Significance of Water Baptism
What is the significance of baptism?
You have decided to take water Baptism and no one has ever force you to do this, but still there has been so many questions in your heart. Am I right?
Why should I consider getting baptized?
Following Christ:
In order to understand the reason for being water baptized, it is important to carefully consider what the Bible says about it…
Jesus himself was baptized
He was not a sinner, yet he humbled himself in obedience to identify with us and give us an example to follow.
At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.” Mark 1:9 MSG
An Act of Obedience:
Water baptism is an act of faith and obedience to the commands of Christ.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
A Public Declaration:
Baptism declares that you are a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a public confession of your faith in, and commitment to, Jesus Christ. It is the next step after salvation through repentance and faith and is an important foundation for the Christian life.
Then he said, “Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all. Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever refuses to believe is damned.” Mark 16:16 MSG
What is the meaning and significance of baptism?
A Move from Death to Life:
Baptism is a symbol of Christ’s burial and resurrection. Our entrance into the water during baptism identifies us with Christ’s death on the cross, His burial in the tomb, and His resurrection from the dead.
“Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross.” Colossians 2:12-14 MSG
A Brand New Life:
It is a symbol of your new life as a Christian. We bury the ‘old life’ and we rise to walk in a ‘new life’. Baptism is like a wedding ring, it is the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart, a commitment that has to be followed through and lived out on a daily basis.
Here is one simple way to explain baptism:
Baptism is a symbol. It’s meant to show the world that that you love, trust, and have put your hope in Christ. It’s like a wedding ring…
Let’s say I’m not married right now, but if I put a wedding ring on my finger, would that make me married? No, of course not. Similarly, I can be baptized in a church, but that doesn’t make me a true believer in Christ.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4
Baptism does not make you a believer; it shows that you already are one! Baptism does not ‘save’ you; only your faith in Christ does that.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9
A Blessed Life:
In baptism, the believer has the triune name of the triune God placed upon them, ‘Father’, ‘Son’ & ‘Holy Spirit’. The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the name of the Godhead (one God in three persons). The Gospels tell us to baptize believers “… into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit”, Matthew 28:19.
Baptism confirms our position ‘in Christ’ and affirms the blessings of the Father on us as his children.
A New family:
Baptism also connects us to the ‘body of Christ’, his people in the earth. In baptism there is a real sense of being joined with other believers, not just participating in an individual act of our own spiritual journey.
“…For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body…” 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
How are we to be baptised?
As per the example of Jesus – by being immersed in water. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which means “to immerse or dip under water”.
“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water.” Matthew 3:16.
Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion under water. The book of Acts shows us that this was the norm for every believer.
“…then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water….” Acts 8:38, 39.
Who should be baptized?
Every person who has made the decision to believe in Christ. When Paul writes to the believers in Rome, he assumes that all of them have been baptized (Romans 6). The one requirement for baptism is belief in Christ!
“Those who accepted his message were baptized….” Acts 2:41.
“But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.” Acts 8:12.
We believe in baptizing children when they are old enough to understand what it means and make a personal declaration of belief.
When are we to be baptized?
Believers in the New Testament were baptized the same day. As soon as a person decides to believe in Christ, he can be, and is encouraged to be baptised.
“Those who accepted his message were baptized….” Acts 2:41.
“Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.” Acts 8:35-39.
We pray that these answers will help shed some light on your decision to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.
Question: “What is the symbolism of water baptism?”
Answer:
Water baptism symbolizes the believer’s total trust in and total reliance on the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as a commitment to live obediently to Him. It also expresses unity with all the saints (Ephesians 2:19), that is, with every person in every nation on earth who is a member of the Body of Christ (Galatians 3:27–28).
Water baptism conveys this and more, but it is not what saves us. Instead, we are saved by grace through faith, apart from works (Ephesians 2:8–9). We are baptized because our Lord commanded it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
Water baptism is for believers. Before we are baptized, we must come to believe that we are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). We must also believe that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sins, that He was buried, and that He was resurrected to assure our place in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
When we turn to Jesus, asking Him to forgive our sins and be our Lord and Savior, we are born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our eternal salvation is guaranteed, and we begin to die to ourselves and live for Christ (1 Peter 1:3–5). At that time we are scripturally qualified to be baptized.
Water baptism is a beautiful picture of what our Lord has done for us. As we are completely immersed in the water, we symbolize burial with our Lord; we are baptized into His death on the cross and are no longer slaves to self or sin (Romans 6:3–7).
