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Refocus Church

6. Why baptize Disciples?
   

1. What baptism is not and what it is

 

Mt 28:19,20 “ go and make disciples of all nations , baptizing 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 .”

 

•  For some of us, we may think this is beneath us – we were baptised a long time ago and we know all about it.
•  Let this come as a revision course, as an understanding you may share with others in days ahead, and maybe even come to see with fresh eyes.
•  It is good to remind ourselves about the testimony we have in God – for example, note the link between making disciples and being baptised.
•  It's good to remind ourselves that we are called to be disciples not passengers.
•  The football player wants to be on the field, not on the substitutes' bench.
•  For the Christian, we need to be doing the things God wants us to do so that we have an impact and make a difference this side of Heaven!
•  Matt 3:1-6: John the Baptist making a difference - Preaching repentance / Preaching the Kingdom of Heaven / Preparing the way for the Messiah / Calling people to confess their sins / Restoring peoples' relationships with God

 

 

a) What Baptism is not

 

It is NOT

•  something that children can do – it was clearly for believers who understood what they were doing, i.e. adults,
•  something that makes us good – Jesus death on the Cross declares us righteous when we respond to the Good News and the Holy Spirit is working in us to ‘sanctify us' or start making us ‘good' in respect of daily living.
•  something we do when we reach a level of maturity – no, it is for new believers,
•  something we do when we have managed to change to be good – no, new believers are only at the beginning of their walk with God

 

b) What Baptism is

 

•  it is an act of obedience after repentance and new birth,
•  it is a PICTURE of what has already happened,
•  it is a picture of us dying to our old life and being buried, and of being raised to new life,
•  it is also a picture of being washed clean of our sins.

 

 

2. What is God's Intent in requiring us to be baptised

 

The Bible isn't specific but we know

•  Jesus was baptised (to be seen to be righteous – Mt 3:15 ),
•  Jesus' disciples were baptised,
•  Jesus and his disciples taught baptism,
•  The early church practised baptism,

so it must have been important.

 

We can suggest that it is:

•  an act of obedience or commitment,
•  a specific act of commitment, like getting married,
•  a public act of commitment,
•  a clear cut-off point where the old life is separated from the new,
•  a declaration of what has already happened.

 

 

3. What are the Effects of Baptism?

 

•  It seems to bring a new level of assurance to the believer,
•  it seems to act as a real cut-off point in life so past bondages are broken,
•  it opens the way up to walk out in a new God-empowered life,
•  it releases the Holy Spirit in a new way.

 

A Final Comment

Baptism is often a highly disputed  issue in some parts of the Church. Some want to sprinkle, others immerse. Some want to do it with children, others with adults. We have expressed above what we believe is a biblical view.

Yet one thing has become obvious over the years: it is something which the enemy disputes and tries to stop happening. Does he realise more than many of us the real significance of it? It is also clear that it really is a 'cutting off point' in a believer's life and perhaps that is why there are some who believe that in the early church it was considered essential for salvation. Perhaps we too should not be casual about it for in the New Testament it clearly was linked with salvation, received by adults and did require a lot of water to portray a very real spiritual truth.