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Our Need To Be Immersed Into Christ
John R. Gentry
Baptism is one of the more controversial subjects in religion. Different denominations teach different things concerning the mode and meaning of baptism. Whenever it is brought up, people generally frown or act disgusted and think, "Why is he bringing this up again? People have been debating this for hundreds of years and have never settled the argument." However, the truth about baptism as recorded in the Bible has always been the same and will never change. Every Bible believing person must come face to face with baptism. Every individual must conclude for himself the role baptism plays in our salvation, if any, and precisely what baptism is.
Let us erase any and all presuppositions we have about baptism. Let’s assume that we don’t know anything about baptism: what it is nor its purpose in salvation. We are going to let God tell us exactly what he wants us to know about baptism. We will ask a series of questions and let the Bible answer them for us.
What Is Baptism?
You can look in an English dictionary under the definition of baptism and find that baptism is a religious rite administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. According to this definition, there are several options when it comes to baptism. What saith the Scripture?
In Rom. 6.3-4 and Col. 2.11-12 we learn that a believer is "buried with Christ in baptism." Clearly God’s definition of baptism is not sprinkling or pouring, it is a burial or an immersion in the likeness of Jesus death, burial and resurrection. And we learn from all the examples of baptism and from other passages that this immersion is to take place in water (Matt. 3.1-17; Mark 1.4-11; Luke 3.1-22; John 1.24-34; 3.5, 22-26; 10.40; Acts 8.35-39; 10.47-48; 22.16; Eph. 5.25-27; Heb. 10.22; 1 Pet. 3.20-21).
What Is Baptism For?
Perhaps the most disputed question surrounding baptism is its purpose. Why is a person to be baptized? Some teach that it is to admit one into a certain denomination, or some local church; others teach that it is "an outward sign of an inward grace," meaning that you simply show other people that you have had a salvation experience. Again, what saith the Scripture?
God’s answer to "What is baptism for?" is "so that your sins may be forgiven" (Acts 2.38), to be saved (Mark 16.16; 1 Pet. 3.21), and to be in Christ (Gal. 3.25-27). If the religious world would only pick up their Bibles and read God’s answer to this disputed question, many more people would be able to be saved from their sins!
What Happens When We Are Baptized?
While closely connected to the question "What is baptism for?" which shows the connection between baptism and salvation, the question now at hand is designed to help us better understand the details that bring about the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation. This, too, is a question that if the religious world would turn to the Bible for the answer, they would abandon their creeds and catechisms that contradict the clear teaching of God. In addition to the previous passages, according to the scriptures, "What happens when we are baptized?"
The Bible tells us that when we are baptized, we are added to the church, the body of Christ of which he is the Savior (Acts 2.41, 47; cf. Col. 1.18; Eph. 1.22-23; 5.23), we come in contact with the death of Christ where he shed his blood that cleanses us from our sins (Rom. 5.10 w/ 6.3-7; cf. 1 Pet. 1.18-19), and God works (not the person being baptized) to remove our sins (Col. 2.11-13).
Conclusion
A couple of other questions are worthy of our consideration. One, "How many baptisms are there?" God’s answer to this question is only one (Eph. 4.5). And we learn further that this one baptism is not the baptism of John (Acts 19.1-9) and it is not a baptism that puts the person being baptized into anything other than the body of Christ, the church of Christ (1 Cor. 12.13).
The second question is, "Who can or should be baptized?" God’s answer to this question is those who have heard the gospel, believe in the good news concerning Jesus, have repented of their sins, and have confessed their faith in Jesus as being the Son of God, are proper candidates for baptism (Matt. 28.19; Mark 16.16; Acts 2.38; 8.36-38).
What about you? Have you been baptized in the way described in the New Testament? If not, rid your mind of any man-made teachings about baptism and be guided in your understanding about baptism by the simple teaching of God. Then without adding anything to what the Bible says about baptism and without taking anything away from what the Bible teaches about baptism, submit your will to the Lord and be baptized. "Now, why do you delay, arise and be baptized, washing away your sins!" (Acts 22.16).
Galena Guardian
Vol. IX, No. 9, September 2007