Baptism can look like such a simple, ordinary practice. Yet being baptised or watching others be baptised can be a profound, deeply moving and encouraging experience for Christians. It can also be very dangerous, Christians in many parts of the world have suffered greatly and even died as a result of being baptised. Baptism can also be controversial or confusing. There are a variety of views on baptism. Yet at the heart of baptism is a clear, powerful message. I’d like to look at three common questions concerning baptism: 1) The necessity of baptism: why should Christians be baptised? 2) The meaning of baptism: what does it signify? 3) The purpose of baptism: what does it do?
1. The necessity of baptism – why should Christians be baptised?
a) To obey the clear command of Jesus and his apostles
In Acts 8:36 we see the Ethiopian official say to Philip, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” What makes him ask that question? If you look in the previous verses you see that he and Philip have been discussing Isaiah 53, which speaks of God’s servant dying for the sins of his people. Phillip begins there and explains to this official the gospel, or good news about Jesus (v35). The gospel tells us that though we all deserve God’s judgement because we are rebels who live for ourselves rather than God. Yet Jesus died and rose again so that all who turn and trust in him can be forgiven by God and made right with Him. The official wants to respond to this gospel by being baptised.
Phillip was a deacon, not one of the twelve apostles, but he’s telling this official the same message the apostles had been preaching. When Peter had explained the gospel of Jesus to a large crowd in Jerusalem, they became convicted of their sin, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter, what should we do? Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (Acts 2:38). Later we see how: Many of the Corinthians on hearing Paul, believed and were baptised (Acts 18:8). Repentance, faith (believing) and baptism all go together in the New Testament. They are all associated with becoming a follower of Jesus.
The apostles like Peter and Paul told people to be baptised, just as Jesus had said: 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Some today try to downplay the significance of water baptism. They say that when the Bible refers to baptism, it speaks of Spirit baptism, not water baptism. However, water and Spirit baptism are closely connected in the Bible. It’s very clear that Jesus’ followers understood the command that his disciples be baptized, as referring to more than Spirit baptism. You can see that if you look closely again at the words of Acts 8:36 “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” It is very clear that Jesus and his apostles taught that those who become disciples of Jesus should be baptised not just in the Spirit, but also with water.
One issue we have, particularly as protestant Christians, is that we are so keen to say that baptism does not magically save you, that we begin to talk about baptism as though it is optional for Jesus’ followers, but it is not. If you are going to follow Jesus, baptism is not something you can decide for yourself whether to do it, it is a clear command of Jesus and his apostles. Continue reading
