Here Is Water: The Reasons for Baptism
by Rev. David Johnson Vol. V, No. 5, September 1992
So far in our study of baptism we have considered: The Roots of Baptism, The Relationship between the Baptisms of the New Testament, and The Ritual of Baptism. The latter article discussed the mode of baptism and concluded that biblically it is the immersion of believers only. The next four articles will apply baptism and its teachings practically, beginning now with the question: why be baptized?
The Reasons for Baptism
Because baptism is not necessary for salvation, a valid question is, what are the reasons for baptism? Why be baptized? The words spoken by Jesus at His own baptism give some insight. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered Him." (Matthew 3:13-15). This submission of the Lord to John's baptism, His sharing it with His disciples, and His challenge to the Pharisees to acknowledge that John's baptism was "from heaven" act as a warning against the temptation to disparage baptism as a mere rite.
Now to answer our question. We find within the New Testament a number of specific reasons why baptism is necessary.
1. The Example of Jesus. The very act of Jesus coming to John at the Jordan makes it clear that Jesus was neither indifferent nor opposed to baptism. In fact, it would be fair to say that the baptism of Jesus profoundly changed the rite of baptism, imparting new meanings, kindling new expectations, and adding new motives for submission. The supreme importance of the baptism of Jesus is that the whole foundation and emphasis of Christian baptism consists not in its Jewish past, but in the experience and example of Jesus Himself. It was Jesus Himself who set the type for the practice of baptism within the church. Thus we can conclude that, as the sinless Son of God, the main purpose for Jesus coming to John's baptism of repentance was to identify with His people. Although we can not share completely with His experience, it remains true that our baptismal experience is modelled upon and derives from that of Jesus. So our first reason for baptism is that as Christians we are called upon to follow His example.
2. An Act of Obedience. We now turn our attention to what Jesus had to say about baptism. We find that literally, just before His ascension, in the context of the ‘Great Commission,' He gave a direct command to the church to "baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." It is part of the commission not only to preach the gospel but to baptize and teach those who have responded to the gospel message. In spite of the objection of some, the New Testament makes clear that baptism is a command given by the Lord and expressed as such by the Apostles (Acts 1:2, 2:37).
3. An Act of Identification. We have already noted that Christ in His baptism identified with us in our need and as Christians, followers of Christ, we must identify with Him. Paul, in particular, takes up this theme of identification with Christ through baptism. He saw man, outside of Christ, as being totally alienated from God (Romans 1:18-3:20), and in Paul's theology the answer to this need was the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, says Paul, the believer who recognizes this truth needs to identify with it. This truth is portrayed beautifully by Paul in the act of baptism. His own baptism makes clear his identification with Christ and His church. Thus baptism is the declaration of a close, intimate relationship between the believer and Christ (Gal. 3:27). In baptism we portray our association with Him and declare that we have become like Him because we hear, believe, and in baptism dramatize our decision to belong to Him.
4. The Example of the Early Church. Acts contains ten definite instances of the act of baptism and very clearly indicates that baptism is the normal, indeed the invariable gateway to membership in the church. Baptism was administered even where the descent of the Spirit showed the convert to have been already divinely accepted. Thus we see that baptism subsequent to conversion was practiced by the early church, and this should be the pattern for the church today.
5. The Spiritual Significance. The New Testament develops the act of baptism in both the application and doctrine of the Christian life. As we have already noted, Paul uses baptism to illustrate the identification of each believer with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is also used as an illustration of the symbolic ‘putting on' of Christ (Gal. 3:27) and gives testimony of an inward experience. Further, it is also used to emphasize the unity into which every believer has been brought through faith in Christ (Eph. 4:3-6). In Colossians baptism illustrates the new sphere of completeness in Christ into which the believer has been brought through his identification with Christ (Col. 2:8-17). Peter uses baptism to give provision to the believer of a `good conscience toward God' (I Peter 3:20-21). By the figure of baptism Peter depicts the believer, like Noah, being delivered from the wrath of God.
Thus we have five reasons why a believer should be baptized [to follow Jesus' example, to be obedient, to identify with Him, to follow the example of the early church, and because of baptism's spiritual significance], but the one that outweighs all of the others, of course, is that it is a command of Christ.