The Chronicles of the ‘Disciple’s Walk’ are
various exhortations. The goal is to encourage the believer
in the Lord Jesus to follow Him according to His Word
and ways rather than tradition or popular thinking.
Firstly, the New Testament speaks of the baptism of John the
Baptist. That was a baptism for God’s earthly nation, Israel,
chosen for special service. It was a baptism of repentance.
It would demonstrate that the people had repented of their sins
readying themselves for the Messianic kingdom which was at hand.
However, Israel as a whole rejected the Messiah (Jesus) and
had Him crucified. Without the king there is no kingdom.
Now we will speak of baptism in the name of Jesus the Christ.
This baptism is for those of any race who disagree with Israel’s
national verdict against Jesus. Israel said He was a blasphemer
for claiming to be the Son of God. In contrast, based on God’s
verdict that Jesus is Lord (via resurrection), believers trust
Jesus as Lord and Savior. These people comprise God’s church
or family: His chosen people today.
In looking at water baptism for believers in Christ Jesus
as taught in the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, we want
to consider three major areas of truth.
1. Baptism’s Source
2. Baptism’s Timing
3. Baptism’s Meaning
Baptism's Source
The source of believer’s baptism does not come from a
council of churches. Nor does it originate from the ancient
traditions of men or a certain culture. It is the risen Son
of God who commanded it for all nations. Believers’s
baptism crosses racial lines, cultural lines, gender lines and
class lines – just like the gospel.
Upon His resurrection by the Father, Jesus the Lord stated
to His apostles that “All power [authority] is given unto
me in heaven and in earth.” With that authority from the
father, He then instructed the apostles to teach all nations
the gospel, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:18,19). After
being baptized, disciples were to be taught to observe all
the Lord’s commandments.
To agree with believer’s baptism is to acknowledge the
risen authority of Jesus the Lord. It is to disagree with Israel
and the nations who crucified Him as a condemned criminal. It
is to go against popular opinion and become that minority who
agrees with God.
To agree with the Lord’s water baptism is to understand
the grace God has offered to all races. God is now receiving
from among all nations into His family and kingdom, not just
the chosen Jewish race. Baptism, like the gospel, is multi-national
(i.e. international). No wonder the man from Ethiopia had such
great joy. He was told that nothing could hinder him from being
baptized in water if he believed with all his heart that the
slain lamb (the crucified Jesus) was the Son of God. (Acts 8:26-39).
The Lord’s apostle, Peter, fearlessly challenged anyone
to withhold baptism from the Italian Gentiles who had believed
on the Name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins. Thus
he boldly commanded them “to be baptized in the Name of
the Lord,” for the Lord had already received them (Acts
10:43-48).
Baptism's Timing
There is only one qualification for water baptism. One must
believe from the heart that the crucified Christ is indeed the
Son of God and Lord proven by resurrection. (Acts 2, 8, 10).
When the sinner has “repentance toward God, and faith toward
our Lord Jesus Christ” he or she is saved or justified.
He is “born again” into God’s family and added
by God to His assembly.
Thus as a baby Christian one is immediately eligible
to be baptized. This is because the gospel states one is now
fully born again and saved: forgiven and cleansed from all sin
and indwelt with God’s life – His Spirit.
The Scriptures show only believers being baptized and immediately
upon believing. (Acts 2:41, 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:43-48, 18:8).
Paul the apostle was the longest delay recorded in Scripture
and that was three days after believing. It took that long to
convince someone that he indeed was a believer (Acts 9).
So baptism is for
those who have believed and when they believe.
To be baptized before one believes is a dead ritual and accomplishes
nothing. It’s like washing a lifeless baby doll and saying
this is now your child. A child must first have your life by
conception and then when born it is washed. And immediately
washed.
To delay baptism after one does believe is to call into question
the very gospel of God itself. It would imply that faith alone
in the Lord Jesus Christ was not enough to save me and constitute
me as a son of God. It is to say that more must be done before
I am worthy of being in God’s family: a false justification
(Romans 1-5). Or it could imply that the resurrected Jesus is
not fully Lord with all authority in heaven and in earth. It
is to say that the Lord Jesus does not have complete authority
over me and obedience to Him is optional: a false sanctification
(Romans 6-8).
