What Did Peter Teach About Baptism?

Last week we looked at what Jesus Christ taught about baptism. This week, we will spend a bit of space looking at what the apostle Peter, in fulfilling the command Christ gave to him and the other apostles (Matthew 28:18-20), taught on the subject of baptism.

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

John 4:1-2 (KJV)

Last week we noted how it was with Christ's authority and approval that His disciples baptized others. And even though Simon Peter is not specifically mentioned here, it is almost impossible to not picture Peter as one of the disciples that was baptizing others. Especially since so often we see Peter at the forefront of following Jesus. It is thus strongly implied in this passage that Peter baptized others, setting us an example to follow. If not in this case, then it is certain that he would have followed the Lord's command in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 to baptize others.

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:38 (KJV)

On the day of Pentecost, Peter delivers the first gospel sermon after the resurrection of Christ. In this sermon he speaks of the Christ and of the crucifixion, and many, in turn believe that Jesus, who they had just crucified a short time before, is the Christ. Convicted of their sin, they want to know what they need to do to have their sins forgiven. Peter tells them two things. First, they must repent. Repentance is to turn from one course of action in the direction of a completely different course. Where once they had been opposed to Christ, now they must be dedicated to Him and His cause. The second thing he tells them is to be baptized. The conjunction “and” is clear: both are equally necessary to have the remission of sins.

Some would claim that “for the remission of sins” means that one must be baptized because a person's sins are already forgiven. If such is the case, then one must repent after conversion, not before, and because one's sins are already forgiven. That simply doesn't work. Also, several statements are made in scripture of things that occur “for” the remission or forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:28 tells us that Christ;s blood was shed for the remission of sins. Acts 10:43 is sometimes translated as faith being “for the remission of sins.” In Acts 2:38, Peter simply teaches that if we wish to have our sins remitted we must repent of our sin and be baptized.

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a-preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

I Peter 3:19-21 (KJV)

In this passage, Peter compares two things: the salvation of Noah and his family by water and baptism. The account of Noah and the ark is found in Genesis 6-8. It is familiar to most people. While the rest of the world was sinful, Noah chose to obey the Lord, and thus was saved by not being submerged by the flood. Peter begins with referencing this, and then states that baptism is a “like figure” or “antitype.” The idea of an antitype is that of being similar, but opposite in some ways. Baptism is an antitype to Noah and the flood in that Noah was saved by not being submerged, and in baptism one is saved by being submerged.

Even if the idea of the antitype is difficult to understand, Peter makes a simple and straightforward statement that should be hard to misunderstand. He clearly states that “baptism doth also now save us.” It is hard to be plainer than that. Baptism is for our salvation.

The phrase “the answer of a good conscience toward God” is sometimes problematic for people. This does not mean that a person is baptized because their sins are forgiven. But rather, one chooses to obey the Lord and follow Him because A) he or she has a conscience that wants to follow the Lord and B) that his or her clean conscience will accurately reflect truth. It is possible to have a clean conscience and not be following the Lord (Acts 23:1).

And so we can consider those things which Peter did and taught regarding baptism. First, we see that Peter baptized others, by the authority of Christ, with Christ's approval, and by Christ's command. Second, we see that Peter taught that baptism was necessary to have sins removed. It is as essential as repentance from sin is. Third, Peter taught that baptism saves us. Without being baptized we cannot have salvation. Fourth, Peter teaches that a person with a good conscience, who wants to please the Lord, will be baptized.

Last week we saw that Christ taught, approved of, and authorized baptism. This week we see that Peter, one of Christ's most prominent apostles, baptized and taught baptism to others. Next week, Lord willing, we will consider what Paul had to say about baptism and will look at Paul's actions regarding baptism.

What Did Jesus Teach About Baptism?

