We believe that water baptism soon after accepting Christ as personal Savior is a testimony of death to sin and resurrection to a new life.
– Beatty Community Church
Statement of Faith
What is baptism?
Basically, to baptize means to immerse in water. Water baptism is a ceremonial washing. Greeks used the word for dyeing cloth.
What is its purpose or meaning?
Water baptism symbolizes union and identification with Christ . It is a public testimony symbolizing our dying to self and sin and living for Christ (Romans 6:3-6). It is not a “sacrament” as there is no sacrament concept in the Bible.
John the Baptist baptized to repentance, meaning it symbolized the repentance on the part of the one being baptized (Matthew 3:11). But this is insufficient to save. One must come to faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 19:1-5, Romans 8:9).
According to James Montgomery Boice, when the word baptism is used in the Bible, it more often refers to the thing it symbolizes (our union with Christ and the permanent change that results) than the immersion ( 1 Corinthians 12:13). A text from a Greek poet and physician named Nicander, who lived about 200 years before Christ, contains a recipe for making pickles. He says to make a pickle, you first dip the vegetable in boiling water, then you baptize the vegetable in a solution. The dipping is temporary. The baptizing produces a permanent change. (Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989, quoted in Online Bible Greek Lexicon, Strong’s #907)
The word baptized in Mark 16:16 refers to our union with Christ. Intellectual acknowledgement is not enough. We must be united with Christ, which produces a permanent change, like the vegetable to the pickle. See John 1:33
(Even if Mark 16:16 refers to water baptism, the verse does not mention a lack of baptism will condemn someone.)
Who should be baptized?
All believers should be baptized (Matthew 28:19). Water baptism is not a requirement for salvation ( Luke 23:39-43, 1 Corinthians 1:14-17), but it is commanded nonetheless.
The New Testament tells us through many examples that baptism should immediately follow faith (Acts 2:41, 18:8, 10:44-48). It is not for infants. Acts 17:31-34 is used to show baptism of infants, but no infants are mentioned. Instead, it says that the whole household believed (vs. 34), so it couldn’t include infants.
Do ya’ll believe in baptism in the name of Jesus according to all of Acts or do ya’ll baptize in the titles? And if so, do ya’ll think it’s not important to baptize people in Jesus name? I just recently got into apologetic doctrine and so much of it is helpful in dealing with the world but I havent really heard anyone mention baptism inJesus name.
Doing anything “in the name of” means doing under that authority. Jesus authorized His disciples to baptize believers. When He authorized them in Matthew 28:19, He told them to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When people are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they are baptized in the name of Jesus.
So, you said, “Baptism is not a requirement for salvation, but it is commanded nonetheless.”
Listen to what you are saying. By making that statement, you are saying that following the commands of Jesus is not a requirement for salvation.
You are also saying that loving Jesus is not a requirement for salvation since Jesus said in John 14:23 “….Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching….” Then Jesus said in verse 24, “Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching….”
You mentioned Mark 16:16 but did not quote it. Doing so may be helpful for anyone seeking to know what Jesus said. He said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” You make the claim that “the verse does not mention a lack of baptism will condemn someone.” Well yes it does. The two are tied together in the beginning of the statement by the word “AND” He said “Whoever believes AND is baptized will be saved.” The one who does not believe would have no reason to be baptized and would therefore be condemned because his lack of belief would not cause obedience to what he did not believe.
Just because you choose too not see the connection of obedience to the commands of Jesus with salvation, does not mean it does not exist. Jesus said in John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.” Therefore water baptism is just as much a requirement for salvation as loving Jesus is.”
If water baptism is required for salvation, does that mean we have to add our works to Jesus’ finished work? Does that mean those in Acts 10:47 whom God sealed with the Holy Spirit weren’t really saved until man confirmed it afterwards by water baptizing them? Does that mean the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) wasn’t really saved because he was never water baptized? Does that mean Paul was missing an essential part of the gospel (1 Cor. 1:17)? Does that mean the other scriptures that mention the requirements of salvation are wrong because they leave out water baptism (John 3:16 and Rom 10:9 for example)?
There are two kinds of baptism: of water and of the Holy Spirit. Water baptism is something man does, which makes it a work. Our salvation is not based on our works, righteous or otherwise (Ephesians 2:8. Tit 3:5). The only baptism that saves is that of the Holy Spirit which comes from God (Matt 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, 10:47+11:15-18, 1 Cor 12:13, Tit 3:4-7, 1 Pet 3:21). Salvation is entirely by God’s grace (Acts 15:11). When He gives us the Holy Spirit, it is a seal guaranteeing our salvation (2 Cor 1:22, Eph 1:33).
Water baptism is not a prerequisite of salvation. It is an act of obedience after one believes. It is an outward symbol of an inner change, done in response to faith. It is an act of obedience just like the other things Jesus commanded us. If we sin by not being water baptized, we don’t lose our salvation. If we think that way, we fall into the error of the Galatians who thought they had to do works to keep saved. It becomes legalism. Sin certainly affects our fellowship with God and our rewards, but not our salvation if God has truly saved us.
Those who are truly saved (i.e. baptized of the Holy Spirit) want to obey because the Holy Spirit in us changes our nature. Someone who refuses to obey is just showing he does not have the Holy Spirit and is not saved. He’s not lost because he wasn’t water baptized. He’s lost because he wasn’t Holy Spirit baptized.