How Important Is Baptism?
Dear Phil,
Just how important is baptism? Do we really need to be baptized today?
Ray
Just how important is baptism? Do we really need to be baptized today?
Ray
Dear Ray,
In both the Gospels and Acts, we see a consistent pattern. Jesus was baptized (Matt 3:15–17) and his followers were baptized (John 4:1–2). As soon as a person accepted Christ as their Messiah, they were baptized (cf. John 3:22; Acts 8:12; 9:18; 10:47; 16:15; 18:8; 19:5). Their baptism was a sign of their renunciation of all other masters, their identification with Jesus as their Savior and Master, and their incorporation into the Body of Christ.
Jesus left his disciples with this command–promise: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19–20).
Jesus’ central command is “make disciples.” All the rest— going, baptizing, and teaching—are means by which that central command is completed. The necessary implication of this command is that those who are being made disciples must be baptized. So, the answer to your question is a definite “Yes.” If we are committed to obeying Jesus because we love him, then we will baptize our disciples. We will also teach them that they are to disciple other disciples and baptize them. In other words, Jesus views baptism as one of the essential components of fulfilling the Great Commission.
In a way, baptism is similar to circumcision. Abraham was saved by faith alone (Gen 15:6; cf. Rom 4:1–8) before he was circumcised (Gen 17:23; cf. Rom 4:9–12). Circumcision was the external sign of God’s covenantal ownership of his life. Abraham’s descendants often confused relationship with God and the sign of that relationship. They thought if they were circumcised, they were right with God. In the same way, people today think if they are baptized, they are right with God. Both are wrong. Circumcision saved no one. Baptism saves no one. Only faith in Christ alone saved or saves anyone. But, as James points out, the faith that saves obeys (James 2:17–28). Saving faith in the OT obeyed God’s requirement that His covenant people be circumcised. Saving faith in the NT obeys God’s requirement that His covenant people be baptized.
If baptism saves no one, why does Peter say “baptism now saves you” (1 Pet 3:21)? Before explaining this text, let’s consider a similar case: sacrifice and forgiveness. In the OT, the obedient believer’s sacrifice was said to make atonement for him and his sin was forgiven (e.g., Lev 4:26). But Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Which is correct? Both! Sacrifice alone achieved nothing. But sacrifice offered as faith’s obedience brought forgiveness on the basis of the person’s faith. In other words, offering a sacrifice expressed the faith by which they were forgiven.
When Peter says, “Baptism now saves you,” he is comparing our salvation to the salvation of Noah in the ark through the flood waters (1 Pet 3:20). We might ask, “When was Noah saved? When he got in the ark or when he came through the flood?” The answer is both. Noah was saved when he entered the ark by faith, and he was saved by the ark through the death–dealing waters of the flood. In the same way, we are saved when we enter Christ by faith, and we are saved through the death–dealing waters of baptism by Christ’s resurrection.
Notice that Peter completes his statement “baptism now saves us” with the words “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Just as it was not the flood waters but the ark that actually saved Noah, so it is Christ who is our “ark” that saves us, and not the waters of baptism themselves. Peter says “baptism saves us” because baptism expresses our saving faith in Christ through whom we die to sin and rise to walk in newness of life.
If you haven’t been baptized, then in obedience to Christ’s command you should be baptized if physically possible.
Blessings,
Phil
In both the Gospels and Acts, we see a consistent pattern. Jesus was baptized (Matt 3:15–17) and his followers were baptized (John 4:1–2). As soon as a person accepted Christ as their Messiah, they were baptized (cf. John 3:22; Acts 8:12; 9:18; 10:47; 16:15; 18:8; 19:5). Their baptism was a sign of their renunciation of all other masters, their identification with Jesus as their Savior and Master, and their incorporation into the Body of Christ.
Jesus left his disciples with this command–promise: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matt 28:19–20).
Jesus’ central command is “make disciples.” All the rest— going, baptizing, and teaching—are means by which that central command is completed. The necessary implication of this command is that those who are being made disciples must be baptized. So, the answer to your question is a definite “Yes.” If we are committed to obeying Jesus because we love him, then we will baptize our disciples. We will also teach them that they are to disciple other disciples and baptize them. In other words, Jesus views baptism as one of the essential components of fulfilling the Great Commission.
In a way, baptism is similar to circumcision. Abraham was saved by faith alone (Gen 15:6; cf. Rom 4:1–8) before he was circumcised (Gen 17:23; cf. Rom 4:9–12). Circumcision was the external sign of God’s covenantal ownership of his life. Abraham’s descendants often confused relationship with God and the sign of that relationship. They thought if they were circumcised, they were right with God. In the same way, people today think if they are baptized, they are right with God. Both are wrong. Circumcision saved no one. Baptism saves no one. Only faith in Christ alone saved or saves anyone. But, as James points out, the faith that saves obeys (James 2:17–28). Saving faith in the OT obeyed God’s requirement that His covenant people be circumcised. Saving faith in the NT obeys God’s requirement that His covenant people be baptized.
If baptism saves no one, why does Peter say “baptism now saves you” (1 Pet 3:21)? Before explaining this text, let’s consider a similar case: sacrifice and forgiveness. In the OT, the obedient believer’s sacrifice was said to make atonement for him and his sin was forgiven (e.g., Lev 4:26). But Hebrews 10:4 says, “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Which is correct? Both! Sacrifice alone achieved nothing. But sacrifice offered as faith’s obedience brought forgiveness on the basis of the person’s faith. In other words, offering a sacrifice expressed the faith by which they were forgiven.
When Peter says, “Baptism now saves you,” he is comparing our salvation to the salvation of Noah in the ark through the flood waters (1 Pet 3:20). We might ask, “When was Noah saved? When he got in the ark or when he came through the flood?” The answer is both. Noah was saved when he entered the ark by faith, and he was saved by the ark through the death–dealing waters of the flood. In the same way, we are saved when we enter Christ by faith, and we are saved through the death–dealing waters of baptism by Christ’s resurrection.
Notice that Peter completes his statement “baptism now saves us” with the words “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Just as it was not the flood waters but the ark that actually saved Noah, so it is Christ who is our “ark” that saves us, and not the waters of baptism themselves. Peter says “baptism saves us” because baptism expresses our saving faith in Christ through whom we die to sin and rise to walk in newness of life.
If you haven’t been baptized, then in obedience to Christ’s command you should be baptized if physically possible.
Blessings,
Phil