What is Baptism?

 

 

by Mihran Kulhanjian

 

 

My dear Friends,

Once you have repented from sin and accepted Jesus, you must now be baptized. Baptism is one of two Sacraments. A Sacrament is an ordinance of God; that is, it was "ordered' or "commanded" by Jesus to His disciples. The other Sacrament is partaking in Holy Communion [The Lord's Supper or Eucharist].

 

Baptism is a declaration of your faith and that you have changed and declare yourself to be a new creation in Christ:  a death to sin, and resurrection, a newness of life living now for Christ. Your old self [the old man] has been set aside, crucified on the cross with Jesus.  When we are baptized we are identified with belonging to Jesus, in His death, burial and resurrection. We have died, been buried under the water and resurrected as new in Christ when coming up out of the water.  But baptism is not only an ordinance or command, it is an induction. Baptism inducts us into the nature, the character and attributes of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Through baptism we are inducted into the life of the Father with His love, into the Son with His sacrifice and into the Holy Spirit with His wisdom, knowledge and discernment. We are not only identified with Christ but with the Lord [the whole godhead, the triune God], because we are baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Jesus said:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

 

Baptism proclaims our faith in Christ, our allegiance to Him that we are now His.  In Romans 6:3-4 the Apostle states:

 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 

Your sins have been crucified, put to death, and you are dead to sin.  You are not a slave to sin anymore.  Paul writes to the believers in Rome "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not!" [Romans 6:1-2].  Paul goes further guided by the Holy Spirit that each born again person is baptized into Christ, buried with Him into baptism into death and as buried into death we should now live a new life as Christ Jesus is now new as the first born of many to follow.  Paul explains being dead to sin in Romans 6:1-17:

 

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
 
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
 
15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.

 

 

When we receive the Spirit of God and baptized in water, professing our repentance and faith we are proclaiming to be dead to sin and that we belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism is a washing, a cleansing that glorifies God by your changing your life for Him.  You change the way you live and think.  You live and think with a new mind and attitude following in the ways of Christ. You no long conform to the world, but you live for Christ in all deed and word.  Your attitude and conduct have now changed with an inward cleansing.  With a remission of sins and sealing of the Holy Spirit in you, you begin a new life, as a new, regenerated [born again (John 3:3-6)] person in Christ Jesus, with a renewed mind and new desires.  A deeper love and knowledge of God has developed with the Holy Spirit sealed in you.

 

The root of the word baptism comes from the Greek meaning "to immerse."  This is scriptural and all baptisms noted in the Word of God, in the New Testament is of immersion, to be completely covered in water, not merely covered or sprinkled. This isn't a simple ceremonial activity, it is commanded by the Lord [Matthew 28:19] In water baptism this could include two methods:  (1) the complete body is immersed in a pool, river, ocean, lake  or baptismal tub, such a church may have; and (2) the body is completely covered in water as in a waterfall.  This can also be completed as full immersion with large buckets of water poured over the head and body of the person being baptized.  With two five gallon buckets full of water my brother, who was in a wheelchair was baptized this way. I poured one bucket over my brothers head at the same time, my brother in Christ, Dr. Samuel Kojoglanian, poured the other, baptizing him in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.  Believers who are ill, weak or paralyzed can have full immersion baptism. It is a willingness of the heart and the Spirit of God that directs us and moves us into fulfillment of this ordinance.  I also believe that baptism can be performed while a person is in a sickbed. Yes, we can declare the works of the Lord even from our sickbed, as the Spirit directs us.

 

There are three types of baptisms noted in the Bible. The doctrine of baptisms stated in Hebrews 6:2 is specific that the doctrine of baptisms is plural.

 

Hebrews 6:1-2:  Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to [perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

 

The baptisms include:  (1) John the Baptist's baptism; (2) water baptism [Christian Baptism], and (3) the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

 

 

  1. John the Baptist's Baptism: John the Baptist baptized for the remission of sin. This was before Jesus' ascension. The Spirit was not active in believers at this time. But people of faith in God, realizing their sinful nature, were baptized by John for the remission of sin.

