Why Baptism Is Necessary For Faith in Jesus
“Sez Who?”
• Faith Means Trust
The New Testament was originally written in Greek. The Greek word which is translated “faith” in our English Bibles is "pistis". This word means “faith, trust.” Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature Translated by Arndt and Gingrich, (University of Chicago: Chicago, 1957), p. 668.
• Review From Part 1: Faith Is Not Always Limited To “Just Believing”
Although faith means "to trust", how one is required to trust or to have faith in any given situation changes depending on the nature of situation. In other words, faith means to trust but how one is required to manifest that trust is dependent upon each context. Since God has given us Jesus, God determines what it means for us to trust in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Paul identified that faith response which causes one to become a child of God as someone who responds to the message by being baptized into Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 From a historical perspective, Luke agreed with Paul’s theology when he recorded how that those who believed the Gospel responded by being baptized, resulting in God adding them to those who are saved. Acts 2:41, 47; 8:12 Furthermore, Matthew's account of the Gospel collaborates this doctrinal understanding as Jesus told his disciples to make more disciples by baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit as well as teaching them to observe everything he had commanded. Matthew 28:19-20
But to have faith in Jesus requires more than just submitting to the act of baptism. To trust in Jesus also involves believing in Jesus in our heart and confessing him with our lips. Romans 10:8-11 It is to live our life wholly dependent upon Jesus as our Savior in that way God has prescribed.
• Blood: Covenant & Forgiveness
God has used and continues to use covenant as the basis for establishing a relationship with humanity and identifying those who are His people. In Exodus 24:3-8 Israel entered into one such covenant with God by being sprinkled with sacrificial blood. In describing this event, Hebrews 9:16-22 explains that blood was necessary not only for establishing the covenant but also for purifying the people who were entering into that covenant.
This introduces the other role of sacrificial blood, namely atonement (to cleanse someone or something so that a holy God could be present in fellowship). In the Law of Moses, God established the principle that “the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your soul. For it is the blood that makes atonement for your soul.” Leviticus 17:11 See also Leviticus 4:1f; 6:24f Often this blood would be sprinkled on (or in some other way applied to) whomever or whatever was being atoned for. Leviticus 8:15-34; 16:11-19
The New Testament continues this emphasis upon blood as being necessary for the remission of sins. Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 9:22 Yet, Hebrews 9 and 10 stress that the sprinkled blood of bulls and goats made one holy so that one was outwardly clean. It could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper forever by removing the sense of guilt. Acccording to this letter, the continual parade of sacrifices teaches that more sacrifices were needed. Hebrews 9:9, 13; 10:1-4, 11
• Jesus’ Blood: Forgiveness & Covenant
In contrast to the blood of bulls and goats, Jesus’ blood is able to cleanse our conscience. Hebrews 9:14 With one sacrifice Jesus makes perfect forever those who are being made holy. Hebrews 9:25-28; 10:10, 12-13
Because the salvation which Jesus brings depends upon the blood he shed in his death as an atoning sacrifice, Paul described that justification which comes through trusting in Christ as being “faith in His blood.” Romans 3:25; 5:9 To be a Christian involves depending upon Christ’s blood to justify ourself.
At the last supper, Jesus described this blood he would be pouring out “for the remission of sins” as being “my blood of the covenant.” Matthew 26:28 Jesus’ death achieved more than just being a sacrifice for sins. Hebrews 9:25-28; 10:12 It also created a new covenant relationship with God. Hebrews 9:15 His blood inaugurated that new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34 cf. Hebrews 8:8-12
It was prophesied that those who would enter into this new covenant relationship with God would enjoy a number of blessings, including the forgiveness of sins and God’s Spirit. Jeremiah 31:34, Ezekiel 36:25-27; 37:26-27 For us to enjoy the “remission of sins” made possible by the new covenant, we have to enter into this new covenant relationship God has made possible through Jesus.