Timing can be vital. For example, for a woman to wear her
wedding ring before the marriage, does not make her married nor
give her license to act as if she is. But for the woman to say
her vows at the marriage ceremony and then refuse to put on the
ring her husband gave her, would now communicate non-commitment.
Baptism's Meaning
There are four spheres that believer's baptism involves. These
define baptism.
1. Demonstration. One graphically
demonstrates or displays the gospel of Christ when he or she
is baptized into the water. The water represents a burial grave.
Going into the water pictures a death. Being under the water
pictures a burial. And coming up out of the water pictures resurrection
from the dead. Of course this is the saving gospel.
“Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again
the third day according to the scriptures” (1Cor. 15:3,4).
The believer, when baptized, portrays the events that happened
to the Lord Jesus and the effects of those events. Baptism glorifies
the Lord in His gospel.
2. Confession. When water baptized,
one is proclaiming his personal confession in the one triune
God. God does not only want the belief of the heart but the
outward confession of the mouth. (Luke 12:8, John 12:42,43, Rom.
10:10, 1John 4:15). God’s way for the believer to publicly
confess is not by raising a hand or signing a card nor “coming
forward” but by water baptism. In the New Testament when
a person said they had believed on the Lord they were then baptized
(Acts 8:12 etc).
But what is the believer confessing when baptized? Is it
the name of a certain church, preacher or organization? One
is baptized “in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19). One is
confessing not just the existence of God (many do that) but is
acknowledging His only son, Jesus Christ the Lord, and the Holy
Spirit.
What's in a Name?
A name shows existence.
Something is named because it exists. Baptism in
the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is a confession
of the existence of the one triune God.
A name conveys personal
identity. When a baby is born it is given a name which
personally identifies it. To be baptized in His Name is to acknowledge
the personal identity of God in human form: Jesus the Lord.
His name was called Jesus which means Savior, and Immanuel
which means “God with us” (Matt. 1:21,23). The believer
is confessing by baptism that the identity of God is not unknown
nor a mystical force but a Person.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name: That at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things
in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God
the Father" (Phi. 2:9-11).
A name involves reputation.
When you hear of a name, you think of reputation. So and so
has a good name or a bad name. The reputation of a name comes
from the person’s actions or accomplishments: what they
did. One who has a good name is because their actions have been
good and helpful. One has a bad name because his actions have
been wrong and hurtful. What a person does comes from their
internal character: what he is.
A name reveals reputation
which comes from actions which comes from character.
Baptism in His Name, upholds God’s Name (reputation)
by illustrating His gospel. When one is baptized “in the
name” of the Lord, he’s acknowledging the Name
of God to be good and right. God’s goodness and righteousness
are revealed by His action of giving His only Son as a sin-sacrifice
for us and then raising Him. This action came from His character:
holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, love and mercy.
A name conveys authority.
When one comes “in the name of the law” that means
the authority of that government. They have power to command
things.
The risen Christ said that all power or authority was given
unto Him. It is He alone Who saves and forgives sins. It is
He alone Who is the Head of the church. He alone has the keys
of hell and of death. When one is baptized in “the name
of the Lord Jesus” he is acknowledging that the Father has
made Jesus, Lord. Thus He’s agreeing to obey the authority
of the risen Lord.
3. Identification. Baptism identifies
one with something. It brings one into union with what they
are being baptized into. The word, ‘baptized’ is simply,
‘baptizo,’ in Greek and means “to dip, immerse
or submerge.” In context, it conveys union with something.
A clear example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text
from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200
B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles. Nicander says that
in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be 'dipped'
(bapto) into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizo) in the
vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables
in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act
of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change. (Strongs
concordance - Online Bible). Your baptized once but its truth
is forever.
Water baptism communicates the truth to the believer about
his union with the Lord. It reveals the believer’s position
and the practical effects that come from such. While water baptism
doesn’t secure salvation it does symbolize what Spirit baptism
(1Cor.12:13) accomplished.