 

  1. Water Baptism: This is Christian baptism. By this, believers identify themselves with Jesus. We are buried with Him and as we come out of the water we are resurrected as a new person, a new birth into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our old, sinful man has been buried with Christ and resurrected new in Christ.  Repentance with a new heart, new desires, and a turning away from the old sinful life or the old sinful man. We emerge from the water as a new person.  One must realize that one's sins have been crucified on the cross with Christ. Therefore, the repentant do not have to sin. We have the power given to us by Christ to not sin, with Christ in us (Philippians 4:13).  "We can do all things through the one who empowers us within."

 

"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life"  (Romans 6:4). 

 

There are three important conditions to Christian baptism:

 

  1. The person must have heard the gospel message and believe that Christ is Lord and Savior. The gospel message is this: Jesus, came to save sinners.  He is the Messiah, the Delivery, the one to save sinners from eternal hell and judgment, and to offer eternal life.  To do this Jesus had to be a sacrifice for the sins of man. He was the substitute to take the full punishment for mans sin; all of it, past, present and future sin. He was the sacrificial Lamb of God.  He was the last Passover blood sacrifice. Yes, it was a blood sacrifice, because life is in the blood.  There is salvation by the blood of Jesus, the blood of God.  Jesus was crucified. He died. He was buried. He (His spirit, soul and body) were raised from the grave three days later and He now is in heaven seated at the right hand of God. His work to save mankind is finished. Yet, He will come again to claim all those who are His. His judgment will come down on evil [Satan, his demons, and the children of the devil (unbelievers)]. Do you believe this?  I do.

 

Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16:  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  If you do not believe you cannot be baptized.  You can go through the act but it will mean nothing.  God knows your heart. He knows your beliefs.  Let's look at the statement Jesus says in the second sentence. "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  Jesus is giving us a procedure for salvation.  That is, once we believe we are to be baptized, thus we are saved by believing and taking the action of our faith (a work of obedience) by being baptism and professing our faith that we are now His and He is ours.  Water baptism solidifies our faith through our obedience to God's Word. Our obedience in baptism strengthens our bold to the Savior.

 

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

 

 

  1. Next, any act toward God requires repentance. Before one is baptized one must have repented from sin. You are dead to sin. Sin has no more control over you. Your sin has been crucified on the cross with Jesus.

 

Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:38].

 

  1. Having a good conscience toward God is required for baptism. In 1 Peter 3:20-22 we are told that it is "an answer of a good conscience toward God" which is a type of salvation through water baptism. It is not the cleansing of sin but by a good conscience toward God.

 

When once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

 

Is your conscience good toward God?  Have you forgiven all who have harmed you?  Have you repented from sin?  Do you have new desires and has the old man in you died?  Has the re-birth transformed your mind?  Has your mind been renewed?  Do you see the truth and do you believe Jesus to be the way, the truth and the life, that no one can come to the Father without Him?  There in only one true God. He is in the persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Do you believe this? If you said "yes" to these questions then you are ready to be baptized.

 

Summing up.  We are baptized into Christ, our sins (our old man) crucified on the cross with Him, buried with Him and resurrected with Him. Before we go under the water we are our old man. After coming out of the water we are renewed, resurrected, made alive in the new person.  We learned in this section the three conditions a person must meet to be baptized in Christ: (1) to hear the gospel and believe into it; (2) to repent of sin; and (3) to have a good conscience toward God.

 

By acknowledging your faith in Christ through baptism you now belong to Him. You have been resurrected anew; you do not belong to yourself but to Christ Jesus.  A few months before my water baptism the Lord spoke to me in my sleep. He said "You are a true disciple." The voice was pure, clean and beautiful. I woke up immediately; it was about 3:30 am.  A disciple is a pupil, a student of Christ. And that is what I am.  I want to know as much as I can about Him. I was pleased to hear those words from the Lord.  It encourages me daily to learn and study the Word.  After baptism we are committed to be disciples of Christ.  People who are baptized and not disciples are not living by the Word of God and have no right to be baptized. Sadly, I believe this is very evident with churches baptizing people and then leaving them on their own. Another problem I see with churches is the delay in baptism. Many churches will not baptize people of are not members of their church. They want long applications and interviews. This is not biblical. Baptism should be available immediately upon an individual desiring to be baptized. After baptism, discipleship begins.  In Matthew 28:19-20  Jesus commanded His disciples:

 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

 

Disciples making disciples.  Isn't this a beautiful thing?  A true believer can baptize a fellow believer in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

 

  1. Baptized in the Holy Spirit: My brother [John] and I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit before our water baptism at adults.  But most who are born again will probably receive water baptism first and when they are in the Word, having mind and heart filled with the Spirit. Baptism in the Holy Spirit will occur when we also ask for Him and want Him.  But there is no particular order noted in God's Word.  Some believers will get water baptized after repentance and others will be baptized in the Holy Spirit before water baptism.

