Importance of Baptism for the Believer
After salvation, the Bible tells us that new believers should be baptized by immersion in water. As Jesus ascended into heaven, the last commission he left to his disciples was that the gospel should be preached to every creature, and those who believe should be baptized.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Mark 16:15-16
Baptism is one of the two ordinances Jesus left to the church. The other is taking Holy Communion. These two ordinances are for born-again believers.
Baptism happens after salvation and symbolizes our being buried in death with Jesus and resurrected with him to newness of life. It is a public declaration of our new life in Christ and belonging to the body of Christ. (Colossians 2:12, Romans 6:4). 1 Peter 3:21 also says that baptism is a “pledge of a clear conscience toward God.”
Jesus was baptized
Jesus set the example for us by being baptized by John the Baptist before he began his public ministry. He said it was to fulfill all righteousness: an act of obedience. We must do likewise.
“When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Luke 3:21-22
“But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him.” Matthew 3:14-15
The new converts in the Book of Acts were all baptized immediately after salvation.
In the book of Acts in the Bible, we find that all who believed in Jesus Christ in the early church were immediately baptized by immersion in water. (Read Acts 2:37-41, 8:36-38, 10:47-48, 16:13-15, 16:27-34, 18:5-8, 19:1-5, 22:14-17).
In the very first sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter said to the first believers, “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…Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.“ Acts 2:38, 41
Paul was baptized 3 days after conversion when the Lord Jesus sent Ananias to lay hands on him to receive his sight and the Holy Spirit! Ananias then baptized him immediately after. (Acts 9:17-19).
The Ephesian disciples whom Paul found unbaptized due to ignorance were baptized immediately by him (Acts 19:1-5).
Not to be baptized is disobedience to Jesus
The significance of baptism cannot be overstated. Some people view it as optional or not important. Others think it is not urgent and take years to be baptized, or do not get baptized at all. Still others choose baptism methods not found in the New Testament, such as baptizing babies or baptizing unbelievers. But Jesus obeyed the Father and was baptized, and we should follow his example and do likewise.
Not getting baptized is clear disobedience to the Lord’s commands. If we love Jesus, we MUST keep his commandments (John 14:15). The apostles of Jesus took his command seriously and baptized all the new converts immediately after they received the Lord, usually on the same day when possible.
“But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.” Acts 8:12
Baptism is part of the conversion experience
There were no extensive baptism classes in the early church, and it did not take weeks, months, or years to baptize converts. It was immediate. Once new converts understood the message of salvation and made that decision, they were immediately baptized. Baptism was considered an essential part of the new believer’s salvation experience.
Religion and church institutions have made this matter very complex, and I believe it is a device of the devil so that baptism is not taken seriously, people can die without baptism, and new converts are robbed of the power of baptism for their Christian walk.
I think it is very wrong for churches to keep people for months or even years without getting baptized for no good reason. It should be taken with seriousness and done as soon as possible because Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” It is the Lord’s command, and it is how we publicly identify with his death and resurrection.
The significance of water baptism
1. Public baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ
In the act of immersion in the waters of baptism, the believer is united with Jesus in his death and resurrection. It is a special experience for a new believer that they should not be robbed of.
“Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4
“And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12
2. Rising to new life in Christ
There is a real spiritual experience that happens at baptism, and once the believer rises from the waters of baptism, their conscience is truly washed, and they rise to newness of life. It is a mystery, but anyone who has been properly baptized can attest to its power. Everything the Lord asks us to do is not a mere formality but has real meaning and power attached.
“And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:21
Some people have had special experiences where they were delivered from demonic bondage and sinful habits during baptism. On the day of my baptism, I witnessed many people have demons leave them as they rose out of the water in loud shrieks. I heard a testimony shared on YouTube about a man who had his tattoos disappear after rising out of the water at baptism. God can do anything, and people have had special experiences of freedom during baptism. Some have also experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit as they rose from the waters speaking in tongues. In the early church, they encouraged people to fast a day or more before their baptism, and I believe this was in expectation that God would do something great for them.
3. Baptism into the body of Christ
At baptism, we are also baptized into the body of Christ and clothe ourselves with Christ. This means that if we reject baptism, we are excluding ourselves from the body of Christ.
“For by one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13
“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Galatians 3:27
Baptism – Who and How?
“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Ephesians 4:4-6
The verse above tells us that there is only one baptism. The Bible makes it very clear that:
- Baptism is for born-again believers. This eliminates infant and child baptism because babies and children cannot make a conscious personal decision to be born again.
- Baptism is by immersion. Every baptism in the New Testament, including Jesus’s baptism, was done by immersion into water, which is the only way to symbolize being buried with Christ and rising again to newness of life. In very rare cases where it is not possible to immerse someone, the early church fathers permitted water to be poured on someone, but one should make an effort to be baptized by immersion, even if it is in a tub.
- Baptism formula: Jesus instructed the disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). In Acts, it is recorded that new converts were baptized “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5). Though this seems a conflict, the understanding is that Jesus is the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. We are asked to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17). Jesus said, “I and my Father are one.” (John 10:30).
What about those who die before baptism?
There are unique cases where people die before they have had a genuine opportunity to be baptized after getting saved. God knows the truth in each situation. But it is different if you’re deliberately postponing it out of rebellion or dismissing it as not important.
You will have no excuse before God and cannot use the thief on the cross as your excuse. God knows all things. If your church is not taking baptism seriously, it is up to you to find someone to baptize you. When it comes to obeying God, you should always obey God rather than men.
Baptism is not optional.
Baptism is not optional because it is a command of our Lord. I urge you to make haste and be baptized immediately if you are not baptized but are born-again. It is also important for us who preach the gospel to make every effort to ensure new converts are baptized.
May the Lord help us.
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Have you given your life to Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? He loves us so much that he, our creator, left heaven and came to earth, died for us on the cross, taking our sins upon him so that we may be forgiven and receive his righteousness. He conquered death by rising from the dead and made a way for us who were dead in sin to be reconciled back to the Father (God). What’s more, he has prepared a wonderful home for us in Heaven, where those who love him and obey him will spend eternity with him. Learn more here about how to be born again and have eternal life after this brief life on earth.
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