Lesson 3
The Meaning of Baptism
The term “baptism” is transliterated from the Greek word baptisma, which derived from the verbs baptizoø and baptoø, which mean “to dip or submerge in water.”
Baptism is a sacred ceremony for those who repent and decide to put their faith in Christ. Baptism is not a rite to clean sin but a ceremony with the following meanings:
1. Demonstrating our submission to God
Before His ascension, the last word the Lord Jesus had for His disciples was: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Baptism does not clean us from sin. But by following the Word of God, we receive baptism to show our submission to God.
2. Publicly confessing our faith in Christ
The Word of God teaches, “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). Faith is a personal matter between an individual and God, but we must express that faith to everyone. The Lord Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).
The Lord Jesus died publicly outside Jerusalem (John 19:20); when we believe Him, we need to declare our faith in Him publicly. To confess our faith publicly through baptism is an evidence of true faith—We affirm our commitment, submission, loyalty, and worship to our Lord.
3. Our death and life with the Lord
The Scriptures teach: “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” (Romans 6:3-5).
Submerging under the water in baptism represents dying and burying the old sinful life; coming out of the water represent entering into a new life. The water of baptism does not wash or bury sins, but it is only symbolic and reminds that the baptizing Christian dies to the old self and henceforth lives a new life.
Receiving the baptism demonstrates that we: (1) Obey God’s Word, (2) publicly confess our faith in God, and (3) die to the old sinful life and begin a brand new life.
Lesson 3
Study Questions
1. Baptism is a sacred ceremony for those who _____________ and decide to put their ________________ in Christ.
2. Baptism is not a rite to ______________ but a ceremony with the following meanings:
a. Demonstrating _________________________ to God
b. Publicly _____________________________________.
c. Our ______________ and ________________ with the Lord
3. Before His ascension, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples to go and make disciples of all nations and ______________ them.
4. God’s Word teaches: “For it is with your ___________ that you believe and are justified, and it is with your _______________ that you confess and are saved.”
5. Submerging under the water in baptism represents _________________ and ________________ the old sinful life; coming out of the water represent __________________ into a new life.
