An Overview of Christian Baptism (Part Two)

An Overview of Christian Baptism (Part Two).  In addition to explaining what water baptism is, it is also important to explain what water baptism is not. Baptism in water is not baptism by the Spirit. All believers at the point of salvation are baptized into Christ by the Spirit; they are born again and become members of Christ’s body, the church. “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). Spiritual baptism, albeit unseen, is nevertheless true. Water baptism, therefore, as a symbolic act makes visible the believer’s otherwise invisible spiritual baptism. It displays to the world what has been declared by God. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

In a way that no other Christian action can, water baptism professes to the world publicly what the believer has already confessed to God personally at conversion. Fundamentally, water baptism does not save anyone; it testifies that salvation has come to this person through his or her faith in Jesus alone. Water baptism is a sign, a symbol of identification. As with all biblical symbols and signs, the power remains in what is signified instead of how it signifies. Thus, there is no power in the water itself or the pronouncement of the words, but only in the object of our faith, Jesus Christ. “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom. 10:13).

Additionally, water baptism is not the same as the command for the Christian to be repeatedly filled with the Spirit. “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Being filled with the Spirit carries the idea of consciously yielding to the Spirit’s guidance, day-by-day, especially for the purpose of serving others in love. The altered state that comes from yielding to strong liquor (spirits) is the explicit counterfeit of being filled with the Spirit. Water baptism is distinct from being filled with the Spirit because it happens precisely once at the point of conversion; filling happens regularly.

Finally, if a person does not understand the gospel, then he or she cannot rightly believe the gospel. In such a state, any act of baptism would be meaningless. Case in point, Priscilla and Aquila exhort Apollos, although he knows of Messiah from the Old Testament promises up to the baptism of John, had never heard about Christ’s death, burial, resurrection, or ascension of Christ to the Father from where he sent the Holy Spirit to the church. Therefore, when Paul arrives to town, he quickly brings Apollos’ disciples (and presumably Apollos, too) up to speed regarding the redemptive work of Christ. “And he said, 'Into what then were you baptized?’ They said, 'Into John's baptism.' And Paul said, 'John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.' On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:3-5). Baptism follows belief that Jesus is the sinner’s only hope in life or death.