BAPTISM INTO
THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST
1. Believe in
the Lord Jesus
Christ
Some teach
water baptism has nothing to do with salvation. They say that it is the faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that saves
and not the water baptism. In a way
this is true, but that is not the whole truth.
In His Great Commission the Lord said: “He who believes and in baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk. 16:16) Read the sequence of the Lord’s words
again. First, the person must believe
and second, he or she must be baptized, then third, salvation is the result.
Some argue
that water baptism does not effect salvation because the robber on the cross
was not baptized and yet the Lord promised him a place in Paradise. Let us consider some truths regarding the
robber on the cross. First, he believed
in the Lord Jesus Christ, and second, he repented of his sins (Lk.
23:39-43). This gives him the
qualification to receive baptism but, under the extreme and unique
circumstance, he was unable to do so.
Here are
some truths concerning water baptism that needs consideration. The Bible tells us that Christians who are “baptized into
Christ Jesus were baptized into His death.” (Rom. 6:3) Baptism is to be “crucified with Him” and “died with Him”
(Rom. 6:6-8). The robber
could not be physically baptized in the water, but in the spiritual and
symbolic sense, he was baptized because he believed, repented of his sins, and
was crucified with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Throughout the history of mankind there is only one time that a person
can be physically crucified beside the Savior.
This situation cannot be repeated.
Since no one else can have the same privilege as the robber on the
cross, we are thankful that God has provided us a way to die and be crucified
with our Savior. God’s way is to be
baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Acts of the Apostles we can find many
instances that show very clearly that those who believed in Lord Jesus Christ
were baptized as soon as possible. On
the Day of Pentecost Peter testified to the Lord Jesus as Christ, “and with many other words he testified and
exhorted them saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word
were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
(Acts 2:40-41) Peter urged
the people to “be
saved”, and they “received his word and were baptized.” In Samaria
the same thing happened. “But when they
believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the
name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.” (Acts 8:12) It was the same situation with Philip and
the Ethiopian eunuch. “Then Philip opened
his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to
some water. What hinders me from being
baptized? Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart,
you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’
So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he
baptized him.” (Acts. 8:35-38)
The Bible also mentions the baptism of households.
In Philippi the Lord opened the heart of
Lydia to receive the truth, then she and her household were baptized.
(Acts 16:14-15). The Philippian jailer
asked Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will
be saved, you and your household.’
Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his
house. And he took them the same hour
of the night and washed their stripes.
And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” (Acts
16:30-33) “Then Crispus, the ruler of
the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of
the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” (Acts 18:8).
May God bless you.
