OceanSide church of Christ

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BAPTISM:  THE CONTROVERSIAL COMMAND

Victor M. Eskew

 

          There are many religious people in the world who do not believe that baptism is essential for salvation.  They will argue long and hard against the need to be baptized for the remission of sins.  It is not that they stand opposed to baptism.  Most of them practice baptism.  They just do not believe that a person has to be baptized to be saved.  In this article, let’s look briefly at this controversial command.

          First, baptism is a simple act.  It involves an individual’s being submerged in water.  The word itself means:  “to dip, to plunge, to wash, to whelm, to overwhelm, and to submerge.”  When we read of individuals being baptized in the Scriptures, they went down into the water, and they came up out of the water.  “And he commanded the chariot to stand still:  and they went down both into the water; both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.  And when they were come up out of the water… (Acts 8:26-29; see also Matt. 3:13-17).  In several places, baptism is referred to as a burial, again indicating that one is completely covered up in the waters of baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12).

          Second, baptism is a profound act.  It involves the burial of the old man of sin.  Before a person can become a child of God, he must repent of his sins.  Jesus said:  “I tell you, Nay:  but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).  Repentance involves a death to sin.  “Knowing this, that our old man of sin is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Rom. 6:6).  Once the old man dies, it must be buried.  This burial takes place in baptism.  “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” (Rom. 6:4; see also Col. 2:12).

          Third, baptism is a significant act.  In the waters of baptism, sins are washed away.  Saul was told by Ananias:  “And now why tarriest thou:  arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  In Revelation 1:5, we learn that our sins are washed away through the blood of Jesus Christ.  In some way, we touch the blood of Jesus in the waters of baptism.  There is no power in the water.  The power rests in the blood.  In the waters of baptism, according to the pen of Paul, we come into contact with the death of Christ.  It was in His death that He shed His blood for our sins.  “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3).  Until a person is baptized, he has not come into contact with the death of Jesus.  Until one contacts the death of Jesus, he cannot contact the blood.  Until he contacts the blood of Christ, there is no forgiveness.  Peter understood this.  On the day of Pentecost he told the Jews:  “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin…” (Acts 2:38).

          Fourth, baptism is a representative act.  In I Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul summarizes the gospel.  “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scripture; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.”  Yes, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are the core facts of the gospel.  In baptism, we are involved in each one of these aspects of the gospel.  We die to sin.  We bury the old man of sin.  We are resurrected from the waters of baptism as a new creature in Christ Jesus.  Paul wrote:  “”Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:  old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor. 5:17).  Notice that one is a new creature when he is “in Christ.”  A person gets into Christ by being baptized.  “”For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).  The new man is a resurrected man.  The individual was resurrected from the waters of baptism.  “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.  For it we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom. 6:4-5).  Jesus died, was buried, and rose again.  We, too, die to sins, are buried in the waters of baptism, and rise a new creature in Christ.

          Fifth, baptism is a challenging act.  Baptism is the line of faith that Jesus has drawn in regard to salvation.  He said:  “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” (Mark 16:16).  These are the words of Jesus.  Those who believe will do exactly what He has commanded.  Satan, however, has convinced the majority of the religious world that baptism is not necessary for salvation.  Therefore, many will not obey the command.  They adamantly oppose it.  They argue against it.  They fight against it.  To get them to see the necessity of baptism is a challenge.  Those who submit to the command to be baptized exercise saving faith.  They do not care what the world has to say.  They are not concerned about man’s opinions on the matter.  They deeply trust in Jesus and do exactly what He commanded them to do (See Acts 10:48).  Their faith overcomes any obstacles that are put in their way.

          Yes, baptism is a controversial command.  However, it should not be.  The Scriptures are easy to understand on the matter.  Listen to Peter’s words about baptism.  “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” (I Pet. 3:21).  Jesus said baptism saves.  Peter believed his Lord and taught the same thing.  Dear reader, if you have not been baptized for the remission of sins, we would encourage you do to so today.  If you have been baptized, but it was not done to be saved, you need to also subject yourself to the Lord’s baptism.  According to Paul, there is only “one baptism” (Eph. 4:5).  There is only one valid baptism.  There is only one baptism authorized by Jesus Christ.  There is only one baptism that saves us.