When we are raised out of the water, we are symbolically resurrected—raised to new life in Christ to be with Him forever, born into the family of our loving God (Romans 8:16). Water baptism also illustrates the spiritual cleansing we experience when we are saved; just as water cleanses the flesh, so the Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts when we trust Christ.
The fact that water baptism is not a prerequisite for salvation is best seen in the example of a saved man who was not baptized in water—the criminal on the cross (Luke 23:39–43). This self-confessed sinner acknowledged Jesus as his Lord while dying on a cross next to Him. The thief asked for salvation and was forgiven of his sins. Although he never experienced water baptism, at that moment he was spiritually baptized into Christ’s death, and he then was raised to eternal life by the power of Christ’s word (Hebrews 1:3).
Christians should be baptized out of obedience to and love for our Lord Jesus (John 14:15). Water baptism by immersion is the biblical method of baptism because of its symbolic representation of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
What Is Baptism, and How Important Is It?
Baptism follows the membership. Baptism gets its meaning and its importance from the death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in our place and for our sins, and from his triumph over death in the resurrection that guarantees our new and everlasting life.
Baptism has meaning and importance only because the death and resurrection of Jesus are infinitely important for our rescue from the wrath of God and our everlasting joy in his glorious presence.
We are not mainly talking about religious ritual here. We are not mainly talking about church tradition here. We are mainly talking about Jesus Christ and his magnificent work of salvation in dying for our sins and rising for our justification. Talking about baptism means talking about how Jesus taught us to express our faith in Jesus and his great salvation. So don’t have small thoughts as we begin. Have large thoughts. Great thoughts about great reality—Jesus Christ, the Son of God, crucified to bear the sins of millions and raised to give them everlasting life in the new heavens and the new earth.
What We Believe About Baptism
To answer the question, let us see what is baptism and how important is it?
We believe that baptism is order of the Lord by which those who have repented and come to faith express their union with Christ in His death and resurrection, by being immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a sign of belonging to the new people of God, the true Israel, and an emblem of burial and cleansing, signifying death to the old life of unbelief, and purification from the pollution of sin.
Biblical basis
1. Baptism Is an Ordinance of the Lord
First, “We believe that baptism is an order of the Lord . . .” What we mean by this is that the Lord Jesus commanded it—he ordained it—in a way that would make it an ongoing practice of the church. We find this most explicitly in Matthew 28:19-20: “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.”
“Make disciples” is the main verb: “Go and, make disciples of all nations.” The defining participles are “baptizing them” and “teaching” them. So the church is commanded to do this for all disciples. Making disciples of all nations includes baptizing them.
And the time frame is defined by the promise of Christ’s help in verse 20: “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” The promise of help is for as long as this age lasts. So the command he promises to help us with is as long as this age lasts.
So baptism is a command, and ordinance, of the Lord Jesus to be performed in making disciples until Christ returns at the end of the age.
2. Baptism Expresses Union with Christ
Second, baptism “expresses union with Christ in His death and resurrection.” The clearest teaching on this is Romans 6:3-4.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
In the wider context of Romans, I think it would be a mistake to say that water-baptism is the means of our being united to Christ. In Romans, faith is the means by which we are united to Christ and justified. But we show this faith—we say this faith and signify this faith and symbolize this faith—with the act of baptism. Faith unites to Christ; baptism symbolizes the union.
An analogy would be saying, “With this ring I thee wed.” When we say that we don’t mean that the ring or the putting of the ring on the finger is what makes us married. No, it shows the covenant and symbolizes the covenant, but the covenant-making vows make the marriage. So it is with faith and baptism.
So similarly Paul is saying, “With this baptism you are united to Christ.” And the point we are focusing on here is that we are united to him in his death and burial and resurrection. “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” So the imagery of baptism is death, burial, and resurrection. Christ was buried and raised to new life.
In baptism, by faith, we are united with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism dramatically portrays what happened spiritually when you received Christ: Your old self of unbelief and rebellion and idolatry died, and a new you of faith and submission and treasuring Christ came into being. That’s what you confess to the world and to heaven when you are baptized.
3. Baptism Is Immersion in Water
Third, we believe this expression of union with Christ in death and resurrection happens “by being immersed in water.” The clearest evidence for this are the words of Romans 6:3-4 which describe the act of baptism as burial and rising from the dead. This is most naturally understood to mean that you are buried under water and then come out of from the water to signify rising from the grave.
