John was the Baptist. He understood the doctrine of baptism. So should every other Baptist. In this reference, we see that John's baptism makes all of the difference in receiving true everlasting salvation or receiving everlasting damnation. Continuing to maintain the relationship, which is represented by John's baptism, also makes all of the difference in continuing to receive further blessings from God or receiving punishment for disobedience. Simply put, true Biblical baptism is a symbolic statement that someone has truly Biblically repented and received Jesus as their personal Lord in an ongoing personal relationship. Having, or not having, this type of relationship is what makes all of the everlasting difference.
The basic doctrine of the word baptism is: 'identified with'. When we are baptized in the New Testament, we are to be 'identified with' the holiness and righteousness of God the Father; the sacrifice and service of God the Son; and the ongoing personal relationship with God which is maintained by God the Holy Spirit.
We have this controversy over baptism because people don't study the Bible for themselves and believe some self-appointed religious authority instead of personally finding the truth. People know about the Pharisees and others 'Bible authorities' who taught error. They know that the Bible warns them that Satan's ministers are liars who claim to be ministers of righteousness (2Corinthians 11:12-14). In addition, we read in Galatians that Peter was convinced to support doctrinal error, even though he was a 'good godly Bible believing preacher'. As a result, he was corrected before the entire church mentioned. Therefore, if we wish to avoid public embarrassment, or worse, then we need to verify what we are taught by looking into the Bible itself and taking what the Bible literally says.
With this truth in mind, all should agree that we need to look at what the Bible truly teaches about baptism in order to say how the Bible is using the true definition to teach us how to overcome sin in this chapter.
The Word Study on ljc1611kjv.com has links to every place where the Bible uses any form of the word “baptize”, divided by the exact form of the word used. It also has links to every place where the Bible uses forms of this word in different applications. Please see that Word Study for a detailed analysis.
Below are the main Bible references which we need to consider in order to get the true Biblical doctrine on this word. There is much doctrinal error taught about this word. However, if the reader will prayerfully consider all that is below, the reader should be able to know, and prove, what is the true Biblical doctrine on this subject.
One of the first things to look at is the doctrine from 1Corinthians 10:1-4. There we read: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”. Now, there is a lot of doctrine in this sentence which we can not cover because it will distract from the main purpose of this Study. (The details, contextual considerations and more are covered in the Book Study on 1Corinthians.) However,
We are told “And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left” in Exodus 14:16 and Exodus 14:22. When we combine this truth with the truth of 1Corinthians 10:1-4, we see that they were “baptized unto Moses...upon the dry ground”. Since the true Biblical definition of a Bible word must be what is true in every instance, the true definition of this word can not be 'dunked' nor can it be 'sprinkled'. Yes, the true Biblical symbolic ordinance for the 'Church Age' is 'dunked'. However, that is not the definition which matches every usage of the Bible. The truth is that God wants His people 'identified with' the holiness and righteousness of God the Father; the sacrifice and service of God the Son; and the ongoing personal relationship with God which is maintained by God the Holy Spirit. This can only be done by being “baptized” God's way, which is being 'dunked'. However, as Peter tells us, what is critically important is not being 'dunked' (“not the putting away of the filth of the flesh”) but having “the answer of a good conscience toward God” because we have truly been 'identified with' God.
One other thing from our reference in 1Corinthians 10:1-4 is the phrase: “And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”. Once more there is too much doctrine to cover in this Study. However, what we do see here is the symbolic ongoing personal relationship which true baptism is supposed to represent being started. Therefore, the 'identification' of true Biblical baptism is just the start of an ongoing personal relationship.
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There are several verses in each of the four gospels that tell about John the Baptist. The main thing that he is known for is preaching repent. Yes, he did 'dunk' people but refused to 'dunk' those who did not have evidence that they truly had repented. That is, the outward act only identified an inward change. “Repent” is another Biblical concept that religions teaches doctrinal error about. The true Biblical definition of repent can be found in Matthew 22:37 and Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27 where Jesus said “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”. John's baptism identified people with turning from religious 'self righteousness' to the God of the Bible and obedience to Him that gives true Biblical righteousness that can be seen by the world in our physical life. Acts 19:3-5 Tells us that the baptism of John did not save. It is not enough to repent from sin but we must also receive the Lord Jesus. We must agree to obey Jesus as our Lord in what we do in this life. 'What Would Jesus Do'.
Hebrews 6:1-2 is a single sentence (see the note associated with it in the Lord Jesus Christ Study.) It says that baptisms (plural) and repentance from dead works are only a couple of the principles of the doctrine of Christ which are the basic spiritual principals involved in learning spiritual maturity. Being identified with (acting like) Christ is what Hebrews 6:1-2 means by baptisms.
