“...And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised and wash your sins away, calling on His name."
Acts 22:16
We’re looking forward to gathering at the south end of Balmoral Beach on Sunday straight after church to see some of our church family get baptised!
But what is baptism and why do we do it?
In order to know what something is, sometimes it’s helpful to know what it isn’t:
- Baptism doesn’t save you – believing in Jesus, repenting of your sins, confessing that Jesus is Lord and having faith in His death and resurrection does.
- Baptism doesn’t get you into heaven – Christ’s imputed righteousness onto you does that.
- Getting baptised doesn’t mean you’re any closer to God or that He loves you anymore – God’s love is unconditional, meaning that He cannot love you more, and He will not love you less.
So if it doesn’t save you, get you into heaven, or make you closer to God, why do we do it?
Jesus did it
The Bible says he went all the way under and came all the way back up (Matt 3:13-17). So very simply, as Christ’s examples we follow His example.
New Testament model and command
Jesus told us to be baptised (Matt 28:19, Mark 16:16). The disciples were baptised people (John 4:1), Peter said we should be baptised (Acts 2:38). Peter and John expected that all new believers would be baptised (Acts 8:16). Paul was baptised (Acts 8:16). Paul often referenced baptism in his theological writings (Rom 6:3, 1 Cor 1:13-17, 1 Cor 10:2, 1 Cor 12:13, 1 Cor 15:29, Gal 3:27).
Jesus calls us to believe, repent and be baptised. It’s an opportunity to exercise obedience as well as being a wonderful rite given to mark our initiation into the worldwide church.
Symbol or a Sign
Baptism is a little like a wedding ring; you wear a ring to let people know you’ve made a commitment to your partner. If you take your ring off, you don’t stop being married...it’s a symbol of your marriage.
Baptism is similar, it is a way to tell others you believe and belong to Christ.
It is a sign that you’re united with Christ in His death (Rom 6:3 – symbolised by going under the water), burial and resurrection to new life (Rom 6:4 – symbolised by being pulled back up again).
Baptism is an outward proclamation of an inward conversion...or to say it another way, an outward sign of internal salvation.
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