 

All three baptisms are represented in Acts 19:1-6:

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
 
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
 
3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”
So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
 
4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
 
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

 

To Fulfill All Righteousness

Jesus said in Matthew 3:13-17 that He was baptized to "fulfill all righteousness."  Jesus was showing us by His example of baptism.  Jesus was not being baptized for the remission of sin; He had no sin. He was baptized to show us that it is a fulfillment of righteousness, it is a completion to our faith and commitment to Him.

 

 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
 
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
 
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17).

 

We learn in John 1:33-34 that the Spirit of God descended upon Jesus and John the Baptist was told by God that "He [Jesus] who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."  "And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him"  (John 1:32). This was the first baptism of the Holy Spirit entering a person. Prior to Jesus' baptism, John the Baptist baptized all for the remission of sin.  Jesus was sinless. He have no sin to repent. So, why did Jesus get baptized?  What reason did Jesus have?  The answer is in Matthew 3:15:

[Jesus said to John] "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

 

Look at the word "us" in verse 15.  Jesus said "it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."  He did not say it is fitting for me, but for "us."  Jesus is saying that He is the first to be baptism in water with the Holy Spirit and He is identifying Himself with those who will follow in water baptism. Therefore, believers, who have repented are baptized to "fulfill all righteousness."   We are justified by our faith, having peace with God through Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).  Through baptism our righteousness is completed by our faith in being baptized which, therefore, fulfills all righteousness. Baptism completes, our righteousness.

 

Infant Baptism

Is infant baptism acceptable to God?  This is a question where there is great controversy. The Orthodox, Roman Catholicism, Russian, Anglican, Episcopalian (other Protestant denominations), and Armenian Apostolic Churches and many others believe that infant baptism qualifies the child. The belief is that the baby is qualified by the faith of the sponsoring adult, usually the parents of the baby. Others believe this qualifying act completes itself when the child reaches a time of maturity when regeneration then occurs. 

My brother (John) and I were water baptized as infants in the Armenian Apostolic Church.  Much later in life after studying the Word of God, we were baptized in water again when we were fifty-seven.   After studying Scripture, both my brother and I did not find any evidence in the Word of God that qualified the act of infant baptism; thus, we were convicted by the Holy Spirit to be baptized again, confirming our repentance and faith to our Father in Heaven, to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, and to the Holy Spirit, in obedience to this ordinance of Christ.

 

Children and teenagers are a different story.  I believe the spirit of God is active at a young age and many well known Christians have been baptized at an early age upon being born again, acknowledging, repenting and confessing sin.

 

A child, teenager and adult are capable of understanding the Gospel and believing it. A baby cannot.  Relying on the parents to train up the baby in the Word of God is no guaranteed of positive results.  Coming to God is an individual experience. We are not saved by baptism. This is not scriptural. However, we are command by Jesus to profess our faith in baptism.  If you were baptized as an infant, I would suggest that you get baptized as an adult if you have repented and believe onto Christ. 

 

The question of disqualifying infant baptism can be positively argued because of six main facts:

  • There is no evidence that a infant was ever baptized in the New Testament.
  • Before one is baptized one must repent. A baby cannot repent. Repentance is a personal act.
  • A baby cannot confess sin because a baby does not know what sin is.
  • To be baptized one must believe and have faith in the work of Jesus and God's saving grace. A baby does not have faith.
  • Baptism is an individual act of the person being baptized. Parents cannot be a substitute to profess the faith of the infant and to carry-out this ordinance.
  • He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16) How can a baby believe?

 

Summing Up

Do not wait to get baptized. If you have repented from sin and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you have examined yourself and are in Christ, then find someone to baptize you.  You do not have to get baptized in a church or by an ordained minister or pastor, and you do not have to be a member of a church to be baptize.  Find a true Christian, one who understands baptism. You can be baptized in a swimming pool, lake, river or the ocean with full immersion. If you are disabled, home-bound, or on your deathbed, you can be baptized where you are.