Q&A: What do we believe about baptism?
Why is baptism so important?
Chiefly, baptism is important because the Lord says it is important.
Let me point to just a handful of verses that highlight the importance of baptism...
Luke 3:21 | When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened, (CSB)
Jesus was baptized.
Matthew 28:19 | 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, (CSB)
Jesus commanded the church to baptize people.
Acts 2:41 | So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them. (CSB)
When people surrendered to Christ in the New Testament, they were baptized.
What was Jesus's baptism all about?
The Bible tells us that at the beginning Jesus's ministry, he sought out a man named John (we call him John the Baptist)...
John was sent by the Lord to prepare people in Israel for the ministry of Christ...
John was baptizing people who wanted to turn from their sins...
John's baptism was a picture of people being cleansed of their sins as they seek to live a life of obedience and faithfulness.
Now, Jesus, the Son of God and God himself, was holy, pure, and righteous.
Jesus had never sinned.
So, why was Jesus baptized by John?
Good question!
John asked Jesus that question...
Matthew 3:13–14 | Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. But John tried to stop him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” (CSB)
Jesus replied...
Matthew 3:15 | Jesus answered him, “Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John allowed him to be baptized. (CSB)
How did Jesus's baptism "fulfill all righteousness?"
We are not righteous (holy, pure, obedient, faithful).
So, Jesus came to be the substitute for our righteousness.
Jesus lived the righteous life for us.
Jesus lived the obedient and faithful life for us.
Jesus died for us.
AND, Jesus repented for us!
When John baptized people, it was a picture of their repentance.
When Jesus submitted to John's baptism, that was a picture of Jesus repenting for us.
Think about it like this...
Jesus said his baptism would "fulfill all righteousness."
And in 2 Corinthians 5:21 we read...
2 Corinthians 5:21 | He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (CSB)
Jesus's baptism was a part of him becoming sin for us.
What does baptism mean for us?
We are different than Jesus (sinful, guilty, unrighteous)...
So baptism for us has a different meaning.
Baptism for us, as it is presented in Scripture, is a celebration of our salvation...
Baptism pictures and celebrates both that Jesus has saved us from our sins and how Jesus saved us from our sins.
Let's walk through this...
[GOSPEL PRESENTATION]
Let's compare baptism with something most are familiar with... a wedding.
When two people get married in a wedding ceremony...
The wedding ceremony is not the time and place where they fall in love...
The wedding is not the time and place where they make a decision to unite in marriage...
The ceremony is not really even when they pledge their love for one another...
All of those things (falling in love, deciding to be married, pledging mutual love) were done long before the wedding ceremony.
So, why do we have a wedding?
It celebrates...
It symbolizes...
Exchange of rings...
Vows...
Unity candle...
It announces and proclaims...
Baptism is very similar to a wedding yet ten thousand times more important and valuable.
Baptism celebrates...
Baptism symbolizes...
Baptism announces and proclaims...
Does baptism save a person from his or her sins?
We've really already answered this question, but I wanted to ask and answer it specifically because people are often confused about this.
BAPTISM DOES NOT SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS!
You could be baptized every day for a year and still be as lost and as separated from the Father as you were in the beginning.
What if one of our college students here at the church finished her first year, freshman year, and then decided that she didn't want to take any more classes or write any more papers, so at the end of her freshman year, she throws herself a graduation party...
Does that party make her graduated? NO!
It is the same with baptism.
Baptism doesn't make you a child of God.
Baptism celebrates that you have become and you are a child of God.
A corollary to this question is the question: Do I have to be baptized to be saved?
As we've already asserted, Scripture draws a line between salvation and baptism.
We are saved because we are saved.
[Reference Gospel Presentation.]
Baptism celebrates, proclaims, declares...
Let's go back to the graduation story...
We said a graduation party doesn't confer a bachelor's degree.
We know that.
AND we know that you can graduate and choose not to have a graduation party...
And the absence of the graduation party does not mean you have not graduated.
Now, as we have seen and will see further shortly...
Baptism is not just an optional exercise.
In that sense, it is not like a graduation party.
Baptism is expected, commanded, and a part of living out your love for the Lord.
Why don't we baptize infants?
In some Christian churches, infants are baptized. Why is that?
The reason some churches baptize infants is complex, and it has to do with a belief that the Old Testament covenant sign of circumcision has been replaced by New Testament water baptism.
I've studied the argument in depth, and I just don't believe that is a correct interpretation of Scripture.
So, what do I think about churches and pastors who baptize infants?
I think it is just an honest disagreement on a theological matter.
You can baptize infants and still love Jesus, believe the Bible, and preach the gospel.
But specifically, why don't we baptize infants?
Well, I could try to refute the argument of those who do baptize infants.
That would be a presentation all by itself.
But we don't have to do that here to answer this question...
If baptism celebrates our salvation...
Then baptism happens AFTER we have put our faith and trust in Christ.
This is both the logical conclusion of the New Testament's teachings on baptism, and it is consistent with every baptism recorded and described in the Bible.
What if you were baptized as an infant?
Good question.
I'm coming back to that.
Why should I be baptized?
The first reason and really the final word on why we should be baptized is that the Lord has commanded us to be baptized.
Acts 2:38 | Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (CSB)
Other reasons include...
It is a form of worship...
