[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Why Is Baptism Important?

Is baptism required for salvation? Or is it just a legalistic ritual? Who should do the baptizing? And what’s the purpose of baptism in the first place?

These are just a few of the many questions surrounding baptism. Some see it as a required step to salvation, others as blatant legalism. Some say anyone can baptize; others understand that only ordained ministers should. Some baptize infants, while others say, no, candidates must be adults.

Is there a way to sort through the confusion? Can you understand the topic of baptism and the real meaning behind it?

The answer is yes. And today, on Tomorrow’s World, we’re going to dive into this subject and find out what the Bible says about this important topic. We need to know how to separate mere tradition from the truth.

The Purpose of Baptism

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

From time to time, we get questions from viewers on doctrinal issues. Few Bible topics cause as much difference of opinion as baptism. And yet, baptism is a fundamental doctrine for New Testament Christians, as the author of Hebrews noted, in Hebrews 6:1–2.

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

So, baptism is important. But what exactly do we mean when we speak of baptism? That leads us to the first question we’ll examine today:

1. What is the purpose of baptism?

To answer this question, we must first understand the real meaning of the word “baptize.”

The English word “baptize” is really only an anglicized form of the Greek word “baptizo.” And “baptizo” means “to dip, or to sink.” This is the Greek word referring to baptism in the New Testament.

So, in other words, at its very basic foundation, “baptize” means to submerge in and under water.

Now that might come as a surprise to you, if you grew up in a church that baptized by sprinkling or pouring.

We’ll see the significance of this as we go along.

First, let’s look at a literal example of how baptism was done in the New Testament. Notice the example of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, beginning in Acts 8:36.

Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him (Acts 8:36–38).

Notice, both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. That’s immersion. Going on in verse 39:

Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more… (Acts 8:39).

So they went down into the water, and then came up out of the water. It’s plain this is talking about full immersion. Now, why does this matter?

Baptism Requires Full Immersion in Water, Because Baptism Symbolizes Death

Well, there is great significance in baptism by immersion. What is that significance? At its very core, baptism is symbolic of death. Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:3.

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

When we go down under the water, we are figuratively dying. We are to let the old man—or the old woman—die. We are to let go of our past sins, our habits, our ways of thinking, and our ways of doing things. We are then to be raised up out of the water ready to learn a new way. Going on in Romans 6:4.

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.

So what does baptism teach us? It’s about dying to the self. That’s what we must do when we’re baptized—die to the self. Notice what Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20. I’ll read it in the King James Version.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Baptism Is a Commitment to Change Your Life

If we’re seeking baptism, it means we want to be forgiven of our sins. And that’s true. But it’s much more as well. It means we want to change our life. We want to be different. And by the power of the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and by the receiving of the Holy Spirit, we can be different.

This is why Jesus instructed His apostles to baptize by immersion, because immersion can remind us we are to be crucified with Christ and dead to our past. Now baptism alone—just going through the act—doesn’t mean we are conquered and surrendered to God. But if we let the mode of baptism teach us about the purpose of baptism, it can change our life.

Baptism Is Required for Salvation (Mark 16:16)

That leads us to our next question:

2. Is the doctrine of baptism just a legalistic ritual?

Some see any action a Christian must do in obedience to God as legalistic. Any act you must do, that is required for salvation, is somehow “earning salvation.” So, is baptism a “legalistic” ritual?

As in the previous answer, there is much more to baptism than just a physical act. It has profound spiritual meaning for the Christian, if we’re truly repenting and surrendering to God.

Consider something else. There is a growing number of people today in mainstream Christianity who say anything we must do to be saved is “legalism.” But if that’s true, if a person doesn’t have to keep any commands of God, then he can live a life of lying, cheating, stealing, and even murdering—and still be saved. But that’s not what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 3:15.

Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

It’s not legalism to obey the commandments. It’s simply doing what God says. And God will not give eternal life to anyone who doesn’t do what He says.

Belief in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is absolutely vital to becoming a true Christian. We must have faith in His sacrifice for our sins. And we must develop a deep and profound appreciation for what He did for us. We must have belief in Him and call on His name in faith if we want to receive salvation from sins. As Paul wrote in Romans 10:9 and 13:

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…. Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved… (Romans 10:9, 13).

