THEOLOGY RESEARCH PAPER
The Purpose and Merits of Baptism

V. King
THEO350
24 November 2014

Is there a purpose behind baptism? This is a question that has been heatedly debated for decades by all religions. It is an extremely important question and carries significant meaning to those who believe and practice baptism. The Slavic word for baptism is “krst”, which in ancient German, its origin is derived from the word “kristen”.1 Kristen translates into making followers of Christ.2 The Greek word for baptize is baptizein, which translates to immerse.3 Whereas, the most commonly recognized Greek word for baptism is baptizó. There are many scriptures in the New Testament that provide the purpose of baptism. For a Christian, being baptized is an important step in a Christian’s life. It is a process of ridding one of sin so they can live their life according to God’s Will. John 3:15 tells that “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” For Christians, they need to be baptized by a form of water in order to go to God’s Kingdom.
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Those who want to be baptized must accept and proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. After He is accepted as the one and only Savior, the person is baptized by going under water in the same manner as John the Baptist. There are three main components that baptism stands for: death, burial and resurrection as Paul describes in Romans 6:1-4. Believers identify this with the fact Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. Mark 16:15-16 states, “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes
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1. Hospodár, Michal. "Baptism and its Consequences for our Life." E-Theologos 3, no. 2 (2012): 174,n/a, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1328616006. 2. Ibid. 3. Ibid.
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and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. “Believers understand this scripture as that Jesus said that the purpose of being baptized was to save one’s soul. 1 Peter 3:2 tells us that “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The believer upholds that once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and repent of your sins, then baptism is the next step in washing away the sins from our body. The act of baptism is where one then becomes a Christian and a disciple. We are told in Matthew 28:19-20 to “Go and make disciples of all nations”.
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Theologically, the concept of baptism is that a Christian receives a baptism when they reach a level of spiritual awareness and growth. “In the Old Testament, Baptism appears as a goal of long-lasting preparation and as a result of Christ’s will in the New Testament”.4 Robert H. Stein argues “that Christian baptism is inextricably linked to the way those who are called through the gospel to faith and repentance become Christians and are incorporated into Christ’s body, the church”.5 The books of Luke through Acts give support that the believers who repent and receive baptism are guaranteed forgiveness.
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In the Bible, there is no direct evidence supporting the baptism of infants. Many argue that an infant is not aware that he was born a sinner and that they are not capable of understanding a level of spiritual awareness. Padeobaptists argue that Colossians 2:11-12 4. Hospodár, Michal. "Baptism and its Consequences for our Life." E-Theologos 3, no. 2 (2012): 174,n/a, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1328616006. 5. Bennema, C. P. (2009). “Believer's baptism: Sign of the new covenant in Christ.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 52(3), 655-661. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211167243.
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supports that the Old Testament act of circumcision is equal to a Christian baptism.6 This Scripture does not allow for an argument that the Old Testament practice of circumcision on infants is equal to a Christian believer’s baptism. Circumcision was given to children and infants for the primary reason of identification of a national and ethnic community.7 Irenaeus noted that even though Jesus himself was an adult when he was baptized, He then saved all people from infant to the elderly. 8 Irenaeus also concluded that since Jesus lived as an infant, a child, and a young man, He was “sanctifying them to the Lord”.9 Some pieces literature from the second century and forward indicate that infant and children baptisms occurred. In the Apostolic tradition, during the fourth century, infants were baptized before the men and women.
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Tertullian’s (c. 160-225 AD) position on baptism was that one should not be baptized until they were past youthful temptations and when they were a mature Christian. Augustine (c. 354-430 AD) was baptized as an adult also, but he advocated infant baptism. He insisted that infant baptism had “scriptural authority and that the little ones belonged to the flock of Christ only by baptism and would perish of they did not receive it.10
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6. Bennema, C. P. (2009). “Believer's baptism: Sign of the new covenant in Christ.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 52(3), 655-661. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211167243. 7. Jensen, Robin M. "Material and Documentary Evidence for the Practice of Early Christian Baptism." Journal of Early Christian Studies 20, no. 3 (Fall, 2012): 371-405, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1081167146. 8. Ibid. 9. Ibid. 10. Ibid

