BAPTISM

Truth that frees:  

I was Christened or baptized as an infant; and also when I was 9 years old and able to enjoy and experience my baptism in Christ. I did not quite know what to expect or what would happen immediately after my baptism. The only thing I expected, however, was that the joy and anticipation I felt would last forever. I went to church with my parents every Sunday and often during the week. I did not have to be dragged to church, especially since going to church was the highlight of my young life in the Island. Then as I got older I began to take a closer look at some teachings I had heard not only on the topic of baptism but on other topics. Perhaps it was not that I had gotten older, but it was because I had gotten more matured in Christ and in the Word. Yes, I think that’s what it was.

As I got older and began to listen to hundreds of sermons and teachings on baptism I noticed that almost every sermon or teachings have a different interpretation of what one needs to believe about baptism. After a while I began to believe more profoundly on the Scripture verse which reads, “But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5). I figured that I had better just stop trying to figure out why the Scriptures have so many different interpretations to the same text, many of them quite far-fetched so to speak. So, I began to read the Bible. I remember once in a matter of days I went through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. I noticed that the more I read was the more I became hungry for more readings and before I knew it I had reached the end of the Good Book, the Bible. Since then, and over the years, I am not easily fooled by interpretations that seemed a bit off from Scriptures, not even interpretations by known scholars. Sometimes, however, I come across the commentary of a scholar who seems to come close to Scriptures on certain topics. However, some scholars and theologians do tend to interpret the Bible to fit their own agendas. So, I read the Bible, weigh my interpretations against other pastors, theologians and scholars, and come up with an answer to the question I seek. 

   

Some people believe for example, that when a person is baptized he should come up out of the waters of his baptism speaking in tongues. This is interpreted as a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Here is the problem, when a new believer is given this kind of information and is expected to come up out of the waters of his baptism speaking in tongues and that does not happen he begins to think that perhaps he is not worthy enough for the Holy Spirit to come and fill him. Here is another problem; the Bible tells us nothing of this sort. Nowhere in the Bible does it say in our baptism, when we come up out of the water we should be speaking in tongues as a sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible does tell us, however, that when a person is baptized he is baptized into Christ’s death, and resurrection. Whether we are baptized by sprinkling or by submersion, I believe it’s all the same. Though the Bible seems to point to submersion when describing baptism, I don’t think God, Jesus or the Trinity is going to get picky because there isn’t a pool in the church, an ocean, river or lake nearby to perform the act of submersion and coming up out of the water.  Especially, since these acts are done by faith. In fact, there are several places in the Bible that talks about ‘sprinkling’ of water to make clean or to cleanse from sin i.e. Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Hebrews 10:22-25. We know that baptism is to make clean or to cleanse from sin. 1 Peter 3:21-22 says, “And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.”  

In our baptism when we are submersed or sprinkled, we are buried with Christ as into his death. When come up out of the water, it is as Christ was raised up from the dead. We are to then walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). We are to live in and through Christ. And if we are in Christ, and Christ is in us we are a new creation. Sinful behaviors, old things are passed away at baptism and everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Bible tells us that John baptized with water for repentance. So baptism is an outward sign that a person has turned away from sin, turn to Christ and is now walking in newness of life in Christ.

I praise my God for the one who comes up from the waters of his baptism speaking in unknown tongues. But I praise my God even more for the one who understands that in baptism he is buried with Christ as into Christ’s death and is raised up with Christ as Christ was raised up from the dead, and is now a new person in Christ Jesus. Paul affirms our baptism by saying, “ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” 
Romans 6:6. 

The Bible is clear in letting us know that John baptized with water for repentance. (Matthew 3:11). So, baptism is an outward sign that a person has turned away from sin, turn to Christ and is now walking in newness of Life in Christ. Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and Fire. We see that the Trinity was present in the Father, in Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit like a Dove at Jesus’ baptism. So, it is a possibility that Jesus was baptized not only with a water baptism but also with a baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire. Although the Bible tells us that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit after his baptism, nowhere did it say Jesus spoke in unknown tongues after he came up out of the water. Another problem is that in the same way John personally baptized the people in the waters of the Jordan, it is in the same way Jesus had to personally but spiritually baptize people in the Holy Spirit and Fire. And according to Scriptures he did this after his resurrection from the dead. John 4:2 tells us that Jesus himself did not baptize anyone throughout his ministry; it was Jesus’ disciples who baptized the converts of Jesus.

In John 20:22, we learned that Jesus, after his resurrection, appeared to his disciples while they were hiding out in a house for fear of their lives. When Jesus saw them he greeted them saying, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” After that Jesus breathed on his disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  This was the first sign that Jesus baptized his disciples with the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ baptism is not with water as John’s baptism. Jesus’ baptism is a spiritual one involving the Trinity – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Father sent Jesus to the world, Jesus breath on the disciples and sent them to go into the world, and the Holy Spirit lit them afire and empowers them for ministry. When Jesus breathed on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit after his resurrection, he still needed to complete what the Father sent him to do. He needed to finish the work of the Holy Spirit by baptizing them with the Fire of the Holy Spirit. This would take place after Jesus’ Ascension to heaven.

