Q&A: What is "Water Baptism" and why do Christians do it?
Pastor Mark Davis helps us see why Christians believe Baptism is so important and why we continue the practice today.
If you’re not familiar with Christianity and church, then baptism might seem to be a very strange thing. In our church, a person is dunked underwater, and the person doing the baptizing usually says something like, “I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”
What is that all about? We need to go to the Bible for the answer.
The Greek word in the Bible (baptizo) translated as ‘to baptize’ means to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge. So, when we baptize people, we put them all the way under the water. And the Bible gives us many examples of people being baptized like that. For instance, all four Gospels record the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
In Acts 2:38, after preaching the gospel to a large crowd, Peter said, “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. Almost immediately after converting to Christianity, Paul was baptized.
And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;…
Acts 9:18 (ESV)
Why do people get baptized? What does it mean? Baptism means much more than getting wet. The Bible gives us several reasons to be baptized.
But before we talk about these reasons, something needs to be made very clear. Baptism does NOT save a person. The Bible is very clear we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We are not saved by any good works, not even baptism.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. -
Ephesians 2:8-9
Now some argue that baptism is necessary for salvation, but this is not true. As Jesus was dying on the cross, the thief crucified next to Jesus asked to be remembered. Jesus promised the thief he would be with Him in paradise that very day. The thief was not baptized and yet he was still saved. Because salvation is always and only by the grace of God.
If baptism isn’t for salvation, then what is it for?
Baptism is a visual symbol of a spiritual reality.
When we become a Christian, we are “baptized” into Christ. In other words, God unites us with Christ in such a close way that it’s as if we died with Jesus and were raised from the dead with Jesus. Our old self who was enslaved to sin dies, and we are raised to new life in Christ.
Romans 6:3-4 (NLT) describes this incredible spiritual reality.
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
Baptism in water is meant to remind us of our baptism into Christ. Going under the water calls to mind our death with Christ, and coming out of the water reminds us of our resurrection with Christ into a new life.
Baptism is an outward sign that a person belongs to God.
In the Old Testament, circumcision was given to the people of Israel to signify that they were God’s people. In the New Testament, baptism is the sign that a person belongs to God.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Galatians 3:26-27
When a person is baptized, it shows that they have put on Christ and belong to Him alone.
Baptism is a way of publicly professing faith in Jesus.
Our faith is not supposed to be private, just between us and Jesus. The world should know that we follow Christ and believe in Him. Jesus told us this Himself.
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33
Baptism is one way of publicly confessing Jesus. When we’re baptized, we are saying, “I am a Christian and I love and follow Jesus.”
Conclusion: But the most important reason people get baptized is because baptism is commanded by Christ Jesus.
Jesus give His Church its marching orders just before He ascended back into Heaven. We call it the Great Commission. Jesus says in Matthew 28:18-20.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you….
So as His church, we’re obeying Christ’s command to baptize those who have decided to follow Jesus. And these followers of Jesus are obeying the command of Christ to be baptized.