Baptism in the Life of the Christian

Romans 6:1-7; Titus 3:4-7; Acts 8:12-24, 26-40

Believer’s Baptism

Proper Candidate. Who is a proper candidate for baptism? The Bible plainly teaches believer’s baptism, i. e., that a person who does not believe cannot be baptized. Consider in this connection Acts 8:36, 37 where the question, “What doth hinder me to be baptized?” is answered by, “If thou believest . . . thou mayest.” Lack of faith then would hinder or prevent one from receiving baptism. You will note also that in Mark 16:16 Jesus placed faith before baptism, as does Acts 16:31-33. That repentance, precedes baptism is clearly seen in Acts 2:38. That one must he old enough or intelligent enough to “receive the word” is shown in Acts 2:41. Jesus placed things in the proper order in Matthew 28:19, 20. Here you will note that teaching comes before baptism, as well as after. We see, then, that until a person has been taught, has received the word, believes on Christ with all his heart, and repents, he cannot be Scripturally baptized.

Household Baptisms. Those who practice infant baptism sometimes point to the household baptisms as the Scriptural basis for the practice. There are four of these in the New Testament, yet in not one is there any mention of the baptism of infants. In Acts 16 it is said that Lydia was baptized “and her household.” As J. W. McGarvey points out, in order to find infant baptism here one must first assume that Lydia was married. This the Bible nowhere says. Her household could have been made up of servants, nieces, nephews, or cousins. Assuming, though, that Lydia was married, one must next assume that she had children. The Bible does not say that she did. One must further assume that, being married and having children, they were with her at Philippi and not back home in Thyatira (Acts 16:14). Finally, one must assume that if she were married, did have children, and they were with her at Philippi, that at least one of them was too young to believe. There is little proof here for infant baptism, In the other three cases we can be certain that there were no infants in the household. In Acts 10 it is said of the centurion Cornelius that he “feared God with all his house.” In the story of the jailer it is said that he rejoiced, “believing in God with all his house.” In these cases it is obvious that whoever was included in Cornelius’ household was old enough to fear God, and whoever may have been a part of the jailer’s family was at least old enough to believe. In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul says he baptized the household of Stephanas, a man about whom we know little. While nothing more is said in that chapter, in the last chapter of the same epistle Paul mentions the family of Stephanas again and notes that they “have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” Thus they were old enough to perform some service that could be called a ministry. While we know little about the persons included in these households, they cannot logically be pointed out as examples of infant baptism.

The Purpose of Baptism

Remission of Sins. If we recall that the purpose of baptism is the remission of sins, then it will be seen at once that only a sinner can be baptized. That baptism is indeed for the remission of sins is clearly taught in Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16; Romans 6:1-7; and Mark 16:16. That infants are not sinners is plainly implied by Jesus when He said, “Of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14; Luke 18:16). In fact, Jesus taught that unless we become like little children we could not expect to go to heaven (Mark 10:15). The Biblical definition of sin as “transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4) exonerates all who are too immature to obey the law.

A Strange Fact. If there is no Scriptural basis for the baptism of infants, why is the practice so widespread in modern Protestantism?  Infant baptism stems from the doctrine of original sin. This doctrine teaches that infants are born in sin, that God holds them personally responsible for the collective iniquity of the human race, that they are guilty even though the deeds were done by others and done before they were born. To hold such a position one would have to greatly alter his view of God. The Bible pictures a God of love and of justice. While an innocent child may have to suffer the consequences of others’ sins, yet a God of love and justice does not hold an infant eternally responsible for their sins.  What parent, having two children, would punish one for the misdemeanors of the other? What sort of God would hold an infant responsible through eternity for things utterly beyond his control? 

However, if one believes in original sin, he must also believe in infant baptism, since baptism is for the remission of sins. The strange fact is that many denominations no longer believe in original sin, yet continue to practice infant baptism. The custom lives, though the conviction that prompted it no longer exists!

Moral Responsibility

An Individual Matter. That we bear personal responsibility for our sins is taught throughout the Bible. In Romans 14:12 we read, “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Compare also Revelation 20:12, 13, where the dead are judged according to their works. Just as we cannot shift our responsibility to someone else, neither are we held responsible for another’s guilt. When God made man in His image, made him morally free, He made him personally responsible for his sins.

