Baptism Part 1
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Truth about Baptism and its relationship to Salvation Part 1
Truth about Baptism and its relationship to Salvation Part 1
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The Great Commission
Jesus is appearing to His remaining disciples. They now number 11 since Judas is now gone. They have come together on an unnamed mountain in the region of Galilee in the northern part of Isreal. They are now away from Jerusalem,(see verses 16-17). Jesus tells them what He has often talked about in their presence before His death and resurrection: absolute authority has been given to Him by God the Father. In other words, the source of all power has given all His authority to Son Jesus.
Here is what Jesus said before
27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Jesus, the Son, has chosen to reveal the Father to His eleven disciples standing before Him. He will now give them the authority and the responsibility to represent Him and His salvation to the world.
This is called the “Great Commission” because Jesus is sending His hand-chosen disciples out into the world to accomplish a specific mission: Make more disciples. this comes with some noteworthy inclusions, but what is also crucial are things which Jesus does not say.
Specifically, the disciples are to make more disciples of all nations.This means people from every people group and ethnicity on earth. Through Jesus, God’s relationship with humanity has moved beyond Israel to include people from every corner of the world who come to the Father through the Son.
Jesus’ command is to make disciples. A disciple is someone who becomes like his or her master by living in a servant relationship to him. They learn from and submit to that person’s example. That is what each of the eleven disciples hearing this for the first time had done in answer to Jesus’ call. It is now what they will invite others to participate in from around the world.
Discipleship to Jesus involves at least the two things Jesus mentions in this command : baptism and obedience. The disciples are commanded to baptize new disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The choice to be publically baptized is evidence that someone has believed in Jesus and made the commitment to follow Him. The disciples were given the authority to baptize that person in the name of God, declaring that person’s position in the eternal family of God.
The primary work of the Great Commission is to “make disciples” which means the cooperative, mentoring process we now refer to as “discipleship”.
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
This is the primary outward mission of the Christian Church ever since this day. Followers of Jesus are commanded to make more followers of Jesus. This means cooperatively teaching and training them in matters of faith. Written Scripture is an integral part of that process,
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
but it is not the entire process, itself. Jesus command was not to make copies of the Bible but to make disciples.
As the disciples committed themselves to serving Jesus, being trained by Him for this mission, new disciples of Jesus commit themselves to serving Him while being trained by those under His authority.
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
This is a lifetime commitment to the king of the kingdom of heaven.
Now Jesus adds that obedience is expected of those who call themselves His disciples, as well.
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The disciples are to teach new believers in Jesus to observe everything He has commanded them to do. Obedience to all of Jesus’ teaching is to become the standard practice of every Christian.
Finally, Jesus promises to be with His disciples always, until the end of the age. It will soon become clear He does not mean this in a physical sense. He is about to ascend to heaven. in His physical form, to be at the right hand of God the Father. He will, however, be with His disciples in spirit, as the Holy Spirit comes to occupy all who trust in Christ . Jesus’ promise is to be with His followers - in Spirit and in Truth
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
every minute of every day, until the very end of the present age, and into the eternal life beyond.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Our next verse
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Let us get the cat out of the bag sort of speak. This passage is all-to-easy misinterpreted to imply that baptism is required for salvation. Logically, however, theses words do not prove baptism is a requirement for eternal life. Other passages affirm that belief alone is necessary for salvation. for example....
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Even the last half of this verse states that lack of belief is all that is necessary to not be saved.
Baptism is found proximity with belief in Christ in the New Testament because of the culture. In the time of the early church, if someone joined a particular sect of Judaism they would publicly declare their allegiance with baptism. This is why John the Baptist baptized his followers.
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
In those times, a new believer didn’t have to go through a class or give a detailed testimony in order to get baptized. They were baptized as soon as they affirmed the teacher’s message. An example of this would be the Ethiopian court official who met Philip (look at Acts 8:26-40). Also consider the thief on the cross who declared his faith in Jesus (look at Luke 23:39-43). Jesus assured him he would go to paradise. You can check but I believe you will find that Jesus did not come down from the cross and baptize the thief so he could be saved. There was no mention of baptism.
So what do we get from this. Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, it is a response to salvation. When we are baptized, we are giving a public affirmation that we choose to follow Jesus. the Bible talks about three different baptisms.
John’s baptism was for those before the resurrection who agreed that their sin was wrong and they resolved to live a better life. Believer’s baptism is for those who understand that while repentance is important, we can never be so good that we can earn salvation; It is performed after we are saved. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what we receive at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit is what we receive at the moment of salvation. The Holy Spirit dwells with us permanently, marking us as saved by Christ.
8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Let go to our next verse
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
The primary role of John the Baptist was to prepare the way for the coming of the long- promised Messiah, the one he has said would bring God’s kingdom to earth. In prophesying the arrival of that kingdom, John has urged his listeners to repent of their sins and be publicly baptized by him in the Jordan River as part of their commitment to live faithfully to God.
1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Now John makes clear again that he is not the Messiah. His baptism is not the same as that of the One who is coming after him.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
John says his baptism is for repentance, turning from sin to live in faithfulness to God. Eternal salvation requires a change of the heart which is tied to faith in Jesus Christ.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John describes Jesus as being mightier than he is. John knows he was sent by God to proclaim God’s message., but he does not believe himself in any way equal to the Messiah.
7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
In fact, John says he is not worthy of carrying the Messiah’s sandals. This was quite a statement in this time of history, when sandal clad feet were especially filthy and thought to be dishonorable. Only the lowliest servant would be asked to carry sandals, and John understands himself to be unworthy of even that position in service to Jesus.
The baptism ushered in by Christ will be different from John’s baptism of repentance. John declares the Messiah will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. This would be exciting news to John’s Jewish listeners. In the Jewish minds, the Holy Spirit had been absent from Israel for generations. the fact that the Messiah would baptize those who repented with the Holy Spirit would have been a promise of great power to come.It would have been a mysterious statement as well.
Jesus, of course, did send the Holy Spirit to baptize believers after His resurrection on the day of Pentecost. John’s reference to fire can mean both the purification we receive through the work of the Holy Spirit and the judgment the wicked will receive in the last day.
Let us go to our next verse
16 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:
Jesus Christ, in His first recorded public appearance in Matthew, finds John the Baptist somewhere along the Jordan River and asks the prophet to baptize Him. John resists and then agrees to participate.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Some people see this as the moment Jesus formally began His mission on earth, culminating in His sacrificial death for the sins of humanity, followed by resurrection and ascension. Christian baptism certainly serves as a symbol of death, followed by resurrection: a new beginning.
God the Father immediately responds to Jesus’ baptism in a powerful way. As Jesus emerges from being fully immersed in the water of the Jordan River, the heavens are opened. Jesus sees God the Holy Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and coming to rest on Him.
It is unclear from this description in the other gospels whether only Jesus saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descend. This might have been witnessed by everyone present. Or, perhaps, it was only perceived by Jesus and John.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Luke does specify that the Holy Spirit took solid, bodily form.
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
However, the phrase “like a dove” can either refer to the visual appearance of the Spirit , or to the manner in which the Spirit descended. As such, it is not explicitly clear that the Holy Spirit looked like a literal dove.
Regardless of such details, the Spirit coming to rest on Jesus served as a powerful confirmation that Jesus was being empowered by God. That confirmation is made even more explicit in the following verse.
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
