PT069
(Irvine, CA: Covenant Community Church,
November, 1987), Covenant Media Foundation, 800/553-3938
Baptism:
Its Meaning and Purpose
By Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen
In compliance with Christ’s command (Matt. 28:19), Christians have always practiced baptism with water into the Triune name of God, marking the incorporation of the person baptized into the church as Christ’s Body (I Cor. 12:12-13).
However, widely differing ideas
about baptism exist among professing Christians. Some claim that it automatically washes away previous sin; some
think that children are regenerated by it.
At the other extreme, there are
those who say that baptism does nothing more than symbolize a person’s own
profession of faith in God’s cleansing grace.
The former views see divine power
inherent in baptism – yet place it at the disposal of the church. The latter view shifts orientation to man’s
action and sees God performing nothing through baptism itself.
The Reformed faith disagrees with
each of these lines of thought, holding that the perspective of God’s inspired
word on baptism is not only contrary to them, but also much clearer than
debates over baptism sometimes pretend.
So let us ask, what is the meaning of baptism? And what purpose does it
serve?
Many aspects of new Covenant
teaching cannot be properly understood apart from their historical background
in the Old Covenant. The comment that
Jesus is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” or the fact that
the temple veil was torn in two when Jesus died upon the cross are
examples. Likewise, the Lord’s Supper
celebrated in the New Covenant is to be seen in the light of the Old Covenant’s
passover celebration (Luke 21:15-20; I Cor. 5:7-8; 10:16-17; 11:20-29). What Old Covenant precedent might there be
for baptism?
Paul answers our question and
helps us understand the theological meaning of baptism by pointing us to its
historical precedent in Colossians 2:11-12.
“In Him you were also circumcised – in putting off of the body of the
flesh – not with a circumcision done with hands, but with the circumcision
performed by Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism . . ..”
Christians have been circumcised
spiritually (not done with hands), and this circumcision has been accomplished
by Jesus Christ himself. What is this
circumcision? Paul explains
immediately: “having been buried with
Him in baptism.”[1] Figuratively speaking, Christian baptism is
the circumcision performed by Christ.
Accordingly, by examining the religious rite of circumcision practiced
in the Old Covenant, we can understand the meaning and purpose of baptism in
the New Covenant.
1. Like Circumcision, Baptism Shows that We Belong to God as His People.
Circumcision
was the mark that someone belonged covenantally to God. It distinguished a person from the
unbelieving, Gentile world: “when a
stranger sojourns with you and would keep the passover to the Lord, let all his
males be circumcised, then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as
one that is born in the land – for no uncircumcised person shall eat of it”
(Ex. 12:48).
Likewise,
baptism is the sign which distinguishes God’s people from the rebellious world
today. The words of the Great
Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) require Christ’s disciples to be differentiated
from the world by baptism. It is the
mark of conversion to Christianity.
Those who “received his word” were baptized and added to the church
(Acts 2:41). Setting us apart from a
world dead in sin, baptism summons us to walk in “newness of life” (Rom. 6:4).
2. Like Circumcision, Baptism Symbolizes Purification from Defilement.
Man’s
sinful condition is called “the uncircumcision of your flesh” by Paul (Col.
2:13). Circumcision symbolized a cutting
back and removal of that sinful nature.
Thus circumcision was figuratively applied to the lips (Ex. 6:12, 30)
and especially the heart (Jer. 4:4).
The ancient external rite was literally applied to the male genital
organ as an indication that everyone comes into this world at birth as sinfully
unclean and unacceptable in God’s sight.
There can be no “natural” hope for man’s salvation. He must rely solely on the supernatural,
gracious work of God in his behalf.
Likewise,
baptism points to the need for the “remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). It assumes our spiritually dirty condition
before God. Thus Ananias said to Paul
after his conversion, “arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling
upon His name” (Acts 22:16). Baptism
teaches us that, as filthy in the sight of God, our only hope is in His
cleansing grace (cf. I John 1:9).
3. Accordingly,
Like Circumcision, Baptism Points to Righteousness Imputed by Faith.
Paul tells
us in Romans 4:11 that Abraham “received the sign of circumcision, a seal of
the righteousness of the faith which he had while he was in uncircumcision,
that he might become the father of all them that believe . . . that
righteousness be imputed unto them.”
