Articles
Why Were You Baptized?
Many today believe baptism is just a ceremony to give a baby a name. To others baptism is "an outward sign of an inward grace", in other words, to show the world that you have already been saved. Some folks are baptized simply to be a member of some denomination. And finally, there are those that believe that being baptized is the fulfillment of God's commandment to wash away their sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16; I Peter 3:21).
The Bible says that baptism puts one in Christ. Notice what Paul says: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Baptism is that which puts one in Christ, therefore, before one is baptized, they are outside of Christ. Faith, repentance and confession are essential to one's salvation, however, ONLY baptism puts one IN CHRIST. Notice in (Romans 10:10), "For with the heart man believeth UNTO righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made UNTO salvation" (emp LS). "Unto" is in the direction of and "into" is from without to within. If a man is going "unto" the house, he doesn't enter the house until he goes "into" the house. Faith, repentance, and confession leads one "unto" salvation, baptism puts one "into" Christ where God "hath blessed us with ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). How many spiritual blessings are there "outside" of Christ? NONE!
The Bible says that baptism makes one a child of God. Notice again what Paul says: "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27). The preposition "for" connects verses 26 and 27, showing that the means by which one is in Christ (being baptized) is the same means by which one becomes a child of God. Jesus said that, "as many as received him, to them gave he power TO BECOME the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12, emp LS). Faith by itself DOES NOT make one a child of God, but rather gives us the power to become children of God. When that faith acts, by being baptized into Christ, one becomes a child of God.
The Bible says that baptism brings one into the death of Christ. "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4, emp LS). Baptism puts us into the death of Christ, where we contact the blood of Christ, who "loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood" (Revelation 1:5).
The Bible says that baptism washes away our sins. "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and WASH AWAY THY SINS, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16, emp LS).
Friend, have you obeyed the Lord in baptism (Mark 16:16)? Why were you baptized (I Peter 3:21)? "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).
