The exact origins of the practice of Baptism are lost to us.
The Jews of the Old Testament regularly indulged in ritual cleansing with water (either through the washing of specific parts of the body or whole-body immersion). Priests were required to cleanse themselves with water before entering the Temple, or before performing certain religious acts. [Leviticus 8:6-9]
Other followers of Judaism were also required to participate in cleansing rituals. Which ones they observed depended on what they’d done to make themselves ritually unclean. [Leviticas 15:21]
But, the Old Testament does not use the word “Baptism” to signify cleansing. The term apparently came into general use sometime after the last book of the Old Testament was written, but before Christ was born.
What We Know.
What we do know is that by the time of John the Baptist, the act of being baptized had become recognized as a way of ritually “washing away” one’s sins, and a public declaration of one’s conversion to a new way of life. [Matthew 3:1-6]
It had become so ingrained in religious practice, that even Jesus felt that He needed to be baptized in order to, “… fulfill all righteousness.” [Mtthew 4:15] By being baptized publicly, He set the expectation for Christians to follow.
What Is Baptism?
Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change.
Jesus gave three ‘requirements’ for our salvation. One was that we recognize and devote our lives to God and to one another. [Mark:12:29-31] The second was that we are to recognize our sins and repent of them. [Matthew 4:17] And, the third was that we acknowledge Him for who He was and is, and in so doing that, we keep His commandments. [John 8:51]. (For more on Salvation, see EC posts 61 & 62.)
Baptism into the Christian faith speaks directly to each of these three requirements.
First Requirement.
First, it represents a public recognition that we recognize our sins, and that we wish to leave our ‘sinful’ lives behind. We repent of our sins and wish to be “washed clean” of them so that we can begin our new life with Christ.
Being a Christian in secret is no good. Jesus expects us to “spread the word” and to live lives that reflect our belief in Him and His commandments. Our lives in Christ declare our devotion to Him every day. And our faithful testimony is to be heard.
So, by Baptism, we publicly recognize our sin, repudiate it and the life that led us to it, and ask for forgiveness, i.e., we “repent.”
Second Requirement.
Second, our baptism publicly declares our recognition of and devotion to God. By being baptized, we proclaim that we believe in God and wish to live our lives with Him and in Him.
Also, our baptism recognizes that we are dependent on Him to cleanse our souls of the stains left by our sins. Sin is an offense against someone other than ourselves. And forgiveness of that sin can only be granted by the person against whom we have sinned. If we’ve sinned against God, He is the only one who can forgive our sins.
Ritually cleansing our bodies through Baptism is only an outward sign of the inward cleansing that He has provided through Jesus’ sacrifice, and our acceptance of that sacrifice to cleanse our sins.
Third Requirement.
And third, our baptism outwardly and publicly proclaims our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and our commitment to follow His commandments. We recognize that we must live lives according to His commandments to evidence that life to others. Saying that we’re Christian is great. Living out our Christianity for all to see is what Christ expects.
So, Baptism is an outward sign of the inward change that our conversion to Christianity has wrought in our souls and in our lives.
A Public Declaration.
Once we’ve been baptized, we cannot hide our allegiance. The public declaration that we’ve accepted Christ, that we agree to love God and one another, and that we repudiate sin has been made. Others will know, and our actions thereafter will be a reflection of just how deep the inward change went.
Forms of Baptism.
We don’t know exactly what form of baptism the Scriptures require.
Jesus chose to be baptized in the Jordan River, and the traditional understanding is that he was immersed. But, the Bible doesn’t make that clear, and we cannot know whether His head was thrust under the water’s surface or whether He simply waded in enough to get wet. We only know that He went down into the water, and when he emerged, many saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him “like a dove.” [paraphrased from Matthew 4:16-17]
Today, many denominations of the Christian faith baptize in different ways. Some require that the convert be totally immersed in the baptismal water. Others allow pouring of water over the convert’s head to represent the cleansing of the inward soul. Still, other denominations allow the convert’s head to be simply sprinkled with water to symbolize the inward cleansing.
And, some denominations allow all three methods to be practiced according to the convert’s wishes.
Whatever method used, the result is the same. The person who has accepted baptism has made their public declaration and will be expected to live their life accordingly.
Final Thoughts (for now).
There are other aspects of Baptism we’ve yet to explore. The issue of infant baptism and the question of whether one has to be baptized to be saved are examples. We can explore these topics at another time.
For now, let’s allow what we’ve said about Baptism speak to us and our souls.
Gods Blessings on You All
Richard
September 27, 2019
