What Happens at Baptism

Before continuing, I’d like to review what happens at baptism in more detail because many wrongly teach that baptism is the following:

• A “good work” of man;
• An “outward sign of inner faith” merely performed out of obedience, that is, not “for the forgiveness of your sins” as stated in Scripture (see Act 2:38; 8:36–39; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5; 22:16; Mar 16:16; Joh 3:3–5; Gal 3:27; 1Pe 3:21; Rom 6:3–10; 1Co 6:11; 12:13; Col 2:12; Tit 3:5–7; 1Jn 5:6; Eph 5:26; cf. Isa 1:18; Jer 31:34; Psa 103:12); and it is therefore
• Not required for salvation (i.e., not required to be born again).

However, nothing could be further from the truth, and those who claim that one is born again before baptism need to carefully restudy the matter.[1]^, [2]^, [3] See also.[4]

Let’s review what happens at your baptism:

1. It is at baptism that your sins are forgiven, as Scripture clearly states: “Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Act 2:38; “wash away your sins,” Act 22:16; cf. Mar 16:16; Rom 6:3–10; 1Co 6:11; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5–7; Rev 7:14; Psa 103:12; Isa 1:18). This is initial salvation (forgiveness of sins).[5]
2. It is at baptism that you have been “born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1Pe 1:3; cf. Mar 16:16; Joh 3:3–8; 1Pe 1:23). Note that one cannot be born again unless their sins are forgiven (see point 1). Baptism symbolizes putting to death the old self and putting on the new (see point 3).
3. It is at baptism that you die to your old self (2Co 5:17; Col 3:3–4), having been “crucified with Christ” (see Gal 2:20; 5:24; 6:14; Rom 6:6) and “buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead” (Rom 6:4).
4. It is at baptism that you are “raised up with Him through faith” (Col 2:12; cf. Eph 2:6) to “walk in newness of life” (Rom 6:4) as “a new creature [person]” (2Co 5:17; cf. Gal 6:15), “dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:11–13; cf. Rom 6:2; 1Co 6:20; Col 3:3–5).
5. It is at baptism that you become “blessed and holy” and part of the “first resurrection” (Rev 20:6; cf. Mat 5:9; Psa 23:3), as you are resurrected from death to new life in Christ and have your name recorded in “the book of life” (Php 4:3; Rev 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; cf. Rev 21:27).[6]
6. It is at baptism that you “put on Christ” (Gal 3:27 ESV; Rom 13:14; Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). In effect, you put on Jesus’ righteousness like a “white garment”[7] so you will be clothed in it on Judgment Day (if you persevere in faith and also don’t “disqualify” yourself by continued sinful actions; see 1Co 9:27). Christ’s righteousness is counted as your own (Rom 5:17; 8:10; 1Co 1:30; 2Co 5:21; Php 1:11; 3:9) when you stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment.
7. It is at baptism that you receive “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Act 2:38; 10:45; 15:8; cf. Joh 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7–15; Rom 5:5; 8:15–16, 26–27; 14:17; 15:13). You now “abide in Me [Christ], and I in you” (Joh 15:4), and you are now living “by the Spirit” of God, not by your own might or power.[8]
8. It is at baptism that you are “sealed” (see 2Co 1:22; Eph 1:13–14; 4:30; Rev 7:3–4; 9:4; cf. Psa 23:5) by the Holy Spirit, which “marks” (signifies) that you now belong to God (as opposed to being marked and owned by the devil; see Rev 13:16; 14:9; 20:4).[9]^, [10] This also serves as a down payment (also “pledge,” “first fruits,” and “seal”; see Eph 1:13–14; 4:30; 2Co 1:22; 5:5; Rom 8:23) of your eternal, glorified inheritance to come[11] and a guarantee for “the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30)—if you remain faithful (Col 1:23).[12]
9. It is at baptism that you are “reconciled to God” (Rom 5:10–11; 2Co 5:18–20; cf. Mat 27:51; Mar 15:38; Luk 23:45; Col 1:20–22), “having made peace” with God (Col 1:20–22; cf. Mat 5:9; Rom 5:1–2; Eph 2:14–20; 6:15; 2Co 13:11; Psa 119:165). You also become a “friend” (see Joh 15:13–15; Luk 12:4; Jas 2:23) of God, “beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jud 1), and you are no longer “an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4; cf. Act 13:10; Col 1:20–22; Rom 5:1, 10–11; 8:7; Joh 15:23; Eph 2:16; Gen 3:15).
