New Testament Baptism
Faith Development
Saving Grace
Another Look At The Word And The Sacraments
What did Jesus mean when he spoke these words? In order to answer that question, we need to look at the historical setting of the passage. Jesus was about to ascend into heaven when he gave this command. The words were the marching orders to the apostles who would see Jesus in the flesh no more. Notice, he starts by pointing out the authority by which he speaks his final words.
"All authority in heaven and earth ..." -- that's a lot of authority. That's ultimate authority. That's God's authority. Authority means rights of authorship. Jesus is the author of the universe (see Colossians 1), the Word of creation (see John 1), through whom all things created were created. In other words, "Pay attention. These are your instructions, my final words of authority about what you are to do when I am gone."
"Make disciples." Disciples are followers. Disciples are under the authority of the Lord. Therefore, they try to be obedient believers. They repent when they fall short. They trust Christ as Lord and Savior. They follow the words and ways of Christ. Of course God does not expect the apostles or us to teach people about Christ or make disciples by our own power. Only God can make disciples, but Christians are called to witness for the Lord. The Holy Spirit will use that witness to make disciples.
"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Baptism is the beginning of the Christian life. It is God's gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the way by which God makes people part of his kingdom family. The sacrament of Baptism is performed by limited human beings, but it is an act of God.
"I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Jesus assures us we are not alone as we witness for him. He reminds us of his presence to the very end of time.
Jesus is saying to the apostles and to us, "These are my instructions. Now get going for God." These instructions include baptizing people in the strong name of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These instructions bring us to the topic: Baptism Into The Kingdom.
People ask lots of questions about Baptism. We can't cover them all, but let's look at six frequently-asked questions.
1.
Are there different kinds of baptism?13
2.
Should infants be baptized?
3.
Can you be baptized more than once?
4.
Who can baptize?
5.
Do you need to be baptized to be saved?
6.
What do you do if you aren't sure you are baptized?
Are There Different Kinds Of Baptism?
At the time of Jesus there were at least three different kinds of baptism associated with Christianity. In order to understand what Jesus was commanding his followers to do, we need to understand the differences between these three.
First, there was proselyte baptism. Proselyte baptism was for Gentiles who wanted to become Jews. The ancient world was filled with all kinds of religions and sects. The uniqueness of the Jewish faith was its emphasis on monotheism and morality. Monotheism (as contrasted with idolatry) and morality (as contrasted with immorality) attracted non-Jews to the faith. Some Gentiles wanted to become Jews. How did they achieve this purpose? They took instruction, were circumcised, and baptized. In Jesus' day, when Gentiles became Jews, they were given a special name. They were called "God-fearers." "God-fearers" were Gentiles who became Jews by faith.
For example, Cornelius, the Roman soldier who became a Christian, was first a God-fearer (Acts 10:2). He was a Gentile who chose to become a Jew by faith. Through the preaching of Peter, Cornelius was converted and baptized. Note that in Acts 10:34, Peter confesses: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."
Some scholars believe that many of the people who were initially converted to Christianity were God-fearers. The Jews thought of them as second-class citizens. When the apostles witnessed to them about Christ, they saw the completion of their spiritual journey in the gospel.
Proselyte baptism is not the same as Christian Baptism.14 Cornelius and others had to be baptized in the name of the Trinity or in Jesus' name to become Christians.
Second, John the Baptist baptized Jews for repentance. His "hell, fire, and damnation" sermons on the banks of the river Jordan brought many Jews to revive their faith and receive baptism. But this baptism, like proselyte baptism before it, was not Christian Baptism.15 John said so himself. "I baptize with water ... but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie ... Look, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ... The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (John 1:26-33. Also see Luke 3:16). In other words, the baptism of John, also called "a baptism of repentance," is not the same as the Baptism of Jesus.
Acts 18-19 verifies this distinction. Apollos, an early Christian preacher, had to be instructed in the truth about Baptism by Aquilla and Priscilla, Paul's disciples, "because he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25). We pick up the story in chapter 19 of Acts.
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus [today's Turkey]. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them...." -- Acts 19:1-6
John's baptism was for the Jews who needed to repent in order to be ready for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus' Baptism was for Jews and Gentiles. It later came to be called a sacrament.
