What is Baptism? Intro to Christianity
There are many questions that new (and old) Christians have throughout their lives about Christianity. We have defined the Church, expounded on what the Church Is and Isn’t and now we will discuss Baptism. So what exactly is Baptism? Depending on who you ask, you will receive all sorts of answers. Today we will define Baptism from a Biblically Reformed understanding of Scripture and look at different scriptures that reference Baptism.
Definition of Baptism
Baptism is a sacrament (gift) of God given to his people as the expressive sign and seal of the promises of the Triune God to his beloved adopted family - the church. In baptism, an individual secures all rights as an adopted member of the people of God.
Βάπτισμα (greek) baptisma
of calamities and afflictions with which one is quite overwhelmed
of John's baptism, that purification rite by which men on confessing their sins were bound to spiritual reformation, obtained the pardon of their past sins and became qualified for the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom soon to be set up. This was valid Christian baptism, as this was the only baptism the apostles received and it is not recorded anywhere that they were ever rebaptised after Pentecost.
of Christian baptism; a rite of immersion in water as commanded by Christ, by which one after confessing his sins and professing his faith in Christ, having been born again by the Holy Spirit unto a new life, identifies publicly with the fellowship of Christ and the church.
22 occurrences in the New Testament:
Matthew 3:13-17, Matthew 20:22, Matthew 21:23-27, Mark 11:30, Luke 3:3, Luke 7:29, Luke 12:50, Luke 20:4, Acts 1:22, Acts 10:37, Acts 13:24, Acts 18:25, Acts 19:3-4, Romans 6:4, Ephesians 4:5, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:21
Βαπτίζω (greek) baptizō
to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
to overwhelm
86 occurrences in the New Testament:
Luke 11:38, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16, Acts19:4, Matthew 28:19, Acts 19:5, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 1:13-17, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12, Acts 8:16, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:21, 1 Corinthians 10:2, Matthew 3:11, Luke 3:16
The Road to Baptism
Baptism often follows the hearing of the word, belief, repentance, confession, baptism, and being saved. We will look into these different aspects that lead up to Baptism in the New Testament. This is A brief note to state that these steps were not necessarily followed by every individual but by families. For example, the head of the household, the father, would have heard, believed, repented, confessed, and was baptized which in turn meant he would baptize his whole family. (To learn more about this Covenental view of Baptism see our post on Thursday)
Heard
Notice that in every scenario throughout the New Testament, those who are baptized are those who have first heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. Baptism is not a magical ceremony to be used or deployed by the slightly religiously inclined. Before one can respond in faith and accompanying action (baptism), a person must have something to respond to. Baptism is not abstract but rather is of great weight spiritually as a response of belief to what first has been heard - namely the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hearing who Jesus is and why he matters is that great work that the Lord chooses to use as the foundational precursor activity in gifting faith to the unbeliever. As the Apostle Paul states in Romans 10:14 “And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?”. Faith is integrally tied to hearing the gospel, as Paul only a few sentences later says “so faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
Believed
Those who have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed then respond either in faith, with belief and accompanying action demonstrating living faith, or they respond without belief. There are only two possible responses when hearing the gospel, faith, or unbelief. Some will hear the gospel and think it utter madness, or folly, this was the Apostle Paul’s experience as he relates in 1 Corinthians 1:21-25:
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Christ proclaimed is either in the ears and hearts of those who hear a stumbling block, or the power and wisdom of God. For those who hear and believe the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
Repented
Belief in the gospel causes a serious and overwhelming turning away from a previous way of life, and turning towards a new way of life. The Biblical word “repent” often means to “turn away from”. Regret and remorse are attached to repentance, but those two things do not fully encompass all that is spoken of or implied via the Biblical term to repent. Those who believe that Christ died for their sins are brought to great grief for the sin they have contributed to the death and suffering of Jesus Christ. For those who believe the gospel, Christ’s death wasn’t a result of Pilate’s decision, the Sanhedrin’s trial, or the soldier’s executing orders. For those who believe in the gospel, Christ’s death was a substitution in the place of the sinner. As such, Christ’s death was a direct act of mercy and grace towards the repenting sinner (1 Timothy 1:12-16). This leads to a new affection, a new heart that hates the sin that put Christ on the cross, and that loves all that Christ loves (1 Peter 2:24). The life of the one who has repented is one of continual repentance, turning away from the old way of life (1 Peter 1:14, Colossians 3:9-10, Ephesians 4:22-24, Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:16-18).
Confessed
Belief and repentance may both begin with inward realities, but faith grows to express itself outwardly. Inward changes overflow into outward living. In response to belief in the gospel comes verbal “confessions” of faith. One of the reasons these verbal statements are so often called “confessions” is due to how frequently throughout history Christians have been subjected to various inquiries and legal trials relating to Christian beliefs. The confession of Christians relates back to beliefs regarding the gospel. A verbal articulation summarizing belief is key in confirming mutual faith among believers. The gospel’s contents and responsive faith are what unify Christians in what the Bible calls “one body and one Spirit” (Ephesians 4:4). Common practice as a people of one body arises out of common belief relating to who Jesus is and why he matters. In response to hearing the gospel, believing the gospel, and repenting of sin, confession (sometimes called profession or personal testimony) is that verbal recounting of the goodness, mercy, and grace of God directed towards the individual who “once was lost, but now am found, once was blind, but now I see” (John Newton’s line from his hymn Amazing Grace). Out of the mouth, the overflow of the heart speaks (Proverbs 4:23, Matthew 12:34) and for the repentant believer a new heart overflows to stir the lips to speak of the grace of God given in Jesus Christ.
Baptized
The church then rejoices together as the individual or family (household) is baptized into the Christian community. We see then that baptism is a sacrament of entrance into the visible Christian community. Baptism is then rightly seen as a part of a response to the gospel having been heard and believed, with accompanying repentance and confession of Christ as savior. Baptism is of great celebratory nature primarily because of God’s grace towards sinners. In baptism, we see the imagery of death to sin and self, and new life through the cleansing power of God in Christ as applied to the individual receiving baptism by the Holy Spirit. Baptism is the normal byproduct of making disciples and the waters of baptism used regularly ought to be something we as Christians expect to see. When there is a lack of baptisms, that is most often a result of a lack of disciple-making. When there is an abundance of baptisms, we praise God for His grace poured out on many.
Saved
Baptism as a sacrament is linked intentionally and inextricably with God’s great grace in saving sinners. But baptism is not a ceremony that stands alone. Baptism is a responsive act to the work of Jesus Christ in the gospel, both in the practice of infant (covenant) baptism and in the practice of new believers’ baptism. While baptism in some ways is a culmination (and often in the early centuries of the church was administered either to infants of Christian families or only to new confessing believers upon a lengthy process of training called catechesis lasting 6 months to a year), baptism is also a new beginning. Baptism denotes in space and time when the triune God marked out an individual as one who will dwell among His people, carrying His name.
In another post, we will discuss some of the distinctions between baptism for the confessing new believer and baptism for the young child of believing parents.
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