Abraham’s circumcision was God’s testimony in Abraham’s flesh that
righteousness cannot be merited by man’s natural efforts – that it must be
graciously imputed to the helpless sinner.
Abraham was reckoned righteous, therefore, only by trusting in God’s
promise and provision – by faith.
This
is also the divine testimony in baptism.
Those who wish to be justified in the sight of God must “repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of
your sins”; those who do so are believers in God’s promise (Acts
2:38-44). “Having believed in God” for
promised salvation, the Philippian jailer “was baptized” (Acts 16:30-34). Like Abraham’s circumcision, the jailer’s
baptism was a divine sign of justification (righteousness, salvation) by faith.
We must note well that the signs of the covenant, whether circumcision
or baptism, – being God’s signs and ordained by Him – are God’s testimony to
God’s gracious work of salvation. They
declare the objective truth that justification comes only by faith in God’s
promise. Circumcision and baptism are
not an individual’s personal, subjective testimony to having saving faith for
himself. God Himself commanded that
circumcision be applied to those whom He
perfectly well knew would not have
saving faith in Him (e.g., Ishmael in Gen. 17:18-27).
Likewise,
in plenty of instances hypocrites who are not true believers have been baptized
(cf. Heb. 6:2-6; e.g., Simon Magus in Acts 8:13, 20-23).[2] Even in such cases the covenantal
sign was not invalidated; its divine testimony remained true – objectively
declaring by circumcision or baptism that defiled sinners (Ishmael, Simon
Magus) need God’s gracious cleansing, that justification can come only by faith
in His promise.
4. Most Comprehensively then, Like Circumcision, Baptism Signifies
Covenantal Union and communion with God.
God
said to Abraham “This is My covenant between Me and you . . . every male among
you shall be circumcised” (Gen. 17:10), and the substance of God’s covenant
promise to Abraham was “to be a God unto you and unto your seed after you” (v.
7). Circumcision placed Abraham and his
children in a covenantal relation with God that the unbelieving world did not
enjoy. It marked them out as enjoying
God’s saving promise in this world – as those about whom God could say “you
alone have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2). Because of this gracious covenant, Abraham’s
children had communion with God. They
assembled in the very presence of God. (Ex. 26:22; 29:42-43).
Similarly,
Paul says that those who receive the sign of baptism have been “baptized into
Christ Jesus” and are “united with Him” (Rom. 6:3, 5). They enjoy covenantal communion with the
Savior as His people (e.g., Rev. 3:20), being “by one spirit baptized into one
Body” (I Cor. 12:13) – a relationship which cannot be claimed by those in the
unbelieving world. God’s people today
assemble together in the very presence of God, His angels, and Jesus the
mediator of the New Covenant (Heb. 12:22-24).
Here
we must take note again of a common misunderstanding of circumcision and
baptism, one which arises from a more fundamental, underlying misconception of
what it means to have covenantal, underlying misconception of what it means to
have covenantal union and communion with the Lord. To be covenantally united with God, although intended by God to
bring favor and blessing to His chosen people, carries as well the
threat of judgment and curse. God’s
covenants involve blessing and
cursing, depending upon whether one is a covenant-keeper or a
covenant-breaker.
We
see this two-sided character of the covenant in both the Old Covenant (e.g.,
Deut. 27-28; Josh. 8:34) as well as the New (e.g., I Cor. 11:27-32; Heb.
6:4-8). It was just because Israel
alone enjoyed God’s loving covenant that the nation had to be judged for its
sins (Amos 3:2). Likewise, if the
Laodicean church will not repent, it must be rejected (Rev. 3:16).
To
be in covenant with God does not automatically imply eternal salvation –
certainly not for covenant-breakers.
Thus “they are not all Israel who are of Israel” (Rom. 9:6), and even in
the New Covenant not all who publicly profess Jesus as “Lord” are savingly
known by Him (Matt. 7:21-23). So then,
the signs of circumcision and baptism definitely bring their recipients into covenant with God (and what they
signify is intended as blessing), but they are not thereby personal guarantees
of salvation, except for covenant-keepers.
The covenant signs can also bring their recipients under God’s dreadful
judgment.
5. Like Circumcision, Baptism is Designed to be Applied to Believers and
Their Households.