Third, the sacrament of Baptism, is for everyone. It is not primarily a matter of human beings choosing monotheism and morality over idolatry and immorality. It is not primarily a matter of seeing your wrongdoing, repenting, and choosing to be baptized. For adults it may seem that we are making these good choices, and achieving a new life, but Christian Baptism is not a matter of achieving anything. The sacrament of Baptism, for adults and children, is a matter of receiving something. As Luther says, "I cannot by my own reason or strength come to the Lord Jesus Christ, but the Holy Spirit...."
A sacrament is a sacred act of God for forgiveness containing an outward element and the word of God as instituted by Christ himself. In Baptism the outward element is water. The word of God is, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That brings us to a second question people frequently ask.
Should Infants Be Baptized?
If Baptism is a sacrament of God, not a decision of human beings choosing God, then babies and children of all ages, as well as adults, may receive it. Baptism is an act of God, not an act of human beings. God does the choosing, not us.
In addition, if Baptism is the New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament circumcision, it is appropriate to baptize people of all ages, including children. Circumcision, the outward sign of the covenant God established with Abraham and Jews thereafter, was performed on Jewish boys, including Jesus, on the eighth day after birth.
In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul argues for the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. He tries to show that circumcision, as given by God to Abraham, is now fulfilled in Baptism, the new covenant way for people to become God's children. He rises to heights of astonishment at what God has done in Jesus Christ through Baptism.
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. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. -- Galatians 3:26-29
This is a revolutionary concept. Baptism levels the playing field for all God's children. The Jews always considered Gentiles to be outsiders, even the ones who received proselyte baptism. Gentiles were hated people. Paul says by Baptism they are family. Slaves were inferior. Paul claims that baptized slaves are brothers and sisters. Females in Paul's time were viewed as property. By Baptism, Paul says they are members of the same kingdom as their male counterparts. Baptism is the new circumcision for Christians.
Acts 15 shows us the major controversy in the early church. The topic? Do Gentile converts have to be circumcised before they could be baptized and become Christians? We pick up the story in verse 1.
Some men came down from Judea to Antioch [where Paul was] and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
There you have it. The hot topic at the first church convention was the relationship between Baptism and circumcision. The early Christians were deeply divided over this question. Paul had baptized Gentiles without first circumcising them. He was ridiculed by a party of the Pharisees who said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses" (Acts 15:5).
Peter, one of the leaders in the early church, got to his feet and said, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us ... We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" (Acts 15:7-11).
The crowd at the church convention was silenced by Peter's words. Then Paul and Barnabas got up and told the stories of miraculous conversions and Baptisms God had worked among the Gentiles.
Finally, James, the brother of Jesus, now the head of the church in Jerusalem, took the floor and settled the matter.
It is my judgment ... that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath. -- Acts 15:19-21
In other words, circumcision would not be required for Gentile converts to Christianity, because Baptism was the new entrance rite into the Christian faith. Circumcision was practiced on infants and adults. Why should Baptism be any different?
The Westminster Dictionary Of The Bible puts it this way:
Baptists contend that Baptism should be administered only to adult believers. The Church, however, from the earliest time has administered it also to children who have sponsors to care for their Christian nurture. It is certainly scriptural to do this to children of believers, since Paul expressly teaches (Galatians 3:15-29) that believers in Christ are under the gracious provisions of the covenant which God made with Abraham. Under that covenant circumcision was administered to children as a sign of their participation in the relation in which their parents stood to God. The children of Christian believers have therefore a similar right to the ordinance which has replaced circumcision.16
If children can be baptized, then does that mean they automatically go to heaven? No. Baptism is like planting a seed. If the seed is not nurtured by sunshine and rain, it dies and never comes to harvest. In similar fashion, Baptism begins the process of salvation. Baptized children need nurture, love, education, and encouragement. Baptism makes them children of God, but not all children of God are obedient. What God has done by making us his children will never change, but what we do about what God has done is not permanent. If we turn away from God, we don't lose the fact that we have been baptized. Instead, we lose the benefits of having been baptized. That brings us to the third question people frequently ask.
Can A Person Be Baptized More Than Once?
