The Proclaimer

Is Baptism A Ritual?

I often receive correspondence from a man who insists that baptism is an “ancient ritual” that has nothing to do with the salvation of one’s soul.  By definition a ritual is a ceremony or “an action performed only formally with no deep significance.”  I realize that to this man, and many others, baptism is indeed a ritual, an act of no real significance.  But what significance does the Bible attach to baptism? 

Paul writes to the Philippians that he was willing to sacrifice all things, “that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Phil. 3:9).  He writes to the Romans, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom. 3:10), “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (3:23).  For a man to have a righteousness “which is from the law” he would have to be a perfect law keeper (Gal. 3:10-13).  Salvation would then be by “works,” that is, works of law.  In such a case a man’s salvation would be on the basis of merit rather than grace (Rom. 4:4). 

Paul knew that neither he nor any other man had met or would meet this requirement.  His confidence therefore was not in such accomplishment of his own, but in Christ “who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:25-27; Titus 2:14).  Paul had come into Christ at the time of his baptism (Rom. 6:3, 4; Gal. 3:26, 27).  In so doing he found the forgiveness of sins not because his baptism was a meritorious work whereby he earned salvation, but because he had been, “buried with Him in baptism” and “raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:12).  Hence his salvation was, “that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

Paul was willing to “count all things loss . . that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:8). To know the power of the resurrection of Christ is to know His saving grace.  Paul had seen this resurrection power in his own life through the forgiveness of his sins.  Ananias told Paul, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).  This Paul did, and in so doing became united with Christ through baptism (Rom. 6:4, 5) and a participant with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection.  Just as Christ died and was buried and raised from the dead, so are we “buried with Him by 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 (Rom. 6:4).  Thus we cannot know “the power of His resurrection” until we have been “buried with Him in baptism.”

The Bible says baptism is “for remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  The Bible says baptism enables you to “wash away your sins” (Acts 22:16).  The Bible says we are “buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him” (Col. 2:12).  The Bible says that baptism “now saves us” (1 Peter 3:21).  The Bible says, “we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13).  The Bible says, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).  The Bible says, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).  The Bible says that we are “buried with Him by baptism” and raised to “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). These passages show baptism not to be a ritual “with no deep significance,” but rather a commandment of God to be obeyed to the salvation of the soul.  Have you been baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins?

                                                                 -- Clark Dugger

The Proclaimer