What Is The Purpose of Baptism? What is a microwave oven for? Everyone knows that, silly. Its for washing your clothes. Peanut butter is for brushing your teeth. And baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace. It is what you do because you are saved. Every single one of the above examples is equally false. The first two we know are false because of experience and common sense. The last one we should know is false because of what the scriptures say. Gods Word is not at all ambiguous as to the purpose of baptism. Baptism is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Baptism is to wash away sins (Acts 22:16). Baptism is where we get into Jesus Christ…into His death and are buried with Him (Romans 6:3,4; Colossians 2:12). Baptism saves us…by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:21). Understand that there is no merit on our part whatsoever in baptism. It is simply the instant that God has chosen to apply the merit of Jesus blood. Now, lets consider the most common objection given against the belief that baptism is necessary for salvation: Baptism is a work and the Bible teaches that you cant be saved by works. Faith is a work, too. Jesus said so (John 6:29). But Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:9 that we are saved, not as a result of works, that no man should boast. The word that Jesus uses in John 6:29 is the exact same word Paul uses in Ephesians 2:9. But most every evangelical understands faith to be essential. There is no contradiction. Paul is making the point that we cant earn our way to heaven. Neither faith nor baptism earns us anything before God. Only Jesus does that. But faith and baptism are Gods required response in order to accept His free gift (Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:26,27). It can be illustrated like this. Suppose someone gives you, as a gift, a check for one million dollars. Better yet it will clear the bank. When you sign your name on the back of that check and deposit it in your account, have you done anything worthy of merit? Do you boast to your friends of how you worked for that money by writing your name? Of course not. You simply met the condition required. There is no power in the water. The power, like the song says, is in the blood of Jesus. The above scriptures teach where that blood is applied. Yet many believe baptism is unnecessary. Are you willing to bet your soul on it? Brad Fry, Minister North Oak Church of Christ
Posted on: Fri, 18 Apr 2014 08:26:42 +0000
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