• Baptism: Entering Covenant & Receiving Forgiveness
Drawing upon the background of sprinkling sacrificial blood for purification and entering covenant, the Hebrews writer claimed that Christians can enter God’s presence because their hearts have been cleansed from a guilty conscience by being sprinkled with Jesus’ blood. Hebrews 10:19-22; 12:23-24 The author then tied together this sprinkled blood with the physical action of one’s body having been washed with water. Hebrews 10:22 Although the blood of Jesus is said to be sprinkled on one’s heart in a manner reminiscent of a priestly ceremony, the administration of New Testament baptism is a burial or a washing in water. Romans 6:3; Colossians 2:12; Hebrews 10:22 The Hebrew author’s point is that when someone has been purified by Christ’s blood by being baptized, he can now boldly enter into God’s presence with a clean conscience. Admittedly, his emphasis is not upon baptism but upon Christ’s blood enabling us to come before God.
1 Peter 1:2 also describes the elect as those who have obeyed Jesus Christ and have been sprinkled by his blood. Similarly, Peter also attributes a “good conscience toward God” as being the result of baptism, claiming that “baptism ... now saves you.” 1 Peter 3:21
• Baptism: Point of Transition Into Covenant
The New Testament places baptism as being the transition point of entering covenant and the covenant community known as the body of Christ.
• Acts describes the promises of the new covenant (forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit) as being realized when one is baptized. Acts 2:38; 22:16
• Paul refers to baptism as being that moment of transition when one wholeheartedly obeys a form of teaching responsible for setting one free from sin (the forgiveness of sin promised in new covenant). Romans 6:17-18 See the context of Romans 6:3-16
• Paul presents baptism as an act of faith in God’s power to raise one up with Christ, a resurrection (transition) from being dead in sin to becoming alive with Christ. Colossians 2:12-13 This transformation describes the difference from being dead outside of covenant to enjoying the blessings of being in Christ’s covenant.
• The transition involved in the new birth includes being “born of water.” John 3:5 Paul would describe this salvation which comes by grace through faith as “He saved us through the washing of rebirth.” Titus 3:5-7
• With baptism one is said to enter into the body of Christ, namely the new covenant community. Thus, Paul wrote that the Spirit baptizes one into the one body. 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul also described baptism as being “baptized into Christ” resulting in one becoming clothed with Christ. Galatians 3:27 Luke recorded that people were added to the body of believers as a result of baptism. Acts 2:41
• Final Observations
Understanding baptism, as a faith response to hearing the Gospel resulting in someone entering into the new covenant so that this person receives the blessings of the covenant and hence becomes a member of Christ’s body explains the New Testament’s references to salvation comes by trusting in Jesus and the role of baptism in this reliance upon Christ.
1) This accounts for why Jesus commanded baptism as a requirement in making disciples. Matthew 28:19-20,
2) This explains 1 Peter 1:18-22 “you were redeemed ... with the precious blood of Christ .... Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth.” It also explains the close correlation between obeying Jesus and being sprinkled with his blood. 1 Peter 1:2
3) This agrees with what we know of the history of the New Testament church. In Acts, Luke recorded that when people heard about the Gospel about Jesus they responded by being baptized.
4) This explains why the Ethiopian eunuch upon hearing the Gospel message responded, "Look, here is water! What is preventing me from being baptized?" Acts 8:36
5) Paul’s writings reflect this understanding of faith. Paul stated his missionary goal as being to bring “all the Gentiles to the obedience of faith” (Romans 1:5) and that the preaching of the Gospel results in the “obedience of faith.” Romans 16:25-26
6) This explains why the New Testament which defends the principle that salvation comes by trusting in Jesus also makes statements such as: Jesus “became the author of eternal salvation for all who obey him” Hebrews 5:9 and that God “will punish those who ... do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8
Other articles which may be of interest might include:
What About the Thief on the Cross?
Baptism - Why so Many Different Doctrines?
Barry Newton, Copyright © 1998, 2000