S. Water Baptism

Water Baptism As previously stated in the article “Faith and Works,” I believe that modern day evangelism has substituted repentance, faith, water baptism and discipleship for reciting a little prayer. The first command for all mankind is repentance toward God, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and water baptism (Acts 17:30; Acts 20:21; Acts 2:38). The apostles even included baptism in the call to faith (Acts 2:28; Mark 16:16). One can hardly read the New Testament without noticing the heavy stress the early church placed on baptism. They assumed that every genuine believer would embark on a life of obedience and discipleship. That was nonnegotiable. Therefore they viewed baptism as the turning point. Only those who were baptized were considered Christians. That is why the Ethiopian eunuch was so eager to be baptized (Acts 8:36-39).

Unfortunately, the church today takes baptism more casually. It is not unusual to meet people who have been professing Christians for years but have never been baptized. That was unheard of in the New Testament church. Unfortunately, we have lost the focus on initial obedience and a faith that works, that is, that expresses itself in actions.

Consider Vine’s Greek Lexicon explanation of baptism. “The phrase in Matthew 28:19, ‘baptizing them into the Name,’ would indicate that the baptized person was closely bound to, or became the property of, the one into whose Name he was baptized.”

Why do we in the modern church never mention nor follow up with baptism of new believers? The Scriptures are plain. This again I believe is an error of the modern church and evangelism.