BAPTISM – The Meaning Of Life

Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ

The word “baptism” comes from Greek word “baptisma” (immersion, dipping, submersion, sinking, plunging). The verb “to baptize” comes form the Greek verb “baptizein” (to immerse, to dip, to sink, to plunge), in the first person this verb is “baptizo” (I immerse, I dip, I plunge). The verb “baptizein” has also the meaning “to wash.” In the New Testament this word many times refers to the sacred rites performed by various individuals.

Baptism is not just a physical or religious exercise; it is a heavenly thing ordained by God. Baptism is very important.

Concerning the baptism done by John the Baptist

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The baptism of John, where was it from? — from heaven, or from men? But they were reasoning among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why did you not believe in him?’” (Matthew 21:25).

We know that the baptism of John was from heaven, ordained by God Himself.

And I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, “He on Whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, this is He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” (John 1:33)

God was the One Who sent John to baptize.

¹Beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, Son of God. ² As it has been written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I am sending My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You; ³ a voice of the one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.⁴ John came baptizing in the wilderness, and preaching the baptism of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ And they were going out to him all the region of Judea and all Jerusalem; and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Mark 1:1-5)

Baptism exercised by the disciples of Jesus under the authority of Jesus also was from heaven.

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was staying with them and was baptizing.(John 3:22)

²⁶ They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He Who was with you beyond the Jordan, and to Whom you testified, behold, this One is baptizing, and all are coming to Him.” ²⁷ John answered and said, “A human being cannot receive anything, if it has been given to him from heaven.” (John 3:26-27)

¹ When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees heard that Jesus is making and is baptizing more disciples than John ²(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), ³He left Judea again and went away again to Galilee. (John 4:1-3)

If someone intentionally does not want to be baptized in the name of Jesus, he or she is rejecting God’s plan or purpose for his or her life.

²⁶ “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. ²⁷ “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ ²⁸ “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” ²⁹ And when all the people and the tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God’s justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. ³⁰ But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. (Luke 7:26-30, NASB)

We can see that the Pharisees and the teachers of the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, and they did it by not having been baptized by John.

Baptism is important because by choosing to be baptized, we admit that we are sinners and need forgiveness of sins. By the act of baptism, we say that God is just, and we are wrong and we must repent and accept His plan for our life.

It is important to consider that the Lord Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. ¹⁴ But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵ Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. (Matthew 3:13-15, NIV)

The repentance of sins and the sincere faith in Jesus must be accompanied and expressed by baptism, because the repentance and the faith are inseparable from salvation from sins and eternal punishment.

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to every creature.
¹⁶ The one who believes and is baptized, will be saved, but the one who did not believe, will be condemned. ¹⁷ And signs will accompany those who believe these things: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues. (Mark 16:15-17)

We must consider seriously what the Lord says: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved”. The act of “believing” must be expressed by baptism in His name.

²⁰ To those who were once disobedient, when the patience of God was waiting in the days of Noah, (while) an ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were brought safely through (the)water. ²¹ To which also an antitype now saves you — baptism, (not a putting away of the dirt of flesh, but the request of a good conscience towards God,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:20-22)

Baptism is not just taking a bath, or washing; it is a request to God for a good conscience. Again, we see baptism is tied directly to salvation, so much so, that Peter says, “baptism saves you,” and he uses the illustration of what happened during the time of Noah.

Repentance and Baptism

Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins; it is an expression of faith and repentance. Without the repentance expressed by baptism there is no forgiveness of sins.

³⁸And Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized each one of you on the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ For the promise is to you, to your children, and to all (that are) far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

Baptism is connected with the washing away of sins, and therefore must be done without delay, if there is a true repentance of sins and a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus.

¹⁴ And he said, ‘The God of our fathers chose you beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from His mouth. ¹⁵ Because you will be a witness for Him to all human beings of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ ‘And now why are you delaying? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’ (Acts 22:14-16)

We can see that there is a direct connection between baptism and washing away of sins.

Faith and Baptism

The faith in Jesus Christ must be expressed though the baptism in His name.

The Lord said: “The one who believes and is baptized, will be saved, but the one who did not believe, will be condemned” (Mark 16:16)

And it came to pass, while Apollos being at Corinth, Paul, having traveled through the upper parts, came down to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples, ² he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit having believed?” And they said to him, “But we did not even hear whether there is Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ and they said, ‘Into the baptism of John. ⁴ And Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people to believe in Him Who was coming after him– that is, in Jesus. ⁵ And having heard, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And Paul having laid on them hands, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they were speaking with tongs and prophesying. (Acts 19:1-6)

Explanations of Acts 19:1-6

Paul after saying, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit having believed?” and hearing their answer, immediately said, “Into what baptism were you baptized?” Paul thought these people were believers in Jesus, and he is referring to the specific time when they believed in Jesus. Paul was amazed and found it strange that these people believed and were baptized in the name of Jesus, but they did not receive the Holy Spirit. This is why he immediately asked, “What baptism were you baptized with?”

By this question he discovers their problem. Their problem was that they had not yet believed in Christ, despite what John had said.