Suppose a person is baptized in a Roman Catholic church as a baby and then as an adult decides to become a Lutheran. Should he be baptized again? Certainly not. Baptism makes you a child of God, not a Roman Catholic or a Lutheran.
Suppose a baby is baptized. At age eighteen, that person goes off to college, gets in with the wrong crowd, gets on drugs and into illicit sex, stops going to church and praying, and clearly leaves the care and nurture of God and the Christian community. Suppose at a later time when he marries and settles down, he realizes that his sinful ways have been wrong. He starts attending worship again. He starts praying again. Should he be baptized again?
NO! Why not? Because if a person knows what Baptism is -- namely a sacred act of God -- and is baptized a second time, he is saying that God didn't do it the first time. That's an insult to God. Since Baptism is an act of God, the problem is not that God didn't do it right the first time, but that the man in question has not responded properly to what God has done. Therefore he should repent for his erroneous ways and turn back to God's ways, but he should not be baptized a second time.
Those who believe in what is called "believers' Baptism" have no such limitations on multiple Baptisms. Since they believe Baptism to be a seal of the decision a person has made for Christ -- not a sacrament -- they consider a second or third Baptism just an outward sign of a repentant heart.
For Christians who believe Baptism to be a sacrament, repeating Baptism is inappropriate.
Who Can Baptize?
A fourth frequently asked question is, "Who can baptize?" In most cases, for good order, a pastor does the baptizing, but it may be done in emergencies by lay people.
Suppose a doctor says that a baby in a hospital may not live much longer. Suppose further that the family pastor is miles away from the hospital. Who can baptize the child? The answer is that any practicing Christian can baptize. A Christian doctor, nurse, friend or one of the parents can administer the sacrament of Baptism in these circumstances.
If someone other than a pastor does the Baptism, what two things do they need? One youngster in a confirmation class answered, "Water and the baby!" The correct answer is, "Water and the word." We assume the baby is there. Why water? It is commanded by Jesus. What word? The word Jesus gave to the apostles: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
If the child survives, should the Baptism be repeated in a church by a pastor? Certainly not! When water and the word of God are combined, it is a genuine Baptism, a sacred act of God, which should never be repeated. The information about the child, the person who did the emergency Baptism, the date and place of the Baptism should all be recorded in a parish register of the church where the family members belong, but the Baptism itself should not be repeated.
We've covered answers to the first four frequently asked questions about Baptism. In the next section we'll tackle the remaining two frequently asked questions about Baptism:
1.
Do you need to be baptized to be saved?
2.
What do you do if you aren't sure you are baptized?
Grace Livingstone was listening to all this information about Baptism with great interest. During the coffee break at the end of the Pastor's class, she said to Sarah Williams, "I'm glad you invited me to come to this class. It was interesting. Pastor Jeff is a good teacher."
"Yes, he is," Sarah said with a smile, "but he doesn't have all the answers. Nobody does. When we get to heaven, we'll have to ask God a lot of questions."
"That's fine for you to say, but I don't know if I'm going to heaven. I checked with my father and he said as far as he knows, I've never been baptized."
She thought, I don't deserve to go to heaven. I'm not worthy.
Questions For Personal Consideration
And/Or Group Study
1.
If you were Sarah Williams, what would you have said to Grace when she made the comment about not knowing if she was going to heaven?
2.
Why do we baptize? (If you are in a group studying this matter, after discussing this question, turn to the Digging Deeper section and discuss the answer given there.)
3.
What additional questions beyond the six mentioned in this chapter do you have about Baptism?
4.
Baptism is not an "eternal life insurance policy." Do you agree or disagree?
5.
What are some of the arguments by Baptists and others for adult Baptism only?
6.
Read the nine baptismal stories in the book of Acts.
• Acts 8:26-40 and Acts 9:1-19, which do not mention children
• Acts 2:14-42, Acts 10:44-48, and Acts 19:1-10, which don't exclude children, but don't specifically mention them and
• Acts 8:4-7, Acts 16:11-15, Acts 16:31-34, and Acts 18:5-11, all of which include infants and children
Digging Deeper
1.
Why baptize? Good question. Let's begin by acknowledging the first creed of Christianity: "Jesus is Lord." If Christianity is not a democracy where we vote on what is right and wrong, but a monarchy with Jesus as the ruler and Lord, then the basic question we must always ask is, "What did Jesus say?" In this case, he taught that Baptism is necessary. We baptize because Jesus said to do it.
