“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16
How important is Christian Baptism? Is it necessary that we be baptized or is it only a symbolic act? And what about children and babies? Are they to be baptized too for the remission of sins?
For the answers to these questions, we look nowhere else than God’s own inspired Word. What does God say of Baptism?
Jesus Himself was baptized - not because He was a sinner but to fulfill all righteousness for sinful mankind and to take our place under God’s law, He was baptized of John in the Jordan River.
When the Apostle Paul met the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus, Ananias told him: “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Paul was to be baptized that his sins might be washed away in Christ Jesus. When Peter addressed Jews and God-fearing Gentiles on the day of Pentecost, he told those who were troubled in their consciences over their sins to “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). Jesus Himself commanded us to teach (or disciple) the nations by going out to them, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” and “teaching them to observe all things” that He has commanded us (Matt. 28:18-20).
Thus Christian Baptism is not optional with God. Instead it is a means whereby God offers, gives and assures to us the forgiveness of sins and everlasting life which Christ Jesus won for all by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death on the cross. It is “the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5); “the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26); “the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ” (Col. 2:11).
As Jesus fulfilled all righteousness and became one with us at His baptism, so we are joined to Christ in our baptism. His death for the sins of the world is our death for sin, and His resurrection from death is our resurrection to new life. In Him we have forgiveness for all our sins, and in Him we have everlasting life! Cf. Rom. 6:1ff. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27).
We have been so richly blessed in our baptisms to be joined to Christ and, through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, to receive the blessings He won for us. And these blessings are for us, our children - who are also born in sin and spiritual death and need a Savior - and for all nations (cf. Psalm 51:5; Luke 18:15ff.; Matt. 18:6; 28:19; Acts 22:38-39; Col. 2:11ff.; John 3:3-6). Only in Christ is there forgiveness and life! And through Baptism, we are joined to Him!
We thank You, dear Lord Jesus, for giving Your life to redeem us and for joining us to You in our baptism that we might receive Your forgiveness and Your life. Amen.
[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible.]
Community News, Pages 4 on 01/12/2011