what is baptism according to the bible

Such is what baptism signifies. It is not the sign of life-giving but of death-giving so to speak — that is to say, it brings the believer into this place of death with Christ. It is the outward expression that if I have got Christ at all, the Christ I have is a Christ that died and rose again; and when I am baptized, I am "baptized unto his death."

Our baptism was our burial with Christ — in figure. It was "the likeness of His death," and in it we were identified with Him, for that is what the rather obscure expression, "planted together" means. We submitted to it in the confidence that we are to be identified with Him in His risen life. The newness of life in which we are to walk is in fact connected with the life of resurrection in which Christ is today.

As to the scriptural ordinance of baptism, we look upon it as a beautiful exhibition of the truth that the believer is associated with Christ in death and resurrection. (See Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 41; Acts 8:38; Acts 10:47-48; Acts 16:33; Rom. 6:3-4.)

Now the initial ordinance of baptism unto Jesus Christ is intended to teach the signal lesson of our identification with death: we “were baptized unto His death.” Water baptism is of course spoken of, and the teaching is not, therefore, concerning eternal life. But by baptism we are associated with the death of Christ. “Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism unto death.” The act of baptism is burial in identification with the Lord. Thus I signify having done with flesh — baptism being, not the expression or result of death, but the figure of death, which I acknowledge, publicly associating with Him who has been crucified, as taking the same sentence upon myself. The figure is of course based on the fact of the death of the Lord Jesus. But following this as an essential, logical consequence, our practical responsibility is based upon the fact of Christ being raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father. If Christ has been raised from the dead in a perfectly new condition of life, it is in this sphere of life that I am to live — certainly not in the old ungodly sphere of corrupted life which has already come under sentence of death.

The sixth chapter of Romans affords simple, satisfying teaching as to the proper subjects of Christian Baptism, the manner of its administration, and its true meaning. In verses 3 and 4, we read "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptised unto Jesus Christ were baptised unto His death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death; that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

Let me add here, what is not unimportant to remark, that baptism imports, not a change of state by receiving life, but a change of place. There are two things needed for fallen man. He was at enmity with God, in the mind of his flesh, and he was driven out away from God. Both these had to be remedied. We are born of God, get the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus; but the fact of having life does not change our place; we become conscious of the sinfulness of the flesh - that there is no good thing in us (that is, in our flesh); but if we bring this into the light of God's requirements, it is only "O wretched man that I am!" A change of place, position, standing, being reconciled to God, is needed also. But that is by Christ's dying and so entering as man into a new place and standing for man in resurrection, according to the value of His work. He died unto sin once: in that He lives He lives unto God. Now it is of this that baptism is the sign, not of His simple quickening power as Son of God. We are baptized to His death, buried with Him unto death, that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also should walk in newness of life. No doubt, if we are risen, we are alive; but we are quickened together with Him. Death has taken us wholly out of our old place; we have died out of it, as Christ died out of the world, and to sin; we are dead to the law by the body of Christ; we are dead to sin, have crucified the flesh, are crucified to the world. Now baptism represents death, and hence, when come out of it, a new place and standing before God - death and not quickening. We have put on Christ as in this new place, and have done with the world, flesh, and law, by death. This would be true, were but one Christian saved in the world. The unity of the body, which follows on it, is another truth. The doctrine of the Epistle to the Romans does not touch on this, though the practical part takes it up as a well-known truth.

It is salvation from "this untoward generation," as Peter said. Another translation puts it, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Now baptism is, in one word, dissociation. It is only an outward ordinance, yet it has a meaning: and that is its meaning. It is based upon the death and resurrection of Christ, for we are "baptized into His death," (Rom. 6:3), and so we are "buried with Him" (Col. 2:12). Nothing more effectively dissociates us from the present order of things, cutting our links with the world, than death and burial.

Baptism is "unto Christ" (Rom. 6:3), "unto the Name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 8:16), a putting on of Christ (Gal. 3:27). It is a separation to Him as Master and Lord, as by the cloud and the sea the Israelites were marked off as followers of their divinely-appointed guide, — "baptized unto Moses" (1 Cor. 10:16). "Unto the Name of the Lord Jesus" — not "in" — defines it as the recognition of His Lordship — of the throne as His. Thus Paul also is exhorted by Ananias, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the Name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Thus also in Eph. 4:5, "one Lord, one faith, one baptism," are joined together.

And thus as a "baptism unto death," Christ having died for us, it is a "being buried with Him by baptism unto death, … that, like as Christ was raised up from the dead … so also we should walk in newness of life." It is thus for us the passing out of the old into a new condition; a change in which our sins are washed away; as the apostle, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;" and as Ananias, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins."

1 As water baptism follows believing the Gospel and is more or less connected with the work of evangelization, we have not enlarged upon that subject in these papers on the Church. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit that puts one into the Church, the Body of Christ. However, the divine pattern in the book of Acts shows us that those who were saved were baptized with water and then received into the local company of Christians. Baptism is an open sign and testimony before men that one believes in Christ and belongs to Him. No one stands on the outward ground of being a Christian who has not been baptized with water to the name of the triune God. Hence no unbaptized persons should be received into communion in an Assembly, for the ordinance of baptism precedes the ordinance of the Lord's Supper. For further study of the subject of baptism the reader is directed to the author's pamphlet, "Baptism, What Is It?" obtainable from Believers Bookshelf.

Christian Baptism was instituted by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ after His resurrection and before His ascension. The occasion is recorded in the gospel by Matthew chapter 28, where in verses 18 to 20 it is written: And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach [lit: make disciples of] all nations, baptising them in [to] the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

The fuller revelation of the Godhead as Father, Son and Spirit — one Name — one God — Three Persons — the ever-blessed Trinity, and the giving of a wider commission to His Apostles, are the circumstances under which Christian Baptism was commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ. How the Apostles understood the charge is seen by their action in the Acts of the Apostles, where, to mention but one instance of many, "He [Peter] commanded them to be baptised in the Name of the Lord." Acts 10:48.

It is therefore by the authority of the Lord, and according to the example of His Apostles, that believers are now to be baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Pious persons sometimes baptise unconscious infants, and unbelieving households; but there is no word in the New Testament to warrant such practices, believers alone being the proper subjects of Christian Baptism. This to an unprejudiced reader is demonstrated by the fact that in every New Testament instance, baptism follows upon the hearing of faith. "He that believes and is baptised" — note the order. Baptism is in contrast with circumcision generally and not a complementary rite carried over into Christianity from Judaism; although by way of likeness, this may be noted, that as every circumcised Jew of necessity had natural life before circumcision, so in every case now real spiritual life precedes true Christian Baptism. But in the consideration of Christian Baptism it is absolutely essential that we keep the Lord Jesus Christ Himself clearly before us, so that the ordinance does not hide the Saviour, Whose death and burial, alone give point and meaning to it.