It
is evident from Genesis 17:7-14 that God designed the sign of the covenant to
be applied, not only to the believing adult Abraham, but also to his seed,
indeed his entire household – “every male among you,” whether born in the
house, purchased as a slave, Jewish or Gentile. All those who were part of Abraham’s house were covenantally consecrated
(or “holy”) to God in virtue of their connection with Abraham the
believer. Accordingly, the Jews
circumcised their sons, even as children
(on the eighth day). Moreover, since
Abraham was to be the believing “father of many nations,” not simply of the
Jews (Gen. 17:4-6; 12;3), the covenant promise – and its sign of circumcision –
were for converted Gentiles as well (Ex. 12:48-49; cf. Gal. 3:7).
Since
baptism is the New Covenant equivalent of circumcision, and since circumcision
taught that the children of believers are included under God’s covenant, and
since our covenant-keeping God does not change His principles (Ps.
89:34; Matt. 4:4; 5:18; Rom. 15:4; Jas. 1:17), we would fully expect that
baptism should be applied – as was circumcision – to believers and their seed
or households. This theological
inference is inescapable. Further, it
is precisely what we find taught in the New Covenant scriptures themselves.
On
the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the risen Christ as the fulfillment of the
Old Testament prophecies and covenants.
Declaring God’s good news to the Jews – whose self-conception for
centuries had been in terms of the Abrahamic covenant (cf. John 8:33, 39) –
Peter called on his audience to repent and be baptized. And Peter conspicuously couched his
invitation in the structure of God’s promise to Abraham, which we saw
above: “For the promise is to you [as
believers] and to your children [your seed], and to all that are afar off [the
Gentiles]” (Acts 2:39).
The
children of believers are to be baptized, then, and addressed as members of the
covenant community, the church(e.g., Eph. 1;1; 6:1); Jesus said, “to such
[infants] belongs the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:15-16). Paul teaches us that, just like the case of
the Old Covenant believer Abraham, the entire household of a New covenant
believer is covenantally consecrated (“holy”) to the Lord (I Cor. 7:14).[3] Thus when Lydia became a believer, not only
was she herself baptized, but “also her household” (Acts 16:14-15) – as was the
“household of Stephannas” (I Cor. 1:16).[4]
Our preceding discussion has
illustrated how the meaning of Christian baptism corresponds to that of Old
Covenant circumcision. Baptism is, for
believers and their households, a sign of being in covenantal communion with
God as His people (distinguished from the world), an objective divine testimony
to the fact that sinners need cleansing from defilement and can be justified
only by faith in God’s gracious promise and work. The Biblical mode of baptism – sprinkling or pouring[5]
– symbolically fits this message.
In the Old Testament God
foreshadowed the redemptive work of Christ through various rites involving the sprinkling
of blood. Accordingly, Hebrews 9:10
speaks of certain ceremonial rites connected with the Old Covenant tabernacle –
such as sprinkling the blood of bulls (v. 13; cf. Num. 19:17-18), sprinkling
the book and people with blood (v. 19; cf. Ex. 24:6, 8), and sprinkling the
tabernacles and its vessels with blood (v. 21; cf. Lev. 8:19; 16:14). And Hebrews 9:10 calls these external
regulations which anticipated the redeeming work of the Savior “various baptisms [washings] imposed until a
time of reformation.”
The New Covenant speaks of our
salvation as the “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:2; cf.
Heb. 12:24). And this redemptive work
is aligned with our Christian baptism:
“let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure
water” (Heb. 10:22).
Moreover, in the Old Covenant
scriptures God promised the coming of the regenerating Holy Spirit in terms of pouring
and sprinkling: “I will pour out My
Spirit upon all flesh” (Joel 2:28-29). “I
will sprinkle clean water on you . . . I will give you a new heart . . . I will
put My Spirit within you to walk in My statutes” (Ezek. 36:25-28).
Accordingly the New Testament
speaks of our salvation in terms of the “pouring out” of the Holy spirit: “Being therefore exalted to the right hand of
God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has
poured forth this which you see and hear” (Acts 2:33; cf. 10: 44-45; 11:15-16). And this redemptive act is clearly called baptism by Jesus: “John indeed baptized with water, but you
shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence” (Acts 1:5; cf.