The word baptism in Greek means dip or immerse. And most scholars agree that this is the way the early church practiced baptism. Only much later does the practice of sprinkling or pouring emerge, as far as we can tell from the evidence.
There are a few other pointers to immersion besides the meaning of the word and the imagery of death and burial. In Acts 8:37-38, the Ethiopian eunuch comes to faith while riding with Philip in his chariot and says, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” Philip agrees and it says, “He commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.”
That they “went down into the water” makes most sense if they were going down to immerse him, not to sprinkle him. Similarly it says in John 3:23, “John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there.” You don’t need plentiful water if you are simply sprinkling. You just need a jar.
So there is really very little dispute that this was the way the early church baptized. They did it by immersing the new believer in water to signify his burial and resurrection with Jesus.
4. Baptism Is in the Trinitarian Name
Fourth, baptism means immersing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That’s what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19: “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.” This means that not just any immersion is baptism. There is a holy appeal to God the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit to be present in this act and make it true and real in what it says about their work in redemption. There is no salvation without the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When we call on their name, we depend upon them and honor them and say that this act is because of them and by them and for them.
5. Baptism Is for Believers Only
Fifth, baptism is an expression of faith and therefore only for believers. It is for the one who have already believe. “Anyone who believes and is baptized…”. Mark 16:16. “We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented from their sin and come to faith express their union with Christ in His death and resurrection.” It is not something that an unbeliever can do. It is not something than an infant can do. That is why we don’t baptize infants.
Colossians 2:11-12. In him [Christ] also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ [so Paul speaks of circumcision in “made-without-hands” terms. Circumcision today has meaning for the Christian, not as a physical act, but as a spiritual act of Christ in which he cuts away the old sinful body and makes us new. It is virtually synonymous with the new birth. Then he speaks of baptism], having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
So the image of spiritual circumcision is closely connected with the image of baptism: “You were circumcised . . . having been baptized . . .” The old “body of flesh” was cut away in conversion; you died and rose again in baptism.
The Argument for Infant Baptism
It’s probably right, therefore, to say that baptism has replaced circumcision as the mark of being part of the people of God. In the Old Testament men were circumcised to signify membership in the old-covenant people of God, and in the New Testament men and women are baptized to signify membership in the new-covenant people of God.
That has led many Christians to assume that, since circumcision was given to the male children of the people of the old covenant, therefore baptism should be given to the male and female children of the people of the new covenant. That’s the gist (general meaning) of the argument.
Why It Does Not Work
But textually and covenantally, it doesn’t work. Look carefully at Colossians 2:12: “. . . having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith . . .” The words through faith are all important on this issue. Paul says that when you come up out of the water signifying being raised with Christ this is happening through faith. Verse 12: “. . . in which [baptism] you were also raised with him through faith.”
Baptism as a drama of death and resurrection with Christ gets its meaning from the faith that it expresses. In baptism you are “raised with him through faith.”
Through Faith!
Paul shows the same way of thinking about baptism and faith in Galatians 3:26-27: “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” We become sons of God through faith and no other way. Then he says, “for”—connecting this way of becoming sons of God with baptism—“for as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
That explanation with the word for only makes sense if baptism is understood as an acting out of faith. “In Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Or to turn it around: Since you were baptized into Christ, therefore we know that in Christ you are all sons of God through faith. Why? Because that is what baptism means: You were baptized into Christ by faith. Baptism without faith was inconceivable to Paul.
New-Covenant Membership by Spiritual Birth
So when the shift happened in redemptive history from the old covenant to the new covenant and from circumcision to baptism, there was a shift from an ethnic focus on Israel and only males being given the sign of membership in the people, to a spiritual focus on the church of all nations with both male and female being given the sign of membership in the people, namely, baptism.
Membership in the new-covenant people of God is not by physical birth, but by spiritual birth. That new birth happens by the word of God, the gospel (1 Peter 1:23-25). Therefore, the church should be composed not of the believers and their infants, but believers only. And the sign of membership in the new covenant people is not a sign for infants but a sign for believers.
Membership in the Local Church
So we can see how the meaning of baptism is woven together with membership in the people of God. And since the local church is an expression of that people, baptism is closely connected to membership in the local church. In the New Testament, being a Christian, being baptized, belonging to the new-covenant people of God, and being a member of a local church were linked together. If you tried to pull one of those out (not a Christian, or not baptized, or not in the new-covenant people, or not a member of local church), it would have made no sense. They belonged together.