Romans 6 shows baptism identifies us with Christ’s death,
burial and resurrection. By being in union with Christ one shares
in what His death, burial and resurrection mean. Just like a
girl that by marriage comes into union with her husband, now
as one she shares in whatever wealth, prestige or position he
has. This practically will effect her habits and spending habits.
Rom. 6:3,4 - Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his DEATH. Therefore
we are buried with Him by baptism into death.
Death separates from authority. Such as a wife is legally
free from the authority of her husband and may legally remarry
when he dies (Rom. 7:1-3). By dying the Lord Jesus is separated
(dead) to the entity and authority of sin. He can never die
again for by death He is legally free from the dominion of sin
(Rom. 6:9,10).
The believer going under the water is symbolizing burial and
thus is identifying with the death of Jesus Christ. By being
in union with Christ he too is dead to sin. Sin has no authority
over him to separate him from God. Therefore since sin is no
longer his legal master he has no reason to listen to its dictates
(Rom 6:11,12, 14).
Rom. 6:4,5 - ... that like as Christ was raised up from the
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in
the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of
his resurrection.
If death separates – life unites. Like a newborn who
with new life is born into a family is now united with that family,
the Lord Jesus by rising from the dead now lives unto God. That
is, He is in union with God. Rather than being connected to
the entity of sin, by union with God He is connected with God’s
authority and power – never to die again (Rom. 6:9,10).
The believer coming out of the water is symbolizing resurrection
and is thus identifying with the life of Jesus Christ. By being
in union with Christ he too is alive unto God. God, rather than
sin, is his authority. Sin has no more dominion over him but
God now does since he is in union unto Him. Therefore, since
God is now his legal master he has logical reason to listen to
His desires (Rom 6:11,13, 14).
4. Association. Baptism associates one with all believers
of like faith. For example, when one joins a fraternity, he
does certain initiation rites which now bring him into the fellowship
of that group.
When one professes to be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ it
is their confession by baptism that communicates their sincerity
to other believers. For when you are identified with the crucified
Christ and his followers, others might reject you and even persecute
you (John 15:19,20). The fact that you are willing to demonstrate
your faith publicly and identify with the rejected Savior by
baptism, regardless of the cost, reveals to God Himself (see
Gen. 22:12, John 12:42, 43) as well as others your “good
faith.”
In Acts two, about three thousand souls received the word
of the gospel from Peter. Before they were added to the other
believers (association) and continued with them in the apostle’s
teaching and fellowship and in breaking of bread (Lord’s
supper) and in prayers – they were first baptized. That
act disassociated them from their perverse generation and visually
linked them to the Christian assembly (Acts 2:40-47).
When Paul realized Jesus was indeed Lord, he asked, “Lord,
what wilt thou have me to do?” He was told to go to the
city to find out. There, the first thing Paul was asked to do
by the Lord was to be baptized. Then he began to associate with
the Christian believers (Acts 9). Baptism alone is not “the
door” to church fellowship but it does precede it.
This is God’s
order. Salvation before church association. And believer’s
baptism is the first public confirmation of salvation.
Conclusion
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth
also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but THE ANSWER of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ” (1Pet. 3:21).
Water baptism does not cleanse away the filth of our sinful
body (the flesh). But it is an answer to God.
The Greek word for ‘answer’ (epertotema) means a
unique kind of answer. It has to do with a formal question
or enquiry like an interrogation. It is as a teacher might see
a student in the hallway during classtime and enquire,“don’t
you know you’re in trouble for skipping class?” You
answer with another question of enquiry, “Didn’t
you know the principal gave me a pass?” Because a higher
authority has approved, you are clear.
Satan will accuse your conscience about the filth of the flesh
producing guilt and doubt. But the Lord Jesus Christ is risen
from the dead and is accepted on the right hand of God –
above all spiritual authorities (1Pet. 3:22). Since Christ
is accepted by God, our conscience can answer in good
faith toward God, “Doesn’t my baptism demonstrate
that I’m in union with Christ Who is risen and accepted
– and He is the highest authority?” Therefore, one
is clean and accepted: saved.