Doctrines (posted Monday, January 29 2007)

What are the water baptisms?

In the New Testament there are a number of baptisms. Some of them involve water and some do not. This section of the study will include those types of baptism, both with and without water, where a ceremonial identification of persons was undertaken.

First, there are three baptisms which involve water as a symbolic medium. These are the rituals designed to publicly declare identification with Christ as is practiced by some Christians today, although not required for salvation.

Before Jesus's ministry, John the Baptist used this ritual for his many followers as a symbol of their identification with his ministry. He paved the way for the teaching of Grace and the law of Love as the time of Christ was coming near.

- Luke 3:10-14 "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely - be content with your pay."

- Luke 7:18-19 John's disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"

The water baptism of Jesus was significant because it showed that John's purpose was met and his ministry was now about the present instead of the future. It also meant that he was really baptizing people unto Jesus Christ, and no longer into his own ministry. In a manner of speaking, the baton had been passed from John the Baptist to Jesus the Christ as head of the ministry.

- John 1:23-27 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'" Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."

- John 3:26-30 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - the one you testified about - well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him." To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less."

The final water baptism is that since Jesus' life on earth, designed as a symbol of following Christ. Peter allowed an entire group of Gentiles to partake in baptism after they believed in Christ as a symbol to both Jews and Gentiles of the unity of the Body of Christ.

- Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

What are the baptisms without water?

Second, there are four baptisms which do not involve water as a representative medium. Paul taught that Israel was baptized unto Moses by the cloud and by the sea during the Exodus, showing their identification with him as their leader.

- 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.

Christians are baptized by the Spirit immediately when they become saved, as a spiritual display of their identification with Christ. This is the true baptism that a believer recieves, even if he does not partake in the symbolic water baptism.

- Romans 6:3-5 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

- 1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Christ was baptized with sin and death on the cross, and we are baptized into this same with him when we believe upon His name.

- Matthew 20:22-23 But Jesus answered and said, "Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They say unto him, "We are able." And he saith unto them, "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father." (KJV)

And finally, the last judgment will involve a baptism by fire, in which all sin and iniquity is finally detroyed from the universe and separated from God's sight forever.

- Matthew 3:11-12 "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Conclusion

As Scripture shows, baptism is a means of identifying someone completely with something. The Jews used baptism as a symbol of submission to a leader, identifying with his ministry. But believers in Jesus Christ in the modern age have the incredible privilege of being baptized into Christ, forever identified with His perfect work, His righteousness, and His salvation.

- Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

- Galations 3:26-27 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

And this truly is a great baptism.

Pages: 1 2