Why Get Baptized with Water?

Jesus Christ died for us on the cross and was raised three days later that we might be raised with Him to new life. We receive this new life when we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. The command is that we believe in Jesus (John 3:16). This is how we are born again. It is in this, and only this, that we receive forgiveness for sins because it is in this experience that we become unified with Christ in His death. We share in Christ by means of His Spirit. Romans 8:9 says, " You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ."

Therefore, the question arises, if it is Christ who saves us through "the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5), then what is the point of water baptism? Certainly, the water does not clean us of our sins? Why get baptized with water?

According to 1 Peter 3:21, baptism is a "pledge of a good conscience toward God." The key word here is "pledge." The greek word used in this scripture is "Eperotema" which means "an enquiry, a question" or "a demand." The King James translates this word as "answer." The New American Standard translates this word as "appeal."

What this means is that baptism is a response to what Jesus did on the cross. We are giving an "answer" or a "pledge" to what Jesus did for us. We are making an "appeal" to God for a clean conscience. He died for my sins. So, by being baptized, I say to God, "I want Jesus to die for my sins. I want a part of that. I want to be clean. I want to come to you with a good conscience that says, 'I am clean."

Obviously, baptism does not wash our sins away. If it did, then it would be a work. We could boast before God, "I worked hard and was baptized." Rather, baptism identifies us with Christ. By being baptized, we are saying publically and openly, "I have died with Christ. I shared in the cross. I partook of what Christ did."

Colossians 2:12 says, "having been buried with him in baptism..." We are buried with Christ in baptism. We share in His death. Jesus Christ died to sin. When we are baptized, we are saying, "I have died to sin." Colossians 2:12 goes on to say, "and raised with him through your faith in the power of God." We are then raised to new life by our faith. This matches what John 3:16 says that whoever believe in Christ (has faith in Christ) will have eternal life.

Romans 6:4 also expresses this idea by saying, "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." We are buried with Christ through baptism. We share in His death by baptism. We then partake of His new life in His resurrection.

When a person is baptized, they fall backwards into the water. This is death. We die with Christ to sin. Then, we we are raised up out of the water, we are raised to new life. We are raised with Christ.

1 Peter 3:21 says that baptism saves us "by the resurrection of Christ." We are not saved by baptism. We are saved by the resurrection of Christ. Rather, baptism is way of sharing in the resurrection. We are baptized into the death of Jesus so that we may partake in His resurrection.

Now, you must understand this, as it is important. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward faith. Baptism is not faith. It is an action. It is something we do outwardly. We are baptized to express our faith. It is our confession of faith.

Inwardly, we have faith. We believe in Jesus. This is essential. This is required of us, that we believe in Jesus. In Acts 19:4, Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. [John] told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." Even though the people were baptized, they still were not saved. John the Baptist told the people to believe in Jesus. We need to believe in Jesus.

To have faith in Jesus means that we lean upon Him. We trust in Him. We put confidence in Him that He is able to save us. We don't rely on ourselves for salvation. We do not rely on our good works. Rather, we rely on Jesus who died on the cross and was raised three days later. We depend on Him to cleanse us.

Faith, however, is an inward thing. Faith is felt in the heart. How should anyone else know of our faith? How should our faith be proven? How should it be expressed?

Water baptism expresses our faith. We are baptized in a church by a minister of God. Baptism is done publically in front of people. We do this act to openly confess Christ before people. By being baptized, we are saying publically in front of all people, "I have shared in the death and resurrection of Jesus. I belong to Jesus. He is my Lord and God." Baptism is an open confession of faith. It is the expression of our faith.

And by being baptized pubically, we are fulfilling Romans 10:9. "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." By being baptized we are openly confessing in public that Jesus is Lord.

This is why baptism is so important. We are all called to faith. But what good is faith if we don't show it? Our faith should be followed by action. We should express our faith. James 2:26 says "faith without deeds is dead." If we truly have faith and believe that Jesus had died for our sins, then we should show it openly. Baptism shows our faith openly. It makes it known to everyone that we believe. As Jesus said, Luke 11:33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light."