Joel Littlefield

Baptism is a means of grace for the Church. There are varying views within Christianity about the purpose and method (sprinkle with water, or immersion), as well as what actually happens when one is baptized.

Is there any cleansing that takes place spiritually?

Is it effectual for saving someone?

Do you need to be baptized in order to go to Heaven?

With all of this, though, there are several things that come to mind when I consider the subject as a pastor, especially when counseling a new believer who is saying they want to be baptized.

What Is The Gospel?

This is probably the most important question to ask someone who wants to be baptized. If they get this wrong, then they’re probably not ready. So I’ll simply ask a person, “What is the Gospel?” Then I’m listening for some key things to help me determine readiness.

I’m listening for answers like…

“The gospel means that if I live a good life, and try hard enough, then…”

Did you catch that?

It’s paramount that a person understands that the Gospel is a work of God’s sovereign and initiatory grace, not human effort to earn something. When someone believes this, truly, and God has done a saving work in them, that person will not lean on their own works.

I’d much rather hear something like…

“The Gospel is the truth that Jesus…”

Of course there are many things that could follow this statement, but at least I know that they are not leaning on themselves. Their eyes are not inward, but Godward. They recognize that their salvation is something that Jesus, and Jesus alone could have accomplished FOR them.

This is a HUGE deal. But let’s just say that they do misunderstand, or give a “wrong” answer to the question. That doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t in Christ, but it does mean that you, or another mature believer in their local church should spend time teaching them what is true, and guide them to a clearer biblical perspective.

It’s important to protect and guard the true gospel, and since baptism is a picture of the Gospel, the church cannot be willy-nilly about who steps into the water. This is how we end up with a mess on our hands. When someone who professes Christ is baptized prematurely, wandering away from the faith into habitual sin, what does this say to the world and the rest of the church? It’s poor stewardship, a bad witness, and unhealthy church membership.

If a person knows, believes, and is fully convinced that Jesus is the ONLY way to their personal salvation from sin and death, and they can articulate some manner of that truth from the heart to be affirmed before witnesses, there’s a good chance they’re saved, and should be baptized.

What Has God Done to Change You?

One of the first visible signs of regeneration is repentance from sin. The New Testament teaches the importance of the doctrine of repentance alongside baptism.

Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Acts 2:38 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.

Acts 20:21 “Testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Mark 1:4 “John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

If these Scriptures are true, and they indeed are, then we have to believe that a person’s profession faith is rooted in a real desire to turn from sin and follow Jesus. This is why I will ask a person who wants to be baptized to be ready to confess. Genuine confession is a necessary component of repentance.

“I was an angry and bitter man, but Jesus has loved me and died for me, and today he’s taught me to love others like he does.”

“My life was enslaved by drugs, but Jesus saved me from my sin, and I no longer need a substance. I have Christ, the all-satisfying God who loves me and died for me!”

But it’s not just the individual sins that a person is repenting from. It’s also the underlying sin of all other sins, which is the sin of not believing in or loving God. All of our rebellion and wallowing in the mire of specific sins and vices is a result of that greatest sin, the sin of not loving God as God, and Supreme Ruler of our lives. At the root of a repentant heart is an understanding that a person’s whole life before coming to believe in Christ, whether it was good by human standards, or a wretched life of sin and shame, was a life separated from God. I don’t necessarily want to hear that a person doesn’t want to be “bad” anymore, but that Jesus is now the all-satisfying object of their worship and deepest affections. Everything else that needs to change will change in His perfect timing. .

Public Proclamation of New Identity

One thing that the Bible is very clear about is that Christian faith is meant to be public, not secret. A biblical understanding of baptism helps a person to begin their journey with Christ on the correct foot.

Identity in Christ means that who we are now, is not who we were. What masters us is different. Our family is now different. Our father was Satan, now it’s God. So when Jesus told the disciples to “Go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit…” he was talking about a new identity under which they would operate, a whole new name. To be a new disciple is to immersed into the life of the God-head, with God as Father, Jesus as Servant-Savior, and Spirit as Comforter, Helper, and Sender.

Another important part of the identity of a Christian is their membership in the family of God. This is best seen in covenant with the local church. When a person is ready to be baptized, a fair amount of members within the church body (not just the elders) will recognize their readiness, and can affirm it publicly on the day of their baptism.

Conclusion

Make sure they know it’s a work of grace, and not human effort. Listen for and watch for fruits of repentance from sin. To be buried in the waters of baptism, and to rise up from that “water grave”, is a mark of new identity that is to be shared with the Church. It’s an identity that is shared with the risen Christ. Baptism is a beautiful means of grace. Let’s take it seriously, and disciple people with wisdom and care.