OK, we follow a commandment to get baptized...?

Question

...and it's a public testimony using water as a symbol.

Sounds like an initiation ceremony for any club. Sorry, this sounds trivial and ridiculous. What's going on?

If you're not picking up on my meaning, I'd like to know why it's sooo important that it was part of the Great Commission. "Go out into all the world" -- yeah, that I can see. But baptism?

Answer 1

First, it's not a commandment.

Second, it kind of is an initiation ceremony. For Protestants, baptism is the ritual in which adults publically declare their faith in God and membership in the Christian community, and parents publically declare they will raise their children to also be members of the Christian community. (For Catholics, there are some more mystical ramnifications of the ritual as well.) I'm unclear why you seem so hostile to this idea. Life is full of deeply symbolic gestures.

Answer 2

You need to read carefully regarding baptism. There is water baptism, then there is a baptism of the Spirit.

Those who read without discernment will make conclusions like you have.

Never just assume you know what things are. Carelessness like that will only lead you down wrong paths.

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Answer 3

Baptism is just a ceremony-nothing more. It is symbolic of one being washed clean of their sins. Once a person has been born again (cleaned on the inside) they should publicly declare it. Public baptism is the way its declared.

Answer 4

The first comes faith and the Baptism. Even Jesus got baptized when he started His official work on earth. He is the perfect example.

Answer 5

It was part of the great commission because it is important and we are suppose to do so to receive forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit.

Answer 6

It's an act of obedience, which is what it says to do in the bible once you become a believer of Jesus Christ. Nowhere in the bible does it say that you have to be initiated to be a member of a country club.

Answer 7

Baptism is a work of obedience, and salvation is by grace alone, not of works lest any man should boast. Romans 5:19, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the OBEDIENCE of one shall many be made righteous". Baptism is an act of obedience by the believer, but it isn't required for salvation, because only one man's act of obedience/works brought salvation. Baptism is the symbol for what does save us; the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 3:21, "The LIKE FIGURE whereunto baptism doth also now save us...by the resurrection of Jesus Christ".

Eternal salvation is either by grace alone & not of works of obedience lest any man should boast, or of works alone; you can't have ETERNAL salvation both ways. Salvation does not always mean eternal salvation. Example:

Romans 10:1-4:

1) "Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be SAVED".

2) "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to KNOWLEDGE".

3) "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God".

4) "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth".

What did Paul desire Israel to be saved from here? From their lack of knowledge of God's righteousness, and depending upon their OWN righteousness for salvation. Not saved to eternal life, because look what is written in Romans 11:26, "And so ALL ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and SHALL turn away ungodliness from Jacob", not by their "own righteousness" but by His righteousness.