“He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16a)
When you believe in the Lord Jesus, it is necessary for you to be baptized. But what is baptism really about? To many people, baptism is just a formality or ritual, or merely an outward testimony; however, this is not true. In fact, every believer must go deeper than the outward surface to see, understand, and fully grasp and apply the true substance of baptism in their lives. The Bible reveals three pictures to illustrate the meaning and the true substance of baptism :
- The Israelites crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
- The Israelites crossing the Jordan River to enter the promised land (Joshua 3 & 4)
- Noah’s passing through the great flood in the ark (Genesis 7)
These historical examples from the Holy Scriptures each illustrate what baptism means and how it applies in our lives today.
1. Crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14)
After the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 430 years, God demonstrated His power to Pharaoh by sending ten plagues. As a result, Pharaoh finally allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt. The LORD went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, leading the way. After they had left Egypt, Pharaoh had a change of heart and pursued the Israelites with his army. The Israelites were very afraid since the Red Sea was in front of them, and Pharaoh and his army were closing in behind them. Then God commanded Moses to lift up his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea, and God parted the waters of the Red Sea to let His people pass through on dry land. Pharaoh pursued relentlessly after them. As soon as the all the Israelites had crossed over, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea again and the waters collapsed back over the Egyptians, so the LORD overthrew Pharaoh and his entire army.
Paul referred to the crossing of the Red Sea when he wrote about baptism in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2: “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” In these verses we can see three aspects of baptism: a) being under the cloud, b) passing through the sea, and c) being baptized into Moses. Keep in mind that the cloud is of the heavens and the sea is of the earth. When you are baptized, your whole body is fully immersed in the water, like the Red Sea. This is a visible testimony of baptism that you now belong to God. But there is much more than just the act of being baptized into water — there is also the spiritual reality of baptism. In other words, there is an actual spiritual transaction taking place, which is represented by the cloud.
Baptized with Water and the Holy Spirit
In the Bible, the “cloud” refers to the Holy Spirit. The actual fulfillment of baptism comes from the Holy Spirit. You cannot see the Holy Spirit, just like you cannot see the air. This is why the Bible uses visible water to represent the invisible Holy Spirit. Water is a visible testimony but it is only a symbol, while the Spirit is the invisible reality and is itself the true significance of baptism! Without the Holy Spirit, water baptism is empty and meaningless. As the verses mentioned above show us, we were baptized not only by passing “through the sea”, but also “under the cloud”, in other words, baptism must be in water and with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist testified in Mark 1:8: “I indeed baptized you with water, but He [the Lord Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Paul confirms this in 1 Corinthians 12:13: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink of one Spirit.” It is essential that anyone being baptized believes that he at that moment is not only being baptized with water, but much more, with the Holy Spirit! Just as the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea and the cloud, we must be baptized not only into water, but primarily into the heavenly and spiritual reality of the Holy Spirit. This requires living faith.
Baptized into Christ
1 Corinthians 10:2 also tells us that we were baptized “into Moses.” Nowhere in the Holy Scriptures (“Old Testament”) does it say that the Israelites were baptized into Moses. Why then did Paul mention this? In the Holy Scriptures (“Old Testament”), Moses is a picture, a symbol, or shadow of Christ. When Paul writes that the Israelites were all “baptized into Moses”, this means that believers are baptized into Christ! When you first believe in Christ Jesus, you receive Christ into your heart, but you still need to be baptized into Christ. This is why in the original ancient Greek language of the New Testament, the term ‘believing into’ to describe our faith (see John 3:15-16; 11:25-26) is sometimes used. The English language does not have such a concept; we say “believe in” Jesus Christ, but never “believe into” Jesus Christ. This will help us to understand why Galatians 3:27 with regard to baptism says: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Romans 6:3 also makes this point very clear: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?” Therefore, the goal of the living Christian faith is not only for believers to receive Christ, but to put believers into Christ. With an understanding of this purpose, every new believer would naturally want to be baptized.
