Below is my attempt at a (somewhat) thorough response. Please forgive the length.
I guess I should explain what I'm trying to get at here...I would like to really examine baptism and what it actually is...
So, what I'd really like to see is indeed a list of verses...preferably the whole text, not just the reference...BUT, only those that support the idea that baptism is an "outward profession".
Why not the ones that seem to support the idea that baptism is far more than an "outward profession", but a means by which God imparts His saving grace? Because, I already a lot of source data on that interpretation.
Hi Handy,
I was actually going to give the same response that I am now to your question simply from your OP, but I noticed that in the above quotation you additionally elaborate on an important point to consider that I was going to address (as to what baptism
is).
What I was going to say from the outset is that that we need to actually distinguish between what baptism
is and what baptism
does/what it is for. That further can be compounded in that different kinds of baptisms are refered to in the New Testament. What
water baptism, in specific,
is is actually much broader in definition than it's strictly Christian (from Acts on) usage.
The issue of relating "baptism" to an
outward profession is specifically dealing with (physical) water baptism, so I will start with that. The word for baptism in and of itself means
dipping or
immersing something - which also leads to the other symbolic take-offs from the literal word-picture as applied spiritually. But taking its literal and basic meaning, it means to dip something (and not always in water), like when Jesus dipped the bread in the bowl at the Last Supper. As far as the act of
water baptism is concerned we can perhaps see a somewhat related action of immersing in the OT when
Namaan the Syrian is told to dip in the Jordan river 7 times
(2 Kings 5:14).
The act
in and of itself was not effectual for Namaan but rather that it was obedience to the instructions, while having faith, that produced the promised result (physical healing in his case). The same can also be said for the
temporal sacrifices and the
water purifications for the priests in the Levitical law. Pagan nations did the same, but it was God's gracious ordinances for Israel which gave them efficaciousness (effectiveness).
Similarly we see in
Acts 19 those who had obediently been baptised (immersed/dipped) in water by John but further were
again water baptised until they had received a far more important baptism (that of the Baptism of the Spirit - I will get to that in a moment), and such was a
spiritual baptism. So we see that essentially the action in itself can serve a
temporal purpose yet have real effects based on its established purpose at the time. Having thus dealt with the less normative cases of water baptism then, how can we view the more regular references to water baptism all throughout Acts and also in the Gospels (Jesus' disciples also baptized people during Jesus' ministry -
John 4:1-2)? First we can additionally see that the order of, or supposed cause & effect relationship, of water baptism and salvation can itself be switched up as with Cornelius and the Gentiles being water baptized after the Spirit fell on them.
The effect or goal of Christian water baptism (it's ultimate purpose) is to lead one by obedience to outwardly show one's identity with/in Christ (which can be during or after one's initial profession of faith in Christ). Christian water baptism is an agreement by way of action to show that identification with Christ. That is my best attempt at a broad definition. I say "Christian water baptism" though to distinguish its purpose from other water immersions such as Namaan's or John the Baptist's (which however pointed to the Christian baptism by faith in Jesus), because remember in the end it's just a
dunk in water - it does not convey spiritual change in and of itself (which is why I frame it in terms rather of outward "showing").
Outwardly water as a medium provides adequate symbolism through immersion, and can even indeed wash the filth off your body (but see
1 Peter 3:21), but
throwing someone into a river does not make anyone truly
identify with Christ.
To actually identify however (not simply outwardly show that identification) with Christ must mean to share a similar nature and character with Christ (being partakers of the divine nature) - which is impossible by human means - and is only accomplished by inward spiritual change, rebirth, and salvation. Regeneration, being born of water (symbolic) and Spirit (John 3:5) as spiritually wrought, is the way that we are given this new nature and the means by which we
identify with Christ. However we cannot establish any firm doctrine that spiritual regeneration is
dependent on the outward performance of
water baptism.
This then leaves us with the question of what the physical baptism itself
is (as you asked). That leaves the
actual immersion in water as a symbolic action acting as witness to your decision to have faith in Christ, your faith leading to regeneration as the means of identifying inwardly and spiritually with Christ. Water baptism is tied with profession because one is called to
repent unto salvation (which is inwardly efficacious) and
then be water baptized (which not only symbolizes but demonstrates your agreement with the action to become Christ's). Peter says in
Acts 2:38, "
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." And Paul tells us whereby we may truly be saved and justified (which is the object and goal of repentance), "
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved"
(Romans 10:9-10). The profession from genuine faith leads to your salvation, but the water in that regard is supplementary and can come after a true verbal confession, as accompanied by faith, in Christ for salvation. So I hope that answers your question about what water baptism is
in and of itself (its purpose to show one's identity/relation/belonging to Christ).
Then there are the other baptisms which
do not refer to water baptism, such as the Baptism of the Spirit at Pentecost and also the universal Spirit Baptism for all believers to enter the Body of Christ
(1 Corinthians 12:13), which may or may not be the same - depending on who you ask. Since these baptisms, regardless of whether they are identical or not, are
not physical baptisms but rather spiritual baptisms (meaning to come under the influence of - such as the mention of Israel being baptized into Moses -
1 Corinthians 10:2) they do not have the same external component that water baptism has. Therefore, I point that out to narrow down the range in which your question in the OP is applicable: to water baptism. It is water baptism which provides the viable identification with an "outward profession" because of the verbal identifying with Christ and the repentance required to be water baptized. Though I would certainly say that water baptism before/without repentance of saving belief would be quite useless (that nice dunk in the water I mentioned - and in such a case no amount of profession to identify with Christ would have any meaning). Such is the truth about
any symbol without a corresponding reality.
God Bless,
~Josh