2.
The baptism of Jesus by his cousin John the Baptist causes some confusion. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not sin. Therefore he didn't need to repent. In fact, John protested, "I should not baptize you." Jesus replied that he should be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." There are at least two possible explanations of these words:
a.
Jesus wanted to demonstrate that other Jews should be baptized by John to show the breaking in of the kingdom of God, and
b.
Jesus was beginning his identification with sinners that came to fullness on the cross when he died to pay their penalty for sin. In other words, he vicariously represented sinners, not only in his crucifixion, but from the beginning of his ministry, starting with his baptism by John. Paul said, "God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
3.
Should Baptism be by immersion only? About the mode of Baptism, The Westminster Dictionary Of The Bible says:
Christians have differed, even from early times, as to the mode of Baptism. While the word is derived from a verb, batizo, which means, etymologically, to immerse, this does not prove that immersion was the mode always practiced, nor that it is necessary. In fact, instances occur where the word plainly does not mean immersion: (e.g. Luke 11:38, in A.V., wash; in R.V., bathe, and probably Mark 7:4). The Scriptures nowhere describe, much less prescribe, the mode. In post-apostolic times both immersion and
4.
Baptists, and some other denominations, teach that Baptism should be only for adults and only by immersion. They teach that Baptism is a seal of a person's confession of Christ as Lord and Savior. Repent first; then be baptized, they teach. They don't teach Baptism as a sacrament. Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and most mainline Protestant denominations teach that both adults and children may be baptized and that the mode of Baptism is not prescribed. Usually affusion (sprinkling) is the mode used in these churches.
5.
The connection between Old Testament circumcision and New Testament Baptism is fascinating. Jewish boys were circumcised according to the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:1-12). Women were considered a part of the covenant family of God by virtue of being born into it or married into it. Male Gentiles were outsiders who if they wanted to become Jews had to be circumcised and baptized.
The sacrament of Baptism retained the emphasis on God choosing us, but was inclusive. It was for males and females, Jews and Gentiles, children and adults. In other words, anyone could become a Christian.
"All authority in heaven and earth ..." -- that's a lot of authority. That's ultimate authority. That's God's authority. Authority means rights of authorship. Jesus is the author of the universe (see Colossians 1), the Word of creation (see John 1), through whom all things created were created. In other words, "Pay attention. These are your instructions, my final words of authority about what you are to do when I am gone."
"Make disciples." Disciples are followers. Disciples are under the authority of the Lord. Therefore, they try to be obedient believers. They repent when they fall short. They trust Christ as Lord and Savior. They follow the words and ways of Christ. Of course God does not expect the apostles or us to teach people about Christ or make disciples by our own power. Only God can make disciples, but Christians are called to witness for the Lord. The Holy Spirit will use that witness to make disciples.
"Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." Baptism is the beginning of the Christian life. It is God's gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the way by which God makes people part of his kingdom family. The sacrament of Baptism is performed by limited human beings, but it is an act of God.
"I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Jesus assures us we are not alone as we witness for him. He reminds us of his presence to the very end of time.
Jesus is saying to the apostles and to us, "These are my instructions. Now get going for God." These instructions include baptizing people in the strong name of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These instructions bring us to the topic: Baptism Into The Kingdom.
People ask lots of questions about Baptism. We can't cover them all, but let's look at six frequently-asked questions.
1.
Are there different kinds of baptism?13
2.
Should infants be baptized?
3.
Can you be baptized more than once?
4.
Who can baptize?
5.
Do you need to be baptized to be saved?
6.
What do you do if you aren't sure you are baptized?
Are There Different Kinds Of Baptism?
At the time of Jesus there were at least three different kinds of baptism associated with Christianity. In order to understand what Jesus was commanding his followers to do, we need to understand the differences between these three.
First, there was proselyte baptism. Proselyte baptism was for Gentiles who wanted to become Jews. The ancient world was filled with all kinds of religions and sects. The uniqueness of the Jewish faith was its emphasis on monotheism and morality. Monotheism (as contrasted with idolatry) and morality (as contrasted with immorality) attracted non-Jews to the faith. Some Gentiles wanted to become Jews. How did they achieve this purpose? They took instruction, were circumcised, and baptized. In Jesus' day, when Gentiles became Jews, they were given a special name. They were called "God-fearers." "God-fearers" were Gentiles who became Jews by faith.
