How Important is Baptism? | Baptism According to Paul
How important is baptism? Let’s find out what the Scriptures say.
In our first article in this series on the importance of baptism we saw that baptism played an important role in the Apostles’ preaching as found in the Book of Acts.
In fact, in every case where conversion was described, baptism was mentioned.
In that article, we noticed that...
Baptism was commanded for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38)
It was done to wash away sins (Acts 22:16)
It involved water (Acts 8:36-38; 10:48)
It was done immediately, with no delay, even if after midnight (Acts 16:25-33)
These verses would certainly seem to suggest that baptism is necessary for salvation. But, is that a fair conclusion to draw just from the preaching of the apostles? I mean, is that conclusion consistent with the teaching of the apostles, as found in their letters?
In this article, we will look at what Paul had to say about baptism in his letters to the Romans, Galatians, Colossians, and Titus.
Baptism in Romans
The first thing we see is that baptism is a burial and resurrection with Christ. In chapter 6 of Romans, Paul answers a potential problem from chapter 5. Some people may have thought that because we receive grace when we sin, it would make sense to continue sinning so that we can receive more grace. Paul corrects this thinking by saying,
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 | NKJV)
But what does that have to do with baptism? Continuing on we read,
“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.”
“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 1ikewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:3–11 | NKJV)
He is saying that if you have been Scripturally baptized you have died to your old life of sin; you were buried with Christ in baptism. Then, as Christ was resurrected, you too were resurrected with Christ when you came out of the watery grave of baptism.
Please notice that Paul did not say that baptism symbolizes something that had already occurred like, “Baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace.” Paul doesn’t say that, and neither is it found anywhere in the Bible.
Paul actually says that our baptism into Christ is when these things take place. When we are baptized we are buried with Him "through baptism into death" (Romans 6:4). It is in baptism where and when we are buried with Christ into death (that is, into His death), therefore we die to sin in baptism.
In Baptism we are buried with Him, but why? "That just as Christ was raised...even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). We are baptized so that we would rise to walk in newness of life just as Christ did!
Also, notice that the blessings Paul describes (being dead to sin and raised to walk in newness of life) pertain only to those who had been baptized into Christ! He said, “as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus“ (Romans 6:3).
Well, what about those who have not been baptized into Christ? Unfortunately, the blessings Paul described here would not apply to them.
So how important is baptism? According to the book of Romans, baptism is necessary for a new life in Christ.
Baptism in Galatians
In Galatians 3:26-27, we learn that baptism is involved in the process of becoming sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
This is what Paul wrote:
“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” (Galatians 3:26–27 | NKJV)
The word ”for" in the beginning of verse 27 begins an explanation as to how we become sons of God through faith. Baptism is the means by which we "put on Christ" and become sons of God!
Please note carefully what Paul wrote. Paul said, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” "For as many of you" means no and more or no less. Only those who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (another way to say that is “received Christ").
Unfortunately, many teach that you can receive Christ by simply believing in Jesus and saying the sinner's prayer. But nowhere in Scripture does it say that you can receive Christ in that way. Rather, we "put on" (or receive) Christ when we are baptized into Christ!
So, how important is baptism? According to the Book of Galatians, baptism is necessary to put on Christ. If we have not been Scripturally baptized we have not put on or received Christ.
Baptism in Colossians
In Colossians, we see that baptism is a work of God.
“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses…” (Colossians 2:11–13 | NKJV)
That sounds very similar to Romans, doesn’t it? Death, burial, and resurrection to a new life.
Notice that he says this is done “through faith in the working of God.” In baptism, it is God who does the work, not us. We simply submit to His will by being baptized.
But also notice that he says it is “through faith in the working of God.” Many people were baptized as babies and had no faith in the working of God; they didn’t even understand what was going on. This is a big problem.
One more thing to notice from this passage is that through baptism and being buried and raised with Christ, “He has made [you] alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
So, how important is baptism? In the book of Colossians, we see that if we want our trespasses to be forgiven we need to be baptized into Christ so that we can be “made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses.”
Baptism in Titus
In Titus, we learn that baptism is a washing of regeneration.
”But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4–7 | NKJV)
I guess the question might be, “Is Paul really talking about baptism in Tit 3:5? He doesn’t use the word ‘baptism.’”
But the picture of "washing" certainly alludes to baptism. We have already seen that in baptism we are:
Raised to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4)
Made alive by God (Colossians 2:12-13)
In our previous article, we saw that baptism is to wash away our sins (Acts 22:16)
According to the context of Titus and the New Testament, baptism is a “washing of regeneration" and "renewing of the Holy Spirit."
So, in baptism, we are regenerated, or you could say reborn and made new by the Holy Spirit. This synchs perfectly with what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:
“Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:5 | NKJV)
Please note carefully that:
This "washing" and "regeneration" does not occur because we have earned it
Baptism is not a work of righteousness where we merit salvation
We are saved by the kindness, love, and mercy of God (Titus 3:4-5)
It is by God's mercy that He (not we) saves us!
And He does this through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He does when we are baptized into Christ.
It is through His mercy, we are truly "justified by His grace" when we are scripturally baptized (Titus 3:6-7)
Summary
In the letters of Paul, we have learned that through baptism:
We are buried into the death of Christ.
We die to sin as we are crucified with Christ.
We are resurrected with Christ so we can rise to walk in newness of life
We put on of Christ, and thereby become a child of God
Baptism is the working of God where we are buried with Christ, made alive, our sins are forgiven, and then we are raised with Him. This is an act of God's grace and mercy, in which we experience a washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.
So how important is baptism? It sounds pretty important to me. What about you?
If you would like to continue studying baptism, you can click here to watch our series of videos where we try to answer many of the common questions about baptism.
