THE NATURE OF BAPTISM

The first thing we must understand is that Jesus commanded baptism to take place as seen in the Great Commission passage (Matthew 28:18-20). Yet we also see in Scripture that salvation is by faith alone, apart from works. So, this leaves us three possible scenarios:

1) Baptism occurs distinct from the event of salvation

2) Baptism is required for salvation along with faith

3) The Scriptures contradict themselves at this point

While these may at first seem like outrageous conclusions, these are the three that are within the realm of possibility. I want to start off by saying that because God cannot lie nor change His mind (Numbers 23:19) we must say that the Scriptures cannot contradict themselves. Therefore, we can quickly conclude that option three is off the table. 

 ​There has been much done on the topic of baptism so I don’t want to oversimplify the issue, but accepting the conclusions of others on this helps us continue in our discussion. The second conclusion above is a view called “Baptismal Regeneration.” The view is that a person is not regenerated (born again) until they are baptized. There are some passages that, at first glance, may seem to suggest this, but let us look at closer at two key passages and see if they teach baptismal regeneration. 

​Acts 2:37-38 says, “Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” A quick look at the passage seems to suggest that someone needs to repent and be baptized to be forgiven of their sins and be saved. However, a closer look at the text will give a bit more clarity. Look at the key portion that says, "Baptized for the forgiveness of sins." You do not need to know Greek to understand this, as the English grammar shows that the word "for" is not always a causal agent. If a man went to prison for murdering his wife, does he go to prison so that he can murder? Or does he murder first and then go to jail? Looking just at the grammar we cannot simply conclude that baptism causes forgiveness from this passage. 

​Next, we look at 1 Peter 3:21, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This passage seems to be convincing regarding conclusion two above, but again, a closer look helps us understand the passage a bit more clearly. Peter was talking about the waters that surrounded Noah’s ark and that the ark saved the people from the waters of judgment. However, now the waters have become the mechanism, not of judgment,but of salvation! The phrase, “which corresponds to this,” is pointing back to something Peter has already laid out. Look at Peter’s statement, “not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience.” Peter is not saying that baptism merely “doesn’t wash your skin,” though, this is true. Baptism does not correspond to the washing of your skin in the same way as washing away the dirt of sin on your soul. Rather, Peter is saying, it is what you ought to do to have a clean conscience before God as a Christian, as believers are Peter’s audience here. Peter is saying to believers that baptism is what you ought to do as a believer, not something that makes you a believer. 

 ​Finally, baptism is an outward sign of the covenant people of God. Like circumcision in the Old Testament, baptism is a sign of the people of God in the New Testament. Now, there is debate on the issue of baptism as the continuation of circumcision or as a parallel to it. The views are that circumcision came after faith in Abraham’s case (credo-baptism view) or Abraham’s children received circumcision as an infant (paedo-baptist view). Regardless of the outcome of this debate, both views hold that baptism is a covenantal sign that God commands for His covenantal people. This has always been what God does. If we look at each covenant throughout the Scriptures, we see a sign given:

Noahic covenant - sign: rainbow

Abrahamic covenant - sign: circumcision

Mosaic covenant - sign: sabbath

Davidic covenant - sign: kingdom/throne

New Covenant - sign: God baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and the water baptism is to point to that inward/spiritual reality as well as working out that grace within us by furthering our obedience to Him. 

​So out of the three conclusions that we gave at the outset we can summarize that:    

1) The Scriptures do not contradict themselves 

2) We are not saved by faith and baptism but saved by faith alone 

3) Baptism is subsequent to salvation and a distinct event from salvation itself

Recommended Reading/Listening

Baptism of Disciples Alone by Fred Malone (Credobaptism)

Baptism: Answers to Common Questions by Guy Richard (Paedobaptism)

Faculty Lecture to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary by Dr. Stephen Wellum titled, “What does the Extent of the Atonement have to do with Baptist Ecclesiology: an Experience of Doing Theology”