Thus, by believing in Jesus Christ and being baptized into Him, we are “joined” to Christ. Other translations use words such as, “grafted”, “united” or “become one” (Romans 6:5). We enter into a wonderful union with Him! Through this union, we partake of, have access to, and can apply in our lives the abundance of the life of Christ and everything He has accomplished:
- His perfect human nature
- His divinity
- His death and resurrection
- His ascension
- His authority, and all His works
Paul said in Ephesians 2:5-6: “…[God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Consider this question: Where are we today? Are we on the earth or are we in the heavens? The answer is: Both! We are here physically on this earth, but the Lord Jesus is seated in the heavens; and we also are seated with Christ in the heavens. How is this possible? This is only possible if we have been joined to Christ through the Holy Spirit. If we are joined to Him, then we have died, resurrected, and ascended together with Him. There is no other way to be joined to Christ except by true living faith and baptism into Jesus Christ. The verses in Romans 6:3-6 show us that our union with Christ comes through baptism.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus 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.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
The Powers of Satan and Darkness Destroyed
Through God’s divine intervention, Pharaoh and his armies were drowned in the Red Sea. Seeing God’s great work in destroying their enemy, the Israelites broke out in songs of praise and thanksgiving to God after crossing to the other side of the Red Sea. This is a wonderful result of crossing the Red Sea! It illustrates our experience of baptism today. When you are baptized, the powers of Satan and darkness are destroyed just as Pharaoh and his armies were destroyed. They can no longer pursue you or hold you captive. When you are baptized, not only do you enter into Christ and are joined to Him, but at the same time you will experience God’s judgment and destruction of Satan’s power and the power of death over you through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. Hebrews 2:14 says: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power over death, that is the devil.” Since Satan and the power of death were defeated on the cross when Jesus was crucified on the Cross, and you are in Christ through baptism, therefore, you share in Christ’s victory over Satan. Praise the Lord for this amazing truth!
Everyone must and can personally experience this truth about baptism. When Satan comes to attack you, you must apply this aspect of baptism spiritually. You must boldly proclaim to the devil and the power of darkness, “You have already been judged and destroyed by Christ’s death on the cross. I am now joined to Christ! You can’t bring me down anymore!” The powers of darkness will flee from you when you proclaim this by faith. We are more than conquerors in Christ (Rom. 8:37)! You must learn to stand upon and live on this fact of baptism. If you do, Satan and his forces are rendered powerless against you. Paul says in Colossians 1:13, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed (transferred) us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Praise God for providing us something as powerful as baptism!
2. Crossing the Jordan River (Joshua 3 & 4)
Now let’s look at the next example of baptism: the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River. The Israelites had already crossed one body of water, the Red Sea, where God destroyed Pharaoh and his army, signifying God’s condemnation of Satan and the power of darkness at the time of our baptism. Why then was there still a need for a second crossing – the crossing of the Jordan River? Physically, the Israelites had already left Egypt, yet Egyptian customs, way of life, and tastes were still ingrained in them. Subsequently, during their journey in the wilderness, they constantly complained against Moses, indulged in their fleshly lusts, worshiped idols, and rebelled against God. They even refused to enter the Promised Land that God was giving to them (Num 14:1-4). As a punishment, God made them wander in the wilderness for forty years. Their condition parallels the condition of many Christians today. Although we have believed in Jesus Christ and have received eternal salvation, we still live by our flesh, the fallen natural self, and old human nature. We continue to sin and rebel against God and disobey Him. However, God’s work is very thorough. He knows this is our nature and has prepared a way to remedy this. This shown in the second picture of baptism: the crossing of the Jordan River. This picture shows us how baptism goes further to also deal with our old “self”, our flesh and our fallen human nature.
The entire old rebellious generation that came out of Egypt, except for two people, died in the wilderness; the new second generation of Israelites were the ones that crossed over the Jordan to enter into the Promised Land in a way that was ordained by God. When the feet of the priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the Jordan River, the waters were held back upstream. The priests then stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all of Israel crossed the river. God commanded Joshua to appoint one man from each of Israel’s twelve tribes to take a stone from the midst of the Jordan where the priests were standing and carry it out of the river to the place where they were to lodge that night (Joshua 4:1-3). Then Joshua set up another set of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan River where the priests carrying the Ark stood (Joshua 4:9). After the priests with the Ark had also crossed to the other side of the Jordan, the waters resumed flowing and buried the twelve stones that God commanded Joshua to put in the Jordan. This passage of the Bible is very significant for us today.
