If a person has ever been acquainted with Christianity, he has surely noticed that the rite of baptism is present in this movement. In every denomination, admission into church membership takes place through water baptism. Yet it is performed differently everywhere. In some places, sprinkling and anointing with water are practiced; in others, pouring; and elsewhere, complete immersion beneath the water.
What is baptism? Why is it necessary? What does it signify? Is it possible to do without this rite and still receive God’s blessings?
Baptism is a rite of consecrating a person to a special relationship with God. This act is of Heavenly origin and is a symbolic covenant with God that grants the right to special blessings from Him. Baptism indicates a person’s spiritual belonging to the Lord.
Immersion in water is a symbol of death to sin and to this world, while rising out of the water is a symbol of resurrection to Eternal life.
Baptism is not salvation and does not grant it automatically. Salvation comes from Jesus Christ. But through water baptism, I receive the right to salvation by faith in Jesus. This is a condition that cannot be bypassed if a person wishes to enter into a personal relationship with God and become part of the New Covenant with Him.
Before Christ began His mission, circumcision of the male foreskin served as the symbol of the Covenant with God. Women became partakers of this Covenant only by faith. The death of Christ abolished this rite.
By His example of being baptized by John, Jesus demonstrated His attitude toward this rite and called it the fulfillment of all righteousness. In this way, the Savior established the symbol of entering into a special relationship with God.
Baptism is like a marriage ceremony. This comparison reveals the meaning of the rite most clearly. Water baptism is a marriage vow to Christ, in which I declare my desire to belong to God and to be His possession, while the Lord grants me the right to possess all the promised Heavenly blessings according to my faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is a testimony to the entire visible and invisible world that our relationship is lawful, and God receives the full right to participate personally in my life as Spouse, as Head of the Church, and as Teacher. We enter into the closest relationship with God, which we develop on the basis of faithfulness and obedience as we come to know one another.
Without baptism, I may also have a relationship with God, but not as with my lawful Spouse and Father; rather, as with the Creator, Who loves all His creation and cares for it but does not grant it the right to Eternal life.
Jesus said in John 3:5: ‘Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.’
Any other way of establishing a relationship with God is unlawful and is not accepted from above, whatever people may call it. Christ Himself gave us an example. He did not need cleansing from impurity, yet He underwent this rite, demonstrating its necessity and receiving baptism on behalf of those who, because of various circumstances, would be unable to undergo it—for example, the thief on the cross or infants killed for the Name of Christ.
Baptism is considered appropriate at a conscious age, when a person understands what he is doing and assumes the obligations of faithfulness to God and His law. A child cannot comprehend this.
Just as there are certain age requirements for entering into marriage, so a person’s age is also taken into consideration when admitting him to baptism.
Baptism is a symbol of death to sin and the world and the beginning of a new life for God. It has immense significance in the spiritual world. Without this rite, God does not have the authority to intervene in a person’s life and form his character in His likeness. The forces of evil also watch to ensure that God does not violate a person’s freedom of choice, and they hinder people in every possible way from taking this step, suggesting to them that baptism is not so important because God loves everyone. Yes, the Lord loves everyone, but He cannot bring about changes in every heart. He accomplishes them only in the soul that enters into a covenant with Him.
The new birth from the Spirit may take place before water baptism, and God begins to teach a person and lead him toward making a decision about a serious relationship. It is like a man and a woman who meet and realize that they were made for a relationship. They are drawn to fellowship, and through it they come to know each other better; then they decide to create a family so that they may always be together and never be separated. The man and woman declare their decision to the representatives of the local authorities and receive the right to become a family; then they make a vow of faithfulness to God and receive His blessing upon their family life. They are declared husband and wife and receive full rights to one another before society and before Heaven. And God regards them as one, joining them in this union. All relationships outside marriage are regarded as fornication and are rejected by Heaven as sinful.
Jesus desires to have a lawful relationship with His people.
Does it matter in which denomination I receive baptism? By entering upon this path, I acknowledge God as my Spouse, but the teaching of the church in which I am baptized must meet God’s requirements and not contradict the Bible. I become part of a particular denomination, and God begins to work within its framework, nurturing my growth. But when He calls me to Biblical obedience so that I may continue growing and developing, I become restricted by the teaching of the church whose member I am and cannot go beyond its established boundaries; otherwise, I risk being expelled and rejected by the community to which I am bound by traditions, family and friendly ties, and many experiences of spiritual development that I have witnessed and personally undergone. My growth stops, and I begin to become firmly established in what I have chosen.
And if the teaching of my church is based on a false foundation, I begin to regard that falsehood as truth and defend it with human arguments. And who will help me break free from this cycle of life?!
Jesus taught: ‘And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ The Lord truly sets us free.
In the time of Christ, baptism took place where there was much water, so that a person could enter it and be completely immersed. Sprinkling or pouring does not correspond to the spirit of the Bible and cannot be accepted as the fulfillment of all righteousness, although some call it baptism.
This step of faith through complete immersion must be taken with an understanding of what and in Whom I am being baptized.
I have been baptized three times. The first time, I was a little over one year old, and I did not consent to it. The second time, I was baptized by faith in Jesus, understanding what I was doing, and I was very glad about this event; I believe it was the right step. But as I began to learn the truth, I realized that the movement to which I belonged did not live according to the truth and concealed its sins behind supernatural powers that manifested themselves in its services. I left that congregation and began to study independently. God showed me that He has a people whose teaching is consistent with the entire Bible, and after lengthy study, I decided to become part of this people by receiving baptism again, joining my life with those who base their faith on Scripture rather than on feelings or tradition. And God continues to lead me and reveals a more excellent way.
Love is the reward for faithfulness that all who desire to know the truth and live in it will receive.
Questions for Reflection
Please read Matthew 3:13–15; 21:25; 28:19–20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 16:30–33; 22:16; Romans 6:1–6; Galatians 3:27; 5:6; Colossians 2:12–13; 1 Peter 3:20–21; and Ephesians 4:5 in the light of this chapter. What did you understand from this chapter? Why is the rite of water baptism so important for salvation? Is it possible to be a member of several denominations at the same time through baptism in those churches? Is this consistent with Scripture? Does baptism save me? If so, from what? If I do not understand the meaning of baptism, could performing this act with the wrong motive result in condemnation for me? Are you personally acquainted with this rite in your own life? Into what were you baptized? Must baptism always be understood? Matthew 3:14–15. What should I do if I love Jesus but consider baptism unnecessary for me? Is it possible to enter the Kingdom of Heaven without following this rule? Give examples.