10. It is at baptism that you willingly become a “bond-servant”[13] of Christ (Rom 1:1; Gal 1:10; Col 1:7; 4:7; 2Ti 2:24; Tit 1:1; Jas 1:1; 2Pe 1:1; Jud 1; Rev 15:3; cf. Act 4:29; 16:17; 2Co 4:5; Php 1:1; Rev 1:1; 2:20; 7:3; 11:18; 19:2, 5; 22:3, 6), for He fully bought and paid for you (“purchased,” “rescued,” and “redeemed”; Act 20:28; Rev 5:9; 14:4; Col 1:13–14; 1Pe 1:18–19; Gal 3:13).
11. It is at baptism that you become a “child of God” (also “sons of God”; see Joh 1:12–13; 11:52; Act 17:29; Rom 8:14–16, 19, 21; 9:8; Php 2:15; 1Jn 3:1–2, 10; 5:2; Mat 5:9; 12:50; Luk 20:36; Gal 3:26; 4:1–7; 1Pe 1:13–16), with God as your heavenly “Father” (Mat 6:9; 23:9; Rom 8:14–17; Gal 1:3; 4:1–7; Php 1:2; Col 1:2; 2Th 2:16; Phm 3). You are adopted into God’s family (Rom 8:15–17, 23; Eph 1:5; 2:19) as you leave the family of Satan (Joh 8:38, 44; Mat 13:38; Act 13:10; 1Jn 3:8–10). You actually become a “brother” or “sister” to Christ (Mat 12:46–50; 25:40; 28:10; Joh 20:17; Rom 8:29; Heb 2:11–12).[14] Please stop and reflect deeply on what that means: The eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God and Creator of the entire universe—the One who simply spoke all things into existence (Gen 1:3) and the Source of all life itself (Act 3:15; Joh 1:4; 4:10, 14; 10:28; 11:25–26; 14:6; 17:2; Rev 1:17–18; 22:1, 17)—wants to adopt you as His son or daughter so that you can live with Him forever in heaven. And He wants that so much that He sent His only Son to die for you. Amazing and amen!
12. Even further, it is at baptism that you become a “fellow heir” with Christ (see Rom 8:17; Gal 3:29; 4:7; Eph 3:6; Tit 3:7; Jas 2:5).[15]
13. It is at baptism that you are “sanctified” for Christ[16] (1Co 1:2; 6:11; Heb 2:11; 10:10–14; Joh 17:19; Act 20:32; 26:18; 2Ti 2:21; cf. Rom 6:19, 22; 1Th 4:3–7; 2Th 2:13; Heb 10:29; 12:14), for He “called” you (Rom 8:29–30; 1Co 1:9; Gal 5:13; Eph 4:4; 1Ti 6:12; 1Pe 2:9; Jud 1) “out of the world” (Joh 15:19; Rom 12:2; Joh 17:14–16).[17]
14. It is at baptism that you “become sons of Light” (Joh 12:35–36; cf. Luk 16:8; 1Th 5:5; 1Jn 1:7; 2:8–11; also “children of Light,” Eph 5:8), no longer walking in sin and “the domain of darkness” (Col 1:13; cf. 1Th 5:4–5; 1Pe 2:9; Eph 5:8; 6:12; Rom 2:19; Act 26:18; Joh 1:5; 8:12; Psa 107:10–14; Mat 4:16; Luk 1:78–79; 2:32; Isa 42:6–7; 60:1–3; Mic 7:8) “of this world” (see Joh 8:23; 12:25, 31; 13:1; 15:19; 16:11; 17:14–16; 18:36; 1Co 3:19; 5:10; 7:31; 2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; 1Jn 2:15–17; cf. Mat 6:19–21, 24; 13:22; 16:24–26; 19:16–24; Mar 4:18–19; 8:34; Luk 8:4–8; 9:23; 14:26–27; Rom 12:2; Col 3:1–2; Php 3:19–20; 1Ti 6:9–10; 2Ti 4:10; Gen 19:26), as He “has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1Pe 2:9).
15. It is at baptism that you become part of the worldwide “body” (1Co 12:13; Eph 5:23; Col 1:18) of “believers” (Act 5:14; 10:45; 1Th 1:7; 2:10; 1Ti 4:10; 6:2; 1Pe 1:21) in Christ—which is the “church of Christ” (see Rom 16:16; also “church of God,” Act 20:28; 1Co 1:2; 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2Co 1:1; Gal 1:13; 1Ti 3:5; 1Th 2:14; 2Th 1:4). The Church is also referred to as the “bride,” “body,” and “household” of Christ (see Joh 3:29; Rom 12:4–5; 1Co 10:17; 12:12–13, 20; Gal 6:10; Eph 2:19–22; 4:4, 12; Col 3:15; 1Ti 3:15; 1Pe 4:17; Rev 19:7; 21:2, 9; 22:17).[18]
16. It is at baptism that you enter “the kingdom of God”[19] ^, [20] (Joh 3:3–5; cf. Col 1:13) and become a “fellow partaker” of (Rev 1:9) and a “fellow worker and fellow soldier” in (see Php 2:25; 4:3; Rom 16:3, 9, 21; 1Co 3:9; 2Co 8:23; Col 4:11; 1Th 3:2; Phm 2, 24; 3Jn 8) the kingdom. Note there is also a future heavenly kingdom which we enter on the “last day,”[21] and that is when we get our “glorified” “heavenly” bodies and where we will spend eternity.[22]
17. It is at baptism that you become one of “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of god; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1Pe 2:9–10), becoming “priests” (Rev 1:6; 5:10) in His kingdom, and even further, “ambassadors for Christ” (see 2Co 5:20; cf. Php 1:27; Eph 6:20).
18. It is at baptism that you become a “living stone” (see 1Pe 2:4–5; cf. Eph 2:20), having been made “a pillar in the temple of My God” (Rev 3:12), as you “sit down with Me [Jesus] on My throne” (Rev 3:21), “[ruling] all the nations with a rod of iron” (Rev 12:5; Rev 2:26–27; 19:15; 20:4, 6).[23]

