Baptism

The History of Baptism

Ceremonial washing and bathing and sprinkling were commanded by God to make one ceremonially clean for worship in the OT. (ceremonial washing and bathing are mentioned 66x in Exodus and Leviticus alone). Baptism has it’s roots in this ceremonial washing.
The bronze basin was ordered by God for ceremonial washing for the services at the tabernacle. The basin was used for physical cleaning, but it was also a picture of what it takes to enter into God’s presence, purity.

1 Corinthians 10:1–2, “For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
Likewise the next generation of the Jews crossed on dry land through the waters of the Jordan River. (Joshua 3:13)

Ritual purpose built baths called mikvehs became predominate during the Babylonian captivity when the Jews were separated from Temple worship. COMMENT
The baths were used for ceremonial washing prescribed by the Mosaic Law, but people started adding to the prescribed ritual washing
But by the first century, ceremonial washing had been taken too far: Mark 7:1-7 Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3 (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, 4 and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) 5 And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” 6 And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 7 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

The roots: By the first century, people were baptized into discipleship orders.
Students of John the Baptist for instance were baptized into a baptism of confession of their sins and commitment to repentance. (cf. Matthew 3:11)
Baptism come from the Greek word baptizō which means to dip or plunge.

Matthew 28:18–19, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (NASB)

There has always been some confusion with baptism in the Church:
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” (1 Corinthians 1:17)
It does not justify a person before God.
In other words Baptism does not “save” a person.
It is an ordinance after conversion; the power is not in the physical water.
Baptism followed a profession of faith in Christ alone unto salvation and is a one time event (Acts 2:38, Acts 9:18, Acts 10:48. Acts 16:33, Acts 18:8).

Faith alone in Christ plus nothing is what saves a person.
Faith in the work of Jesus saves a person. He died and rose from the grave. Faith in Him saves us.
Romans 10:13, For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 5:1, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 4:5, But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.
We see in Mark 1:8, I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (cf. Matthew 3:11)

It physically represents a spiritual reality: water baptism represents that a person has already been baptized by the Spirit of God into the Body of Christ.
A person who has been born again; He or she is forever united and identified with Jesus.
He or she is ready to publicly profess Christ.
It is also teaching a deep theological truth: a person was buried with Christ and raised with Him. COMMENT
He is a new creature raised to walk in the newness of life.