There are those would teach that baptism is not essential to salvation. These individuals will usually teach that faith alone is necessary, and that Christ never taught baptism. Let us then consider some of the words and actions of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, regarding baptism and whether or not it is necessary.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Matthew 3:13-17 (KJV)

There are also accounts of this even in Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22. In this passage, Christ is setting an example for His followers. The reason given for this baptism was to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus, being sinless, did not need to repent have his sins washed away. But in order to fulfill righteousness, that is, to do all which the Father required, Jesus submitted himself to baptism. If our Lord saw the need to be baptized, we should too. It is also worth noting that the Lord had to come up out of the water. The implication is that in order to be baptized, he had to go into water deep enough that it could be reasonably called “going down into” it. The implication, in addition to the word baptism (baptisma - consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence, according to Vine) itself, is that it is submersion, not pouring or sprinkling.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

In this passage, Christ states that He has all authority. That is important to the context, because He is about to issue some commands to His disciples in what is often called the “Great commission.” He commands them to teach and baptize. Most people would happily and quickly admit that learning the gospel of our Lord is necessary for salvation. Also necessary to be His disciple is to be baptized. Being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is to be baptized by the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and with their full approval and acceptance. In other words, the command to baptize (and, thusly, be baptized) is given with the full backing of God.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:15-16 (KJV)

This passage, parallel to Matthew 28:18-20, is short and simple to understand, yet many choose not to. The disciples are told to go and preach the gospel. They are then told two things which must both occur for salvation. First, that belief is necessary. Almost no one argues that faith is unessential to salvation. Faith is required by God. This faith must be active and living (James 2:14-26), that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:19), that God is and that He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6), and in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (I Corinthians 15:1-34). It is also stated here that one must be baptized to be saved. Just as in Romans 10:9-13, where both faith and confession are necessary for salvation, so we see here that both faith and baptism are necessary to grasp the salvation which has been offered by God. As for the fact that a lack of baptism (only a lack of faith) is named as leading to damnation, consider this: one cannot be be Biblically baptized without faith. Without faith, one will never choose to put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), so it is rather unnecessary to state here that its lack will lead to damnation.

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

John 4:1-2 (KJV)

This verse is occasionally named to teach that Jesus did not baptize anyone. To be completely honest, I do not know if the Lord ever did baptize anyone Himself. But there is a point made here about whose authority the baptizing was happening. The disciples, being learners and followers of the Christ, were, with full knowledge of their Master, baptizing others. Since the Pharisees knew the baptisms were attributed to Jesus, it is safe to say that the Lord, who is God and thus, omniscient, knew His disciples were baptizing others. We see no efforts to stop this from happening, and thus we see not only knowledge, but also approval and consent to their actions. Jesus approved of His disciples baptizing others.

Just from these four short passages we learn several things about baptism: First, that Jesus Himself was baptized. If our Teacher and Master was baptized, shouldn't we be as well? Second, that baptism fulfills righteousness. As we all (hopefully) want to stand righteous before God, should we not submit to baptism that we might also fulfill all righteousness? Third, that baptism is immersion. Fourth, that Christ commanded His apostles to teach and baptize all people. There is no exception made, but all must learn of Christ and be baptized. Fifth, that Christ had the authority to command baptism, and that the Father and Holy Spirit also likewise authorized and approved of it. It is not simply the will of the Son that we are baptized, but of the Father and the Son as well. Sixth, that each of us must be baptized to be saved. It is as necessary as faith to our salvation, and without it, we stand condemned. Seventh, that baptism must follow faith. It cannot precede the ability to hear, understand, and accept the teaching of the gospel. Eighth, that in Jesus' lifetime, He knew of and approved His disciples baptizing others and accepted that it be attributed to Himself, as it was done by His authority and will.

So did Jesus ever teach or show that baptism is necessary to be His disciple? Did Jesus teach that baptism is acceptable? Did Jesus teach that baptism is essential to salvation? He sure did!

What Do You Do?

The chances are, you have been asked this question at some point in your life, usually in reference to your particular occupation. It is a question that we must also be able to answer as Christians. Each of us has a role which we must play. Each of us has abilities and talents that should be put to use in furthering the cause of Christ.

Often when we consider this question, we limit our thinking to the assembly. In so doing, we only come up with a short list of things that we can do: preacher, song leader, prayer leader, announcement giver, Lord's Supper tray passer, and teacher. The fact of the matter is that there are far more things that as Christians we can and should be doing. Each of us have roles to play outside the assembly that are as important, if not more so.