So where does baptism fit in? Well, we must put all the Scriptures together. We don’t just build a fundamental doctrine around one or two Scriptures and leave the rest out. So, is baptism, along with faith and belief, necessary for salvation? That’s a good question.

Let’s let the greatest authority on that subject answer the question Himself. That is, of course, Jesus Christ our Savior. And notice what He is recorded saying in Mark 16:15–16:

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized [notice this] will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16).

What did Christ say? “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.”

Baptism Works With Faith and Belief

Now baptism by itself is not a magical, mystical method of obtaining eternal life by its very act. No—nothing could be further from the truth.

On the other hand, baptism is a requirement for salvation—according to our Savior. But for it to be effective in that sense, it must be accompanied by faith and trust and belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins. And it must be accompanied by a deep appreciation for His role as our personal Savior, and a commitment to obey Him in everything.

So no, baptism is not some meaningless, legalistic ritual. It’s an outward expression of an inward conviction.

In other words, we believe in and call on the name of Christ. We confess our sins, and we repent of them. That means, we stop sinning and go the other way. We change. And then in faith, we are obedient to Jesus as our Lord and Master, conforming every part of our life to Him and His will.

So, we need belief and baptism. It’s not one or the other. It’s both.

Understanding That Our Sins Caused Our Savior’s Death Should Stir Us to Action

In addition, we need to deeply repent of our sins. And then we need the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit.

We find that explained in Acts 2. This chapter shows that Peter gave a sermon on the Day of Pentecost, telling the crowd they were guilty of the death of the Messiah. Notice their response in Acts 2:37:

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

That should be our response as well.

When we realize we are personally responsible for the death of our Savior, we should be cut to the heart, as it said. We should be deeply moved. And we should be ready to listen and learn about what God wants us to do.

They had that humble attitude. Notice what Peter’s response was in Acts 2:38.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

You believe in your Savior, you confess with your mouth that He is your Lord and Master, and then you act in faith. You repent, you are baptized by immersion and, in faith, you receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. Baptism is a result of belief and faith. It’s an outward expression of inner conviction.

Who Should Baptize?

Another question that sometimes comes up is:

3. Who should baptize?

There is a lot of confusion about this question. Some think anyone who wants to can baptize. Some even believe they can baptize themselves!

But instead of just using our own imagination, let’s look at the Bible itself. Let’s look to it for guidance.

When Jesus commanded His disciples to preach the Gospel, He also sent them to heal the sick, cast out demons, and baptize. But not just anyone was authorized to do so.

We find this explained in the Book of Acts. Philip was a deacon, ordained in Acts chapter 6, and in Acts chapter 8, he went to Samaria and preached Christ. He baptized many people, including Simon the sorcerer, who at the time appeared to be sincere and repentant.

But notice, only the apostles had the authority to lay hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. We pick up the story in Acts 8:14–17.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

It was only when the apostles laid hands on them, in prayer, that these people received the Holy Spirit. That’s how you receive it—not just by believing in your heart. You repent of your sins, in obedience to Jesus Christ. You ask for His forgiveness in faith, and then you must be baptized for the remission of sins. And then you have hands laid on you, for the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

Simon the sorcerer recognized this very clearly. And so he offered them money to have this authority as well. Of course, the apostles refused.

So, who should baptize? Only those who have duly ordained into the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Of course, on the question of, “Can I baptize myself?”, the answer is clearly no. There is no record of anyone in Scripture baptizing themselves. And baptizing yourself would go against the principle that it takes someone who has already given over their life to God themselves—and been ordained into the ministry—to baptize. It would be a contradiction to say someone would be authorized to baptize themselves. It’s purely the fruit of human imagination, not following the instruction given us by Jesus Christ.

Why Be Baptized?

And that brings us to perhaps the most important question of all. That is:

4. Why should you be baptized in the first place?

We’ve discussed the purpose of baptism, that it’s not just a legalistic rite, and that it must only be done by those who are authorized to baptize. But why do we need to be baptized in the first place?