Matthew 20:22 and Mark 10:39 and Luke 12:50 all speak of the baptism of Jesus. In Matthew and Mark, just before this verse, Jesus told the disciples He was going to Jerusalem to die. Then in Matthew and Mark, Jesus linked His baptism to the cup that I shall drink of which was His death in Matthew 26:39-42, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42 and John 18:11. In Matthew and Luke, before these verses, Jesus was telling parables to teach His disciples to work in God's vineyard by faith and the teaching in Mark, before these verses, also was about working and trusting God for our reward. So the baptism of Jesus was His death in obedience to God for the joy that was set before him (Hebrews 12:2). His baptism identified Him with obedience and service to the God of the Bible, even unto death.
The other references to baptism in the gospels, and in Acts (with the exception of those listed in the next points), refer to John the Baptist's baptism, which we already saw is associated with the doctrine of “repent” and refused to those who refused to change their way of living. John's baptism identified people with the God of the Bible and with obedience to the God of the Bible.
Mark 16:16 says “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned”. In this verse, baptized is added (and) onto He that believeth. This is not saying that being physically 'dunked' is required to be saved because the thief on the cross was not physically 'dunked'. However, it is saying that we must be 'identified with' our Lord and Saviour in a way that the lost world understands. If the lost world doesn't understand that we are 'identified with' our Lord and Saviour (by the life we live) then our claim that we “believeth” is an empty claim of a lie. The God of the Bible believes in 'put up or shut up'.
Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12-13, 16, 36, 38; 9:18, 10:47-48, 16:15, 33; 18:8, 19:5, 22:16 all talk about people being baptized to join the church. Many of these people were endangering their lives and many were declared dead by their families, who refused to talk to them again, when they were baptized. They were identified with the God they believed in ways that most of today's so-called 'Christians' are too wimpy to do. Baptism is to be identified with Jesus Christ even if we lose everything in this world and our own family declare us dead and refuse to recognize us ever again.
Acts 1:5 and 11:16 promises “ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence”. When it happened they spoke in tongues and were identified with the Holy Spirit (God of the Bible). They then went out and “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6-7) to the point that they suffered persecution and death but kept doing what God commanded.
This sentence (and the rest of the chapter) uses “baptism” to identify people with Jesus Christ and with a changed life that shows true Biblical repentance and identification with the God of the Bible.
Galatians 3:27 says “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” and the context is talking about identification with the God of the Bible by a changed life that shows true Biblical repentance. Their life changed from showing the pleasure of sin to showing how “Christ” wants us to live. Please see that chapter and associated notes.
Ephesians 4:5 uses “baptism” in the middle of a list of things which bring spiritual unity in the church and that Bible reference equates “baptism” to “one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith...One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all”. This is obviously not talking about being physically dunked but being identified with the God of the Bible.
Colossians 2:12 is part of a sentence that goes from Colossians 2:10 through 2:12. In this reference, “baptism” is equated to “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ”. Here “baptism” equated with true Biblical repentance. It is separation (circumcised) from the temptations of this world and being identified with the God of the Bible.
1Peter 3:21 is where a lot of wrong doctrine comes from because people ignore Peter's definition of baptism contained within the verse which is (“not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God”). It is not being 'dunked' (“not the putting away of the filth of the flesh”). It is equated with true Biblical “repentance” (“but the answer of a good conscience toward God”) and being identified with the God of the Bible.
1Corinthians 1:17 says “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel”. Baptism doesn't save but preaching the gospel does. All other references in 1Corinthians also downplay the importance of baptism while lifting up preaching the gospel.
In Matthew 28:18-20 we have the 'Great Commission'. Within it we are told to be “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”. We are to get them to be identified with the God of the entire Bible including all of the Old Testament except the religious part of the Mosaic Law which was replaced by the New Testament. We are to identify them with the Son of God who gave us the New Testament and shows us how to act like God, which is a true son of God (John 1:12-13). Further, we are to identify them with the Holy Ghost who keeps us saved and in touch with God in spite of our sin and interprets the Bible for us. 'The Spirit of God uses the word of God to show the child of God what is the Will of God'. Finally, we are to identify them with the Trinity. Otherwise, they will become Muslims or join some other cult.
A complete study of the word “baptism” shows that the only thing consistent in every reference is: ‘identification with the God of the Bible by a changed life that shows true Biblical repentance’. Yes, every case (where possible) the people were physically 'dunked' but that was done as an outward declaration of an inward change that they planned upon continuing to live for the rest of their lives.
All of this brings us back to Romans 6. In our chapter, the phrase: “so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” is identifying so many of us with the death of Jesus Christ and, by implication, His resurrection. It is identifying so many of us with a changed life that shows true Biblical repentance and identification with the God of the Bible. In addition, that is followed with a sentence which starts with the word “Therefore” and tells us: “even so we also should walk in newness of life”. The verb walk can not be properly interpreted as a one-time religious action but is ‘an ongoing repeated steps’. Since that verse says “even so”, our current action verb of: “baptized” means that it is not a one-time event but is the start of an ongoing life-long activity. Our “walk in newness of life” means we are to keep doing these ongoing repeated steps for the rest of our life. Therefore, our being identified with Jesus Christ through baptism must also require ongoing repeated acts of identification.
