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BAPTISM,  ITS  MEANING  AND  PURPOSE

( A Bible study by brother Tarran Dookie)

 DOES BAPTISM SAVE?

Mark 16: 16 reads ‘He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.’  Some read this ‘he that believeth is saved and may be or shall be baptized.’ However, the verse says belief followed by baptism will produce salvation. Now it does not say ‘ He that believeth and is baptized shall be regenerated.’ While the Bible alludes to various kinds of salvation, it speaks of one regeneration, the regeneration of our spirit when we believe in the atoning work of Christ for our sins. Baptism saves but it does not regenerate.

1 Peter 3: 21 also says in reference to water baptism ‘ the like figure whereunto baptism doth also now save us.’ It says baptism saves us. Again, I am not saying that baptism regenerates or gives us eternal life. Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He that believeth on the Son has everlasting life.

Salvation from sin or regeneration comes when the Father draws us to the Son causing us to repent and believe the gospel. We enter into eternal life the moment we recognise that we have sinned and in simple faith receive God’s unspeakable gift. Of course we must seek to obey His commands and grow for He wants to save us to the uttermost. Baptism does not give us eternal life but it does save. The question is: what does baptism save us from?

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SALVATION

 In most cases when the scriptures speak of salvation it refers to salvation from sin. However, sometimes salvation has reference to things other than sin. In Acts 20:27 we read ‘And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.’ This is talking about being saved from danger, that of an impending tempest. Salvation from our enemies is referred to in Lk.1: 71 ‘That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.’ Rom.8:23 refers to the salvation or redemption of our bodies. Rom.5: 9 talks about being saved from wrath. Acts 2:40 says ‘And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.’

SALVATION FROM THE WORLD

 The Lord Jesus has saved the believer from his or her sins. He has washed us in His blood and our sins are under his blood. However, He also wants you and me to be delivered or saved from this world. He has translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. He wants us saved from this crooked and perverse generation, this untoward generation. When we believe in the Lord Jesus, we are saved from our sins. But we may not necessarily have been saved from the world at that point. This is where baptism comes in.

Baptism is directly related to salvation from this world. The god of this world has many in captivity. In baptism we declare that we are finished with this world and Satan’s system and order. Circumcision distinguished the children of Israel from the Gentiles. Baptism distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever. (see Col. 2:11-12) This is not easily appreciated in the West but it is still very evident in countries where Christians are persecuted. In these countries if you say you believe in Christ you are instantly looked down upon. Moreover, if you get baptized you are persecuted and ostracized (even by family members) and sometimes thrown out of the home. In these societies, the believer’s baptism marks him out as one who has turned his back upon this world and embraced a new way of life. This was very true also in the first century church.

Notice what Acts 2:36-40 says:

36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.

Peter tells his audience that they have crucified Jesus, whom God has made both Lord and Christ. In verse 40 he exhorts them saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Three thousand repent and are baptized. Not only have they received eternal life when they repent and turn to God but by their baptism they are saved from that world that they once belonged to, the world that crucified Christ.

A similar situation existed with the apostle Paul. Prior to his encounter with Christ he persecuted the church. The light of the glory of God now strikes him. He recognises and calls Jesus Lord. But he has to declare that he is finished with that world that he once belonged to. Hence, Ananias tells him “ arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Do not confuse this symbolic washing away of sins with receiving eternal life.  Paul was already regenerated. Notice that Ananias calls him brother Saul prior to his baptism (Acts 9:17).

BAPTISM , THE ANSWER OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE

Let us take a closer look at 1 Peter 3: 20-21:

20  Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21  The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Water lifted up the ark and Noah and his family were saved. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now notice carefully the words in brackets in verse 21: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh (baptism was not meant to be a bath to cleanse us physically), but the answer of a good conscience toward God. The Greek word  for answer is eperōtēma, which means answer, response, reply. Baptism is the response that one makes because he now has a good conscience toward God. You are not baptized to get a good conscience, but rather you are baptized because you have a good conscience. How does one get a good conscience? Hebrews 9:14 says “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Only the blood of Christ can regenerate us and give us a good conscience. When we repented and believed the gospel we received a good conscience (we were regenerated) and in response to that we get baptized ( we go into the ark and declare to this world that we are finished with it) . Thus, baptism does not regenerate us but it  saves us from this world that is  the crooked and perverse generation.

BURYING THE OLD MAN

Romans ch.6: 3-7 tells us:

3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4  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.
5  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7  For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Baptism symbolizes the burial and resurrection of Christ. Baptism is a watery grave. We do not go into the water to die. Only the dead are buried. In baptism we symbolically bury the old man of sin. Why does Paul call him the old man. Because he is dead. When did he die? He died when he was crucified. The old man was crucified with Christ. When we repented and believed the gospel, when we made that decision to accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour, the old man was crucified. That is when we become free from sin. Verse 7 does not say that he that is buried and rises up is freed from sin but rather it tells us “For he that is dead is freed from sin.” It is improper to bury that which is alive. Baptism truly makes sense when we realise that we are saved from sin and that the old man is crucified. You can now bury him. If the person is not regenerated before baptism, that person ought not to be baptized for we would be burying someone alive and kicking.

The regenerated person is alive spiritually. The old man of sin is dead and can and needs to be buried. Paul in Rom.6:11 says this of the regenerated person, "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." The old man is crucified with Christ but he is not done away with. Baptism does not get rid of the old man. The tug of war mentioned in Romans 7 continues. We have to be ever watchful for the old man of sin is still present making war with the new man. Baptism is but a symbol even as the Lord's Supper. We do not think that we are eating the literal body of Christ (even though Christ said, "Take, eat; this is my body"). We also should not think that baptism literally washes away sin or the strange doctrine that we contact the blood of Christ in baptism.

BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT 

John 3: 3-8 reads:

3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8  The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

Those who teach baptism as necessary for regeneration say these verses speak of  water baptism. But they say that baptism was not mandatory upon the thief on the cross because the new testament was not binding as Christ had not died as yet. If these verses are about baptism then are we to understand that Christ is telling Nicodemus he has to be baptized to be born again but that he must wait until the death of Christ to be baptized? This does not make sense.

Jesus was speaking to a Jew who was quite familiar with the Old Testament. When Jesus speaks of water the most natural thing that Nicodemus would relate to is not water baptism but rather the water of separation or purification. ( See Num.19:9; Num.31:23; Ezek.36:25.) What did this shadow  or symbol point to? Certainly not to another symbol (baptism). It refers to an inward cleansing, a cleansing from above. Being born of water and the spirit is not fleshly. A ritual or ordinance ( be it circumcision, cleansing by the water of purification,  or water baptism) cannot bring about the new birth. It is not exterior, it is interior. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT GIVEN TO THE UNSAVED

Acts 10 describes the experience of Cornelius. Verses 1-7 reads:

1  There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2  A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
3  He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
4  And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
5  And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:
6  He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

We are told that this man was devout, feared  God and prayed to Him always. An angel of God visited him and told him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. Does this sound like an unsaved person? I think not. How many Christians can claim a testimony like Cornelius?

Some have said that he was sincere but lost and that he needed to be told by Peter what he must do to obtain salvation. This is a sad conclusion. Cornelius needed to know the way of God more perfectly as did Apollos (Acts 18:26). Peter was sent by the Spirit to fill that gap. But where do people get the idea that Cornelius was lost and had to be baptised or else he would go to hell?

Did Cornelius know about Christ before Peter came? Verse 37 says: “That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached.” Cornelius already knew about Christ.

Now when did the Holy Spirit fall on Cornelius and his household? Verses 44-48 reads:

44  While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
48  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Undoubtedly the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household before they were baptised. Those who teach baptismal regeneration say that in all other accounts in Acts the Holy Spirit was given after water baptism and that the case of Cornelius is an exception to indicate to Peter that the Gentiles were now accepted of God. But surely Peter knew this before as verse 28 indicates: “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”

Acts 11:13-18 reads:

13  And he showed us how he had seen an angel in his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter;
14  Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.
15  And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
16  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.
17  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?
18  When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

If we go back to Acts 10:34-43 we can read the words that Peter spoke. And verse 44 tells us  that “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”

 
Earlier on I made a clear distinction between baptismal salvation and  baptism for regeneration. I have pointed out that baptism saves us from the world , as in baptism we bury that world under water. We declare that we are finished with it and that we are on a new course. Who was Cornelius? He was a Gentile and God had chosen him to be the first Gentile to formally come into the church.  He was devout and feared God and an angel of God told him that his prayers and alms had come up as a memorial before God. But he was still a Gentile and as far as the believing Jews were concerned such a one was not accepted . Like Appolos he needed to be taught the way more perfectly. Also, he needed to be saved from the world . He had to be baptised, thereby making a declaration of his faith and testifying to all who were present that he was indeed regenerated.

Being born again is not a cut and dry affair. You are not born again by a formula. John 3: 8 says “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

 
Regeneration is initiated and completed by the Spirit. John 6:37 reads “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Again John 6:44 tells us “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Read what Acts 16:14 says about Lydia: “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.” Some can point to a definite day and time and say that was when I was born again. With others it may not be definite but gradual. One day it dawns on them that the love of God has been shed abroad in their hearts and that they can cry Abba Father. They are regenerated. They subsequently learn of baptism and are baptised not to be regenerated but to make a public declaration of their faith. Baptism is only one of several commands to be kept. It will be and ought to be obeyed when one comes into a knowledge of it.

Salvation as distinct from regeneration is an ongoing process. Heb.7:25 tells us “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”  The words that Peter would speak to Cornelius would propel him and lead him further  on this journey of knowing God and being saved to the uttermost. Peter’s words would not be the end all. Growth and knowledge would have to continue. He would have to hear further words from the Spirit whereby he must be saved. We all must hear further words from the Spirit whereby we must be saved. Again, do not confuse this salvation with regeneration. 

If we see the case of Cornelius in the light of the above we will realise that Cornelius was already regenerated and the words of Peter gave him further instruction in some things that he should do. I also repeat that the Holy Spirit is not given to the unsaved. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius was similar to the outpouring on the day of Pentecost  and in both cases the Spirit was poured out on already regenerated persons. The Spirit did not fall on them to save or regenerate them, they were already regenerated. The Spirit upon them merely evidenced their salvation, it did not produce it. What produces salvation from sins is when the Holy Spirit quickens our spirit, that was once dead in sins and trespasses. 

One thing should be abundantly clear. The Holy Spirit would not be poured out upon the unsaved. Even if this outpouring of the Spirit was only to confirm to Peter and those with him that the Gentiles were now accepted and that God is no respecter of persons, it does not annul the fact that only a saved person or persons can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and magnify the Lord.

Believers in Christ Jesus may freely copy, use and distribute this Bible study. Under no circumstances must it be sold. Freely ye have received, freely give.

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