Baptism

When someone decides to “get right with God,” part of the “outward sign” of accepting Jesus as their savior is being baptized. It is an exciting time, but there are many question regarding baptism that should be clarified, since so many conflicting ideas regarding this topic developed over the centuries.

§ Can you go to heaven by being baptized?

            People are saved (and get to go to Heaven) by believing that Jesus is the Christ and putting their faith in Him. Baptism alone does not save. However, salvation (being saved) will get you to heaven.

§ What is Baptism?

            The process of Baptism is very simple. You begin by standing, sitting, or kneeling in water. The Pastor then lowers you under the water and then brings you back up out of the water, called immersion. Sprinkling is good but does not have the same effect as being immured in the water.  This makes since if you realize that “Baptize” is transliteration of the original Greek word baptizw (baptizo).  In turn, baptize comes from the root word baptw (bapto), a term used in the first century for immersing a garmentfirst into bleach and then into dye, both cleansing and changing the color of the cloth, similarity to baptism’s cleansing of sin and becoming a new person through Christ.

§ When should someone be Baptized?

            Acts 2:41, 3000 people were baptized after believing on the first day of the Christian church.

            Acts 8:26-39, Philip and the Eunuch did not think it could wait until later

            Acts 9:18, Saul accepted Jesus and was Baptized.

            Acts 10:47-48, Cornelius and those with him were commanded to be baptized.

            Acts 16:16-34, Lydia and her household believed and were baptized.

On top of all these references, when Jesus left the earth he told his followers to make disciples (followers), baptized them, and teach them. Jesus apparently felt it was pretty important to make this a priority for His followers.  When you give your life to Christ you can talk to your Pastor to set the date to be Baptized.

§ Why should someone be Baptized?

            Romans 6:1-7, shows us that the mode of baptism (immersion) pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. In the same way that he went through these thing, our old nature is to “die” and we are to be “buried with Him through Baptism into death” and raised to “walk in newness of life” (line like Jesus). So we do not just try to be a better person, we bury the “old person” in the water and become a “new Person” through our acceptance of Christ.  A new birth and a new beginning for us.

 

§ Why did Jesus get baptized? If He was God and without sin why did He need to be baptized and forgiven of sin?

Good eye and very good question.

First of all, it’s vital to note that the baptism John the Baptist was offering is not the same as the Baptism we go through today. You see, John the Baptist (Johnny B. – to his friends) was calling folks to the baptismal rite of the Essene community (desert dwellers). Their baptismal rite was more of an “entrance rite (ritual)”. It was not as much about the forgiveness of sins as much as it was about coming into a community.

Remember, Christ had not yet died upon the cross, so the salvific (big word for “saving”) action and redemptive (forgiving and restoring) work of the Crucifixion and Resurrection had not yet occurred; that being the case, Christ’s remission of our sins through Baptism was not yet possible for the folks whom “Johnny B.” was baptizing.

Incidentally, that is why our Christian Baptism has two parts to the rite…both the coming into the community AND the remission of sin.

Christ was not in need of Baptism, at all – there you are correct. He submitted Himself to Baptism as He left His parents and community and claimed God as His Father. God the Father, in turn, claimed Jesus as His Son:

“It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” - Mark 1:9-13

By voluntarily getting baptized He not only offered an example, but He became and fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). Also, because He completely emptied Himself and “became like us in all things but sin”, the baptism was a manifestation (public way of making known) of His humanity (Phil. 2:7)

In Jesus’ time, the community that claimed you and that you claimed was everything…it had to do with your importance, prominence, occupation, upbringing, vocation, stature, reputation, safety, financial security, lineage, marriage…everything. To leave your community, like Jesus did, and claim a new “community” with God as Father is a huge statement. It wasn’t, however, that Jesus didn’t love His family or that He was leaving them behind – quite the contrary, by fulfilling His Divine Sonship, He was raising the dignity of His own family, especially His Mother Mary, to all new “heights” so to speak.

Now you have it-the what, when and why. The only question left to ask is “what will you do now?” that is between you and God and your Pastor.