Luke tells us in Acts 1 that Jesus gave an order to his disciples not to leave Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Because they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon them and they will be witnesses for Jesus in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. After Jesus told this to his disciples they watched him ascended or taken up into heaven by a cloud (Acts 1:9).

On the Day of Pentecost the twelve disciples and others gathered in an upstairs room in Jerusalem. While they were praying, suddenly, a sound like violent wind came from heaven and filled the room where they were sitting. And what seemed like fire rested on each of them and each began to speak in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them ability. There were about fifteen different nations of people present. Each heard the disciples spoke to them in the language they knew. Some people today interpret this to mean a heavenly language in which all the disciples spoke one language and God mysteriously enables each nation to hear the spoken word in their own language. If that is your interpretation, I do not see anything wrong with that. Some believe that the disciples spoke different languages and the Holy Spirit mysteriously enabled the hearers to hear their own language without any form of confusion.. Although all spoke a different language at the same time each nation only heard their own language without confusion.  If this is your interpretation, I see nothing wrong with it either. Feel free to interpret what happen on the day of Pentecost. The mysteries of God have many interpretations by us humans. But blessed are those who did not see or hear and yet believe, and the just shall live by faith (John 20:29, Hebrews. 10:38).

The event caused many who were gathered to be perplexed as to what had happened. But Brother Peter, one of the Apostles explained it all to them. Afterward he impressed upon them to repent, and get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ so that their sins may be forgiven; and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In line with Peter’s explanation or witness to the people, we see that Peter invited the people to get baptized in Jesus’ baptism and receive forgiveness of sin, and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  So, we see here that the gift of the Holy Spirit is received only in Jesus’ baptism. But Jesus’ baptism is not by water it is by the Spirit. Therefore, the idea of speaking in tongues coming up from the waters of our baptism does not seem in order. It does seem however, that Jesus’ baptism is a sanctifying process. To be sanctified is to be set apart, to dedicate one’s life to the service of God. The disciples were baptized in John’s baptism, which is by water. They were then set apart or sanctified for God’s service, and after that they were baptized in Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit and Fire.  So, this was a sanctifying process. This is not to say a believer cannot speak in tongues coming up out of the water since God can do anything and all things, but seeking to give an accurate account of Scriptures to new believers may save them from disappointments and discouragements.

Peter also told the perplexed believers present at Pentecost that the promise of ‘baptism’ is also for their children and those far away (Acts 2:38-40). Peter affirms to the hearers at Pentecost,

“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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:38-41).

These words spoken by Peter lay to rest any skepticisms of baptizing children.Contrary to what a majority of Christians believe, the promise of baptism is given for all children also, and the Apostle Peter declared it on the day of Pentecost. We may well give heed to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “ All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” Why would God bless grown-ups with the promise of baptism and exclude children? This is not the nature of God. The promise of baptism is given to all people and children are people too. Baptism is the ‘means of grace’ through which the Holy Spirit comes to us. Which is why Peter declared, “Repent and be baptized. . . And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  And children are participants of this wonderful means of grace through which the Holy Spirit comes to them. After all children are people too. John declared, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This promise is for children too, all children. If we as believers, believe that children including babies cannot believe in Jesus Christ for themselves, then we must believe for them and nurture them into the promise of their Baptism. This is what it means to bring the children up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4.

I have heard people say that children are not able to understand sin and confess. So they must wait until they do, in order to get baptized. Then we do not believe the Bible that the promise of baptism is for children too, all children. Therefore, we do not believe in the mystery of God. We are saying this wonderful means of grace that God has given to all people, which must include children, the children are hereby excluded, simply because we do not understand the great mystery of God. We think the children cannot ask forgiveness for themselves so they are not forgiven? Or do we think there is no sin in children to be forgiven? David declared in Psalm 51:5:
NRS, “Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.”

NIV, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”

KJV, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

Baptism is for the forgiveness of sin and for receiving the kingdom of heaven, which is the shalom -, the peace of God in Christ Jesus. We are sinful from birth. Therefore, why would anyone deprive a child from this promise unless there is a lack of knowledge? Hosea declared God’s Word saying, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . .” (Hosea 4:6). The same benefit we received from our baptism as adults is the same benefit our children are promised through Jesus Christ. If we believe that we are the ones issuing God’s grace then God’s grace will be limited to us and our children. So, since we have no control over God’s grace, let us agree with Peter on this one also, that children are entitled to the promise of baptism. 

When John the Baptist attempted refusal to baptize Jesus, Jesus shut up the loop-hole where there could have been one. But Jesus saved the day when he declared to John that his baptism must take place to fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 3:15). Because of that we have all the elements of baptism in Jesus’ baptism. He had to fulfill in himself all righteousness, and secured all the elements of baptism by water and by the Holy Spirit and Fire. Thus decreasing John’s name and proclaiming the name of Jesus. John also declared, “I must decrease and Jesus must increase.” This made it possible for Peter to declare a baptism in Jesus. Our baptism is fulfilled in Jesus Christ who is seated at the right hand of the Father in the Trinity.

After Jesus’ resurrection all authority was given back to him. So as he sends his disciples with the Gospel he tells them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18).  Jesus would have the final say as to how a convert would be baptized. John 13:16 tells us that the servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” Jesus has the final word, not Peter. 
The peace of the Lord be with you. Amen.