For example, Cornelius, the Roman soldier who became a Christian, was first a God-fearer (Acts 10:2). He was a Gentile who chose to become a Jew by faith. Through the preaching of Peter, Cornelius was converted and baptized. Note that in Acts 10:34, Peter confesses: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."
Some scholars believe that many of the people who were initially converted to Christianity were God-fearers. The Jews thought of them as second-class citizens. When the apostles witnessed to them about Christ, they saw the completion of their spiritual journey in the gospel.
Proselyte baptism is not the same as Christian Baptism.14 Cornelius and others had to be baptized in the name of the Trinity or in Jesus' name to become Christians.
Second, John the Baptist baptized Jews for repentance. His "hell, fire, and damnation" sermons on the banks of the river Jordan brought many Jews to revive their faith and receive baptism. But this baptism, like proselyte baptism before it, was not Christian Baptism.15 John said so himself. "I baptize with water ... but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie ... Look, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ... The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (John 1:26-33. Also see Luke 3:16). In other words, the baptism of John, also called "a baptism of repentance," is not the same as the Baptism of Jesus.
Acts 18-19 verifies this distinction. Apollos, an early Christian preacher, had to be instructed in the truth about Baptism by Aquilla and Priscilla, Paul's disciples, "because he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:25). We pick up the story in chapter 19 of Acts.
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus [today's Turkey]. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit."
So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?"
"John's baptism," they replied.
Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them...." -- Acts 19:1-6
John's baptism was for the Jews who needed to repent in order to be ready for the coming of the Messiah. Jesus' Baptism was for Jews and Gentiles. It later came to be called a sacrament.
Third, the sacrament of Baptism, is for everyone. It is not primarily a matter of human beings choosing monotheism and morality over idolatry and immorality. It is not primarily a matter of seeing your wrongdoing, repenting, and choosing to be baptized. For adults it may seem that we are making these good choices, and achieving a new life, but Christian Baptism is not a matter of achieving anything. The sacrament of Baptism, for adults and children, is a matter of receiving something. As Luther says, "I cannot by my own reason or strength come to the Lord Jesus Christ, but the Holy Spirit...."
A sacrament is a sacred act of God for forgiveness containing an outward element and the word of God as instituted by Christ himself. In Baptism the outward element is water. The word of God is, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." That brings us to a second question people frequently ask.
Should Infants Be Baptized?
If Baptism is a sacrament of God, not a decision of human beings choosing God, then babies and children of all ages, as well as adults, may receive it. Baptism is an act of God, not an act of human beings. God does the choosing, not us.
In addition, if Baptism is the New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament circumcision, it is appropriate to baptize people of all ages, including children. Circumcision, the outward sign of the covenant God established with Abraham and Jews thereafter, was performed on Jewish boys, including Jesus, on the eighth day after birth.
In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul argues for the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant. He tries to show that circumcision, as given by God to Abraham, is now fulfilled in Baptism, the new covenant way for people to become God's children. He rises to heights of astonishment at what God has done in Jesus Christ through Baptism.
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. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. -- Galatians 3:26-29
This is a revolutionary concept. Baptism levels the playing field for all God's children. The Jews always considered Gentiles to be outsiders, even the ones who received proselyte baptism. Gentiles were hated people. Paul says by Baptism they are family. Slaves were inferior. Paul claims that baptized slaves are brothers and sisters. Females in Paul's time were viewed as property. By Baptism, Paul says they are members of the same kingdom as their male counterparts. Baptism is the new circumcision for Christians.
Acts 15 shows us the major controversy in the early church. The topic? Do Gentile converts have to be circumcised before they could be baptized and become Christians? We pick up the story in verse 1.
Some men came down from Judea to Antioch [where Paul was] and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.
There you have it. The hot topic at the first church convention was the relationship between Baptism and circumcision. The early Christians were deeply divided over this question. Paul had baptized Gentiles without first circumcising them. He was ridiculed by a party of the Pharisees who said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses" (Acts 15:5).
