Let me explain.
For
years I have now observed that people tend
to approach the matter
of baptism from a subjective point of view – from the point of me, and how I
feel about it, and what my
church
tradition has to say about it,rather than submitting to the plain teaching and command of Christ in this matter.
The
imperative of baptism [1]
is trivialized when we make baptism
a subjective matter. Typical language which reflects this subjective mindset is reflected by words such as these: “I feel that I need
(or need not) be baptized “.
The thought patterns behind these
feelings
are varied :
- Someone feels
the pressure of baptism in accordance with the rules of the church or even
perhaps of the Scriptures themselves. Others feel that they will
not be pressured by the rules of
the church or even by Scripture.
- Some feel
that their infant baptism is a
true baptism, irrespective of what
Scripture teaches, or what the Lord Jesus has plainly commanded and practiced
Himself.
- Others who
have been baptized as babies will feel that they will go against their
parents commitment by being
baptized again as adults.
- Others feel embarrassed
by the thought that they should stand before a church and give
testimony. On this basis
a number of people have refused
to be baptized.
- Some may feel since a well known person in the church has never submitted to biblical baptism, that this also constitutes their reason not to be baptized.
- Still others say, “Well, I have seen people
baptized and a number of those
I have seen baptized have fallen away and therefore I feel that baptism isn’t that significant after all.
- Others may say the same thing
in a different way: “I don’t feel
that I should be baptized – just now I will fall away.“ It goes without saying that baptism
should never be
considered lightly. It should
only be considered by those
that have truly been born again.
Let
me stop here and point out that at every point people engage in an inward conversation, and it is all very feeling centered and in
the end the doctrine of baptism is all
about me.
I
challenge you to re-think your
approach to the matter of
baptism, by putting the Lord Jesus and His Word at the center of your thinking and feeling.
If you are a true Christian
baptism is not about you. It is
even less about how you feel about it. It is all about God and His Son Jesus and what He has commanded YOU concerning it!
BAPTISM : ESSENTIAL OR NON-ESSENTIAL TO SALVATION ?
Before I move on I must
settle one more matter.
Many good Christian people point out that baptism is not essential to salvation.
So it is!
However, just because it is not essential to salvation, some have concluded that it is optional, and therefore it is said (quietly to yourself) that you can make up your mind concerning it. I submit that this is not a helpful conclusion at all.
True, baptism in and of itself does not save. However, New Testament baptism is always connected to salvation. Those that believe are baptized! They are not saved because they are baptized. They are baptized because they are saved!
So, we cannot separate salvation from baptism, even though we need to be careful not to invert the order. The New Testament pattern is this: Baptism always follows salvation, and in that sense it is important that we obediently observe the pattern given us in the Scriptures.
Let no man separate what God has joined together! Do not let your subjective feelings or church tradition deceive you.
You must do what is right according to the plain teaching of God's Word.
Many good Christian people point out that baptism is not essential to salvation.
So it is!
However, just because it is not essential to salvation, some have concluded that it is optional, and therefore it is said (quietly to yourself) that you can make up your mind concerning it. I submit that this is not a helpful conclusion at all.
True, baptism in and of itself does not save. However, New Testament baptism is always connected to salvation. Those that believe are baptized! They are not saved because they are baptized. They are baptized because they are saved!
So, we cannot separate salvation from baptism, even though we need to be careful not to invert the order. The New Testament pattern is this: Baptism always follows salvation, and in that sense it is important that we obediently observe the pattern given us in the Scriptures.
Let no man separate what God has joined together! Do not let your subjective feelings or church tradition deceive you.
You must do what is right according to the plain teaching of God's Word.
FURTHER FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS
I
challenge you to stop right here and
to ask yourself what you would do with the fact that Jesus Himself was baptized ? [2]
BAPTISM
IS GIVING GLORY TO GOD !
Baptism is not about you
- it’s all about Jesus. In His great love He laid down His life for you, granting you new life in Him! You are baptized, because you are His work of grace.
If
per chance you had decided to get converted, then it might be reasonable to expect that you might also decide to be baptized or not
to be baptized.
But you know better than that!
But you know better than that!
You certainly weren’t born again
by your own decision[5]. God
the Father chose you [6]; Jesus paid the price of your sin [7]; the Holy Spirit made you alive
even when you were dead in your sins and transgressions[8]
.
Your salvation is all of God and therefore your baptism should be a testimony to the glory of God. Your baptism is not about you. Your baptism is not simply to provide you with a ‘heavenly insurance policy’ or to satisfy the tradition or expectations of the church or to fulfill requirements for church membership. Your baptism is all about Jesus!
FOUR WAYS IN WHICH YOU WILL GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BAPTISM
1. You
will glorify God through your obedience. Whenever you obey what He commands,
you give glory to God. So when He says,
“Repent… be baptized”, then
you not only obey His Word, but you obey Him. It is not just something that you feel strongly about (you
may actually not feel it!) but it is a principled, outward demonstration of obedience. This brings glory to God.
2. You
will glorify God through
proclaiming His forgiveness.
When you are baptized, you say to the world, “God has dealt with my sin. I am forgiven. I did not forgive myself. God
forgave me! All glory to God ! It’s
all about God.
3. You will glorify God through
manifesting the new life which you have received! When you become a Christian, you
inherit new life and a
new citizenship. You have become a new
creation[9]. To this you testify in your baptism.
Could there be a better outward testimony of such an inward spiritual change? The new believer goes down into the water,
and rises out of the water, illustrating that the old things are dead and
buried. Rising out of the water the new believer says “…everything has become new“. Through
believers baptism you praise God
for your new life and the people who witness your baptism see
that and
they praise God for what they see.
Outsiders see that and they are helped to understand
the meaning of true conversion in
a powerful way. Glory is brought to
God in every way. Ask yourself, How could infant
baptism possibly illustrate this powerful, symbolic
burial and resurrection with Christ?
4. You will glorify God by identifying
with Christ and the body of Christ! Baptism not only means identification with Christ and
with that which Christ has done for us
in His death, burial and resurrection. In baptism
you are also baptized into that
which Jesus loves most, namely His body, the church. By one Spirit we are baptized into one body [10]. We consciously follow the Lamb in the
fellowship of His church – our baptized
brothers and sisters. It’s all about
Him and not about ourselves !
Therefore,
let us never forget that baptism was commanded
by Christ, and it is an ordinance
for all His New Testament
people. So if you consider yourself a true believer then you would want to obey Him.
It’s not about you. It is all about Jesus !
It’s not about you. It is all about Jesus !
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