So baptism is important.
It was uncompromisingly commanded by the Lord Jesus.
It was universally administered to Christians entering the early church.
It was uniquely connected to conversion as an unrepeatable expression of saving faith.
Why Is Baptism So Important For Christians?
It is not uncommon today to find Christians who have never been baptized. Likewise, many people who have trusted Jesus as their Savior as adults see no need for baptism because they were baptized as infants. However, the Bible teaches that baptism is very important. For this reason, it is important to know why baptism in so important for Christians.
What did Jesus say about baptism?
Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He gave His last earthly instructions to the disciples. He commanded His Church to do three important things. They are to share the Gospel, baptize the believers, and to teach them to obey God’s Word as follows:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Since Jesus made this statement concerning baptism, there are several things that are important to understand about baptism.
Baptism shows identification with Christ
The first and most important purpose of believer’s baptism is identification with Christ. The Gospels record the fact that even Jesus was baptized when He began His earthly ministry.
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: Matthew 3:16
By being baptized, Jesus set an example on how believers can identify with Him as their Savior. That is why it is important to identify yourself with Christ who died for you by being scripturally baptized.
Scriptural baptism contains two important elements; the method and message (John 3:1-7; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Peter 3:21).
The method of baptism
In order to identify yourself with Jesus, you should be baptized by the method taught in the Bible. Paul tells us about this method in the account of the Ethiopian eunuch. This eunuch had just received Christ as his Savior because of Philip’s preaching. (Acts 8:26-35) Luke wrote just after his conversion:
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. (Acts 8:35-38)
This passage makes it clear that those who were baptized were immersed in the water. In fact, the Greek word used for baptism means “to be immersed.” The scriptural method of baptism is by immersion in water.
The message of baptism
Baptism by immersion is a public testimony of the believer that they have placed their faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for the forgiveness of sins. The death and burial of Christ is symbolized when you are immersed in the water. As you are brought up out of the water, the resurrection of Christ is symbolized (Romans 6:3-6). Likewise, when you are immersed in the water, it pictures the death and burial of the old life. When you are brought out of the water, it symbolizes being born again by the Spirit to walk in the newness of life as a child of God (Galatians 3:26).
Baptism shows obedience to Christ
The second purpose of believer’s baptism is to show our obedience to Christ (Matthew 3:11-12; Acts 19:1-4). Baptism is our first act of obedience (Acts 2:37-41; Acts 9:17-18; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 16:27-33; Acts 18:7-8). There are two important points to consider concerning obedience to the command to be baptized:
Who should be baptized?
The first point you should consider is who should be baptized. Some denominations baptize infants and all adults they enlist in their church. However, scriptural baptism must be administered only to believers. That is why Bible teaching churches call it “Believer’s Baptism.” This is what Philip meant when he said to the Ethiopian eunuch, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest …” (Acts 8:37a). (See also Acts 8:12-13)
Water baptism is an act of obedience after salvation. Being immersed in the water does not save us; we are saved when we consciously trust Christ as our Savior! This is clarified as follows:
The like figure whereunto baptism doth 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. (1 Peter 3:21)
Paul reinforced this truth when he said that Christ did not send him to baptize, but to preach the gospel (1 Corinthian 1:17). If baptism was essential for salvation, then Paul’s missionary work had a dismal rate of success – heaven forbid!
When should someone be baptized?
If you have never been baptized, tell the leaders at your church as soon as possible of your desire to be baptized so they can make arrangements. Failure to be baptized when able will be a hindrance to your spiritual growth and development so you should obey Jesus’ command to be baptized right away (James 4:17).
Baptism shows association with the church
The third purpose of baptism is to show association with the Lord’s Church. As you publicly come forward for baptism, you show your willingness to identify with other believers who have trusted Christ as their Savior. Likewise, your baptism assures them that you want to be involved in the work that God has called them to do.
Conclusion
Jesus commanded the church to share the gospel, baptize believers, and teach them to obey God’s Word. Baptism shows identification with Christ in both the method and message of baptism.
Baptism shows a believer’s obedience to Christ when it is done as soon as possible after salvation. Baptism shows association with the church by publically demonstrating our testimony of salvation and desire to be part of God’s work.
If you are blessed by this teaching, please do share.