February 8, 2016 - People have a whole host of ideas today as to why people should be baptized. For example some teach that baptism is necessary in order to enter some denominations. Others teach that little children need to be baptized to save them from their sins. And yet others say that one needs to be baptized to show that they are saved.
But the question remains, why were people baptized in the New Testament? When we go to our New Testaments we find a stark contrast between the teachings of men and the truth of God.
Notice this at Jesus' baptism, “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matt. 3:13-15). Notice three important things in this text; 1) Jesus came to be baptized. 2) John expressed his need to be baptized. 3) Jesus said it fulfilled all righteousness. Can we gather out of this text that baptism was optional or a secondary thing?
Also consider something else the New Testament says about baptism. “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. 30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him” (Lk. 7:29-30). You see baptism is the counsel of God and when we reject baptism then we are rejecting the counsel of God.
But the question still remains, why were people baptized in the New Testament? Well, the New Testament says:
1. To be saved (Mk. 16:16).
2. To be born again (Jn. 3:3-5).
3. For the remission of sins (Ac. 2:38).
4. To wash away sins (Ac. 22:16).
5. To justify God (Lk. 7:29).
6. To be spiritually circumcised by faith (Col. 2:11-13).
7. To crucify the old man and have a new life (Rm. 6:3-6).
8. To put on Christ (Gal. 3:27).
These reasons are right from the Bible which makes them the truth. No one was baptized because they were saved but to be saved. No one was baptized because they had a new life but in order to get a new life. No one was baptized because they were washed from sin but to be washed from sin. No one was baptized because they already had Christ but in order to get Christ. No one was baptized because they had crucified the old man but in order to crucify the old man.
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