Why get dunked?

Books have been written about the practice of Christian baptism. Some say it applies only to those who believe in Jesus. Others see it as including infants in the new covenant. Many consider it as a ritual for joining a church. Most can find New Testament verses that support their views, yet ‘proof-texting’ is unreliable without considering all that the Bible says about a topic such as this one.

This morning I discovered something I’d not thought of before. Prior to Christ, the Israelites practiced baptism to accept proselytes who had repented and been circumcised. Some also used it to remove ceremonial impurities. However, I see basically three different descriptions of baptism in the NT.

1)       The baptism of repentance depicting another baptism to come:

“Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:4–12)

2)       The baptism of Jesus as an example to us as fulfilling righteousness:

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” (Matthew 3:13–17)

3)       The baptism of believers to indicate faith and repentance from sin:

“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. 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.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” (Acts 2:38–41)

This baptism also symbolizes death to sin and being raised to new life:

“And you . . . 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.” (Colossians 2:12)

“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:3)

And this baptism also indicates the filling of the Holy Spirit who has changed us from the inside out, and continues to fill us because He is our life:

“John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:5)

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1–4)

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, this is another point of theology where I refuse to argue, not because I’m totally certain that my views on baptism are perfect, but that I trust You to change my thinking as needed as I study Your Word. I do know for certain that when I believed in You, You wanted me to be baptized and this happened many years ago. I also know for certain that You thrill me to tears every time someone else is baptized. Thank You for the privilege of being part of Your family and of being able to witness new believers as they declare their faith in You.

Who is Jesus?

Some say that Jesus was a great prophet sent by God to show the world how to live. Others say He was a good teacher whose words, if followed, would make us better people. The Jews of His day had mixed definitions. Some thought He was Elijah or Jeremiah (but they did not believe in reincarnation), or the predicted one, John the Baptist.

When Jesus asked Peter, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

For years, this has been the standard declaration of faith. If a person understands that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, they are “believers.”

Another standard comes from Romans 10:9-10. It says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

This one requires the same belief in the identity of Jesus Christ, adding faith that He has risen from the dead, and a verbal confession of the same. Those who do and say this are “saved.”

But these standards no longer work because people keep changing the definitions. Jesus Christ is not the same person that Peter said He was. Now He is defined as a symbol, or the essence of an idea, or some other entity that if described to Peter, he would shake his head and say, “Huh?”

Because the definitions are changed, two people can say they believe in Jesus, but they are not talking about the same Person, and only the real Jesus has the power to save.

So who is Jesus? Plainly put, the Bible teaches that the Word of God, the very expression of His being, came to earth and pulled on humanity (something like we put on a pair of trousers). He took on human form without diminishing who He is, and by doing that, He became one of us. Jesus was God the Son, God in a human body.

The Jews couldn’t handle that. They knew their Messiah, the anointed One from God would be God, but they were under Roman oppression and expected a Messiah who would deliver them. They expected a conquering King who would rule the earth with an iron rod.

And along came Jesus, born in a stable, not at all kingly, but telling them they must repent of their sins. They looked at their own religious zeal, compared themselves with the Gentiles, including their godless oppressors, and decided this Jesus didn’t know what He was talking about. His claim to be God and their Messiah was sheer blasphemy.

But Peter knew. So did Paul. So did hundreds of others who watched Him die, then saw Him again after He rose from the dead. Many of them also watched Him ascend to heaven and heard His promise to return. The next time it would be as that conquering King who would rule the earth and every other realm of creation.

They knew and they believed it with all their heart. They were vocal too, which got them into trouble with non-believing Jews and Gentiles alike, those who refused all the evidence that, for the disciples, proved the identity of Jesus Christ. Many of those disciples were so convinced that they died as martyrs rather than say they were wrong, or that Jesus was not God in the flesh. They knew.

Today’s Christianity is a mixed lot. Some are like Peter; they know who Jesus is and have staked their lives on that belief. Others are like the Jews and say, “We have our own way of being righteous . . . “ and leave Jesus out of it. Some want to keep the name (Jesus has a nice ring to it), but they change the identity, water Him down to someone more compliant, less demanding, a good teacher perhaps, or a son of God who really is not deity, just another created being.

Others know about Jesus, but not enough to realize that it was He who said, “I am the way . . . no one comes to the Father but by me.” They say, “whatever works for you,” because for them, Jesus is only one way among many, and they are all quite acceptable.

The identity of Jesus Christ is important. Since believing in Him gives me eternal life, I better believe in the right Jesus. How do I know who He is? And can I be absolutely certain?

The Bible is the record we have of His life, death and resurrection. I can read it, but that doesn’t guarantee knowing. I read it for sixteen years, daily, and didn’t figure it out. Yet reading it is important because “Faith comes by hearing . . . the Word of God.”

The Bible also says faith is a gift from God, which puts the conversion experience somewhat outside my control. I didn’t even ask God to show me the identity of Christ. One day, He just gifted me. After that, I’ve never had any doubts at all. None of the ‘new’ ideas, none of the older heresies have even tempted or side-swiped me.

Because of this resolute understanding, an understanding reflected in Peter’s declaration, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” my faith stands. Yet I know this is not my own doing, nor is it because of any teaching I’ve had. I know who Jesus is the same way Peter knew, the way expressed in Jesus’ answer to Peter in verse 17: “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Indeed, blessed I am! Not due to any flesh and blood revelation but because the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ pulled back the darkness and let me see His Son.