baptized in order to be saved or because he is already saved. What does the Bible say about that?
Jesus is giving His apostles final instructions about their responsibility to preach to the whole world so that people might be saved says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Jesus list two things necessary for people to be saved: belief and baptism. If people do not believe they will not be baptized either.
During the first gospel sermon in Acts chapter two, the people who were cut to the heart asked “…what shall we do? 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 2:37-38). Peter further urges them to “Be saved…” (v. 40). “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (v.42). After describing this group of baptized people in verses 42-47 we read: “And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.”
When Ananias was teaching Saul, a persecutor of the church and the Lord, he told Saul to “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
There are a variety of things that are a part of salvation. We cannot assume that any one part without the others will be effective. On God’s side of the question, we are saved by grace, the sacrifice of Jesus, his blood, the working of the Holy Spirit. As we see in the passages above there is more than one thing that is a part of our response to God’s way of salvation: faith, repentance and baptism. Our own sin is the thing that makes us lost, separated from God. That sin must be removed in order to be saved. Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism washes away sins (Acts 22:16). Baptism is for salvation (Mark 16:16). Baptism will do nothing by itself, but in connection with all that God has put in place, baptism saves. Faith alone will not save (James 2:24). We must believe what God says that baptism is for and what it will do.
Consider these scriptures as well:
- Galatians 3:26-27 – “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
- Colossians 2:11-13 – “In Him were you also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.
- Romans 6:3-11 – “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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 … 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.
- 1 Peter 3:21 – “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism, not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of the dead.”
The question: Does baptism save – can be misleading. Rather ask: What does God / the Bible say that baptism does? You can re-read the passages and make a list of things the Bible says that baptism does. Then you will know what it is for and why you should be properly baptized.
The word of God is clear about what baptism does. The question is not: “What does the Bible say?” That is easy. The question is “Are we going to accept what God said?”
Please let me know if you have any questions — don@nycbibleteacher.com