This Bible Study Letters Online Tract
Describes What the Bible Has to Say
about Water Baptism and the Believers Responsibility.
One Is Baptized Because They Are Saved
and Not to Be Saved.

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Water Baptism and the Believers Responsibility

This is what I think the Bible has to say about salvation and baptism. Faith, our being saved comes first, our salvation not a result of our works, but as it is written, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).  The new birth results in our receiving Christ, and coming to faith, as it is written, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

Now here are some things to consider about baptism.

Salvation is by grace and not by our keeping commandments. Faith or believing in Jesus is a gift of God, so people are not saved by baptism, church membership or any other human effort. Salvation is not determined by our fathers. Thus salvation is a prerequisite to baptism.

Baptism is a believer's free informed statement of a good conscience toward God (1 Pet. 3: 21). A person is saved through faith alone in Christ alone. First he is to profess faith in Jesus Christ then voluntarily be baptized.

As one is responsible for himself, in the church, there should be no restraint or constraint of conscience. Not parent, government, nor church, should usurp the place of God as Lord of the conscience. God uses the Scriptures to guide the conscience.

Water baptism is an important duty of every professing Christian (Matt. 3: 1-2, 6; 28: 19; Mark 16: 16; John 4: 1; Acts 9: 17-18; 10: 47; 16: 30-33). The question of a right candidate for baptism and the method of baptism is answered by the Scriptures that change not.

The symbolism of baptism calls for confession of sins (Matt. 3: 6), repentance (Matt. 3: 11), personal faith on the part of the candidate for baptism (Rom. 6: 2-5; Col. 2: 12), along with voluntary participation (Acts 2: 41; 1 Pet. 3: 21). We are not to baptize people in order to save them, nor because we want them saved, but only because they are already saved (John 5: 24; Acts 16: 31; Rom. 9: 16; Eph. 2: 8-10; Tit. 3: 5). Baptism is not decided on a basis of the age of the person, but is to be thought of as believers baptism.

The symbolism of the ordinance calls for immersion (Rom. 6: 4; Col. 2: 12). John baptized in the River Jordan (Mark 1: 5). At another time John baptized in Aenon, "...because there was much water there" (John 3: 23). Philip took the eunuch "...into the water" to baptize him (Acts 8: 38-39). It is not necessary to wrestle with the Scriptures to see that it would be unnatural for the candidate to be taken into the water for anything other than immersion. We see when Jesus was baptized He went up straightway out of the water (Matt. 3: 16).

Believers are to serve God by love (Gal. 5: 6). Enforced or insincere obedience counts nothing. God looks to the heart (Pr. 21: 2). Forcing men against their conviction only makes hypocritical worshipers, serving by fear, dread or insincerity. Those "that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (John 4: 24).

There are believers, saved, that are not Scripturally baptized and so are not members of the body of Christ. There is no universal invisible church. The word used by some to mean church is katholikos meaning universal. This word does not occur at all in the Scriptures but is borrowed from the Septuagint. The word ecclesia that is translated church in the New Testament and means a called out assembly. A New Testament church is a group of baptized believers covenanted together for the purpose of carrying out the Great Commission that Christ gave His church in Matthew 28:16-20.

Matthew 28:16-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
KJV

When we first believe, being born again, all believers are indwelt by the Holy Ghost (Eph 1:13). When one is saved they become part of the family of God (Eph 3:15), and the kingdom of God (John 3:3-7; Luke 17:21), but are not automatically added to the New Testament church. There is a distinction between the New Testament church, the family of God, and the kingdom of God.

Romans 6:3 speaks of water baptism and with that baptism those saved already are said to be baptized into Jesus Christ, meaning the New Testament church, also called the body of Christ (Gal 3:26-27; 1 Cor 12:13; Eph 4:5). The body of Christ is the New Testament church (Col 1:18, 24; Eph 5:30, 32; 1 Cor 12:27).

