THE IMPORTANCE OF BAPTISM

 THE IMPORTANCE OF BAPTISM

If you should ask most modern preachers the significance of baptism, they would tell you that baptism is "an outward sign of an inward grace." They cannot, however, produce a passage of Scripture that says so. Many preachers have been trained to virtually ignore ALL the passages that speak of baptism, and to divert the attention of the querist to other subjects -- faith, grace, etc. The Bible does have much to say on those subjects. But it also has quite a bit to say on the subject of baptism. Permit us to share with you a few passages that show the importance of Scriptural New Testament baptism.

When Jesus commissioned His apostles to evangelize the world, He clearly stated two conditions of salvation: "He who BELIEVES and is BAPTIZED will be saved..." (Mark 16:16).

When Simon Peter, by Divine inspiration, addressed an assembled multitude in Acts 2, he pointed out their guilt in crucifying the Son of God. They were convinced; they BELIEVED -- and when they asked what they must DO, Peter told them, "Repent, and let every one of you BE BAPTIZED in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:38).

Later, Peter was sent by the Holy Spirit to teach Cornelius and his family words by which they could be saved, Acts 11:14. He taught them the necessity of faith (Acts 10:14) and repentance (Acts 11:18), and "commanded them to BE BAPTIZED in the name of the Lord" (Acts 10:48).

Saul of Tarsus, when we first read of him, Acts 7:58, was a persecutor of those who believed in Jesus. After receiving permission from the Jewish high priest, Saul went from Jerusalem to Damascus to arrest and persecute Christ’s followers. But on his journey, he was blinded by a great light and had the privilege of speaking to the resurrected Jesus, who told him to go into Damascus and receive further instructions. Of course, he needed to believe in Christ and repent of his sins. But even after he had done these things, he was still in his sins. His sins still needed to be washed away. An appointed messenger came to him and said, "And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Read the full account in Acts 9:1-18 and Acts 22:6-16.

These verses and several others clearly show that New Testament baptism is one of the conditions sinners must meet to receive forgiveness of sins. Also see 1 Peter 3:20-21; John 3:5; Titus 3:5; Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:26-27 and Eph. 5:25-27.

--CRJ