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Water
Baptism
By Andy Zoppelt
What it Means
"Primarily a frequentative form of bapto,
'to dip,' was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a
garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another,
etc. Plutarchus uses it of the drawing of wine by dipping the cup into
the bowl." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
The Greek definition of Baptize, "Gk
baptízein to immerse = bápt (ein) to bathe" (The Random House
Webster's Dictionary)
The word baptize is actually a transliteration
rather than a translation of the Greek word. So what you have is a
word that has not been translated. The churches during time when many
of our scriptures were being translated, were practicing the
sprinkling of babies as the mode of baptism. Therefore the translators
were prejudicially inclined to transliterate baptizo, hiding
its real function and meaning. To translate baptizo into
immersion would have been a direct challenge to the practice of
sprinkling. The word given in the Greek dictionaries would be better
translated immersion. In Luke 3:21, we read: "When all the people were
being baptized…" In our scripture in Luke 3:21, it would have been
better understood, if the word was translated rather than
transliterated. Example: "the people were being immersed…" Translating
would have ended the controversy as to mode.
Even today's modern translators continue with the
transliteration of baptizo, probably for the same reasons they
did in the past. Why do we therefore continue to transliterate
baptizo? It must be that it would be offensive to the
baby-sprinklers and therefore limiting the circulation.
Consider for a moment the great commission, as it
is called, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit…." (Matt 28:19-20)
It would be the Great Offense to many churches that
practice sprinkling, commanding them not only to "make disciples,"
but also to immerse repentant sinners.
Purpose Of Baptism
Enough said about the mode of baptism, it is a
point that I do not want to belabor. Let us now turn our attention to
the "reason" for its practice, for this is at the very heart of the
subject.
John the Baptist plainly stated the reason for his
baptizing, "I baptize you with water for (Gr., eis, into
or result of) repentance" (Mt 3:11).
This speaks of purpose, in other words, "I
baptize you because or the result of repentance." Earlier in Matt
3:7,8, john was warning them "… to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."
Baptism was more than a "symbol" of salvation, it
was a stand, a commitment, a seal of their repentance to follow Christ
and His teaching. Repentance implies a total "turn" from the world,
friends and family if need be. "If anyone comes to me and does not
hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and
sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple.
And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me
cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-27)
When the first Jewish converts repented and were
baptized, they were perceived and marked as being separated and living
apart from their previous Jewish roots. Where in reality, they were
reestablishing their roots. Baptism to the pharisaical Jews, was not
perceived as a simple symbol, it was understood as a change in life
and position that threatened and condemned the pharisaical Jewish way
of living.
Today's baptisms are rarely followed by a radical
change in life and position, so no real threat is imposed. We maintain
much the same life and often have the same "besetting sins." If fact,
because we are baptized without attending fruit, we are justly
criticized for being hypocrites by the world. Our foundation of
repentance and baptism is greatly flawed.
Salvation today is based on the sinner as to
whether or not they will accept Jesus Christ. One would think that
Jesus was on trial. This flaw is later evidenced when Jesus does not
follow up on their selfish, self-centered demands, they get angry and
leave. They kind of dis-receive Jesus, if you will. This only points
to the problem of sending the wrong message to the sinner at the
beginning.
The word "saints," means the "consecrated" or
separate ones. It is similar in meaning to the word church, where
church means the "called out" ones. Therefore repentance coupled with
baptism is a stand that one is dead, separated from the world and
called out to be a functioning part of the many-membered body of
Christ. They are dead to their old lives and the world and called to
an unselfish, loving and holy walk with the Lord. True repentance will
produce the fruit of the Spirit that will be productive to the
building up of the living body of Christ. Baptism is meant to
represent our public confession and stand that we have come out of one
life and resurrected into another. When we are baptized, we are making
a statement of change, change of authority, change of friends and
family if necessary, a turning away from sin and a clinging to Christ
and His word. It should be like a wedding vow, "For better or for
worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, till death
do us part." Baptism implies that you will no longer permit sin to
have "dominion" over you. In Heb 12:4, it says, "In your struggle
against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your
blood." In other words, we have not kept our commitment to fight
against sin at all cost. our baptism was therefore meaningless and
without a real foundation in repentance. When we made a decision in
baptism, we made the decision to forsake our old life with its sins
and to rise up in a new life of obedience and commitment to Christ
life.
our walk is the evidence of our fruit and not our
talk.
Incidentally, "repent" is from the Greek word
metanoia, which means a change in mental attitudes and
conduct. It is a 180-degree change. In Romans 12:2, it says, "Do not
conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed (metamorphoo,
we get our word metamorphosis from that word, a change in form) by
the renewing of your mind (nous)."
Conclusion
Putting it all together, in repentance we make a
complete change in the "direction" of our attitude and behavior, we
are therefore changed personally as our minds and thinking are
constantly renewed in its commitment to be committed to giving
ourselves over to Christ. Old things are passing away as a result and
all things are becoming new. Christ is in us and we are living by His
life (not Satan's, excusing our sin through grace!). I live to please
Him and obey Him. I keep His commandments, love the saints with a
sacrificial love and function within the community of saints.
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