Arise, Be Baptized!

Anticipation of Renewal

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved!" (Mark 16:16)

While meeting in a rented facility I was asked if our church practiced water baptism. I was quick to affirm our position and stressed my conviction that baptism is an essential part of the born-again experience. Perhaps the lack of a baptistery in the rented facility caused him to question our practice. This also caused me to see the need of having our own baptistery readily available. We purchased a port-a-tub specifically designed to take into prisons, hospitals, or to use in rented facilities.

Baptism is an ancient rite that predates the beginning of the church. Early initiation or purification rites included washing or dipping in water and were practiced by the Essenes in the Qumran community where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Other religious zealots baptized their followers as a sign of their commitment. Jesus specifically instructed His disciples to “teach and baptize” followers of the Gospel message. The disciples understood the commission and instituted baptism as essential for believers in the book of Acts.

In Acts 2, following the initial outpouring of Holy Spirit power, Peter instructed those who responded to his message to “repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Over 3,000 responded to his first gospel message.

Believers in Samaria responded to the witness of Phillip and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:12). Those eager believers were filled with the Holy Spirit when Peter and John came to pray for them, opening the door to evangelism among the Samaritans.

Gentile believers were led into the Gospel through the experience of an Italian, Cornelius, in Acts 10. Peter was called to the household of Cornelius in Caesarea. While Peter preached the Gospel to them they received the gift of the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues. Seeing this undeniable witness of the supernatural, Peter questioned the Jewish believers who had come with him, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:47-48). Baptism was not considered optional for believers who received the Spirit.

Finally, the Scripture gives evidence for the rebaptism of disciples who were followers of the repentance message of John the Baptist. Paul inquired about their mode of baptism and instructed them in the proper formula in Acts 19. They believed and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:4-5). These believers received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues as Paul laid his hands on them.

So whether you have never been baptized, been sprinkled, or been baptized in any mode other than by water immersion in the “name of Jesus,” follow the admonition of Ananias to Paul at his conversion: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).