Matt. 3:11; Acts 11:16; I Cor. 12:13).
Baptism by sprinkling or pouring,
then, points to God’s covenant wherein helpless, polluted sinners are sprinkled
clean by the redemptive blood of Jesus Christ and renewed by the pouring out of
the Holy Spirit. In harmony with what
we have seen previously, baptism is a testimony to salvation by God’s
initiative and promise, anticipated in the Old Covenant and accomplished
through the New Covenant work of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Baptists
take a minimalist, subjective view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper,
seeing them merely as “ordinances” (not “sacraments”) which are nothing more
than a memorial to the work of Christ, a testimony to the gospel truth and
visible sign of a person’s (subjective) faith in it. By contrast the word of God presents the sacraments as a true “means
of grace” which, through the efficacious work of the Holy spirit, convey a
blessing to believing recipients – those who keep God’s covenant. Notice how Paul speaks of the
sacrament: “The cup of blessing which
we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” (I Cor. 10:160. The sacrament actually does
something in this case blessing covenant-keepers; but Paul also
realized that the sacrament carries a corresponding threat of curse for
unworthy partakers (I Cor. 11:29).
Far from being superfluous, then,
the sacraments intend to convey a distinct blessing beyond that provided by the
word alone. In addition to being a sign
of the covenant of grace, they also function as a confirmatory seal of
it. Notice what Paul says: “And he [Abraham] received the sign of
circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being
uncircumcised” (Rom. 4:11).
The sacrament confirms or
authenticates (“seals”) that which it points to (“signifies”). It is God’s reassurance to us that sinners
are acceptable to Him by means of faith in His promise – parallel to the oath
which God added to His word of promise to Abraham (cf. Heb. 6:13-19). This reassurance is provided, of
course, only for those who truly keep God’s covenant in faith.
At the other extreme from
Baptistic conceptions, there are maximalist views of the
sacraments. Roman Catholicism sees the
sacraments as necessary – not simply by God’s precept and as conveying the
distinct blessing of sealing God’s promise, but as the very means of salvation. The elements of the sacraments are thought
to be inherently efficacious in virtue
of the church being the depository and dispensary of God’s grace. Thus baptism works automatically to wash away
previous sins and will bring its recipient salvation (provided such is
not “blocked by mortal sin”).
Lutheranism says that, when they are properly applied, the sacraments
are in themselves efficacious to
those who are susceptible to their blessing: this susceptibility amounts to faith in adults, but simple
nonresistance in infants. Accordingly,
baptism automatically regenerates infants.
Quite opposite of these ideas,
the word of God teaches us that the saving grace signified by the sacraments
exists prior to them and is not produced by them. That is, the saving
benefit of the sacraments is available apart from them – thus they are not necessary for salvation. Moreover, the efficacy of the sacraments
resides in the presence and work of the Holy Spirit (not in the church
or the elements or their proper administration). It is through His discriminating, divine agency that the
sacraments accomplish their work (either blessing or cursing). Accordingly, they do not bless unworthy
recipients.
When Peter speaks of baptism
saving us, he immediately explains: “not
the washing away of bodily pollution [external surface dirt], but the appeal
made to God by a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I
Peter 3:21). Without a good conscience
through Christ'’ saving work, the external rite brings no saving blessing.
The sacrament brings blessing
(rather than curse) when an inward, spiritual condition matches the symbolism
of the outward act. As Paul said: “neither is that circumcision which is
outward, in the flesh. But . . .
circumcision is that of the heart, by the Spirit, not the letter – whose praise
is not of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:28-29).
Given an understanding of the
Biblical meaning and purpose of baptism, we can draw of few significant
conclusions, things that should come to mind at the celebration of baptism
(whether our own or that of others).
1.
Baptism issues an evangelistic call. Like circumcision, it testifies that we are
all born in sin and, as such, are unclean and unacceptable in the sight of
God. Baptism also points to the mercy
of God which washes sinners of their pollution and makes them graciously
acceptable to Him through the sprinkling of Christ’s blood and regenerating
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Our only
hope is in God’s gracious promise of redemption, received by faith. So baptism summons unbelievers to trust in
the Savior.
2.
