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Is Baptism Just Ceremony?
Is Baptism Just A Ceremony?
“If Jesus preached against ceremonialism, why did Paul talk about baptism?”
That question got asked while doing Bible Jeopardy. Good question!
First I pointed to Jesus himself who practiced baptism in John 3 and 4, even if it was his apostles who did the physical act. It was by his teaching and authority. Jesus shows what being born of water and the Spirit includes – baptism.
Then I pointed to how baptism retells the gospel. A bare-bones restatement of the gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15, and includes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Our baptism includes all three!
1. We die to sin (which includes our repentance – Acts 2:38 – “Repent, be baptized, for the forgiveness of sins”).
2. We are buried in water (baptized means immersiom) and includes a confession – Acts 2:38 – “be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ”).
3. We are resurrected out of death and the grave when we come up out of the waters of baptism – Acts 2:38 – “and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”).
Then I said, “Baptism isn’t a ceremony. Our baptism retells the gospel?! Paul shows this in Romans 6. Isn’t it beautiful how our baptism retells the gospel?”
He smiled, admitted that this perspective really helped. I hope this helps you too!
P.S. If baptism is just a ceremony as an outward manifestation done in front of a group of others (as taught by some churches) then why didn’t Philip tell the Ethiopian eunuch to go back to Jerusalem to be baptized?
Instead, the eunuch heard the gospel of Jesus, asked what would prevent him from being baptized, and Philip immediately baptized him there – on a desert road in the water (Acts 8).
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