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EXCURSUS ON BAPTISM
SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS
This
summary draws on the conclusions of the textual and theological studies
of the Advanced Study of the doctrine of baptism.
We will not repeat all of the textual evidence supporting the
conclusions since this evidence has been examined in detail in the
Advanced Study. The student seeking such evidence is encouraged to
return to the Advanced Study for support of the conclusions drawn in
this summary.
1) Baptism is one of two major doctrines recognized by most
major Christian
religions. Because of this, it is
sometimes called one of the two major Christian
Sacraments. Sacraments mean
doctrines that are binding on, or keep one in
order. The other sacrament is the
Eucharist or Lord's Supper.
2) Baptism is universally recognized as the point of entrance into
the church, the
family of God, or the new life in Christ.
It is therefore recognized as a Christian
right of passage.
3) Baptism in its five forms is mentioned at least 95 times in the
New Testament, at
least 50 times in the Gospels, at least 26
times in Acts, at least 14 times in Paul,
and 1 time in Peter.
4) We conclude from this brief analysis that baptism is a
significant New Testament
doctrine.
5) There are four different ways in which baptism and its cognate terms
appear in the
New Testament, Judaism, and religious cults as a
doctrine or practice:
a. Pre Christian baptism
b. The baptism of John
b. Christian baptism
c. Symbolic use of baptism
6) The use of the word family relating to baptism in the Pre
Christian era
(notably in Judaism and the Qumran Dead Sea
Community) help inform us that
baptism was in water, by immersion, for
ceremonial cleansing, and initiation into
the religious group.
7) John the Baptist's baptism was associated with
repentance, was for the
forgiveness of sins, and announced the coming
Messiah and the kingdom of God.
It was for Jews who truly repented, and
functioned under the Mosaic sacrificial
system for the forgiveness of sins. It
was initiated by command of God and had to
do with righteousness and the purpose of God
(Matt 3:6-11; Mk 1:4-8).
8) Christian baptism is that baptism promised by John and
commanded by Jesus in
the Great Commission (Matt 28:19, 20; Mk 16:15,
16).
a. Christian baptism functions under the
sacrificial atoning death of Jesus Christ
the Son of God,
and not under the Mosaic sacrificial system as in John the
Baptist's
baptism.
b. Christian baptism is an immersion in
water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts
8:36-39).
c. Christian baptism is built on faith in
Jesus Christ as the Son of God, crucified,
buried, and
raised from the dead (Acts 16:30-33).
d. Faith in Jesus also consists in
believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the king of
God's kingdom,
and that he will judge the world in righteousness when he
returns at his
second coming.
e. Christian baptism requires repentance
for ones sins, and submission to
Christ's command
to be baptized for the forgiveness of ones sins (Acts
2:37-38).
f. Christian baptism is immersion in
water as an act of submission to the will of
God.
g. In this immersion one is buried with
Christ and raised to walk in newness of
life (Rom 6:3-9).
h. Christian baptism is the new
birth in which the Holy Spirit gives one new life in
Christ (Jn 3:3-5;
Tit 3:3-5; 3 Cor 3:6).
i. In Christian baptism the Holy Spirit
is active in the new birth, and through ones
baptism one is
baptized into the body of Christ in which there is unity of the
Spirit (1 Cor
12:13).
j. Christian baptism is not a work we do,
but an act of faith in the working of God
in Christ (Col
2:12).
k. Christian baptism is submission to
God's will and saving work. The words be
baptized are in the
passive voice (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16), indicating that in
baptism we are the ones
receiving the working
of baptism, not acting in the
work of baptism. Christian
baptism is simply
trusting in the grace of God and
submitting to his
will (Gal 3:27, 28).
9) As described in the Book of Acts, Christian baptism was in the
name of Jesus,
was based on faith in Jesus Christ, and
repentance of ones sins. Christian
baptism in Acts was for the forgiveness of
sins. It was commanded of everyone
seeking salvation and was part of the Apostolic
preaching of the cross and the
gospel of Christ.
10) Christian baptism in Paul picks up on the themes of Acts. For
Paul, baptism is
where one is buried with Christ, united with
Christ, how one gets into Christ, and
the basis for ones life in Christ.
Christian baptism is where one dies to ones past
life and is raised to walk a new life in Christ
(Rom 6:3-9).
11) In Petrine (Peter) theology, baptism picks up from Peter's
preaching as recorded
in Acts, and in Peter's terms, "now
saves us" (1 Pet 3:21).
CONCLUSION
Expressed simply, baptism is an immersion in water as an act of faith in
God's working in Christ. It is for the forgiveness of sins through
the atoning sacrifice of Christ. It is trusting in the work of God
and his Holy Spirit, and not in ones own ability or working. It is
how one is united with Christ, how one gets into Christ, and the point
in which one is born again by the Holy Spirit. It is an expression
of ones trusting obedience to Christ and his Father. Baptism is
where one dies to ones former life in sin and is born again into a new
life in Christ; the old person is dead, the new one alive in
Christ. Through baptism as a Christian right of passage, believers
are baptized into one body, the body of Christ, or the church, and into
a unity created by the Holy Spirit.
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