The Purpose Of Baptism

 

David Eldridge

 

                The purpose of baptism is not to show everyone that you’ve already been saved.  Many people refer to baptism as an outward sign of an inward feeling.  Where do you find that language in the Bible?  There is not one passage of Scripture that can be found to show that salvation comes prior to Baptism – if so, where is it? Every time you find baptism mentioned with a gift (i.e. salvation, forgiveness, rejoicing, etc.) baptism always precedes the gift.  God knew what he was doing when, through the Holy Spirit, he moved the Apostles to write these things.  Yes, baptism has attached to it the symbolism of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, but it is through this act that God allows us to become dead to sin and rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-6).

           

            The purpose of baptism is not to add one to a local congregation.  Some teach that one is added to the local church by their baptism.  Where is this found in Scripture?  We see that one is added to the church universal upon being baptized (Acts 2:48).  However, in Acts 9:26-28, baptized individuals sought to join, not be baptized into, a local church.  One is not baptized in order to be added to a local church.

 

The purpose of baptism is to receive the forgiveness of your sins.  The Scriptures teach over and again that one is baptized (as act of obedience, not merit) that God may forgive their sins.  Jesus promised it (Mark 16:16), Peter preached it (Acts 2:38), and he later affirmed to be true (I Peter 3:21).  We should not be confused as to the fact that at the point of baptism God, moved by His grace and mercy, pardons us of our past wrongs.

 

The purpose of baptism is to be added unto the Lord’s body.  Another blessing that we receive upon submitting ourselves to this command of God is being added to the Lord’s body (Acts 2:48) and being placed into Christ (Galatians 3:26,27).  This is of vital importance! Ephesians 1:3 teaches that all the spiritual blessings God affords us are found only in Christ Jesus.  If you want to receive the blessings of God and be among the saved, you must be born again by the Word and the waters of baptism (Ephesians 5:26). 

 

Friends, the Bible is clear on this subject – we should be too.  Let us hear God’s word, believe it, repent of our sins, and be baptized to have those sins washed away.