Just after hearing that one must believe in Jesus Christ, about Whom John had spoken, they were baptized, without Paul even mentioning that they must be baptized into the name of Jesus. They acted in this manner, because for them to believe in Jesus meant that they should be baptized into His name. And after the baptism into the name of Jesus, they received the Holy Spirit. Here we saw a direct connection between faith in Jesus and baptism into His name.

But when they believed Philip, preaching about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Acts 8:12)

We can still clearly see that believing in Jesus was immediately accompanied by baptism in the name of Jesus.

²⁶For you are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as into Christ were baptized, have put on Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)

Her we see again that there is a direct connection between faith in Christ and baptism into Christ.

Without taking baptism one cannot become a disciple of Jesus, because baptism in His name with the confession that He is the Lord, is an initial act that everyone who wants to become a disciple of Jesus, must do.

¹ When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees heard that Jesus is making and is baptizing more disciples than John ²(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were). (John 4:1-2)

¹⁹ Having gone, therefore and make disciples all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to keep all the things that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days, until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to every creature.
¹⁶ The one who believes and is baptized, will be saved, but the one who did not believe, will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16)

To be baptized in the name of Jesus means to be baptized into His death, and to be spiritually raised (the inner being receives a new birth, John 3:3-8, Titus 3:5-6) and live a new life with Jesus. And that life is no longer characterized by slavery to sin, but by holiness and obedience to God.

³ Are you ignorant that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, into His death were baptized? ⁴ We were therefore buried with Him through the baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have become planted together by the likeness of His death, we shall also be of his resurrection. ⁶ This knowing that our old human being was crucified with Him, in order that the body of sin might be annulled, for us no longer being slaves to sin. (Romans 6:3-6)

We must know that when someone repents and believes in Jesus, and takes baptism in His name, the old person (the human being of the past) experiences a crucifixion. It is a real experience, which brings about a liberation, a deliverance from slavery to sin. When a person is crucified (put to death) with Christ, his or her the body of sin is destroyed. This means that the body, which has been used to practice sins (bad things), and which has acquired the habit of sinning, is reduced to powerlessness, and it is annulled; and as a result of that experience, that person becomes a new creature, and is no longer a slave to sin. That person becomes free from tyranny, captivity and bondage to sin.

A true Christian is no longer in the flesh, which means he or she is no longer under the dominion of the flesh, but he or she is in the Spirit (Rom 7:5-6, 8:9-10).

⁹But you are not in (the) flesh, but in (the) Spirit, if indeed (the) Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have (the) Spirit of Christ, this one is not His. (Romans 8:9)

To be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ means entering into permanent union with Christ; it means, as the Bible says, “to be in Christ” and “to put on Christ” and “to belong to Christ.” By faith in Jesus Christ, we become children of God.

²⁶For you are all sons of God through the faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷ For as many of you as into Christ were baptized, have put on Christ. ²⁸ There is neither Jew or Greek, there neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

²⁹ And if you are of Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-27)

If someone is in Christ, he is no longer in the flesh, in the kingdom of the flesh, under the dominion of the flesh, but he is in the Spirit, and he is a spiritual being, and he is led by the Spirit of God.

⁹But you are not in (the) flesh, but in (the) Spirit, if indeed (the) Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have (the) Spirit of Christ, this one is not His. ¹⁰But if Christ (is) in you, the body (is) indeed dead because of sin, but (the) Spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ And if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit Who dwells in you. ¹²So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. ¹³For if you live according to the flesh, you are about to die; but if by (the) Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For as many as are led by (the) Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:9-14)

In the Bible people who repented and believed in Jesus Christ were baptized on the same day.

We have read above in all the points how important is the baptism in the name of Jesus. Consequently, it is no wonder that in the book of Acts the baptism is performed right in the same day that people repented and believed in Jesus Christ. In the Bible we don’t see that people, who repented and believed in Jesus, waited days or weeks or months or years to get baptized. The following passages clearly demonstrate that fact:

a) Acts 2:37-41

b) Acts 8:36-38

c) Acts 9:17-18, 22:16

d) Acts 10:47-48

e) Acts 16:14-15

f) Acts 16:32-34,

g) Acts 18:8

h) Acts 19:3-5

In the book “Acts” people who wanted to become disciples of Jesus were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus also spoke of the baptism in connection with the name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.

¹⁹ Having gone, therefore and make disciples all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to keep all the things that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days, until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)

It is extremely important to know that in the Bible promises that every person who repents and believes in Jesus and expresses his repentance and faith through baptism, will receive the Holy Spirit without a doubt. There is also a case when people received the Holy Spirit, and then right after were baptized (Acts 10:44-48).

If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Who died for your sins and rose again from the dead, then with all your heart you must confess Jesus Christ as Lord with your mouth and take baptism in His name.

⁸But what does it say? “The saying is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the saying of the faith that we preach; ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For (with) the heart it is believed into righteousness, and with (the) mouth it is confessed into salvation. ¹¹Forthe Scripture says: “Everyone who is believing on Him will not be ashamed. ¹² For there is no difference, between Jew and Greek, since they all have the same Lord of all, Who (is) rich for all who are calling on Him. ¹³For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:8-13)

Let us remind ourselves the words of Ananias:

And now, what are you waiting for? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16)