BaptismNäide

It is universally understood that John the Baptist contrasted his own water baptism with the spiritual baptism that the Messiah would soon administer. John said, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes One who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matthew 3:11)

Water baptism did not cease when the Lord sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost for the purpose of spiritually baptizing believers into the body of Christ. Notice Paul’s clear teaching on this subject. He wrote, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13)

How does this work? What originally symbolized repentance during the era of John’s water baptism, later symbolized one’s repentant faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Said simply, the Lord’s life and example gave water baptism a new and much deeper meaning. However, as before, it remained symbolic. Faith, rather than water, in every generation has saved believers. Scripture clearly teaches, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)