Why Baptism?
*Repentance - not just asking forgiveness but a turning from your way of thinking to God's.
*Baptism - by definition full immersion.
*Receiving the Holy Spirit - which comes with the evidence of tongues.
Today let's look a little closer at baptism. What is the symbolism? Who can be baptized? When should you be baptized? Who should be baptizing you?
Why?
First, why should we be baptized? Simply put, we should be baptized because Jesus said it's a requirement for salvation. Anyone who thinks Jesus can be Lord of their life without them having to be obedient doesn't actually want Jesus as Lord of their life. All the salvation scriptures (John 3:1-8, Mark 16:15-20, Acts 2:38-41 and the salvation accounts in Acts 8, 10-11, and 19) all show baptism.
First, why should we be baptized? Simply put, we should be baptized because Jesus said it's a requirement for salvation. Anyone who thinks Jesus can be Lord of their life without them having to be obedient doesn't actually want Jesus as Lord of their life. All the salvation scriptures (John 3:1-8, Mark 16:15-20, Acts 2:38-41 and the salvation accounts in Acts 8, 10-11, and 19) all show baptism.
But beyond the fact that Jesus commanded it, why do we have to be baptized? What does it mean for us.
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:
Matthew 3:11 KJV
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 3:21
These verses show us that baptism is part of that process of repentance. It's the answer of a good conscious toward God. So God has a requirement for salvation and a requirement of holiness and for us to take part in it we have to answer the Lord's call. Baptism is that step that says "I'll do it", it's that turning from our way to God's way, which is the essence of repentance.
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.
Romans 6:4 KJV
buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12 KJV
Baptism is our burial service. It's through baptism that we are buried with Christ. The old man dies when we are plunged under the water and the new man rises when we come out of the water
Jesus once talked about how you don't put new wine into old wineskins, that new wine needs new wineskins. The Holy Spirit is that wine, when we are baptized we become the new wineskin. This is another reason we need both baptism and the infilling of the Spirit. We need to die to the flesh (happens by baptism) then we need to be filled with new life (happens by the Spirit).... More on that another time.
Then Peter said unto them, 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 KJV
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.
Matthew 3:15 KJV
Baptism washes away our sins. It cleanses us. It fulfills the righteous requirement.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:27 KJV
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:3 KJV
When we are baptized we die to our old, sinful self and we put on Christ. And now, because we put on Christ we are hid with Him. He becomes our life, His righteousness becomes our righteousness, His inheritance becomes our inheritance.
Of course, we know that we can't just get baptized and think we're done. We do, as Jesus commanded and we discussed in a previous post, have to go on to pray until we receive the Holy Spirit and then once we've done that we need to use it daily.
Who and When?
Who should be baptized? Anyone who wants salvation should be baptized. Here's the caveat though, there are no examples in the Bible of children being baptized. If baptism is the answer of a good conscience towards God then we know that to be baptized a person should be at an age where they know the salvation requirement, why they need to be saved, and are able to understand what baptism means. That's why my seven-year-old hasn't been baptized yet. The exception though is if a child has already received the Holy Spirit. In those situations, we look at Acts 10 and 11 where the Gentiles received the Spirit in Acts 10 before they were baptized and Peter said 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. If the Lord has seen fit to fill a child with His Spirit then who are we to deny them baptism.
As far as when to be baptized, for anyone over an age of understanding, as soon as possible is the answer. When Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch in his chariot in Acts 8 and then they came across a lot of water, the Ethiopian requested and was baptized right then. Churches should never save up baptisms for a special baptism day, anyone who wants salvation should be able to have that as soon as possible. That's why the Revival Fellowships around the world will baptize during any of their meetings, because salvation should never have to wait.
How?
Of course, we know that we can't just get baptized and think we're done. We do, as Jesus commanded and we discussed in a previous post, have to go on to pray until we receive the Holy Spirit and then once we've done that we need to use it daily.
Who and When?
Who should be baptized? Anyone who wants salvation should be baptized. Here's the caveat though, there are no examples in the Bible of children being baptized. If baptism is the answer of a good conscience towards God then we know that to be baptized a person should be at an age where they know the salvation requirement, why they need to be saved, and are able to understand what baptism means. That's why my seven-year-old hasn't been baptized yet. The exception though is if a child has already received the Holy Spirit. In those situations, we look at Acts 10 and 11 where the Gentiles received the Spirit in Acts 10 before they were baptized and Peter said 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. If the Lord has seen fit to fill a child with His Spirit then who are we to deny them baptism.
As far as when to be baptized, for anyone over an age of understanding, as soon as possible is the answer. When Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch in his chariot in Acts 8 and then they came across a lot of water, the Ethiopian requested and was baptized right then. Churches should never save up baptisms for a special baptism day, anyone who wants salvation should be able to have that as soon as possible. That's why the Revival Fellowships around the world will baptize during any of their meetings, because salvation should never have to wait.
2 Corinthians 6:2
(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
How?
And finally, how do we get baptized. Well, we know that it needs to be full immersion. The Greek "baptizo" means "to immerse, submerge". When Jesus was baptized it says "he came up out of the water". When Philip baptized the Ethiopian it says, "they came up out of the water". There's no other method of baptism in the New Testament church and Paul made it clear in Ephesians 4 that there is only one baptism. So, no baptizing babies or little kids, no sprinkling, no dumping, and no drive-bys.
As we've discussed in the last section, it also needs to be at an age of understanding. But along with that, it also needs to be with a knowledge of the truth. Let's look back at Acts 19 for an example:
As we've discussed in the last section, it also needs to be at an age of understanding. But along with that, it also needs to be with a knowledge of the truth. Let's look back at Acts 19 for an example:
19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 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.7 And all the men were about twelve.
These 12 men had been baptized before but they weren't taught the truth. Paul preached the truth to them, baptized them again now that they knew the truth, and then went on to make sure they received the Holy Spirit. As we can see from Acts 10-11 (the first Gentile salvations) it doesn't matter if you are baptized first or receive the Spirit first, as long as both are done, however, if you're baptized before you even hear the truth then you need to be baptized again once you have heard what the actual salvation requirement is. That's why, after hearing the truth in December 2014, I was baptized for a third time. The first time I was a child (doesn't count) and the second time, in late high school or early in college, I hadn't been taught the truth about salvation (doesn't count). There is one baptism and it does need to be with some idea of what the salvation requirement is by someone who has already received the Spirit and is living the truth.
Would you like to get baptized now that you've been shown what the Bible says about salvation and baptism? Comment below and I can help find someone who has the authority to baptize you. You can also visit any Revival Fellowship worldwide. And like I've said before, I'm sure there's other churches that preach the truth but they are really hard to find and the Revival Fellowship is the only one I know for sure preaches the same salvation as Jesus.
Would you like to get baptized now that you've been shown what the Bible says about salvation and baptism? Comment below and I can help find someone who has the authority to baptize you. You can also visit any Revival Fellowship worldwide. And like I've said before, I'm sure there's other churches that preach the truth but they are really hard to find and the Revival Fellowship is the only one I know for sure preaches the same salvation as Jesus.
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