For most Christians, the problem is we never think about baptism. It’s just a one time thing we did as a child and pretty much never thought about it again. Maybe we did it because our parent signed us up for it or because a pastor said we should do it. If you grew up Catholic or come from a denomination that believes in infant baptism, you got sprinkled before you were old enough to remember it. Are any of those the right reason to be baptized? No. If we stop and think about the history of baptism in the Bible, we generally think about John the Baptist. Wasn’t he the guy who started it? No, he was not. The practice comes from the ceremonial washing of the priests before they offered sacrifices in the temple. Remember a couple of weeks ago when we talked about thew Laver or wash basin that was out in the courtyard of the tabernacle? They washed themselves in order to be ceremonially clean and set apart for the duty. Later in John’s time, there were different sects of Judaism and in order to join one you were baptized into it. You were set apart by baptism into that sect, because you wanted to live by their set of ideas. Did John the baptist come up with the idea of dipping people into water as an initiation into his wilderness sect? No, but basically that is what baptism was at that point.
Matthew 3:5-8 “5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” To be baptized meant you were showing that you wanted to be a member of a specific group or a follower of a certain teacher. We get a hint of what John’s group was about in the last part of verse 8. He tells the pharisees to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. He was telling them to get on board the repentance train. The Pharisees were not interested in joining John’s repentance club, they just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Notice what he calls them...a brood of vipers. He is identifying them with their father the devil, the snake from the garden of eden. They would have understood what he was saying and would not have like it. This is exactly the same thing Jesus says about the Pharisees when He addressed them.. John 8:44 “44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John the Baptist tells us the purpose of his baptisms when he said: “I baptize you with water...for repentance.” He was doing this before Jesus came onto the scene. For John, at this point, baptism was about repenting of the sins of your past and turning around you attitude and behavior.
That’s why he told the Pharisees to bear the fruit of repentance, which would be a change in their actions. This idea of baptism for repentance is all well and good, but consider this for a moment. Wasn’t Jesus was baptized by John? Yes, but the baptism of Jesus was different. Jesus didn’t need to repent, because He had not sinned. There were a couple of different things going on. Let’s look and see what they were. Matthew 3:13-15 “13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.” When Jesus asks John to baptize Him, John refuses and says that would not be the right order, and Jesus should baptize him. This first statement tells us that the baptism they were talking about was not into repentance, but something else. Jesus says that the something else was righteousness. Jesus was baptized to fulfill righteousness. So what is that? Righteous is a legal term for being right with the law. Remember last week how we talked about the Bible being a legal document and that heaven operates according to a legal system? That is what is going on here. Being righteous literally means to be in right standing with God’s law..without guilt or sin. Jesus had to be righteous in fulfilling the law, because of the mission He was to accomplish.
To fulfill means not just to do something, but to do it completely so that there is nothing lacking...to fulfill, is to fill to the fullest. Jesus was going to lay down His life as a sacrifice for our sins. Remember what I said about baptism being related to the priests in the old Testament washing to be ceremonially clean before they offered a sacrifice? The ceremonial washing by Jesus’s baptism fulfilled the law’s requirement for a priest who was going to offer a sacrifice. Then look what happens right after Jesus is baptized. Matthew 3:16-17 “16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” After Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit comes and God the Father says He is pleased with His Son. This shows the basic pattern of events in God’s plan. If you believe in the name of Jesus, that He is the Son of God you are baptized into His righteousness. His righteousness is perfect, without sin, in right standing before the law of God. And now so are you. You are clean, without sin. And the next thing that happens is that the Holy Spirit comes to live in you, a clean vessel. This pleases God. John said the baptism of Jesus is one of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11 “11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
There is somehow a connection between water baptism and the Holy Spirit. Right after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter preached to the crowd that gathered to see what all the commotion was about. Acts 2:37-38 “37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Being baptized into the righteousness of Jesus by believing on His name is the means of salvation. But it is also clear from the Scripture that an actual water baptism is expected. Acts 19:1-4 “And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” Paul clearly thought there was only one baptism that a believer should be baptized into. It was the baptism into Jesus to receive the Holy Spirit. Being baptized into repentance was different than being baptized into the Holy Spirit through the name of Jesus.
Notice what Paul asked them. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They had no idea what he was talking about. Paul was confused this and asked, “into what then were you baptized?” Paul linked the act of baptism with the Holy Spirit. All these believers had known was the baptism of repentance, but Paul introduced them into a baptism of righteousness through Jesus and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:5-7 “5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.” When they heard about Jesus being the One John talked about, they were baptized again, but this time in the name of Jesus. And when that happened, the Holy Spirit came on them. Does God always operate in that order or sequence of events? No. Here is a passage that puts things in a different order. God told Peter to go talk to a man named Cornelius and his family. Peter began the process of telling them that Jesus was the Messiah, and then this happened. Acts 10:44-48 “44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And
he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.” In this situation the Holy Spirit came before the people were water baptized. But notice, right after Peter saw that they had the Holy Spirit, he commanded that they should be baptized. Baptism wasn’t optional or done when they could fit it into their schedule, it was immediate and expected. So here’s the big question: Is baptism necessary for salvation? No. If you believe in Jesus name for salvation, but then don’t get baptized will you still go to heaven? Yes. Baptism is not part of salvation...but it is necessary, because Jesus commanded it. What about the denominations that believe and teach that baptism is necessary for salvation? Where do they get that idea? What verses do they use to support that position? Mark 16:15-16 “15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” That verse does seem to add the condition of baptism in order to be saved, doesn’t it? It says if you believe and are baptized you will be saved...but it does not say if you are not baptized you will be condemned. It says if you don’t believe, you will be condemned. Both of those statements are true. Let’s look at them one at a time. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. That is a true statement. Whoever does not believe will be condemned. That statement is also true. Let me say it another way. All we have to do is switch out a couple words for it to be easily understood.
"Whoever believes and lives in Greenville will be saved, but those that do not believe are condemned." This statement is strictly true; Greenvillians who believe in Jesus will be saved. However, to say that only those who believe and live in Greenville are saved, is an illogical and false assumption. The statement does not say a believer must live in Greenville in order to be saved. Similarly, the Mark 16 passage does not say a believer must be baptized. The verse states a fact about baptized believers (they will be saved), but it says exactly nothing about believers who have not been baptized. There may be believers who do not live in Greenville, yet they are still saved; and there may be believers who have not been baptized, yet they, too, are still saved. But having said that, why would someone who has surrendered to Jesus as the Lord of their life, not want to be baptized? There are so many passages about new believers being baptized immediately that we can’t ignore this issue. When Paul and Silas were in prison and God allowed them to talk to the prison guard and tell him about salvation. He was baptized after he believed. Acts 16:30-33 “30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family.”
Let me say it again. Is baptism necessary for salvation? No. Baptism is not part of salvation...you must only believe on the name of the Lord Jesus...but baptism is expected as a sign of that belief. There is no reason to wait for baptism. Acts 8:35-38 (KJV) “35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. When the Eunuch asked what would hinder him from being baptized, Phillip answered and said he had to believe with all his heart. A confession of faith had to precede his baptism. He acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God. Can an infant do that? No. That is why we believe that infant baptism is not the correct method of being baptized into righteousness in the name of Jesus. Belief and a confession of faith, which is the means of salvation, precedes baptism in the scripture. And of course, the main reason we are to be baptized is because Jesus commanded it in the great commission passage. Matthew 28-18-20 “18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Today, we’ve looked at the surface of why we should be baptized, but next week we will dig into what is happening spiritually below the surface. And I’ll tell you the story of when I was baptized.
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