What the Bible Says About

Baptism

The Bible Says that Baptism:

• Is Essential to Salvation

• That Those Desiring Salvation Were Baptized

• Puts One “Into Christ,” and

• That AU Spiritual Blessings Are “In” Christ, and

• That Baptism Is a Burial

What the Bible Says About

BAPTISM

If there is any single subject that is plainly presented in the Bible, it is baptism. Honest people will be willing to accept exactly what is said on this subject and all other subjects of His inspired word.

Let’s examine a couple of things the Bible teaches about baptism.

ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION

First, the Bible teaches that baptism is essential to salvation. In Mark 16:15-16, Jesus said, “Go ye ii the world and preach the gospel. He that believer/i and is baptized shall he saved; he that believeth not shall be damned.”

In Matthew’s account of the Great Commission, Jesus says, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them...” (Matt. 28:19).

In these two inspired accounts, please note that specific instruction is given for the persons to whom the gospel is preached to be baptized.

THOSE DESIRING SALVATION WERE BAPTIZED

The Bible also teaches that those who wanted to be saved gladly received the word of God and were baptized. In the second chapter of Acts, which records the establishment of the church, we find that Peter and the apostles stood up and preached to those gathered there for every nation under heaven. In verse 37, we read that those in the audience were pricked in their hearts and asked, “Men and brethren, ‘what shall we do?’”

Peter’s answer was brief and to the point, “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 tile Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Then, in verse 41, we read, “Then they that gladly received the word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

We should heed this admonition today. If we desire to be saved, to enjoy the benefits of having our sins forgiven, we should be willing to “gladly receive the word” and be baptized.

HOW WE GET “INTO CHRIST”

The Bible also teaches that baptism puts one into Christ.

In 2 Cor. 5:17, Paul writes, “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” Since being “in Christ” makes one a “new creature,” then what we want to learn is how to get into Christ.

In Gal. 3:27, Paul writes, “For as manv of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” No doubt, it is in baptism that we “put on Christ.”

Also, in Rom. 6:3 we read, “Know ye not that so many of us as have been baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death.”

Then, in 1 Cor. 12:13, we read, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body...”

No doubt, one gets “into Christ” by being baptized into Him.

ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE “IN” CHRIST

The Bible also teaches that all spiritual blessings are in Christ.

In Eph. 1:3, Paul writes, “Blessed he the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

If all spiritual blessings are “in Christ” and one must first be baptized to get “into Christ,” then it naturally follows that those who have not been baptized do not have any spiritual blessings at all. Therefore, those who have not been baptized do not have remission of sins; they are not saved; they are not in Christ; and they are not new creatures in Christ.

Surely this should cause us to see the importance of baptism.

BAPTISM IS A BURIAL

Finally, the Bible teaches that baptism is a burial.

Actually, it is a burial in water (Matt. 3:16-17)-- “much water” (John 3:23); for the “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38); to put one “into Christ” (Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27); so that one may “rise to walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).

Some religious bodies wrongly teach that baptism by sprinkling or pouring water on a person in the name of Christ is baptism. Such is not is harmony with what the Bible teaches!

In Rom. 6:4 Paul wrote, “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.”

This passage teaches that we are buried in baptism in this way: Jesus died--was buried--rose again; we stop sinning--are buried in water--rise to walk in newness of life.

Simple, isn’t it!

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS: AN OBJECTION

Same take exception to what the Bible plainly teaches about baptism by using the thief on the cross as an example of a person who was saved without baptism.

However, please remember this: before Jesus died, we have several examples of where Jesus said, “Thy sins are forgiven thee” (Matt 9:2). Four verses later He declared that He had power (authority) to do so on earth.

On the other hand, when Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today thy shall be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43), He had that power to do so if He so chose. But, that was before His death. After He died, He then gave commission (which we’ve already studied), and the apostles went out to teach the people that they were to be baptized.

To show that Jesus could have told the thief that he was forgiven, but that folks today are required to do something else, all we need to do is look at Heb. 9: 15-17, which shows that Jesus’ will (The New Testament) didn’t come into effect until after He died.

After all is said and done, Mark 16:16 still says, “He that believeth A ND is baptized shall he saved.”

Let’s not try to get to heaven on a flimsy excuse. Rather, let’s obey the gospel and be baptized into Christ.

A Matter of Conscience

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also save us (not the putting away of filth from the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).

This originally appeared in the November/December 1991 (Volume 1 Number 6) issue of The Visiting Preacher.

Digitizeded Feb. 8, 2005 Updated