The Age of Accountability. At what age does a child become accountable to God? When is he old enough to believe with all his heart and to repent of his sins? When is he old enough to commit sin? Only one person can say exactly when this takes place. That person is the child himself. The parents may have a fair idea of the child’s maturity and the minister’s advice and counsel may be sought. In the final analysis, though, it is the child himself who knows. Very early in life a child learns that he is accountable to his parents for his actions. When he enters school, he learns that he is accountable to his teacher and principal. Sometime in the growing-up years he knows in his heart that he is also accountable to God. When a child knows that, he is old enough to choose right and wrong; he has become a responsible individual and has reached the age of moral accountability.

Freedom of the Will. If we keep in mind that baptisms the ceremony of initiation into Christ’s body, the church, then it will be Quite clear that such an act cannot take place contrary to the will of the individual. If it could, then why could not adults as well as children be inducted against their will? This point is well illustrated in a story that has come down from the early history of the Restoration movement. Years ago the Kentucky hills echoed to the preaching of an evangelist named John Smith. One of the earliest leaders in the movement to restore the New Testament church, he bore the nickname “Raccoon” John Smith. It is said that on one occasion, after an open-air baptismal service, Smith came up from the water’s edge and took by the arm one of the ministers in the community. The minister asked Smith what he was doing, and he is said to have replied, “I’m going to baptize you.” “But, Brother Smith,” he protested, “I don’t want to be baptized.” Brother Smith kept pulling him toward the water and replied, “I don’t care, I’m going to baptize you anyway.” The minister cried out, “Brother Smith, you know if you baptize me against my will it won’t do me any good.” At this point Smith stopped and addressed the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, last Sunday this man took a little baby and against its will performed for it an act that he termed baptism. And now you have heard from his own lips that it really didn’t do him any good!”

Reconsecration

Sins After Baptism. Since baptism is for the remission of sins, would not one have to be baptized all over again every time he sinned after his conversion? Not at all. Baptism is the crowning act that makes one a Christian, a member of the household of God, one whose citizenship is in heaven. His sins are now seen in a different context. A citizen has certain rights and privileges, even when he breaks the laws of his land. An alien does not have those rights. A member of a family has certain rights and privileges not enjoyed by those outside the family circle. So when a sinner has been adopted into the family of God, he has entered a new situation. He is in fact a new creature. Now when he sins he need only repent and pray and he has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ (I John 2:1). This is clearly seen in the eighth chapter of Acts, where Simon the sorcerer falls into grave sin after his baptism. He is not told to be baptized again, but to repent and pray that he may be forgiven. This is one of the privileges of every child of God. He may be reinstated into the family of God by repentance and prayer.

Rebaptism. There is one case of rebaptism in the New Testament. At Ephesus Paul met disciples who had known only the baptism of John the Baptist. John baptized “unto repentance,” but Christian baptism is “into Christ.” Paul rebaptized these, according to Acts 19:4, 5. Occasionally there are those who feel certain that at the time of their baptism their motives were not pure. Only they are qualified to say. The danger is that we may underestimate the amount of knowledge possessed at that time. Certainly the growing Christian knows more now than when he was baptized, but the fact that he knows more now need not reflect upon his sincerity then. Rebaptism is necessary only in the case of persons who are convinced that they were baptized for the wrong purpose or from the wrong motive.

Rededication. Sometimes in the life of a Christian there comes a time that is something like a second conversion experience. It is a time of great sorrow over one’s sins, a time of renewing of allegiance to Christ. Such a reconsecration need not involve rebaptism, though the sin be great. The Lord’s Supper is the time of rededication for the Christian. Here he sees again the same dramatic portrayal that attended his baptism. Here he can renew his allegiance to Christ and reconfirm his determination to serve Him.

Baptism and Grace

Not a Work of Righteousness. A very important text in connection with baptism is Titus 3:5. Study closely this verse. It gives perhaps the best picture of the relationship between baptism and grace. It has sometimes been charged that when we say baptism is for the remission of sins we deny that we are saved by grace. Paul did not feel that there was any conflict here. In writing to Titus he explained that baptism was not a work of righteousness. That by obeying the command to be baptized a person was no more earning his salvation than by obeying the command to repent. Baptism, said Paul, was the washing of regeneration. It was closely involved in the new birth, but this did not mean that Paul believed in salvation by works. Indeed, to Paul baptism was not to be classified as “works” at all. He saw baptism as a channel of God’s grace, a part of man’s necessary response, if he would receive that grace.

