Churches of Christ are known for placing a strong emphasis on baptism. May it ever be so! Jesus emphasized it (“He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” Mark 16:16). Peter emphasized it (“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38). Paul emphasized it (“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life,” Romans 6:3-4).
From the beginning of the church in Acts 2 to the last syllable of Scripture, there is no such thing as an unbaptized Christian. In fact, in every case of conversion in the book of Acts, no one ever ate a bite, drank a drop, or slept a wink from the time he learned of his need to be baptized until he had been baptized. We make no apology for emphasizing baptism!
As we urge people to follow the New Testament pattern for salvation, we often hear something like this: “But I’ve already been baptized.” We owe it to them to help them see whether their baptism was the “one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5) that the Lord teaches in His word.
Let’s conclude this article by listing two things that are not important. Next week we’ll launch into things that really do make a difference about baptism.
1. Who baptized you is not important. Paul was glad he had not personally baptized very many in Corinth, lest they put their confidence in him rather than the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:14-16).
2. Where you were baptized is not important. Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River; but a lake, pond, pool, ocean, or tub would accomplish the same purpose. The Ethiopian eunuch was baptized in an unspecified body of water (Acts 8:36-38). Three thousand people in Acts 2:41 were baptized somewhere in Jerusalem. The Lord said to be baptized; He didn’t say where.
Joe Slater
More is upcoming in a future article.