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Jerome (c. 347-420 AD) was not baptized until he was an adult (c. 360-366 AD). He urged parents to “seek the sacrament for their child for their own good as well as that of the infant”.11 His comments were of pastoral origin and he implied that the parents were being neglectful in their parental jobs towards their children. There is also recorded evidence that Donatist children who were baptized could be Roman Catholic Church clerics in the fifth century.
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In regards to baptizing infants and young children, David F. Wright points out that children four to five years of age may simply give an answer given to them by a parent instead of truly understanding what baptism means. Wright supports Tertullian’s position that children should not be baptized because they have not yet committed a sin in order to ask for forgiveness.12 Children were included in religious ceremonies for adults, but there is no evidence supporting that there were objections of any kind to this inclusion of children. Fisher Humphreys states that “it also is certain that Baptists were acting contrary to Jesus’ prayer for the unity of His followers when they rejected as biblical the baptism of infants and so created a chasm between themselves and other Christians”.13
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11. Jensen, Robin M. "Material and Documentary Evidence for the Practice of Early Christian Baptism." Journal of Early Christian Studies 20, no. 3 (Fall, 2012): 371-405, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1081167146. 12. Brent, Allen and David F. Wright. "Infant Baptism in Historical Perspective. Collected Studies." The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 60, no. 3 (07, 2009): 540-1, http://search.proquest.com/docview/229778796. 13. Humphreys, Fisher. Baptist Theological Contributions: An Intentional Faith Community Achieved by Reserving Baptism for Believers and Religious Liberty Achieved by Separation of Church and State. Baptist History and Heritage, 45(1), 21+. (2010). Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com

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The Baptist Faith and Message defines baptism as:
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Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.14
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This statement could lead one to believe that baptism would apply to adults only because how could infants be believers when they do not yet realize that they are sinners and need to ask for redemption. An argument against baptizing children is that they do not understand what being baptized truly means. Does one so young understand what they are being held accountable for? Many say no, that an infant or young child would not understand. Some have their children baptized so they will know that they are saved. “The most direct answer is that they should be old enough to give a believable profession of faith.15
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From the beginning, one thing has always been constant when a baptism takes place – water. There are various methods of baptism that different religions use for their purposes. Many are the modes of Baptism and it is important to know the actual ones that are biblical. Whether it be the flood during the time of Noah, Moses and the Red Sea, a river, or a sprinkle, when one surrenders their life to Christ, the water cleanses them of their sins and gives them a renewed life they can live to please God.
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14. Cothen, Joe H, & Barlow, Jerry N. “ The Meaning and Purpose of Baptism.” Equipped for God’s Work. 2d ed. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 2002. 167-171. Print. 15. Grudem, Wayne A. "Baptism." Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000. 966-1003. Print.