Peter, one of the leaders in the early church, got to his feet and said, "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us ... We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are" (Acts 15:7-11).
The crowd at the church convention was silenced by Peter's words. Then Paul and Barnabas got up and told the stories of miraculous conversions and Baptisms God had worked among the Gentiles.
Finally, James, the brother of Jesus, now the head of the church in Jerusalem, took the floor and settled the matter.
It is my judgment ... that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath. -- Acts 15:19-21
In other words, circumcision would not be required for Gentile converts to Christianity, because Baptism was the new entrance rite into the Christian faith. Circumcision was practiced on infants and adults. Why should Baptism be any different?
The Westminster Dictionary Of The Bible puts it this way:
Baptists contend that Baptism should be administered only to adult believers. The Church, however, from the earliest time has administered it also to children who have sponsors to care for their Christian nurture. It is certainly scriptural to do this to children of believers, since Paul expressly teaches (Galatians 3:15-29) that believers in Christ are under the gracious provisions of the covenant which God made with Abraham. Under that covenant circumcision was administered to children as a sign of their participation in the relation in which their parents stood to God. The children of Christian believers have therefore a similar right to the ordinance which has replaced circumcision.16
If children can be baptized, then does that mean they automatically go to heaven? No. Baptism is like planting a seed. If the seed is not nurtured by sunshine and rain, it dies and never comes to harvest. In similar fashion, Baptism begins the process of salvation. Baptized children need nurture, love, education, and encouragement. Baptism makes them children of God, but not all children of God are obedient. What God has done by making us his children will never change, but what we do about what God has done is not permanent. If we turn away from God, we don't lose the fact that we have been baptized. Instead, we lose the benefits of having been baptized. That brings us to the third question people frequently ask.
Can A Person Be Baptized More Than Once?
Suppose a person is baptized in a Roman Catholic church as a baby and then as an adult decides to become a Lutheran. Should he be baptized again? Certainly not. Baptism makes you a child of God, not a Roman Catholic or a Lutheran.
Suppose a baby is baptized. At age eighteen, that person goes off to college, gets in with the wrong crowd, gets on drugs and into illicit sex, stops going to church and praying, and clearly leaves the care and nurture of God and the Christian community. Suppose at a later time when he marries and settles down, he realizes that his sinful ways have been wrong. He starts attending worship again. He starts praying again. Should he be baptized again?
NO! Why not? Because if a person knows what Baptism is -- namely a sacred act of God -- and is baptized a second time, he is saying that God didn't do it the first time. That's an insult to God. Since Baptism is an act of God, the problem is not that God didn't do it right the first time, but that the man in question has not responded properly to what God has done. Therefore he should repent for his erroneous ways and turn back to God's ways, but he should not be baptized a second time.
Those who believe in what is called "believers' Baptism" have no such limitations on multiple Baptisms. Since they believe Baptism to be a seal of the decision a person has made for Christ -- not a sacrament -- they consider a second or third Baptism just an outward sign of a repentant heart.
For Christians who believe Baptism to be a sacrament, repeating Baptism is inappropriate.
Who Can Baptize?
A fourth frequently asked question is, "Who can baptize?" In most cases, for good order, a pastor does the baptizing, but it may be done in emergencies by lay people.
Suppose a doctor says that a baby in a hospital may not live much longer. Suppose further that the family pastor is miles away from the hospital. Who can baptize the child? The answer is that any practicing Christian can baptize. A Christian doctor, nurse, friend or one of the parents can administer the sacrament of Baptism in these circumstances.
If someone other than a pastor does the Baptism, what two things do they need? One youngster in a confirmation class answered, "Water and the baby!" The correct answer is, "Water and the word." We assume the baby is there. Why water? It is commanded by Jesus. What word? The word Jesus gave to the apostles: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
If the child survives, should the Baptism be repeated in a church by a pastor? Certainly not! When water and the word of God are combined, it is a genuine Baptism, a sacred act of God, which should never be repeated. The information about the child, the person who did the emergency Baptism, the date and place of the Baptism should all be recorded in a parish register of the church where the family members belong, but the Baptism itself should not be repeated.
