The Meaning and Purpose of Baptism

Introduction

Illustration of Wedding Vows

The vows did not create our marriage, but they served as a way to publically swear off other lovers and promise to be faithful to each other as long as God gave us life.

Our vows today serve as a constant reminder of the devotion we promised to each other and our accountability to all who heard us make those promises.

Pastor Garret Kell says, “Baptism and the Lord’s Supper serve the church in a similar way. Baptism is a public profession of devotion to Jesus and his people. The Lord’s Supper is a renewal of our vows of devotion by remembering Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.”

Baptism is “going public” with your faith…baptism serves as physical picture of the spiritual reality of what happens when we’re united to Jesus through repetance and faith.

There are many passages in the Bible that give examples of and speak about baptism, but the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch is arguably one of the best demonstrations of the some of the key elements of baptism.

So…lets take a look into the story in Acts 8:26-39 to see what we can learn about the ordinance of baptism.

Acts 8:26–39 ESV

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 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?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 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.

PRAY

What? (Meaning of Baptism)

Baptism represents three truths:

Union with Christ

The Ethiopian eunuch heard the good news about Jesus. He wanted to turn from his sin and follow Jesus.

The way he identified himself with Jesus as a public testimony was through baptism.

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.”

Illustration of how a cucumber becomes a pickle…cucumber is immersed into brine (vinegar, water, and salt) and takes on the properties of brine and becomes a pickle.

Forgiveness of sins

Acts 2:37-38 “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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.”

Not Baptismal regeneration

Initiation into the local church

Philip was sent by the Jerusalem church and was its representative. Therefore, even in this obscure example, the local church is a witness and involved.

By becoming unified with Christ through baptism, you are also identifying and becoming unified with Christ’s body…the church.

1 Corinthians 12:13 “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.”

A believer cannot make a covenant with God without also identifying him or herself with a local congregation, for if this would be possible, what purpose does the act of baptism have?

Jesus knows that someone has trusted in Him so why should he or she be publicly baptized if the local church does not have to be connected?

The only answer is that baptism must relate to entrance into and identification with the local church since Jesus has commanded that all believers be baptized.

Baptism as initiation into the local church will also protect against non-believers being members of the church.

One implication of this is you should not get baptized out in the lake or in Jerusalem or any other place if the local church is not present to view the baptism.

How? (Mode of Baptism)

One clarifying statement is to remember that baptism is a secondary doctrine…there can be some disagreement of how it it is performed and those who disagree still be faithful followers of Jesus (presbyterians, methodists, etc.)

However, I will argue that based on the testimony of Scripture...Baptism should be practiced by immersion.

This is also one of the things that makes us unique as “Baptists” along with believer’s baptism and other things.

The word baptizo literally means “to immerse.” Even those who practice sprinkling acknowledge this truth.

Immersion is the only mode of baptism that represents and communicates the meaning of being identified with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

Immersion is the only form that is described and practiced in the New Testament.

“and they both went down into the water....And when they came up out of the water...” Acts 8:38-39.

Also, see Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:16.

Those who practice sprinkling or pouring have no biblical warrant and only see this practice done early in church history.

Who? (Subject of Baptism)

The New Testament makes clear that only those who have repented from their sin and trusted in Jesus for salvation can be baptized.

This is known as “Believers’ baptism” or “credobaptism.”

Three reasons why only believers in Jesus should be baptized:

The New Testament only gives examples of believers being baptized.

The Ethiopian eunuch was not baptized until after he heard the gospel and trusted in Jesus.

Acts 2:38 “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 8:12 “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.”

Acts 16:14-15 “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”

Also see Acts 16:30-34 (Philippian Jailer), and Acts 10:47-48 (Cornelius).

The Order of the Great Commission.

Make disciples, then baptize them.

Baptism is the first step of obedience for the new believer and therefore should never precede conversion.

Baptism represents union with Christ

Argument for pedobaptism

“Pedobaptism” means infant baptism.

Acts 10, 16, and 18 say “all the household were baptized.”

But this point neglects that the text also says “the head and all the rest of the household BELIEVED and were baptized.”

Therefore, if children were baptized, they also believed in Jesus and were then baptized.

They also argue that baptism entrance into the covenant community in the New Testament just as circumcision was entrance into the covenant community in the Old Testament.

However, the New Testament makes clear that the entrance into the covenant community in the New Testament is not baptism of the flesh, but baptism of the Spirit through repentance and faith in Jesus

Romans 2:28-29 “For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

The implication of this would mean that if you were baptized before you a follower of Jesus, your baptism, based on the teaching of the New Testament, is not valid.

Why? (Reason for Baptism)

Jesus commanded us to follow his example…it is a command from Jesus.

If you are a follower of Jesus, why would you not want to publically identify yourself with Christ before your church and join yourself with Jesus and his body?

Questions you need to ask in response to Jesus’ command to be baptized...

First, baptism is a physical representation of an inward spiritual transformation of new life in Christ…therefore, have you responded to the gospel to turn from your sins and follow Jesus? Have you declared allegiance to Jesus and identified yourself with him, in his death, burial, and resurrection?

If you have turned from your sins and trusted in Jesus have you taken the next step in following Jesus by making your profession of faith public to the church through believer’s baptism?

Don’t rush into baptism…don’t take it lightly.

Don’t drag your feet in being baptized either.

Ways to know if you are ready for baptism...

Have you turned from your sins and trusted in Jesus alone for your salvation?

Do you have a solid understanding of the gospel and can you explain and articulate it to others?

Do you have a proper understanding of baptism (what it is/means and what it is not)?

Can parents, pastors, family, friends, and yourself testify of seeing evident fruit in your life?

Willing to share a public testimony to the church?

If you have been baptized, was your baptism genuine based on the biblical definition of baptism?

Were you baptized after you decided to follow Jesus and made alive through the Holy Spirit?

Were you immersed in water representing and identifying with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection?

Was the local church present to witness your baptism to hold you accountable to the testimony you publically gave?

Like the Etihopian eunuch said…there is water, what prevents me from being baptized?

If you have not already…what is stopping you from declaring your allegiance to Jesus and then taking that next step in believer’s baptism?