The PURPOSE of baptism

Now in previous lessons we used Matt 15: 7-9 as our text

Matt 15: 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

We have discussed hypocrisy as “an act” which is “performed” to deceive “others” into falsely believing that we are a Christian . . .

Hypocrisy is something that looks good – but it hinders our worship . . . hypocrisy is defined for us here as “drawing close” unto God with our 

words – and honoring Him outwardly with “an act” . . . But refusing to commit our hearts to all of the “Christian words” that we speak . . .

“Vain worship” is religious activity that is “worthless and empty” regarding our attempt to please God.

Hypocrisy will spoil our worship – and “false doctrine” or incorrect teachings will also spoil our worship . . . a church that “pretends” to love 

the truth – is a church that is only pretending because of how it refuses to PRACTICE the Truth.

In our last lesson we talked about the temptation a church faces regarding baptism . . . and how it is a common practice for religion to “remove or to

lessen the restrictions” that Jesus placed on this “pictorial” church ordinance . . . The idea is often promoted that if we only accept those 

who are completely immersed under the water – we will offend those who have “been sprinkled” and our church will not grow . . . OR if we only 

accept the baptism of those who have been baptized by a church that believes like we do – then we will be labeled as being “judgmental and narrow minded” and once again our church will not grow as it should . . .

You get the idea of why a church would consider “changing” things like this or not being as restrictive as our grandparents were . . . but we

should not forget that the purpose of THE CHURCH is NOT necessarily TO GROW . . . the purpose the church is TO TEACH a very specific 

thing - and that is the doctrines of Jesus and to GROW IN TRUTH . . . And if our goal is to teach – then it should be crystal clear that WHAT WE 

TEACH (actually what we teach by our practices) is the most important thing for us as individuals and also as a church.

We have discussed baptism and we understand that there are different “methods” of baptism (dunking, pouring or sprinkling) – there are

different types of “organizations” that practice baptism (is the baptism of one denomination as good as the baptism of any other?)

If our responsibility “as a church” is to grow larger – then we could answer that it really doesn’t matter WHAT we teach . . . because our goal would 

be not to “offend” anyone that believes differently than we do . . . but if our responsibility “as a church” is to teach and to GROW in TRUTH then 

WHAT we teach becomes the most important thing that is associated with our “religion.”

The way that The Bible teaches – is by pictures - by types and by parables . . . We have been talking about baptism.  One “symbol” that religion has

ascribed to baptism – is that it’s purpose is to represent or to illustrate “washing” away our sins.

Have you ever wandered what the REAL purpose of baptism is?  “The thing” that it illustrates – or “what it is a picture of” . . . will help us determine the proper method that should be used.

Step #1 – what is the real purpose of baptism?

Step #2 – what method (or what type of action) best represents or illustrates the real purpose?

Romans 6: 3  Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Do you see THE STATED PURPOSE of WHY we are baptized here in these scriptures?  The purpose of

baptism is found in verse #4 . . . therefore – because we are baptized into the death of Jesus – we ARE BURIED with Him BY BAPTISM . . .

The act of baptism – is to illustrate a BURIAL – and as Christ was RAISED UP from the dead (out of the grave) . . . even so we ALSO (being raised up out of the waters of baptism) should walk in newness of life.

Because if we have been PLANTED together in baptism (or BURIED like Jesus was buried under the water) then we shall be also in the likeness of 

His resurrection (as we are raised up out of the water) to illustrate how He was raised up out of the grave after His death on the cross.

Do you see the picture here of what baptism is supposed to REPRESENT . . . it clearly does not represent the washing away of our sins – it

represents (symbolizes or illustrates) A DEATH – it represents A BURIAL after death – it represents a RESURRECTION from the grave.

Now as we see THE PURPOSE of baptism as described for us by Paul {as being to illustrate} the resurrection of a body after it had been buried –

what “method” of baptism (sprinkling – pouring or immersion) best represents a death – a burial – and a resurrection?

The answer of course is obvious – so what a church teaches about the purpose of baptism allows us to see the “symbolism” of the method that 

should be used as well as the lie that is told when the “improper” picture is used in order to justify a method that is more widely accepted by the world.

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

The point (the picture or the illustration here) is that when we are saved – we have passed from death unto life . . . it is as if we have actually been resurrected from the dead. 

II Cor 5: 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

After we are saved – we are able to see things that were not visible to us before we were saved.

After we are saved – we still possess the nature of sin – but the supreme POWER that this sinful nature once had over our lives has been broken . .

. so that now as a child of God – we have a choice regarding the direction of our lives – What this means is that now that we are saved - we are

a new person.  And baptism is an illustration (a picture) which represents or symbolizes what has happened in our lives as a result of our salvation.