How important is baptism?

The Reason Why One is Baptized is Important

Imagine these scenarios:

-    A boy is dating a girl that he is absolutely ‘crazy’ about.  She is a Christian, and he knows that he can ‘make some points’ with her if he is baptized.  So he is . . .

-    A teenage girl has lots of friends at a summer camp.  One night at the camp several of those friends are baptized.  She wants to be ‘accepted’ by her peers, so she decides to be baptized, too . . .

-    A man works for a company owned and operated by a man who is a strong Christian.  He begins attending church services to impress his boss.  He knows that being baptized would be a very ‘big deal’ to the owner of the company, so he decides to do it . . .

-    A fella who needs money - maybe a place to live - and other material considerations, visits a church.  He finds out pretty quickly that these are good people who are generous and helpful.  He figures that if he is baptized even more ‘goodies’ will come his way, so he ‘goes forward’ to be baptized . . .

In all of these cases we would strongly argue that the baptism is not right; that the results of such baptism are not effective to the saving of the soul; that such a person – if and when they are truly convicted – should be baptized again.  The root of the problem being, of course, the improper motivation of their initial baptism. 

Paul commended the Romans because they had “obeyed from the heart” (6:17).  It is interesting that the obedience in view in that context is baptism (6:3-5).  From this we correctly argue that true and effective baptism must be for the right reason.

Now, one more scenario: A man attends a denominational church that teaches baptism is not necessary for salvation.  They claim that one is saved by ‘faith only’.  Yes, they practice baptism, but their teaching is that it is done at some point after one is saved as ‘an outward sign of an inward grace’.  In other words, a person is baptized ‘because’ he has been saved, not ‘in order to be’ saved.  Many passages teach the error of this doctrine (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 22:16; etc.).

This man learns the truth on the subject and realizes that he was taught incorrectly and that he was baptized with the wrong motive of heart.  What should he do?  His situation is not essentially different from the ones cited earlier.  He has not obeyed from the heart because – in his heart – he did not understand what he was doing or why he was doing it.  He should be baptized again “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  Think!

- by Greg Gwin