In the original language the word literally means "immersion."
In the Bible, with very few exceptions, it always refers to an immersion
in water. See Mark 1.9-10; John 3.22-23;
Acts
8.36; Acts 10.47.
"What
does it mean?"
It basically means that the person being baptized is putting
off
something old and being initiated into something
new. Colossians 2.11-12 states that baptism is the time when
the old sinful nature is "put off," when one is "buried and raised from
the dead with Jesus."
Other ways of expressing this are found in Acts 2.38 (forgiveness
of sins, receiving the Holy Spirit); Titus 3 (washing of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit); John 3.5 (born anew
of water and Spirit); Romans 6.2-5 (baptized into Christ,
into His death and resurrection).
Baptism is the point at which a person leaves behind an old life and
is initiated into new life, is "born again," is "saved," and becomes a
Christian.
"Aren't
we saved 'by grace through faith'?"
Yes. Jesus Christ was sent by God to show us who God really
is, to die for our sins on the cross, and to be raised from the dead for
us. He did for us what no one else could do, what we couldn't do for ourselves
to bring us to God. Baptism is the physical expression of your faith
in God's grace-gift of salvation in Christ, the time and place where you
"receive the gift."
Essentially, the Good News is that Jesus died for us and was raised
( 1 Corinthians 15.1-4). Our response is to believe it and
act out that belief in what Jesus did for us by "dying with him, being
buried with him, and being raised with him to walk in new life" in baptism.
(Romans 6.3-4)
Baptism is very frequently directly connected with faith: see Colossians
2.11-12; Galatians 3.26-27; Mark 16.16;
1
Peter 3.21; Acts 8.12; Acts 16.31-34;
Acts
18.8; Acts 19.4-5, etc.
It is also connected with repentance (see Acts 2.38);
"calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22.16); washing sins
away (Acts 2.38, 22.16, Titus 3.5);
entry into Christ (Romans 6.3-4; Galatians 3.27).
Baptism is more than "one command among many to be obeyed", more than
a "symbol of salvation": it's the time and place where everything Jesus
did for you in His death and resurrection happens to you.
"Who
should be baptized?"
Everyone who has decided to believe the Good News
of Jesus Christ, wants what He has done for them, and is
willing to let God be their Director (the meaning of "repent").
Notice the "every one of you" and "all" of Acts 2.37-41.
Baptism is not presented as something optional. The first believers understood
it as a command for everyone who "received the word."
"When
and where should a person be baptized?"
As soon as you decide that you believe in the Good News of God's
gift of salvation in Jesus' death and resurrection, and that you want to
leave your old life and live a new life in obedience to God, you are ready.
Our church building has the facilities and is available any time -- but
there are no "designated times or places."
"Should
my baby be baptized?"
No. God loves your baby, and specially cares for him or her already. Baptism is always connected with believing, repenting,
etc., and babies are simply incapable of this. Your child needs to be raised
in an environment where he or she can hear the Good News, so that
when they become capable of believing and repenting, they'll have the opportunity
to make their own informed decision and develop their own walk with God.
Your baby is important to God. Part of our aim as a church
is to help you provide that nurturing environment which supports the development
of informed faith. Also, we are pleased to provide special prayer for your
child and for you as a parent wishing to raise your child in a way that
will help them come to know God when they are older.
"I
was baptized as a baby. Do I need to be baptized again as an adult?"
Yes. God wants you to have your own faith in Him.
That faith needs to be on His terms, not yours. No one else's decision
in your place can generate that.
"I
was born in a Christian country/Christian family. Do I need to be baptized?"
Yes. God's call to people is personal.
Sometimes these can be very helpful in creating a supportive environment
for informed faith -- sometimes they are a hindrance. God's love, forgiveness,
and Spirit are personal gifts from Him -- not inherited from one's family
heritage or nationality.
Your decision to belong to God through the Good News of
Jesus Christ is the only one God wants for you. His call
is serious and urgent, and the results are permanent. To believe in Christ
and be baptized is the most important choice you will make in your entire
life. He created you with the capacity to respond to Him, and He values
and respects you too much to allow someone else to make that choice in
your place.