Baptism issues a sanctifying call. Those who are baptized need to demonstrate that they are
covenant-keepers, those who have living faith in the Savior and seek to serve
Him with their lives. As with
circumcision, this is true of adults just as much as with children! Baptism conveys blessing only to the
faithful, whenever and wherever their baptism was administered. It must not be viewed as a magical rite by
which to manipulate God. It only works
to bring saving blessing when the recipient of the baptism responds to God’s
claim upon his/her life with covenant-keeping faith and obedience.
3.
Baptism issues a call to covenant faithfulness. If you are a believer, have you and your children been baptized? The signs of God’s covenant are not
optional, as though subject to our own imagined meaning or imagined value. To
despise those signs is in itself to despise God’s very covenant (cf. Gen.
17:10, 14; Ex. 4:24-26; John 6:53; Luke 22:20; I Cor. 10:16; 11:27). You need for yourself and your household to
affirm and enjoy the privilege of standing in a covenantal relationship with
God through baptism. He is the Lord of
your family and claims your children as His own. You likewise need to live in every area of your life (family,
vocation, finances, education, social relationships, recreations, art,
politics, etc.) as someone who is under the mark of God’s covenant and thereby
responsible to obey the Lord at every point.
Our lives are completely His.
4.
Baptism powerfully communicates comfort to the
faithful. Whether baptized as an adult
convert or as a helpless child, the rite of baptism offers reassurance (whether
at the time of administration or later) that God is a forgiving God and will
indeed prove true to His promises to those who keep His covenant. There is in baptism not only a visual reinforcement
of the gospel message, but more importantly a confirming (sealing)
inward work of the Holy Spirit which strengthens our hearts in the condemning
presence of sin, authenticating the unfailing promise of salvation from our
covenant Lord. It is thereby truly a
means of grace for us.
[1] Water baptism is but the outward sign of spirit baptism. It is, of course, the inward reality of the Spirit’s work (not its external symbol of water) that effects the regeneration and union with Christ spoken of in this passage (buried, raised, and made alive “together with Him”) – cf. Rom. 8:9; Eph. 3:16-17; I John 4:13.
[2] Some might object that, while God knowingly applied a sign of the Old Covenant to unbelievers (Like Ishmael or Esau), this would be inappropriate in the New Covenant. They say new Covenant signs are only for those we have reason to think are believers (by their profession of faith). Such reasoning is well meaning, but nonetheless unbiblical. God the Son knowingly applied a sign of even the New Covenant to the unbelieving "son of perdition," Judas Iscariot (Luke 21:20-21; Matt. 26:23-29).
[3] It is sometimes considered an argument against infant baptism that its supporting premises would lead to the baptism of believers’ spouses as well. From I Cor. 7:14 we see that such an inference is, indeed, quite Biblical. An unbelieving spouse of a believer should, unless resistant, undergo baptism since he/she is covenantally “set apart” by being in the believer’s household.
[4] It is reading something into the text in these cases to say that members of the households were baptized on the basis of a personal profession of faith. Scripturally and strictly speaking, individuals were baptized in virtue of being in the household. The belief of household members is not left implicit in the Bible (cf. Acts 10:2, 44:48; 11:14; 16:31-34).
[5] Contrary to a mistaken but often heard claim, the Greek word “baptizo” does not necessarily (and at times cannot) mean to immerse. See the Septuagint (Greek translation) of Lev. 14:6, 51; Joshua 3:13, 15; Ruth 2:14; Dan. 4:33. Also see the New Testament at Luke 11:38; mark 7:3-5. It is highly unlikely that there was enough spare (non-drinking) water within the city of Jerusalem to immerse three thousand people on one day (cf. Acts 2:41). The use of the Greek word translated “into’ in baptism accounts like Acts 8:38-39 cannot prove immersion (the word can legitimately be translated “to,” “unto,” “toward”) – unless it proves that the eunuch as well as Philip were immersed, since “they both went down into the water”! That baptism symbolizes being buried and raised with Christ (Rom. 6:4) does not require a visual picture for the mode of baptism – immersion down into water and emergence up from it; after all, Jesus Himself was not buried in a grave dug out down in the ground, but on a shelf in a cave. Furthermore, the immersionist “picture” does not also take account of our being “crucified with Him” – which is equally part of the passage (ve. 6).