We've covered answers to the first four frequently asked questions about Baptism. In the next section we'll tackle the remaining two frequently asked questions about Baptism:
1.
Do you need to be baptized to be saved?
2.
What do you do if you aren't sure you are baptized?
Grace Livingstone was listening to all this information about Baptism with great interest. During the coffee break at the end of the Pastor's class, she said to Sarah Williams, "I'm glad you invited me to come to this class. It was interesting. Pastor Jeff is a good teacher."
"Yes, he is," Sarah said with a smile, "but he doesn't have all the answers. Nobody does. When we get to heaven, we'll have to ask God a lot of questions."
"That's fine for you to say, but I don't know if I'm going to heaven. I checked with my father and he said as far as he knows, I've never been baptized."
She thought, I don't deserve to go to heaven. I'm not worthy.
Questions For Personal Consideration
And/Or Group Study
1.
If you were Sarah Williams, what would you have said to Grace when she made the comment about not knowing if she was going to heaven?
2.
Why do we baptize? (If you are in a group studying this matter, after discussing this question, turn to the Digging Deeper section and discuss the answer given there.)
3.
What additional questions beyond the six mentioned in this chapter do you have about Baptism?
4.
Baptism is not an "eternal life insurance policy." Do you agree or disagree?
5.
What are some of the arguments by Baptists and others for adult Baptism only?
6.
Read the nine baptismal stories in the book of Acts.
• Acts 8:26-40 and Acts 9:1-19, which do not mention children
• Acts 2:14-42, Acts 10:44-48, and Acts 19:1-10, which don't exclude children, but don't specifically mention them and
• Acts 8:4-7, Acts 16:11-15, Acts 16:31-34, and Acts 18:5-11, all of which include infants and children
Digging Deeper
1.
Why baptize? Good question. Let's begin by acknowledging the first creed of Christianity: "Jesus is Lord." If Christianity is not a democracy where we vote on what is right and wrong, but a monarchy with Jesus as the ruler and Lord, then the basic question we must always ask is, "What did Jesus say?" In this case, he taught that Baptism is necessary. We baptize because Jesus said to do it.
2.
The baptism of Jesus by his cousin John the Baptist causes some confusion. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not sin. Therefore he didn't need to repent. In fact, John protested, "I should not baptize you." Jesus replied that he should be baptized to "fulfill all righteousness." There are at least two possible explanations of these words:
a.
Jesus wanted to demonstrate that other Jews should be baptized by John to show the breaking in of the kingdom of God, and
b.
Jesus was beginning his identification with sinners that came to fullness on the cross when he died to pay their penalty for sin. In other words, he vicariously represented sinners, not only in his crucifixion, but from the beginning of his ministry, starting with his baptism by John. Paul said, "God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
3.
Should Baptism be by immersion only? About the mode of Baptism, The Westminster Dictionary Of The Bible says:
Christians have differed, even from early times, as to the mode of Baptism. While the word is derived from a verb, batizo, which means, etymologically, to immerse, this does not prove that immersion was the mode always practiced, nor that it is necessary. In fact, instances occur where the word plainly does not mean immersion: (e.g. Luke 11:38, in A.V., wash; in R.V., bathe, and probably Mark 7:4). The Scriptures nowhere describe, much less prescribe, the mode. In post-apostolic times both immersion and
4.
Baptists, and some other denominations, teach that Baptism should be only for adults and only by immersion. They teach that Baptism is a seal of a person's confession of Christ as Lord and Savior. Repent first; then be baptized, they teach. They don't teach Baptism as a sacrament. Lutherans, Roman Catholics, and most mainline Protestant denominations teach that both adults and children may be baptized and that the mode of Baptism is not prescribed. Usually affusion (sprinkling) is the mode used in these churches.
5.
The connection between Old Testament circumcision and New Testament Baptism is fascinating. Jewish boys were circumcised according to the covenant God made with Abraham (Genesis 17:1-12). Women were considered a part of the covenant family of God by virtue of being born into it or married into it. Male Gentiles were outsiders who if they wanted to become Jews had to be circumcised and baptized.
The sacrament of Baptism retained the emphasis on God choosing us, but was inclusive. It was for males and females, Jews and Gentiles, children and adults. In other words, anyone could become a Christian.