The flood that occurred in the time of Noah was a baptism of biblical proportions. This was a removal (or cleansing) of worldwide sin, not just the sin of one individual. This created a whole new slate for new life for God’s creation - the world. Those that walked into the Red Sea came out and for 40 years lived like Nomads in the desert. Those who were righteous were able to go to the Promised Land. The ultimate baptism occurred when Christ was baptized in the Jordan River by the hands of John the Baptist. Paul must have had a reason to include baptism in 1 Corinthians 1:13-17, but that reason remains “unknown to us”.16 These scriptures do tell us why baptism was an issue, but after that, there seemed to be no issue at all. Paul then went further to bring attention back to what he really wanted to do and that was to evangelize. He did not want to be known as a baptizer. Even though he refused the title of baptizer, he testifies in 1 Corinthians 1:16, “that he baptized the household of Stephanas”.17 Even though baptism was not explicitly mentioned in all aspects of faith, there are testimonies that show that entire households came together in faith. 18
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The benefit of baptism for all Baptists is that it symbolizes that a rebirth has happened inside a person. Catholics state that baptism causes the rebirth and paedobaptists do not accept claim to either reason. Their position is that baptism is a symbol of rebirth later in time. This claim differs from the New Testament which offers 16. Pascuzzi, Maria. "Baptism-Based Allegiance and the Divisions in Corinth: A Reexamination of 1 Corinthians 1:13-17." The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 71, no. 4 (10, 2009): 813-29, http://search.proquest.com/docview/220253760. 17. Boyd, Gregory A. & Paul R. Eddy. Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 9780801037931. 18. Grudem, Wayne A. "Baptism." Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000. 966-1003. Print. the position that “baptism is a sign of being born again, being cleansed from sin and beginning the Christian life”.19 The following scriptures (and many more) give Christians the benefits of being baptized. Acts 4:12 tells us, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Ephesians 5:25-27 states “25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
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Baptism methods will be debated forever. Being a Baptist, I embraced the ritual or tradition (depending on the church) of being baptized. It is a spiritual rebirth that holds different meanings to different people. For me, it symbolizes a personal commitment to my faith in Christ that I have accepted His grace. I personally think that infants are not of the understanding of what it means to be baptized. I waited until I thought my children fully understood the extent of what it means to know God and what He has done for us. It really comes down the individual person as to how they perceive baptism; if they want their infant baptized and the mode to receive the baptism. “The basic question again is whether salvation is received by faith alone or whether the sacraments are part of the conversion experience”.20 19. Grudem, Wayne A. "Baptism." Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000. 966-1003. Print. 20. Lutzer, Erwin. The Doctrines that Divide. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1998. ISBN: 9780825431654.

Bibliography

Bennema, C. P. (2009). “Believer's baptism: Sign of the new covenant in Christ.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 52(3), 655-661. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211167243.
Boyd, Gregory A. & Paul R. Eddy. Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology. 2d ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2009. ISBN: 9780801037931.
Brent, Allen and David F. Wright. "Infant Baptism in Historical Perspective. Collected Studies." The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 60, no. 3 (07, 2009): 540-1, http://search.proquest.com/docview/229778796.
Cothen, Joe H, & Barlow, Jerry N. “ The Meaning and Purpose of Baptism.” Equipped for God’s Work. 2d ed. Gretna, LA: Pelican Publishing Company, 2002. 167-171. Print.
Crossway Bibles. ESV: Study Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles, 2007.
DeMaris, Richard E. “Funerals and Baptisms, Ordinary and Otherwise: Ritual Criticism and Corinthian Rites." Biblical Theology Bulletin: A Journal of Bible and Theology, no. 4 (November 2011): 239-240. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed 14 November 2014). http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048
Grudem, Wayne A. "Baptism." Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2000. 966-1003. Print.
Hospodár, Michal. "Baptism and its Consequences for our Life." E-Theologos 3, no. 2 (2012): 174,n/a, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1328616006.
Humphreys, Fisher. Baptist Theological Contributions: An Intentional Faith Community Achieved by Reserving Baptism for Believers and Religious Liberty Achieved by Separation of Church and State. Baptist History and Heritage, 45(1), 21+. (2010). Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com
Jensen, Robin M. "Material and Documentary Evidence for the Practice of Early Christian Baptism." Journal of Early Christian Studies 20, no. 3 (Fall, 2012): 371-405, http://search.proquest.com/docview/1081167146.
Lutzer, Erwin. The Doctrines that Divide. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel, 1998. ISBN: 9780825431654.
Pascuzzi, Maria. "Baptism-Based Allegiance and the Divisions in Corinth: A Reexamination of 1 Corinthians 1:13-17." The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 71, no. 4 (10, 2009): 813-29, http://search.proquest.com/docview/220253760.
Southern Baptist Convention. “Baptist Faith and Message, 2000.” Statement of Faith. Print.

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