It celebrates the greatest event in our lives...
It declares and proclaims the gospel...
Does it matter how I am baptized?
When we baptize people at First Baptist Church of Nacogdoches, we dip (immerse, submerge) the person fully under the water.
Different churches do this different ways...
Aspersion is the sprinkling of water on a person's head.
Affusion is the pouring of water on a person's head.
Then there is immersion opposed to submersion which is sort of like affusion while you stand or sit in a tub.
We practice "full immersion" or "submersion" as it is called by some who practice a different mode of baptism.
Why do we fully immerse people in water?
The word "baptize" is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizo which usually meant to dip something under the water.
There is strong biblical evidence that baptisms were by full immersion...
John 3:23 | John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, (CSB)
Mark 1:10 | As soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. (CSB)
Acts 8:36 | As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” (CSB)
Acts 8:38 | So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. (CSB)
Acts 8:39 | When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. (CSB)
Baptism is highly symbolic...
Water washes...
Old person dies...
Pictured by the person going back into the water.
New person is born (born again)...
Pictured by the person coming out of the water.
Interesting note on the symbolism of immersion baptism...
Some traditions baptize by immersion by leaning the person forward not backward.
I always thought that was odd because it doesn't picture the person's death.
But after doing a little further research I learned that the reason they do this is based on how the Bible describes Jesus's death...
John 19:30 | When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. (CSB)
That makes sense to me.
So, while we baptize by leaning people backwards (and will continue to do it that way), I also concur with those who lean people forward.
Where should I be baptized?
Usually when people ask this question, they are really asking the question...
With whom and by whom should I be baptized?
Often churches conduct baptisms in a baptistry in the place of worship.
But sometimes churches will gather in other locations for baptism...
Swimming pool...
Lake...
River...
Beach...
The important thing is that the CHURCH (the people and members of the church) are a part of the baptism.
It has been the tradition in the Christian church from the beginning that baptism is a CHURCH event.
Your CHURCH family comes around you as you celebrate and declare...
The Bible includes both examples of people being baptized with the church and not with the church, so it is hard to be dogmatic about this.
But it seems that as the church was instituted and developed it became the agent of baptism.
Maybe more important is that church is commanded to baptize...
Matthew 28:19 | 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, (CSB)
I often encounter people who were baptized apart from the church...
At a youth retreat...
On a trip to Israel...
At home with their family...
So, what do I say to those people?
I rejoice with every baptism that was a biblical celebration of what Christ has done on the cross for our salvation!
But I encourage those people to be baptized or baptized again with their church.
This is not to take away from some previous celebration.
But, first, biblical baptism is to be a PUBLIC declaration...
Second, baptism is a faith-family celebration...
The person being immersed in the water is not the only person who is a part of the baptism ceremony.
This is a special and vital celebration for the entire congregation!
Why is baptism a necessary part of church membership?
At FBC Nac, baptism by full immersion in water at our church or a like-minded church (one that understands baptism like we understand it), is a part of becoming and being a member.
Why?
We (our entire local faith-family) share this common experience (common with each other and with Jesus) of believer's baptism by immersion.
This shared experience is a part of our community.
When we baptize someone at our church, we are declaring that this person has given evidence that he or she is a genuine child of God.
Baptism is the way the church declares our confidence in the authenticity of a person's salvation.
The church can't affirm someone's profession of faith if that person hasn't been biblically baptized.
What if I was baptized in a different way?
I get this question often, and I love when people ask me this.
It shows that they have a heart to be faithful to the Lord and to make an effort to find out how to do things in a biblical way.
So, these questions fall into two categories...
Category #1...
What if...
What if you were sprinkled?
What if you were baptized as an infant?
Well, I rejoice in that ceremony. I'm thankful for it.
If you trusted Christ and repented of your sins and then went to a church that sprinkled to baptize...
That was your expression to honor God and take what people told you were the best next steps in your faith.
If your parents had you baptized as an infant...
Then thank your parents!
Thank your parents for seeking to take steps to bless you and raise you up in a way that acknowledged and honored the Lord.
They are to be commended for that.
While we rejoice with you in these ceremonies, at FBC Nac we seek to honor the mode and manner of baptism taught and exemplified in the New Testament the best we can.
We believe this means that all should be baptized by immersion following the time when they trusted Christ.
We ask you to submit to this biblical baptism in with our church.
We are not suggesting that you didn't know Christ before...
We are not suggesting that you were a part of a bad church or you had bad parents...
We just hold this biblical believer's baptism as such an important celebration that we want to all of our church members to share in this.
Category #2...
What if...
What if you were baptized in a religious setting such as...
The Mormon church
The Jehovah's Witnesses church
What if you were baptized in a church that believed that baptism was the mechanism that brought salvation...
The Bible does not support the ways those organizations view baptism or salvation.
We ask those people to give us the opportunity to sit down with the Bible and explain the true message of the gospel of Christ.
We ask those people to put their faith and trust in Jesus and Jesus alone as the one and only son of God, and to repent of their sins.
Then we ask those people to join us in biblical believer's baptism.
Bonus Question: What should I do if I want and need to be baptized?
Don't delay!
Reach out to our church or to your local Bible-believing church if you are not in the Nacogdoches area.
We want to help you walk faithfully with the Lord in the area of baptism!