Baptism is a crucial part of the Christian life. Not only was Jesus baptized as an example to us, but He also strongly admonished His people to be baptized and to baptize others.
In one of Jesus' last conversations before He ascended into heaven, He told his friends to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
And later, the apostle Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preached a gripping message to thousands of bystanders. The crux of his sermon was this:
“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 2:38).
So what is baptism?
Baptism is an Act of Obedience
Christ said this:
"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" (Mark 16:15-16).
It is not enough to just believe the Gospel. We must live it, as we can see in Matthew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and in Your name done many wonders?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Those referred to in the above passage profess faith in Jesus. They preached in His name, and even claim to have done great works in His name, but they don't keep the law. Lawlessness is the only definition of sin in Scripture:
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4).
Obedience is the fruit of a relationship with God. Understanding the character of God, His love, and His care for all creation is vital if we wish to understand the demands of the law. If we love God, we will wish to keep the law because God's love for us is embodied in the law:
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).
It is not enough to have a theoretical knowledge of the law. Keeping the law just because we know it is right is legalism. The law must be kept from the heart. It must become part of our character. Only then will we be able to reflect the love of Christ to a world in need.
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).
"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Returning to Mark 16:16—"He who believes and is baptized, will be saved"—we can now understand the full significance of the word "baptized.” Baptism is the symbol of the changed life. It is the symbol of rebirth, a demonstration of the death of the old sinful person and the resurrection of the transformed person, who lives in harmony with the law of God. Baptism is the symbol of restoration.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Until we are touched by God’s grace and the workings of His Spirit, it is impossible to obey Him. It is the Spirit of God that enables us to live in harmony with the will of God.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8).
In John 3, Jesus discusses the nature of the spiritual rebirth with Nicodemus. In verse 5 He says this:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
The Holy Spirit works inside us to transform us into people who reflect the character of Jesus. The water—baptism—is the outward symbol of our willingness to accept the transformation process. Obedience to God comes as a gift from God.
Baptism is the Ceremony Proving our Committed Relationship with God
Both justification and sanctification are gifts we receive through faith in the Son of God. Justification is the legal side of our relationship with God. We are declared innocent, even though we are guilty, because Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Sanctification is the active side of our relationship with God. It is the little-by-little, daily process of the Holy Spirit making us more like Him.
We did nothing to deserve either of these gifts. Our job is to accept them.
"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5).
Justification and sanctification are a package deal. Refusal to accept sanctification is a demonstration of false justification:
"Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20).
Baptism is the outward sign that we accept God’s offer of justification and sanctification. We accept the invitation into a covenant relationship with God, the new covenant that God promised to spiritual Israel:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which My covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33).
In one of Jesus' last conversations before He ascended into heaven, He told his friends to “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
And later, the apostle Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and preached a gripping message to thousands of bystanders. The crux of his sermon was this:
“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 2:38).
So what is baptism?
Baptism is an Act of Obedience
Christ said this:
"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" (Mark 16:15-16).
It is not enough to just believe the Gospel. We must live it, as we can see in Matthew 7:21-23:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and in Your name done many wonders?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"
Those referred to in the above passage profess faith in Jesus. They preached in His name, and even claim to have done great works in His name, but they don't keep the law. Lawlessness is the only definition of sin in Scripture:
"Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness" (1 John 3:4).
Obedience is the fruit of a relationship with God. Understanding the character of God, His love, and His care for all creation is vital if we wish to understand the demands of the law. If we love God, we will wish to keep the law because God's love for us is embodied in the law:
"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).
It is not enough to have a theoretical knowledge of the law. Keeping the law just because we know it is right is legalism. The law must be kept from the heart. It must become part of our character. Only then will we be able to reflect the love of Christ to a world in need.
"For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified" (Romans 2:13).
"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15).
Returning to Mark 16:16—"He who believes and is baptized, will be saved"—we can now understand the full significance of the word "baptized.” Baptism is the symbol of the changed life. It is the symbol of rebirth, a demonstration of the death of the old sinful person and the resurrection of the transformed person, who lives in harmony with the law of God. Baptism is the symbol of restoration.
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Romans 12:2).
Until we are touched by God’s grace and the workings of His Spirit, it is impossible to obey Him. It is the Spirit of God that enables us to live in harmony with the will of God.
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8:7-8).
In John 3, Jesus discusses the nature of the spiritual rebirth with Nicodemus. In verse 5 He says this:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).
The Holy Spirit works inside us to transform us into people who reflect the character of Jesus. The water—baptism—is the outward symbol of our willingness to accept the transformation process. Obedience to God comes as a gift from God.
Baptism is the Ceremony Proving our Committed Relationship with God
Both justification and sanctification are gifts we receive through faith in the Son of God. Justification is the legal side of our relationship with God. We are declared innocent, even though we are guilty, because Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Sanctification is the active side of our relationship with God. It is the little-by-little, daily process of the Holy Spirit making us more like Him.
We did nothing to deserve either of these gifts. Our job is to accept them.
"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5).
Justification and sanctification are a package deal. Refusal to accept sanctification is a demonstration of false justification:
"Wherefore by their fruits, ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20).
Baptism is the outward sign that we accept God’s offer of justification and sanctification. We accept the invitation into a covenant relationship with God, the new covenant that God promised to spiritual Israel:
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, which My covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jeremiah 31:31-33).
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