What Is Baptism?

Romans 6:3-4

Several years ago, as a result of my work as a plumber is became friends with a Church of Christ missionary. As we were talking, he commented that he didn’t understand why God had chosen to use Baptism as the way in which we are saved. His comments revealed the source of some common disagreements among churches.

Many believe that baptism is a sacrament, meaning that they believe it is essential for salvation. As a result, many practice infant baptism, or in the case of the Mormon church, baptism by proxy, also known as baptism for the dead. Acts 2:38 is a key verse for many who hold this belief. “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.” They also refer to Mark 16:16 for support. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

Baptists, and Baptist-like groups, on the other hand, believe that Baptism is an ordinance rather than a sacrament. They believe that it is something God commanded us to do, but that it is not essential for salvation. They refer to the story of the thief on the cross as their basis. He obviously had no chance to be baptized. Luke 42-43 recounts what happened. “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

If the Bible is truly the Word of God, then apparent conflicts must be resolved by comparing all the scriptures, as we learn in II Peter 1:20-21. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The entire Bible is a unified book, and each and every passage contributes to the understanding. In order to develop such an understanding, lets start by looking at baptism, as practiced by John the Baptist.

Mark 1:4 informs us that, “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.” Notice that the phrase “for the remission of sins” is the same as in Acts 2:38. We will examine it more closely later. John had baptized many people during his ministry. Later, Paul came across some of Johns disciples. They had to be rebaptized because John’s baptism did not take away their sins.

“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, 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. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.

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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts 19:1-6)

That John’s baptism was symbolic seems fairly clear the description of Johns activities in Matthew 3:4-9. “And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

By refusing to baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees until they produced evidence of repentance, John emphasized that Repentance, not baptism was essential. The baptism symbolized the repentance. That they had to repent themselves was shown in his warning that they could not depend on their heritage. The last part of Mark 16:1, “but he that believeth not shall be damned,”
makes the point that baptism without personal belief is worthless.

The Greek word ‘baptizo’ is the root for our word baptize. It means to place into, connoting being completely submerged or enclosed. Synonyms include to immerse, to bury, or to envelop. These are exactly what Paul portrays in his statements about Baptism.

"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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 6:3-4)

We were placed into Christ. He was then crucified, buried and raised from the dead. We went through death, were buried, and were raised from the dead, in him. It is a spiritual, not a physical placement in Christ. Water baptism portrays the spiritual rebirth. Being placed in the water does not place us in Christ. As we’ve seen earlier in Romans, that is a result of faith, justifying us with God. I Peter 3:21 stresses that it is not the being placed in the water, but being placed in Christ that saves us. “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.”

John also indicated that the water baptism was not the crucial point in his statements in Luke 3:16. “John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Romans 8:9 tells us, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” John 4:2 makes the interesting point, “(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples),” referring to the water baptism.

A major sticking point for many is “for the remission of sins,” found in Acts 2:38. “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.” It is easy to forget that for can be used in various ways. For example, we might go to the hospital for surgery, meaning in order to have surgery done to us. When we say someone was sent to prison for murder, we do not mean so murder can be done to him, but because he has committed murder.

If we use this second meaning of ‘for’, we find that Peter says, “Repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus because your sins are forgiven, and you shall receive the Holy Ghost.” This eliminates the problem with the thief on the cross, and every other conflict in scripture, leading to the conclusion it is correct. Baptism is still a vital action that God has commanded us to do, but it does not save us.