Baptism
By Timothy Glover
Jesus said to the apostles, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Mat. 28:18-20). Luke records him saying, “Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk. 24:46-47). Mark 16:15,16 reads, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, he that believeth not shall be damned.”
The individuals to whom the gospel is preached are to believe, repent and be baptized. Is baptism necessary? It is if you think that doing what Jesus commands is necessary. Remember in Acts 2 that those who wanted to be saved, gladly received the word of God and were baptized (verse 41). When they asked what they should do, Peter answered, “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.” When they complied, about 3,000 were added unto them and verse 47 says, “And the Lord added to the church those who were being saved.” If we want to be saved, to enjoy remission of sins, we should be willing to receive the word gladly and be baptized.
Baptism is a burial in water (Mat. 3:16,17, Acts 8:36, 38); for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38); to put one into Christ (Rom. 6:3-5; Galatians 3:26-27). Some teach that sprinkling or pouring of water in the name of Christ is baptism. Yet, the bible teaches in Romans 6 that baptism is a burial. Philip baptized the Ethiopian in Acts 8 by “going down into the water.” Have you ever seen a more ridiculous sight (as some movies portray) of Jesus going into a pool of water over waste deep only to have a scoop of water poured over his head?
Again, Rom. 6 teaches that as Jesus died, was buried and rose again, so we are to die to sin (repent), be buried in baptism, and be raised to walk in newness of life (verses 3-5). If we want the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16) and be “in Christ” (Gal. 3:26, “baptized into Christ”), then we will be immersed in water. Paul concludes in verse 17 by saying, “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”.
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