IMPORTANT NOTE ON BAPTISM

I see many who have the right heart for Jesus (“a zeal for God”) but the wrong teaching, for their faith is “not in accordance with knowledge” (Rom 10:2; cf. Hos 4:6; 2Ti 4:3–4) and they are not worshiping the Lord “in spirit and truth” (Joh 4:23–24; cf. Psa 145:18; Jud 3; Col 1:23). Instead, they are worshiping “in spirit and the false teachings of man” (that is, they are following “a different gospel … a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you,” Gal 1:6–9). If you are hearing the correct Gospel and the truth about baptism for the first time by reading this book and you have been baptized previously by man-invented baptismal rites that are not in agreement with Scripture (such as by sprinkling or as an infant), or you were baptized without a correct understanding that it is “for the forgiveness of your sins” (Act 2:38) and when you are born again, I strongly encourage you to consider the following:

1. Be baptized into truth (Jud 3; Rev 18:4),[24] and
2. Start attending the only church that Jesus founded (Eph 4:4–6; 1Co 12:13)—which is also the only one without a single false teaching or fake gospel and which follows the pattern and example set out in NT Scripture and as practiced by the early apostolic church.[25]

I came out of Methodism and Calvinism myself and have already taken the advice I just gave you. I was baptized in a Church of Christ after learning the truth. Remember, your eternal destiny is at stake here, and I don’t know about you, but I wanted to be baptized into the truth. I do not want to take any chances whatsoever with my eternal salvation. Wayne Jackson writes:[26]

Baptism is a very serious matter. Every person who truly wants to be well-pleasing to God should carefully consider whether they’ve been mistaken on this vital issue. The time to make a correction is now.

Please also greatly heed the warning given in Scripture:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. – Hos 4:6

You now have the correct knowledge and understanding about baptism, so I hope you can see that those who proclaim that baptism is (a) merely “an outward sign of inner faith,” (b) not necessary for salvation (or to be born again), (c) can be done as an infant, or (d) by “sprinkling” are doing so against the clear instructions given to us in Scripture. It is my sincere desire, hope, and prayer that everyone reading this will start worshipping the Lord “in spirit and truth” if they are not already doing so.

See the articles listed below for further reading:

• Wayne Jackson, “Baptism: Essentials and Nonessentials,” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/baptism-essentials-and-nonessentials
• Wayne Jackson, “8 Mistaken Ideas About Baptism,” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/8-mistaken-ideas-about-baptism
• Wayne Jackson, “Does the Grace in Ephesians 2:8–9 Exclude Baptism?” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/does-the-grace-in-ephesians-2-8-9-exclude-baptism
• Wayne Jackson, “A Dispute About the Purpose of Baptism,” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/a-dispute-about-the-purpose-of-baptism
• Jason Jackson, “The Truth on Baptism Should Not Be ‘Watered Down,’” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/the-truth-on-baptism-should-not-be-watered-down
• Wayne Jackson, “Do I Need to Be Re-baptized?” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/do-i-need-to-be-re-baptized
• Wayne Jackson, “What Is the History of Infant Sprinkling?” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/what-is-the-history-of-infant-sprinkling
• Wayne Jackson, “What About the Baptism of Young Children?” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/what-about-the-baptism-of-young-children
• Wayne Jackson, “A History of the Baptism Apostasy” Christian Courier, https://christiancourier.com/articles/a-history-of-the-baptism-apostasy