"I
was baptized as an adult in another church. Do I need to be baptized again?"
That depends: Was the "Good News" you believed and your previous
baptism the same as the ones described in the Bible? See Ephesians
4.4-6. See also Acts 19.1-6 for an example of people
as adults being "baptized again." In our experience, some do need to baptized,
and others don't. If you are uncertain about this, you're welcome to ask
us for help in finding out.
"Does
being baptized mean that I'm joining the church?"
Yes. Specifically, you are "baptized into Christ"
(Galatians 3.26-28), into the "body of Christ." God adds
you to this local gathering of believers, and other Christian communities
all over the world (Acts 2.41,47; 1 Corinthians 12.13).
(This doesn't mean that you should consider yourself a part of organized
religion generally.) God puts us into His faith communities so that we
can experience Him, grow, and serve Him in a dynamic way.
Click here
to go to our page Questions
& Answers about the Vernon Church of Christ.
"When
am I baptized in the Holy Spirit?"
The Biblical evidence indicates that being "baptized in the Holy
Spirit" is an experience that is given to everyone who is baptized into
Christ in water -- see Mark 1.8; Luke
3.16; 1 Corinthians 12.13. "Baptized in the Holy
Spirit" appears to be the same thing as "receiving the Holy Spirit," it
is related to the Spirit "coming upon" a person (Acts 2.38;
8.15-17; 10.47; 11:15-16, etc.)
at the time when one is baptized in water. This does not appear in the
Bible as a normally separate experience, either before or long after water
baptism. See
John 3.3-5; Titus 3.3-7.
In the normal "new birth" you are given forgiveness (release)
from sin, and the presence and power of God for your new
life, through the Holy Spirit. You will grow and change as you mature in
Christ, and God may from time to time give you special blessings and "gifts."
But you are "born complete," with everything you need provided
by God through His Spirit, the message of the Bible, fellowship with other
Christians, and His new purpose for you.
"I've
experienced a deep sense of personal closeness to God/unusual spiritual
events/answers to prayer/major life changes because of my present faith
in God. Should I still be baptized?"
Yes. Many of these things do happen to some people
before they are baptized. These events should be understood as blessings
from God, designed to lead one into a full relationship with God
via the Good News, faith and baptism into Christ -- not as evidence that
one is already a Christian.
See Acts 10 for a Biblical example of Cornelius, who was
devoted to God "as he understood Him" and had very unusual experiences.
His response to these events was to seek out God's Good News (10.33),
to believe and to be baptized -- rather than to assume that he already
had everything from God that he needed.
God gives all kinds of blessings to everyone, in order to draw attention
to Himself and initiate relationship (Acts 14.16-17; 17.25-31).
One must allow His blessings to fulfill their function of leading one to
Him -- not to become an end in themselves. Jesus warns that relying on
unusual spiritual manifestations as evidence of right standing with God
is potentially deceptive and dangerous -- see Matthew 7.21-23.
As we said earlier, the Bible is our authoritative source
of information -- our experiences are not. Regardless of special experiences
(or the lack of them), God builds genuine relationship with people who
have obedient hearts, who want to do whatever He wants. That's
ultimately the attitude that water baptism expresses: "dead to self,
alive to Christ." (Romans 6)
"Can
a person be 'saved' without being immersed in water?"
No one in the Bible ever asked Jesus or any of the inspired apostles
this question -- because no one in the first century had our modern misunderstandings
about the place of baptism in the process of conversion to Christ. But
certain things are quite clear ...
We affirm that God Himself is the final Judge regarding who is "saved"
and who is not. However, to say "Yes" to this question is to disagree with
the clear teaching of the Bible that water baptism is part of becoming
a Christian.
The Word of God on baptism isn't hard to understand. To believe the
Good News of Jesus Christ and to "repent" (making God the supreme authority
of your life and changing the direction of your life) are the requirements to qualify to do it.
We believe that the best way to deal with this question is to:
vernonchurchofchrist@telus.net