Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The meaning and significance of baptism for Christians today
The meaning and significance of baptism for Christians today
The meaning and significance of baptism for Christians today
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Why Be Baptized
There are people who sincerely believe that the sinner comes first to salvation and then he should be baptized. This order, however, is not of the scriptures, but rather contradicts the order put forth in the New Testament. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved…” That’s the Bible order; nonetheless, baptism is not the primary thing in becoming a Christian. It is one of several. However, we do not earn salvation by being baptized. Salvation is a gift. (Ephesians 2: 8-9) Yet, while salvation is God’s gift, He has laid down certain conditions upon which He offers His salvation. Faith is one of those conditions, so no one who does not believe in Christ will be saved. Baptism is another and no person has the promise of eternal life in heaven who does not give himself to the Lord in baptism, which is one of man’s responses to the grace of God; yet, Jesus said when we have done all the things we are
…show more content…
Paul wrote, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2: 8-9)
If salvation is by God’s grace, and it is, how can it be that man must do certain things in order to be saved? The Bible is clear; God gives salvation, but at the same time the scriptures are very clear that not all people will be saved; only those who come to Christ and accept His salvation. Actually, it is a question of humanity being willing to meet the conditions upon which God freely gives salvation.
These conditions are clearly listed in the scriptures and they include faith in God. (Hebrews 11:6) The conditions upon which God gives the gift of salvation also include a person’s willingness to repent of his sins b(Luke 13: 3), and his willingness to confess Christ openly before men. (Matthew 10: 32) Then, there is baptism. (Mark 16:
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (ESV)
“In baptism every Christian has enough to study and to practice all his life. He always has enough to do to believe firmly what Baptism promises and brings – victory over death and the devil, forgiveness of sin, God’s grace, the entire Christ, and the Holy Spirit with his gifts. In short the blessings of Baptism are so boundless that if timid nature considers them, it may well doubt whether they could all be true.”
In this paper, I will be defending the view of believer’s baptism as I feel it gives a better understand of what baptism is suppose to be.
Many Christian denominations practice the tradition of baptism. However, many denominations differ widely on the meaning and significance of the sacrament or ordinance of baptism. Baptism in the Old Testament is used as a symbol of a believer’s devotion to God by washing with water as a sign of purification and consecration. There are many different meanings and techniques to baptism that have been observed by many faiths over thousands of years. Many of the customs and b...
into the Kingdom of God, and if a person is to be baptised they should
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptiz- ing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” ( Matt. 28:19-20 NIV ). The idea of sharing in the death of Christ connects remission of sins with baptism which the death of Christ effected. ( Act 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21). Just as physical washing cleanses our bodies from filthiness, so also baptism symbolically cleanses our spirits through participation in the death of Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (I Cor. 12:13 NIV). In addition, baptism connects with spiritual birth along with the Spirit’s reception. Hence, participation in Christ’s resurrection indicates that the Holy Spirit is presently in our lives. Baptism is an indication of the relationship we have with Christ and wherever we find ourselves in the world, our deportment, attitude and disposition should be in alignment with our confession of faith. Jesus’ baptism should help us realize how much we are loved by God. Jesus died to pay a debt he did not owe to release from a debt we could not pay. Baptism is a two-fold operation because we are symbolically
Experiencing salvation looks differently for every person; not everyone experiences salvation in the same place or at the same time. We often put human restrictions on God’s actions, saying exactly how and when Jesus will show up. As humans we do not obtain the authority or ability to say how or when Jesus will show up, only God has this power. There are many times people feel pressured into salvation or forced into religion; I believe this is something which drives people away from God and the church. Langston Hughes felt pressured into an artificial salvation, and this caused him to turn away from Jesus.
Jesus commands us to believe and be baptized, and we will be saved (Mark 16:16, NIV, web). If the Apostles’ Creed is confessed, I consider Jesus’s command to “believe” to have been covered. What about His command to be baptized? Does the act of baptism confer salvation? I do not, believe this is the case.
The topic of baptism for Christians is a heated and constantly debated topic. It is important to discuss when the proper time for baptism is; as an infant or after a professed belief. The purpose of baptism is to follow the commands of Jesus Christ and to make public our faith. The view supporting baptism after salvation can be shown to be more viable by considering biblical text and logical conclusions.
We will be debating the affirmative, that baptism is necessary for salvation. In the bible there is proof that we need to be baptized for our salvation. In Acts 2:38 Peter says "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” This clearly states that to receive salvation (the Holy Spirit) you have to be baptized. Baptism is complete immersion under water, not poring or sprinkling but completely covered in water.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” In Ephesians 2:8, one of the many reasons for hope is displayed. Growing up, I always feared that I would never be “good enough” to go to heaven. It is human nature to believe the works of man have an impact. In the grand scheme, however, this is evidently not the case. Man is sinful by nature; man is saved by faith. As previously stated, this is not of my own doing, but a gift from God. When I struggled with the “whys” in life, I often wondered why God chose to save me. I did nothing to deserve his grace, yet, he gave it to me. I felt unworthy of His mercy, like it was a burden. The gift was too grand of a gesture that I simply could not receive. After praying, I came to a different conclusion. How can I dare not accept such a wonderful gift as the grace of God? This epiphany gave m...
The idea that salvation is a free gift of grace is essential to living as a good Christian. Salvation is the idea of avoiding the punishments for sin by believing and having faith in Christ. According to Christians, if you have the necessary faith than you will be in salvation and be fine. There are many places in Christianity that this idea is brought up and put to good use. For example, in a short excerpt from St. Thomas Aquinas he states how as long as you love god than he is a part of you.
During Baptism, we are received into the church. Baptism is important as it represents a death to the old sinful life. and a rise to a new life as a Christian. Water is used to cleanse and during Baptism, an infant is cleansed of original sin or a believer is. cleansed of personal sin.
The word Baptism derives from the "Greek word of baptein, which indicates the washing away of sins within the Christian religion" (Meslin 1). Baptism allows for ordinary individuals to take a break from the profane world and reconnect with God, or the sacred. The waters of baptism is often linked to development of the world. To practitioners of this faith, water is considered the first essential item to be made, that could sustain and give life to humans, plants, and more. Baptism often begins immediately after a child is born, although adults can participate in this practice. The attention is often focused on younger children because adults are concerned on saving them from the profane world from a young age. Parents/guardians are keen on building their new life and faith in order to obtain spiritual maturity as adults. Due to the complex process of baptism, it requires people to participate in a sacred place and time.
It is followed by years of catechesis before being completed late by Confirmation and the Eucharist, the summit of Christian initiation. Baptism is the Church 's way of celebrating and enacting the embrace of God and the promise of salvation. 'Peter replied, "Repent and be baptised..." ' (Acts 2: 38-39) Baptism happens not only to the individual, but also the wider Church. At the time of Christ it signified that the person being baptised became a follower of Christ and acquired a relationship with him. '... I (Paul) also baptised the household of Stephanas... ' (1 Corinthians 1:16) The rite is celebrated with the community present and actively participating. It is the community, who will journey with them throughout their