The Bible teaches Christ-followers many things, all of them necessary to living a life of Christ-likeness. One such thing is called baptism.
Why do Christians need to be baptized? Is this "ritual" really necessary? How is it done and what does it do?
In this article we'll talk about that.
What is baptism?
Baptism is not a ritual that is done for the sake of formality. Neither is it done for us to be saved, for salvation is only by grace through faith. When we receive salvation, however, we will naturally want to be baptized.
Baptism comes from the Greek word "baptizo," which means "to dip, plunge, immerse." This means that when a person is baptized, he immerses himself into the water, and comes back up drenched.
This symbolic act of going under the water and then coming back out of it is very important to understand.
Who first did it?
The very first occurrence of baptism in the Bible was done by John the Baptist, who came bringing a message of repentance. The Lord Jesus took it further: He commands all who will believe to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (see Matthew 28:18-20).
Baptism signifies a few important things:
1) It signifies a public confession of our turning from sin and to Christ
Acts 2:40-42 tells us that all who received the Gospel chose to have themselves baptized, and added themselves to the fellowship of believers:
"And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."
2) It symbolizes a cleansing of our souls from sin
Sin stained us, but Christ's blood cleanses us from sin. This is what God promised when He gave us His word in Isaiah 1:18,
"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the Lord, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Baptism symbolizes this cleansing. As the waters wash away physical dirt away from our bodies, Christ's shed blood cleanses us from all sin (see 1 John 1:7).
3) It symbolizes our death to sin and resurrection to a new life in Christ
Baptism symbolizes our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection. Paul said in Romans 6:3-4,
"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 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."
This should help us realize that Christ has already broken the power of sin over our lives. If we believe in His finished work and have put our faith in Him, we must realize that sin no longer has any hold on us:
"Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:8-11)
