Baptism Questions

Introduction

What is the meaning of Baptism?

I believe that Scripture is teaching that we are baptized the moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ and are cleansed, purified, forgiven, made a part of the Church (God’s People), and united with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and Resurrection. The physical act of Baptism is not required for salvation because we are already saved by God’s grace through Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit, but is a public declaration and Symbol of what God has already did in our hearts and lives.

Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Baptism as a Token of Salvation)

Christ commanded the act of baptism (Matt. 28:19–20). Since it was ordained by him, it is properly understood as an ordinance rather than a sacrament. It does not produce any spiritual change in the one baptized. We continue to practice baptism simply because Christ commanded it and because it serves as a form of proclamation. It confirms the fact of one’s salvation to oneself and affirms it to others.The act of baptism conveys no direct spiritual benefit or blessing. In particular, we are not regenerated through baptism, for baptism presupposes faith and the salvation to which faith leads. It is, then, a testimony that one has already been regenerated. If there is a spiritual benefit, it is the fact that baptism brings us into membership or participation in the local church.

Romans 6:3–4 (ESV)

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.

Some common Questions about Baptism.

Who is an appropriate candidate for baptism?

“The only appropriate candidate for the witness of baptism is someone who has something about which he can bear witness (Acts 2:38; 8:12–13, 36–38; Eph. 4:5). There is no precedent for infant baptism in the NT; in addition, only one who has experienced regeneration can give genuine witness to that experience.” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

If Baptism is a outward symbol of the inward change of the Believer, then the person being baptized must have the inward change. (i.e. Believer)

Acts 2:38 (ESV)

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:41 (ESV)

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:12–13 (ESV)

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip.

The only prerequisite for Baptism is personal believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and desire to proclaim it through Baptism.

Teaching and examples of Baptism point to a person hearing and responding to the Gospel (Good News), then follows the obedience of Baptism. This is one of the main reasons I do not believe infant baptism is biblical.

When is the right time for baptism?

“Baptism is a public confession of faith, an initiatory ordinance of a new believer desiring to be obedient to Christ (Acts 8:35–38).” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

After Repentance and Belief

Acts 2:38–41 (ESV)

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Seems as though those who believed the Gospel were baptized the same day.

There are traditions in the church that time is needed to show the legitimacy of regeneration or believers are tested/questioned to see if candidate is a believer. If the requirement for baptism is salvation it is understandable to verify belief in Jesus before baptism. however, there is no biblical time requirement between belief and baptism.

Believer's desire to be baptized

Scripture shows that baptism is a desire of the person being baptized, not a requirement put on them by the church. (John the Baptist, Peter, etc)

Acts 8:34–39 (ESV)

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

The desire to be baptized was from the eunuch.

Since, baptism is a proclamation of belief in Jesus, it should be the believers desire to make that proclamation through baptism.

The right time for baptism is when a believer desires to proclaim their unity with Christ’ death, burial, and resurrection.

What is the proper mode of baptism?

To immerse — verb. to cause to be engulfed or plunged into something (whether literal or figurative).

Immersion - Word

Baptize - The verb baptizō is found about ninety times in the New Testament, with a very significant theological sense. Its root meanings are “dip,” “immerse,” “submerge” in water, and it is found in the context of John the Baptist’s ministry of “baptizing” for the forgiveness of sin, as well as Christian baptism. The latter usage has to do both with Christ’s own personal trauma surrounding his death, as well as with the ritual applied to his followers signifying their spiritual union with him through the symbolism of immersion in water. (Renn, Stephen D., ed. “Baptism, Baptist, Baptize.” Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Word Studies for Key English Bible Words Based on the Hebrew and Greek Texts 2005: 89. Print.)

Immersion - Example

There are only a few examples of baptism in the Bible with detail about the process of the baptism. However, there is enough scriptural evidence that the practice of baptism was common in the early church.

John’s Baptism

Mark 1:9–11 (ESV)

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Early Church

Acts 8:38 (ESV)

38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

Church history seems to show that baptisms in the first century church was not only common, but done by immersion.

Immersion - Symbolic

Romans 6:3–4 (ESV)

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.

Baptism is a symbolizes the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. It also symbolizes the person’s death of the old self and resurrected a new self.

It is understood from scripture that immersion is the primary form of baptism. However, church history has given other forms of baptism due to limitations.

Who has the authority to perform baptism?

“Who has the authority to administer or perform baptism? Here the Scriptures are not explicit.” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

Church Authority

“However, in the NT, wherever people professed Christ and were baptized, they were assimilated into local assemblies of believers. ... Lacking more precise instruction, it seems safe to say that to identify with Christ as the head of the church without also identifying with the church, which is the body of Christ, would be unfathomable. The local church is the proper authority to administer baptism.” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 (ESV)

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

“Since baptism is the sign of entrance into the body of Christ, the church (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13 on inward spiritual baptism), then it seems appropriate that it be done within the fellowship of the church wherever possible, so that the church as a whole can rejoice with the person being baptized and so that the faith of all believers in that church might be built up.” (Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Second Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020. Print.)

Individual Authority

There is not specific teaching on who has the authority to perform baptism.

The scripture testify to many people performing baptism. (Jesus, his disciples, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, Philip, etc).

I am baptizing Kezia as her Dad, not because I’m an ordained pastor.

Summary

“In its simplest form baptism is a public identification with Jesus the Christ. As such it pictures the death of Jesus for the sins of the world, His subsequent burial, and His triumphant resurrection. There is also a reenactment of the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old man, and a resurrection to walk in newness of life with Christ (Rom. 6:4).” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

“Finally, it should be noted that the two ordinances given to the church—baptism and the Lord’s Supper—together tell the story of Christ’s atoning work. In the Supper the death of Christ is acknowledged and proclaimed; whereas in baptism His burial and resurrection are depicted. These comprise the only rituals assigned to the church by Jesus.” (Patterson, Paige. “Baptism.” Ed. Chad Brand et al. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary 2003: 168. Print.)

Romans 8:38–39 (ESV)

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.