We all have sinned. We find that in Romans 3:23. Notice what Paul wrote:

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We all have earned the death penalty by our sins. That’s found in Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So, what do we do? Are we left hopeless, awaiting the eternal death, never to live again?

Be Baptized Because Jesus Christ Died for Your Sins

Jesus Christ came to this earth to live a human life, and then die for the sins of all humanity. That means He died for you, and He died for me—and every other human being who has ever lived or will ever live.

So, we have the opportunity to have our sins forgiven.

But it’s not a cheap grace that we receive just by having a feeling in our heart, or by confessing the right words by our lips. No, we must have a deep, transformative change in our life. We must understand we have broken His eternal law and, because of that, we have brought on ourselves the death penalty. We must grasp that we are responsible for the death of the Savior, as those who heard Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost.

And then we must commit our lives to living according to God’s royal law, the law of liberty, as it says in James 2:8 and James 2:12. This is not doing away with God’s law, but rather learning how to obey God’s law, and being delivered from the penalty of breaking it in the first place.

And part of the process is the act, in faith, of true Christian baptism. Let’s read what Jesus told His disciples after His resurrection, before He ascended back to His Father. We find it in Matthew 28:18.

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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 28:18–19).

Jesus said we are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Some see a contradiction with other passages that say we must be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But there is no contradiction. Yes, we are to do all things, in our life, as a truly repented Christian, in the name of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote this in Colossians 3:17.

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Our entire lives are to be subject to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Master. And we are to be baptized in His name, by His authority, by those who are sent and ordained to do so.

Prepare to Be in the Family of God

But what does it mean to be baptized “in” or “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?”

No, this is not a trinity. The Holy Spirit is not a divine person, but is the power of God. But the Father and the Son do comprise the divine family. God is giving us the opportunity to be born into His divine family at the resurrection. Think about that. We won’t be “sort-of-like” angels. We won’t be disembodied spirits. We will be in God’s family.

That’s why we repent of our sins, express faith in Jesus Christ. That’s why we’re baptized as an outward expression of our belief and obedience—because we’re preparing to be in the family of God.

The Scriptures show that the Church is going to marry Christ at His return. Did you know that? We read of it in Revelation 19:7.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints (Revelation 19:7–8).

We are preparing to marry Christ. In other words, at baptism, we enter a marriage covenant. We are committing to our Savior to be faithful, and true, and committed to Him always. And not just for a lifetime, but for all eternity.

Infant Baptism Is Not Biblical

Some ask, should we baptize children or even infants? When you understand that a baptismal candidate is entering into a marriage covenant, this is not a decision for children. They are not yet at the point where they can fully comprehend issues such as sin, repentance, and faith, to make this kind of commitment. And they haven’t yet reached the age of accountability. Even in society, we don’t expect or allow children to make adult, lifelong decisions until they have reached a certain age and maturity. Or at least we shouldn’t.

So, why be baptized in the first place? It’s the moment we enter into a covenant with our Creator, to follow Him no matter what. Far beyond just a legalistic ritual or empty ceremony, it should not be entered into lightly. It’s covenanting with our Creator, to be His, for all eternity.

Baptism Is How to Respond to God’s Calling

Maybe you’re at a crossroads in your life. Maybe you are listening to the words we’re saying on Tomorrow’s World, and you recognize it matches up with Scripture. It’s the truth. Maybe you’ve come to the point in your life when you’re tired of going your own way, and you want to commit to living God’s way.

Make no mistake, baptism isn’t just a quick decision. It’s not a matter of getting dunked and checking it off your list. It’s not just a quick way to “get right with God” and go merrily on our own way.

Our representatives will explain that baptism is the starting point of a whole new way of life. It’s about overcoming sin, yielding to God, and committing to obey Him in everything, in faith and belief. It’s about becoming part of the body of Christ, His Church.

It’s about being called by the Father and responding to that call, as Jesus explained in John 6:44:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

We hope and pray God is opening your eyes to what baptism can mean for you in your life.

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