We should each be an evangelist, sharing the gospel of Christ with those outside of the church (II Timothy 4:5). We should each be a servant, to the Lord and to one another (Romans 12:7). We should each teach, whether we are teaching in a class setting, teaching our children, teaching brethren, or teaching the unbeliever (Romans 12:7). We should each be exhorting the brethren, encouraging and helping to gain strength in the Lord (Romans 12:8). We should each be giving to the work of the Lord, whether in the contribution on Sundays or in individually helping those people who have need (Romans 12:8). We should each be cheerfully merciful, forgiving and showing kindness and love (Romans 12:8).

Not only should each of us be doing each of these things, but we all have particular strengths that make us more suited to specific roles and tasks. Some people have difficulty teaching, but are excellent at seeing to the needs of others. Others have difficulty discerning where needs are, but are well able to exhort the brethren. Some people have more difficulty exhorting the brethren, but easily approach those outside the body of Christ. Some are well able to lead singing, yet have difficulty in leading prayer. Some lead prayers well and capably, yet have difficulty preaching. While we are not excused from doing the other tasks because they are more difficult, we should be striving to effectively use what abilities and talents we have in the way that best pleases the Lord.

I Corinthians 12 shows us clearly that there are many different tasks that need doing, and no dishonor in performing any of them. It is easy to look at certain roles (usually those done in the assembly, particularly leading singing and preaching) and see them as being the “greater” roles to play. The simple fact is that all the work is equally necessary.

So what do you do? Have you been teaching? Exhorting? Serving? Merciful? Praying? Or have you been slacking off and not fulfilling your role? Have you not been using your abilities, skills, and talents to further the cause of Christ? If not, then now is the time to start. Sometimes we become so focused on the assembly that we forget that we each have work to do during the other 164 hours a week. What do you do?

"Come As You Are"

It's not too uncommon to see a sign outside a building belonging to a religious organization or to hear someone say, “Come as you are!” to encourage people to join them. Usually what people mean is “Come as you are and we will accept you! No changes will be necessary and we believe Jesus will accept you!” The problem is not so much with the phrase “come as you are” as with this common usage.

Anyone Can Be Saved
When a person first hears the gospel, and then chooses to believe and obey, they can be saved. We see many men and women in the Bible who were among the most sinful people imaginable who converted to Christ, and their conversion was accepted as sincere and authentic by man and more importantly by God. Consider Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. Here was a man full of pride, deceiving people, and committing acts forbidden by God. Yet he heard the gospel preached by Philip, believed the word of God, and was baptized. We can also look at the example of Paul who in I Timothy 1:15 describes himself of the chief of sinners. All sinners can choose to turn to Christ. Sinners who repent of their past misdeeds can be forgiven of their sins. Truly this is a great gift!

We Should Accept our Station
I Corinthians 7:17 teaches us that we should remain as we are in life. This is not teaching, however, that we should remain in sinful situations or continue living lives of sin. This is not to say that we should remain spiritually where we are when we first obey the gospel. If you consider the context, we are looking at social situation and standing. Slaves, free men, those living in Jewish society, and those living in gentile society should remain as their placed, not seeking to alter their situation. This is a teaching of acceptance and contentment, a teaching that all people can be useful in the work, and a teaching that our focus should not be on the things of this world, but rather spiritual things. We must not misuse this passage to show that remaining in sinful situations or continuing in sin is acceptable to God (Romans 6:15).

We Must Grow and Change
We must grow spiritually and change ourselves into the image of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-3, Colossians 3:10-11, Romans 12:2). This is not an immediate event, but one that takes a lifetime of work and effort in. We, as Christians, are not permitted to rest stagnant and unchanged. Rather, we must constantly work to be able to present ourselves as pleasing to the Lord (II Timothy 2:15).

We Must Obey
Part of this change is not simply to have belief or desire to serve God. We must obey the Lord's commands (II Thessalonians 3:14, Hebrews 5:9, I John 3:24, etc.). If we wish for Christ to accept us, we must be His obedient servants, submitting our will to His own. It is not a matter of simply believing and voicing our belief, but one of changing our lives to obedience to Him.

Yes, people come to Christ as they are: sinful, broken, and in need to salvation. But when people choose to follow Jesus, change must happen. They must put away sin from their lives. They must put on the new man and do works of righteousness. It is not a matter of expecting Jesus to accept us however we want to be. Instead, we must accept what Jesus expects us to be. So come as you are...and with the help of the Lord and your new brethren, change!