I Have Been Crucified with Christ
The stones that Joshua placed in the middle of the Jordan represent our old self, our flesh, and the entire fallen, old creation. They have been buried in the Jordan River! Romans 6:6 tells us that our “old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” When we physically enter into the water of baptism, our old self is buried there; and when we come out of the water, we emerge as a new man, a new creation, signified by the twelve stones the Israelites carried out of the Jordan. Paul writes in Romans 6:4, “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.” Since our old man with its sinful nature has been buried through baptism, we can now walk in newness of life! By being baptized into Christ, we are a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). The old sinful life has been terminated and buried in the water; in Christ we are brought forth as a new creation! The new creation, the new man in Christ, is perfect, holy, victorious over Satan, incapable of sin, completely in obedience and pleasing to God — just like Jesus Christ. Going forward we no longer live our old life; now it is Christ who lives in us: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Now when Satan comes to tempt you, or to condemn you because of your failures, or when you feel weak and defeated, you must proclaim to Satan, to yourself, and to God: “My old man has been crucified with Christ! I have been baptized! Christ now lives in me!” Galatians 5:24 says: “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Hallelujah! Please remember that it’s the Holy Spirit that makes this a fact! This is another reason why baptism is necessary and it’s also necessary for us to live and walk by the Spirit each day.
The Israelites crossed through the waters twice: first, through the Red Sea and then through the Jordan River. For this reason, the Israelites are also called “Hebrews”, which means “river-crossers”. We who believe in Christ and were baptized into Christ Jesus have crossed over or “passed from death into life” (John 5:24; 1 John 3:14) and have turned “from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18). Our old man and the old creation were buried with Him, and “behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor. 5:17b). Therefore, through one baptism, we also have crossed over two bodies of water! God has judged Satan and the world and He has terminated our our old self and the flesh! In resurrection with Christ, God has brought forth the new man. From now on, we should walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).
3. Noah’s Passing through the Flood in the Ark (Genesis 7)
During the time of Noah, God saw man’s wickedness, corruption and violence on the earth. So God decided to judge and destroy all the evil on the earth through a massive flood. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (Gen. 6:8). God commanded Noah to build an ark exactly according to His instructions. Only Noah and his family, 8 people in all, were saved from God’s judgment by being inside the ark. What does this have to do with us today? Peter compares baptism to Noah’s salvation in the ark (see 1 Pet. 3:20-21). Just as Noah and his family were once saved from the flood because they were inside the ark, we will also be saved from God’s coming judgment if our baptism is applied in all areas of our life.
Today we are living at a time that is very close to Jesus Christ’s return to this earth. The Bible shows us that when Christ returns, God’s judgment will come upon the entire world. Christ’s second coming may be close, but what are people doing with their lives today? Most things revolve around eating and drinking, family and work, having a good time and enjoying life. This is exactly how it was in the days of Noah: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matt. 24:37-39).
When Jesus Christ returns, God will judge the world as He did in the days of Noah. Right before He returns is a period called the Great Day of God’s Wrath (Great Tribulation). This period spans three and a half years and God will judge the entire world through many catastrophic natural and supernatural disasters(Rev. 6:17). As in the days of Noah, our salvation from the coming judgment depends on whether we “enter the ark” – entering into Christ and His church. This happens not with a ritual of baptism but baptism that is spiritually real and applied in our daily life. Living each day by faith and with our baptism into Christ being applied lays the foundation for our salvation from God’s imminent judgment on the whole world and its destruction. Based on the true substance and meaning of baptism, we must learn to live in Christ and by His Spirit every day, enduring trials, denying our own interests, ambitions, and comfort through His Spirit’s strength and power, serving God as holy priests (1 Peter 2:9) and growing to full spiritual maturity. If we do this, we will be spared from God’s coming judgment just as Noah and his family were.
Don’t delay! – Be Baptized Now!
We have now seen baptism portrayed through the Red Sea, the Jordan River and the ark, as clear and powerful examples of why we must be baptized. Through baptism, we enter into an amazing union with Christ. John 14:20, which describes this union, should be treasured: “At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” This union is mysterious, yet so marvelous. It is clear that when we receive Christ into our hearts through faith, baptism must quickly follow in order for us to enter into Christ through that same faith. This shows that baptism is a necessity!
Beware of Satan’s Lies and Unbiblical Christian Practices!