Baptism Saves. How then could baptism be said to save us?  How can 1 Peter 3:21 declare that just as Noah was saved during the flood “the like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us”? If we study the verse carefully we see that Peter is pointing out that the physical washing is the visible manifestation of an unseen spiritual washing. That is why he calls baptism “the answer of a good conscience toward God” and points out that baptism is not “the putting away of the filth of the flesh.” An old illustration fits well here. A farmer could say, “I plowed that field today.” He could with equal truth say, “That horse plowed that field today,” or “That plow plowed that field today.” While man and horse provided the power, the plow was a necessary instrument, In a similar way, it may be said that faith saves, baptism saves, and grace saves, without there being any contradiction. The merit is wholly in the grace of God. Man’s necessary response is characterized by faith – faith that finds expression in repentance and baptism. A man may say he has faith, but is he willing to formally and publicly commit and bind himself by that faith? In this way the water separates, just as it separated Noah from those who perished in the flood.

Justification by Faith. There is no conflict between Acts 2:38 and Romans 5:1 or Ephesians 2:8, 9. Years ago J. W. Sweeney published a sermon entitled, “Baptism for Remission of Sins Is Justification by Faith.” It is certainly true that man cannot be saved by the works of the law, nor by works of righteousness. Baptism for remission of sins is not in conflict with Luther’s dramatic discovery that the Bible says, “The just shall live by faith.” Baptism is faith in action, faith made public, faith formalized and ceremonialized. The classic Biblical illustration is Abraham. When he offered up Isaac it was seen as an act of faith, and by that faith he was justified (Romans 4). So baptism procures no merit and purchases no pardon, but only proves one’s faith in the grace of God. Indeed, only with the eye of faith could one see blood in baptism. How else could one connect baptism in water in the twentieth century with the blood that dried in the dust of Golgotha in the first century?  How else could one connect the washing of the body in pure water with the sprinkling of Christ’s blood upon the heart (Hebrews 10:22)?

Baptism and Christ

Jesus’ Own Baptism. Although Jesus knew no sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22), still He walked at least thirty miles to be baptized by John in the river Jordan. When John hesitated, Jesus indicated that it should be done in order to “fulfill all righteousness.” God gave His approval in a most dramatic way when He broke the silence of heaven to say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Is it not fair to say that, when we follow in Jesus’ steps and imitate His baptism, God is well pleased with us as well? There is a hint, too, regarding the mechanics of performing the act itself. Notice in Matthew 3:16 that Jesus, when He was baptized, came up out of the water. Those immersed into Christ are assured that their baptism is like His.

Sometimes it is said that baptism is not important enough to warrant the lengthy discussions of it that have taken place in every age. Baptism was important enough to Jesus for Him to go out of His way to receive it and to insist that it be done. If the sinless Christ went to so much trouble to receive it, surely it is not a matter that we can view lightly or indifferently.

Our Baptism and His Burial. It has been seen that Romans 6 suggests that baptism is, however, much more than a symbol. To see it as mere ceremony or ritual and nothing more is to miss greatly its true import. Note in Romans 6:4 that we are buried with Him. One minister has entitled his sermon on this text: “Two Men in One Grave.” Christ lives. He is present when we gather in worship. And when a person is buried in baptism he is not laid beneath the waters alone. There is great significance in the fact that we are buried with Christ.

Baptism, a Solemn Act. If baptism, then, involves the presence of the living Christ, if it is a sacramental as well as a symbolic act, then the ceremony must be regarded as a most solemn one. Baptism is never to be considered lightly. The performing of it should not be made the occasion of crude jokes. The witnessing of it is a high and holy privilege. The minds of the candidates, those assisting, and those witnessing should be carefully prepared, so that all may come to the water’s edge in a state of reverence. Let the act be performed with dignity and let it be as meaningful as the Lord’s Supper to all present.

QUESTIONS

1. What are the four prerequisites to Bible baptism?
2. Explain the household baptisms of the New Testament.
3. What is the purpose of baptism? Give Scripture for your answer.
4. How did the practice of infant baptism originate?
5. What is the age of accountability? Who knows best when it is attained?
6. Is there a case of rebaptism in the New Testament?
7. How does a person receive forgiveness for sins committed after baptism?
8. Why is baptism not a work of righteousness?
9. Is the doctrine of baptism for remission of sins in conflict with the doctrine of justification by faith? Explain.
10. What differences are there between the baptism of Jesus and our baptism? What similarities?
11. Is baptism a symbolic act or a sacramental act? Give reasons for your answer.
12. What can be done to make the services of baptism reverent and inspiring to both the candidate and those who witness?

The New Testament Church by Robert C. Shannon; Study Course for Youth and Adults; College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri; Copyright 1986; Page 71-78