The ordinance of water baptism did not just start with the New Testament Church, but has its roots in the Old Testament dispensation as a form of purifications. It is mentioned in the book of Hebrews 9:10 in reference to “diver’s washings” which in the Greek translates to baptisms. It was a form in the Old Testament of allowing proselytes into the Jewish faith. Following these washings, John the Baptist brought in a transitional form of baptism of repentance and confession of sins. In the New testament time of grace, we see the apostles and disciples of Jesus fulfilling His commandments to baptize believers and it has continued as an ordinance of the Church ever since.
The first thing to notice about baptism is that it is a New Testament form of the Old Testament circumcision. Abraham was given the outward sign of the covenant between him and God, so that every male bore the marks of circumcision in his flesh. The second chapter of Colossians shows us this truth.
Colossians 2:10-12 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Here water baptism is represented as a Christian “circumcision made without hands” and is performed by God in the spiritual realm as “we put off the body of sins of the flesh”.
Baptism also figuratively speaks to us of death, when we are “buried with Christ” signifying the burying of our old carnal flesh that was cut away by God. The complete immersion in the waters of baptism shows this “burial” with Jesus Christ!
Many teach today that salvation cannot be attained until baptism, but this is not true, and the life of Abraham contradicts this theory. His relationship with God began long before he had the covenantal sign of circumcision placed upon him! As such, we become Christian believers by faith in the shed blood of Jesus and its redemptive power to restore us into relationship with God. THEN we are able to be marked with our spiritual circumcision (water baptism) in our covenant relationship with JESUS! Being marked in this way declares to the Lord and to the world that you belong to HIM and receive HIS marking and subduing of your flesh!
The Revelation of the Name
Sometimes there is confusion over the style, format, and commands of how to baptize and what name or names should be used. Many times, this comes about with inaccurate views of the name of the Godhead. In the Old Testament, God was referred to as JHVH, the name that could not be pronounced. The Hebrew tetragrammaton name of God was revealed as the Yod, Hay, Vaw, Hay and with translators inserting the e,o,a gives us the name Jehovah. The angel proclaimed to Mary that she would bring forth a Son, and should call His name JESUS, for he would save his people from their sins. That name of Jesus, translated from the Hebrew Yehashua, literally means, JHVH our savior! Jesus was not just the name of the Son of God, but was part of the Family name of the Godhead! This truth is revealed when Jesus told the religious rulers of his day that He had come in his Father’s name! Many have translated this to mean authority, but it does not just mean authority but also means a “name”.
John 5:43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
Ephesians 3:14-15 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
Jesus did not name himself. His Father named him before he ever came into the world as a human being, taking on the flesh of mortal man.
When we see this command by Jesus, this is where the confusion takes place…
Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in 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.
Jesus had already taught his disciples clearly the name of the Godhead, and here was not telling them to baptize in NAMES (plural) but NAME (singular). There is only ONE NAME under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved, and that name is JESUS! JHVH our Savior!
Acts 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The eternal union had already been established with the name of JESUS, and LORD, and CHRIST. In Matthew 28, Jesus was telling them to go and conduct business IN THE NAME! The Father gave the Name, the Son reveals the power of the Name, and the Holy Ghost testifies of the Name! It is the family name of all in HEAVEN. Eph. 3:14-15 ..Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.
Another argument I have heard is that JESUS words in Matthew should take precedent over what the Apostles did in the book of Acts, and the only sensible response to that is this:
The Apostles did exactly as they were told by Jesus, because if not they were in direct disobedience to the head of the church, Jesus Christ the righteous! As he is not the author of confusion, we must come to the conclusion that the apostles did exactly as they were commanded in Matthew 28 by conducting all spiritual matters in the NAME!
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Let us look at the examples given in the book of Acts that prove this point further:
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Phillip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 22:16 And why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the Name of the Lord.
The Remission of Sins
Let’s move on now to other portions of what baptism means to the believer. Up to now, we have focused upon the outward signs of baptism. There is no virtue in natural waters, but when waters of baptism are consecrated and prayed over, God anoints that baptismal tank, creek, pond, river, lake or container with the Name, death and life of Jesus Christ! Because of that omnipresent Name of Jesus resting upon that water, there is power so that even the outward baptism is a real and blessed experience! There are many who have seen that revelation of the Name of Jesus in water baptism outwardly, but do not receive the inward revelation of the inward baptism! The inner baptism is where we return back daily by faith to put our hands and feet into the waters of his name, death and life! Without this daily inner baptism, we will not have deliverance from the indwelling presence of sin in the life of the believer and it will hinder our growing up and going on with God! Many have been baptized outwardly, but have failed to pursue the inner baptism, and find that there is a hindrance to their spiritual growth and maturing. Without the inner baptism we cannot go onward and upward in Jesus Christ!
The remission of Sins is dealt with first as we come by faith to the cross of Calvary, and receive remission of sin by the blood of Jesus Christ! This covers and remits our fallen, adamic nature sins to bring us into a covenant relationship with God again! There are four corners of remissions of sins. First by blood, then by water, then by faith, then by works of righteousness.
- Matthew 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
The blood of Jesus carries away the penalty of sin, remits or pays the debt of that penalty for sin away from us.
However, in Acts 2:38 we see Peter telling the new believers that by baptism, there is also remission or remitting of sins.
- Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
As the baptismal waters are a type of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is provided for us remission of sins in those waters as well. This provision is for the cleansing and sanctifying of our indwelling sins, the sins of our flesh and carnal nature. As we return by faith to the waters of his Name, death and life the process of sanctification continues as we grow in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Then there are sins that can only be remitted by faith and by our believing. As we grow onward and upward with Jesus, by faith we are to confess our sins as he reveals them to us, knowing that he is just and faithful and will forgive us of all our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
These sins are remitted through active and believing faith. But there is still one final corner where our sins can be remitted.
- Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins.
The final point of our sins being remitted is to perform acts of righteousness, such as times when we must perform some form of restitution to bring closure in our lives to sins of our past. These are not sin’s of salvation issues, but sins that linger in our minds and as we grow in sanctification, the Lord will disclose to us how we must by restitution, cleanse our conscience from those dead works so they may be remitted. It is done through faith in his blood, and by declaring HIS righteousness, we must make some wrong things right!
When Jesus hung on the cross, the soldier thrust in his spear into Jesus’ side and BLOOD and WATER gushed forth! It was a beautiful picture of how the blood was shed for our original sin, and the waters flowed forth to be a continual cleansing for the believer. Oh what a blessed thing to find that we have been marked by God, the cutting away of the old man of the flesh, and by faith raised up to walk in newness of life with JESUS!
PRAISE GOD for the NAME OF JESUS!
Pastor Stephen Dubois
www.searchforbibletruth.org