Lesson 15

BAPTISM

King James Version (KJV)

In the three previous lessons we have seen the vital role that faith, repentance, and confession play in salvation. The New Testament plainly teaches that this is so, and very few who strive to follow the Bible would attempt to argue that the Scriptures teach otherwise. The role of baptism in salvation is more controversial. The controversy centers primarily around two issues. The first is the purpose, and the second is the form (or mode) of baptism. Our aim in this lesson will be to study these issues in the light of Bible teaching.

1. Purposes of Baptism

We will consider four passages in the New Testament that deal with the purposes of baptism.

a. Salvation

In the forty-day period between His resurrection and ascension, Jesus gave His apostles final instructions. Among these was a charge they were to carry out after He left. It expresses their overall work and mission. One account is recorded in Mark 16:15-16: And he said unto them, And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Of the conditions of salvation we studied in the three previous lessons, one is mentioned here (faith), and an additional one is introduced (baptism). The two conditions stated here create four possible situations: (1) a person believes and is baptized, (2) a person believes and is not baptized, (3) a person does not believe and is baptized, and (4) a person does not believe and is not baptized. Jesus states the outcome for three of the four possibilities. The possibilities and their outcomes are stated in Table 1.

Table 1

Faith

Baptism

Outcome

Yes

Salvation

Yes

Condemnation

Jesus covers the first case with the statement He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; . He covers the last two cases with the statement but he that believeth not shall be damned. . If one does not believe, he will not be saved, whether or not he has been baptized.

Since Jesus did not explicitly address the second possibility (faith but no baptism), we have placed a question mark in the "outcome" column. From this passage alone we conclude that faith is absolutely necessary for salvation, and when a believer couples his faith with baptism, he will be saved.

b. Forgiveness of Sins

On the day of Pentecost, Peter helped thousands of Jews realize they were responsible for putting their Lord and Christ to death. Those who believed Peter's words were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (Acts 2:37). Peter replied: Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). What was Peter telling these people? Was he telling them to repent and be baptized to obtain forgiveness? If so, then baptism was essential to their salvation. Or was he telling them to be baptized because their sins were already forgiven? If so, then baptism would appear to be a means of acknowledging forgiveness that has already occurred.

In English the preposition "for" can mean "because" or "because of" ( Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)). It can also mean "in order to" ( For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matt. 26:28)). In the original (Greek) language different prepositions are translated "for" in the two passages just cited. In Luke 23:34, it is gar. In Matt. 26:28, it is eis. In Luke 23:34, gar looks backward to identify the reason those who crucified Jesus should be forgiven (they did not know what they were doing). In Matt. 26:28, eis looks forward to the forgiveness that would be brought about by the blood that Christ would shed on the cross. In Matt. 26:28, eis cannot mean "because of" Christ did not shed His blood because the sins of many had already been forgiven. Rather, he shed His blood in order that the sins of many could be forgiven.

In Acts 2:38, the preposition used is eis. Thus, Peter told the Jews to be baptized in order to receive the forgiveness of their sins. Since one of the purposes of baptism is to obtain forgiveness of sins, baptism is certainly essential to salvation. This conclusion shows that the "?" in Table 1 can be replaced with "Condemnation."

c. Cleansing from Sin

This conclusion is reinforced by a statement Ananias made to Saul of Tarsus in Acts 22:16: And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

The conversation of Ananias and Saul occurred three days after Saul had seen a vision of Christ outside Damascus. In the vision Christ asked Saul to explain why he was persecuting Christians. After the encounter Saul's companions took him into the city, where he fasted and prayed until Ananias came. Saul had been no timid tag-along in the Jews' persecution of Christians. He was one of the aggressive ringleaders in the attack. Once he realized that his efforts were woefully misdirected, he understood that he was guilty of terrible crimes against the people of God. Later, he referred to himself as the foremost of all sinners (1 Tim. 1:15).

