In the Scriptures, we see that Jesus gave us a clear direction to baptize those that become disciples.
Matthew 28:18-20 ~ 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Mark 16:16 ~ 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
The church is changing the order that Jesus gave us and we are changing the sequence, to raise your hand, pray, be saved and one day be baptized.
Catholic Church: The ones that were baptized one day will believe and will be saved
Evangelical Church: The ones that believe will be saved and one day will be baptized
Jesus gave us the order, but who explained the reasons were the apostles
Acts 2:38 ~ 38 And Peter said to them, “ Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Col 2:12-15 ~ 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Romans 6:3-4 ~ 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
It seems that they were not sure that when they were put on Christ they have became participants of everything from Jesus, His death and His life. To be included in His death and be part of His resurrection pass through the baptism.
Galatians 3.27 ~ 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
This was the moment that God has established for the man to have his sins washed away and to be united to Christ.
1 Peter 3:20-21 ~ 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Can we say that “water is nothing?”, yes we can. Except when a sinner repent and dive into it, in the name of Jesus. In that moment that water is the way that God is establishing His covenant with the man.
Acts 22:12-16 ~ 12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘ Brother Saul, receive your sight. ’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
Also found in Acts 9:17-19.
Acts 2:38-42 ~ 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
There was no delay to be baptized.
Acts 16:13-15 ~ 13 And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us
Acts 16:30-34 ~ 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “ Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
Acts 19:4-5 ~ 4 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.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 8:12 ~ 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Act 8:36-38 ~ 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “ See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
Act 10:44-48 ~ 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “ Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days.
Act 18:8 ~ 8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.
What can we get from these verses:
- Baptism is the act by which, through faith, we are placed into Jesus.
- We should not wait to baptize others
- We should baptize in water
- To be baptized the person needs to repent and have faith
Jesus is good! To Him be all the glory, to me all the shame.