Romans 6:3
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
KJV

Colossians 1:18, 24
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
KJV

Ephesians 5:30, 32
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
KJV

1 Corinthians 12:27
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
KJV

The Scripture tells how one is added to the body of Christ, the local New Testament church. Baptism places us in the body of Christ that is the visible and local New testament church:

Galatians 3:26-27
26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
KJV

Led of the Spirit in obedience to the Scriptures water baptism places one in the body of Christ. There must be a proper candidate for baptism, a proper mode, a proper motive or design, and proper authority (administrator). 

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
KJV

Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
KJV

Jesus is the Head of the church, and of Jesus it is said Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples baptized (John 4:1-2). The church Jesus founded, and not another, is given the commission (Matt 28:19-20). In obedience to the commission the church makes and baptizes disciples, though in practice the church does not baptize, but her selected and duly appointed ministers.

The church with Jesus as the Head gives authority and none take that on themselves. No man can take it upon himself to baptize, or establish a church, the material must come from an authorized source, so there is perpetuity of the first church. Therefore those that receive alien baptism are not approved in Baptist churches. It is said, the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church (Matt 16:18) so there has been a church since that founded by Jesus from the material John prepared.

If the local church gives someone authority, it should be for recognizing that persons testimony, and counting them faithful. If any member of any church, apart from clear direction of and authority from a local church would go about putting people under water, I conclude they would be all wet. No more than all wet.

Church authority is needed for baptism. The commission was in fact given to the apostles, the eleven, and there are none now. Those first in the church were the apostles (1 Cor 12:28). The church has the commission, in fact it was the church founded by Jesus given the commission, and those of that church all went back to the baptism of John. 

Jesus recognized the need to be baptized by one with authority, and so walked over 60 miles to be baptized. Now no individual has the right to baptize, but must be authorized by a local New Testament church, which itself has proper authority, a church whose members' baptism is connected to John's.

The only entrance to the New Testament church (Baptist church) is by public profession of faith with water baptism. This is the one faith and one baptism (Eph 4:5). Baptism is in this regard a distinguishing trait of the Baptists. Those that reject Scriptural baptism, no matter what they might call themselves are not Baptist. Further, this is a trait of the church Jesus founded.

Jesus is the Head of the church, and of Jesus it is said Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples baptized (John 4:1-2). The church Jesus founded, and not another, is given the commission (Matt 28:19-20). In obedience to the commission the church makes and baptizes disciples, though in practice the church does not baptize, but her selected and duly appointed ministers. As such, the church gives authority and none take that on themselves. No man can take it upon himself to baptize, or establish a church, the material must come from an authorized source, so there is perpetuity of the first church.

John baptized with water, while Jesus was said to baptize with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5). The Holy Spirit has never baptized, but rather Jesus Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit. Hereby Jesus Christ identified with those of the faith once delivered (Acts 1:5, 8; 2:1-4; 10:44-48; 19:1-6). The churches are now said to be a habitation of God through the Spirit (Eph 2:22).

Water baptism is our testimony we belong to Christ Jesus, as well as being prerequisite to church membership. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the testimony of Lord Jesus we belong to Him, and the result is recognized by power for godly living and service.

It is our part to give a public profession of our faith being baptized with water, and without that none is given entrance to the church. It is left with our Lord Jesus to fill us with the Holy Spirit. Neither water baptism (our duty) is to be granted carelessly, or being filled with the Spirit (what is said to be performed by Jesus with the Holy Spirit) is to be sought or claimed presumptuously by us (Acts 8:18-24).

Salvation is separate and distinct from water baptism and salvation is separate and distinct from being filled with the Spirit. Salvation is not dependant on water baptism or being filled with the Spirit. Before one is water baptized or filled with the Spirit they must first be saved.

The Bible is God's final and complete, unchangeable law, and only valid word of final authority for the individual Christian and for Christian churches. No man or church is to lord over the conscience of another. Let everyone be convinced in their own mind (Rom. 14: 5).

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Bob Krajcik
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