If Saul had been saved by faith alone on the Damascus road, then his sins would have been forgiven then and there. Three days later Ananias made it clear, however, that Saul was still guilty of sin. To wash his sin away, he needed to be baptized. What Ananias told Saul to do is consistent with what Peter told the Jews to do on the day of Pentecost. Peter matter-of-factly stated the purpose of baptism to be the forgiveness of sins. Ananias figuratively referred to baptism as a cleansing that washes sins away. In both cases, the removal of sins comes as a result of being baptized.

d. The Appeal for a Good Conscience

1 Pet 3:21 states that baptism is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God. Baptism, like a number of human activities, requires the use of, and takes place in, water. Taking a bath, for example, removes dirt from the body. Peter says that even though baptism takes place in water, its purpose is not the same as that of an ordinary bath. We have bathtubs and showers to fulfill that purpose. Instead, a purpose of baptism is an appeal for a good conscience.

As long as we realize we are guilty of unforgiven sin, we cannot have clear consciences. Our guilty consciences prod us to take the steps needed to remove the stain of sin. When we are baptized, our sins are removed. Knowing then that God has forgiven us, we no longer have a feeling of guilt. We now have a good conscience. In this passage Peter says that one of the purposes of baptism is to allow us to have that kind of conscience.

2. The Form of Baptism

Immersion, pouring, or sprinkling are widely practiced forms of applying water to a person's body for religious reasons. Many people do not make a distinction among the three and refer to them all as baptism. What does the Bible say about the form of baptism?

a. Baptism a Burial and a Resurrection

In Rom. 6, Paul discusses the relationship between sin and baptism. In the process he shows us the proper form of baptism. To understand what he says we must remember that Jesus died, was buried, and arose from the dead three days later. Paul shows that when a person is baptized, he undergoes an experience that parallels the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

When a person dies, his spirit is separated from his body. When a person dies to sin, he becomes separated from sin. This occurs when his sins are forgiven in baptism. In Rom. 6:4-5, Paul wrote: Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 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:. . Paul describes baptism as a burial. When a person who is physically dead is buried, he is completely encased by (immersed in) a tomb. Sprinkling or pouring a small amount of soil on the deceased body does not constitute burial. Similarly, sprinkling or pouring a small amount of water on a person does not constitute baptism.

Furthermore, Paul describes baptism as a resurrection. A person who is baptized is raised to lead a new life. It is a life in which we are no longer slaves to sin (Rom. 6:6). It is a life in which we are alive to God in Christ (Rom. 6:11). It is a life in which we present our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness (Rom. 6:13). Only the immersion of a person in water figuratively reenacts the burial and resurrection of Christ. Being taken under the water represents His burial. Being brought up out of the water represents His resurrection. Neither the sprinkling nor pouring of water upon a person depicts a burial and a resurrection.

b. Baptism of the Israelites

Exo. 12-14 describes the departure of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Shortly after escaping from Pharaoh and the slavery he had imposed on them, the Israelites came to the Red Sea, a body of water large enough to block their further progress. Meanwhile Pharaoh, who had reluctantly agreed to let the Israelites leave Egypt, changed his mind. He assembled his army and pursued the Israelites with the aim of taking them back into slavery. When the Egyptian army approached the Israelite camp from the rear, the Israelites appeared to be trapped between the army and the sea.

God performed two miracles to save them. The first was to cast a thick darkness over the Egyptian army so that it could no longer see to march forward. The second was to open a path through the Red Sea for the Israelites. He did this by causing a strong east wind to blow across the water throughout the night. By dawn, there were two walls of water--one on the right and one on the left--and dry ground between. The Israelites walked across the bed of the sea to safety.

Another element was also involved in the escape of the Israelites. God provided a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night to indicate to the Israelites whether they were to remain in camp or to march. If the cloud or pillar of fire was stationary, they maintained their camp. If the cloud or pillar of fire moved, they followed it to the next campsite. To indicate to the Israelites the direction of march when they were at the Red Sea, the cloud moved out over the sea and hovered above the two walls of water, as sketched in the accompanying diagram.

In 1 Cor. 10:1-2, Paul referred to the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea as a baptism: Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;. He could correctly refer to the event as a baptism because the Israelites were "immersed" in the cloud (which was over them) and the sea (which was on both sides of them). This picture is one of immersion and not of sprinkling or pouring.

c. Descriptions of Baptisms

In the Scriptures we have descriptions of people being baptized. These descriptions support the assertion that baptism for the forgiveness of sins is immersion in water. John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River (although Jesus' baptism was not for the forgiveness of sins but to fulfil all righteousness (Matt 3:15). Jesus had no sins to forgive). After Jesus was baptized, He went up straightway out of the water (Matt 3:16). This is an unlikely action for someone who has had water merely sprinkled or poured on him.

