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Having surveyed the overwhelming evidence showing the only Scriptural action of baptism to be immersion, we will now seek to discover the Scriptural purpose of baptism. What does baptism do for or to a person? What does it not do? What is its function according to the Scriptures? Let us begin by noticing some thigs it will not do:
- It will not accomplish anything without faith in Christ: “Except ye believe that I am He, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24); “He that disbelieveth shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16). Baptism is merely a dunking without faith in Christ.
- It will not accomplish anything apart from repentance of one’s sins: “Except ye repent ye shall all in like manner perish” (Luke 13:3); “He commandeth men that they should all everywhere repent” (Acts 17:30).
- It will not help one who will not confess Christ as the Son of God: “Everyone therefore who shall confess me before men, him I will also confess before my Father who is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in Heaven” (Mat. 10:32–33).
- It will not accomplish God’s purpose if it is done against one’s own will: The obedience that pleases God must be “from the heart” (Rom. 6:17).
- Baptism will not help one who does not know its God-given purpose or who is baptized for the wrong purpose. Otherwise, every time one went swimming one would engage in the act of baptism; The 12 men who were baptized for the wrong purpose (Acts 19:1–5) had to be baptized for the right purpose to be pleasing to God.
- Baptism does not bring forgiveness of sins to the Christian who sins. Baptism is part of the new birth by which one enters God’s family (John 3:5). When a Christian sins, he doesn’t have to be reborn to be restored to God’s favor any more than a physical child has to be reborn each time he returns home. Repentance, confession, and prayer are the scriptural remedies when a Christian sins (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22).
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in the “Bible Thoughts” Column for the Hood County News, Granbury, Texas, March 26, 1978.]
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