As we mentioned earlier, there’s no ritual or ceremony that needs to be performed with baptism. As long water is available to fully immerse you and someone is with you who can baptize you, then it can be done right away, in any place. There’s no need to wait for “perfect conditions”. There’s no need to take a “baptism course” (or any courses), write any exam or test, pass a certification period, be interviewed by the pastor, etc. These are all common practices in many Christian groups, and are endorsed by “church leaders” but are completely in violation of Biblical truths. Baptism doesn’t need to be performed “in a church”. Even a bathtub or swimming pool is suitable. What’s important is that you are baptized (fully immersed) in water and the Holy Spirit into Jesus Christ. The outward method or location does not matter and should not become the focus. The longer you wait, the greater the chance that Satan will cause you to doubt, delay, or even completely put off your baptism. This would be a tragedy and a serious mistake for your Christian life.
This shows us in today’s Christianity there are many destructive and un-biblical teachings and practices around baptism. Christians are even taught by their “pastors” that baptism is merely a cleansing, only an outward testimony of faith, an option only for “committed” or “devoted” Christians (i.e., not required for everyone), performed on infants, performed as a religious ceremony, and that there needs to be “training period”. As we can see, without baptism, a new Christian cannot even begin their Christian journey since they have not been joined with Christ and are not able to walk in the new man (Rom 6:4; Eph 4:24). A true baptism is necessary to make any progress or growth at all in our Christian life, which is why baptism needs to occur immediately upon believing without any “training period” as we’ll see in the examples below. It’s not a cleansing because we are spiritually being put into Christ and eliminating our old self. Our old sinful self is hopeless and can’t be repaired or cleansed; it must be crucified and buried (Gal 2:20; Col 3: 3). There is no need for an exam or courses because the only qualification for baptism is a genuine belief in Jesus Christ (Acts 8:36-37). Babies cannot be baptized and any such “baptism” is not a true baptism since the qualification for baptism is belief in Jesus Christ. An infant is incapable of understanding the gospel and making a personal decision to put his faith in Jesus Christ.
Repentance and Baptism
When Peter first preached the gospel, the people of Jerusalem asked the apostle: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Peter answered them: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). As soon as the people had repented of their sins, they were baptized without delay: “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).
Peter at Cornelius’ House
Some time later, God sent Peter to a Roman centurion, Cornelius, to declare the good news of Jesus Christ to him, his relatives and friends. As Peter spoke, those gathered at Cornelius’s house also believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit. Peter responded right away, saying: “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:47-48a). Peter even commanded them to be baptized!
The Example of Paul at His Conversion
When Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul) was on his way to Damascus to persecute the Christians, the Lord appeared to him in a great bright light that shone all around him. Saul was blinded by the light and was led by hand to Damascus where he prayed and fasted for three days (Acts 9:3-18; 22:5-11). The Lord then sent a devout man, Ananias, to lay hands on him, that he should receive his sight again. Immediately after he had received his sight, Ananias said to Saul: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
The Example of the Prison Keeper
Acts 16:25-33 clearly illustrates that believing in Christ and being baptized into Christ belong together. When Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God in prison at midnight, “suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prisoners door open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.’ Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.” They did not even wait until morning! Believing in Christ and being baptized into Christ belong together like a pair of shoes – you need both the left and right shoes in order to walk properly!
The Example of the Eunuch
Some people may not like being watched by many people when they’re baptized. As mentioned earlier, don’t let this delay your baptism. There is no requirement in the Bible that says you need to be baptized in front of a crowd of people. The only people that need to be present are the person being baptized and the baptizer. Let us look at an example in Acts 8:26-40. Philip preached the gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch while he was riding in a chariot through the desert. There were only the two of them in the chariot besides the driver of the chariot. Verse 36 says, “Now as they were going down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’” The eunuch did not ask, “May I believe?” He asked whether he could be baptized. Philip answered, “If you believe with all your heart, you may…So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him” (vv. 37-38). This again clearly shows that baptism immediately follows faith in Jesus Christ, and that it isn’t necessary to be baptized in front of many people. The crucial point is the spiritual substance and application of baptism, not the number of people in attendance. Don’t delay! After baptism, you will be filled with joy like the eunuch was: “and [the eunuch] went on his way rejoicing” (v. 39b).
“… ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” (Acts 2:38)
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