In Acts 8, we read of the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. After Philip found him riding in his chariot on the road to Gaza and preached Jesus to him, the eunuch, upon seeing water along the way, wanted to stop and be baptized. Acts 8:38-39 describes what happened: 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. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. The eunuch's baptism was preceded by both Philip and the eunuch going down into the water and was followed by both Philip and the eunuch coming up out of the water. These actions seem strangely undescriptive of those we would expect if Philip merely sprinkled or poured water on the eunuch.

Philip could have performed sprinkling or pouring more easily if he and the eunuch approached no closer to the water than its edge. At that location Philip could have wetted his hand enough to sprinkle the eunuch or could have scooped up enough water in a small container to pour upon the eunuch if either of those modes had been acceptable. There was no need for them both to go down into the water. However, if the idea of baptism demands that a person be submerged in water, then the description of Acts 8:38-39 accords perfectly with the idea.

3. Conclusion

In Eph. 4:5, Paul says that there is one baptism. According to the Biblical evidence we have studied, that baptism is immersion in water. It results in forgiveness of sins and opens the door to a new life. Baptism in any other form or for any purpose is not Bible baptism and deviates from the one baptism Paul speaks of in Eph. 4:5. To submit to a different baptism is to go beyond the authority of the word of God. Such a baptism will not accomplish the purposes for which New Testament baptism is intended.

If you have not been baptized for the remission of your sins, doing so immediately would not be too soon. If you have been baptized with a baptism not authorized by the word of God, you should be baptized with a scriptural baptism. In doing so you would be following the example of the twelve men in Ephesus who had been baptized with the baptism of John the Baptist, which was no longer valid. Paul instructed them to be rebaptized with the baptism of Christ (Acts 19:1-7).

LESSON QUESTIONS

(Using the above lesson text and your open Bible please answer the following questions)

Please see the attached INSTRUCTIONS for completing/processing these lessons.

If you have questions or comments, please enter them in the "Comments" block near the bottom of the page.

CAUTION: Do not close your browser after beginning to answer -- your answers will be lost!!!

PART 1--Fill in the blanks

Look up the following verses in the Bible, click on the blank and type your answer

1. Matt. 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and all , them in the name of the , and of the , and of the : Teaching them to all things whatsoever I have you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

2. John 3:4-5 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be ? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of and of the , he cannot enter into the of God.

3. Acts 8:12 But when they Philip preaching the concerning the of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were , both men and women.

4. Eph. 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the , and gave himself for it; That he might and it with the washing of by the , That he might present it to himself a church, not having , or , or any such thing; but that it should be and without .

5. Col. 2:12 with him in , wherein also ye are with him through the of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the .

6. Tit. 3:4-7 But after that the and of God our Saviour toward appeared, Not by of righteousness which we have done, but according to his he us, by the of , and of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being by his , we should be made according to the of eternal life.

PART 2--True or False:

Select "True" if the statement is correct or "False" if incorrect.

True False 7. Ananias encouraged Saul of Tarsus to wait a while before being baptized.

True False 8. The Israelites were baptized in the process of crossing the Red Sea between two walls of water while a cloud hovered over them.

True False 9. Jesus taught that a person who believes and is baptized will be saved.

True False 10. Paul taught the Ephesians (Eph. 4:4-6) that there are three baptisms.

True False 11. After Jesus was baptized, He went up from the water.

True False 12. Christ died on the cross because God had already forgiven the sins of the world.

True False 13. Rom. 6:1-6 shows that baptism is a representation of the burial and resurrection of Christ.

True False 14. In baptism a person appeals to God for a good conscience.

True False 15. As long as a person is baptized, he will be saved regardless of whether he has faith.

When you have completed your answers and are ready to send them to Jordan Park to be graded, complete the form below, and check it to make sure it is correct.

Name (required):

City:

State/Province:

Nation:

Email address (required):

Questions or comments:

Click the Send Answers button below.
Your answers will be graded and the results sent to your E-mail address.
You will also be told how to access the next lesson.