Pt. 5: The Mother Load
This section needs little in the way of introductions. This is basically the rest of the New Testament’s teachings on baptism. This covers passages from the Gospels, the Epistles of Paul and Peter and accounts from the book of Acts. I have bolded some parts of the verses, not to prove a point, but to help point out the more relevant sections. I have also included some general comments on these verses because (at first glance) some of them may not appear to be that forceful but when you look a little deeper what it says about baptism becomes more apparent.
Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’
You no doubt recognize this passage as the Great Commission and no, it does not say anything specifically regarding salvational efficacy of baptism. However it is noteworthy that Christ’s final charge, his great commission, his instructions to the disciples before His ascension into heaven is to preach the gospel and to make disciples and, obviously, baptism is a critical component to this mandate. Remember that Christ was alive on Earth for 40 days after His resurrection where He continued to teach the apostles and this is Christ’s final charge and last summary to his most faithful followers. Back in my youth pastor days, If I were leading a mission trip with a group of Baptist students to another county getting people baptized would not have been considered as a major “selling point” or a major motivation to go. Would it even be considered as important work on the mission trip amongst many Baptists, Evangelicals or non-Denominationalists? I can't speak for all of us, but I know that in my circles it would not have merited much discussion or consideration.
Mark 16:16
“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’ ”
This passage at the end of the Gospel of Mark has many similarities with the Great Commission at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. They both mention preaching and making disciples and they both connect baptism to this important work. This verse does not tell us what happens in the rare case where someone believes and refuses to get baptized. But it does
a) link baptism with salvation and
b) consider the thought that someone who does not believe isn’t going to be baptized anyway so there is no pressing need to include this in this verse and
c) as a Baptist I would NEVER, EVER IN A MILLION YEARS SAY, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” After all, he who slips up and says that in a Baptist service will likely be unemployed.
Acts 2:37-41
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. . . Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Notice that we see the elements of faith, water and the Spirit. This is just like what we saw in the prophecy of Ezekiel, just like what we saw in the story of Namaan, just like what we saw with the baptism of Jesus, just and just like Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus in John 3. Its almost like there is… shock and horror… a theme is being presented to us.
As you no doubt know, this is the “invitation” during Peter’s great sermon on Pentecost. Where do we begin? We see the need to repent, which virtually no one denies. We see that everyone was to be baptized and (in English) this baptism is for the forgiveness of your sins. I don’t know how much more simply Peter could have stated his point. And, at risk of skipping ahead, this is the same Peter who said in his own letter of 1 Peter, “baptism which now saves you.” It seems that if Peter was slipping up and saying things he ought not to say, he sure was doing it a lot. Once again, we notice that baptism is connected with… receiving the Holy Spirit. Need I say more at this point?
At risk of talking too much, do notice the theme of “obedience” found here. We read about those who accepted Peter’s message, which sounds like our modern-day language of “accepting Christ.” However, in this story, all of those who accepted the message actually did something; they got baptized! I think we see there that not only is baptism linked with forgiveness again, but also that truly accepting the message of Christ also seems to entail obedience… otherwise, perhaps, you didn’t fully accept it. Obedience and faith seem to go hand in hand. Think about it, would they really have “accepted Peter’s message” if they had refused baptism? I think that is why the verses points out that those who accepted the message were baptized… obedience went hand in hand with faith.
Acts 22:16
“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”
This passage records a sermon of the Apostle Paul. He is talking about his own conversion to Christ and he has told about about how he came to see Christ on the road to Damascus, how he was blinded and how he found Ananais, a Christian, who helped him to recover his sight. In verse 16 Paul quotes what Ananais said to him. Remember, at this point in the story Paul had already “accepting Jesus as savior” (though that language is not used) and yet Ananias still tells Paul that he needed to be baptized… and furthermore that this baptism would “wash his sins away”!!!
What is so striking about this verse is that not only does it link baptism with forgiveness of sins, but that it is done for the forgiveness of sins after Paul’s conversion! Even if someone were to argue that at this point Paul hadn’t been “saved” it does no better as a defense of a “symbol only” baptism. For if Paul was not “already saved” then he had no business being baptized in the first place. I have personally found the few symbol-only responses to this verse to be unsatisfying.
Romans 6:3-6
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
The key phrase for me is “…in order that…” This phrase links two parts of that verse. If I am allowed to reorganize the sentence (but not change the meaning of it, I hope) I think you will see what I am talking about: “We were buried with Christ in baptism in order that we may live a new life, just as Christ was raised from the dead.” In other words the reason we are able to live a new life is because we are buried with Christ… and because Christ was buried and raised from the dead, so shall we. But the way we are united with Christ’s death is baptism. This verse does not use the word “salvation” but the ability to live a new life (which suggests not only living a holy life now on Earth but partaking of divine eternal life now) is a real spiritual reality and a real grace given at baptism.. No mere symbol can do this.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
This verse talk about the body of Christ (aka the Church) and how we are but parts of that body. We were baptized into this family, so again, baptism is quite important. Also note that we were baptized in one Spirit… and this is not school spirit, excitement, or a worship experience kind of “spirit.” This is the actual, literal third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit we were baptized into. And further note that this baptism also made us drink of the Spirit. To drink means to “partake of” the Spirit. This verse strongly connects baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit. Again, it would take more than a mere symbol to accomplish these things.
Galatians 3:26-27
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Symbol only proponents like to point out that this verse teaches us that we are children of God through faith… therefore baptism is not essential for salvation (but it is still a really good idea). Of course faith is essential for salvation, no is arguing about that. But look again.
We are all “children of God through faith” you might say. However the word “for” is key here. It says we are his children in faith for (or because) everyone who was baptized into Christ has clothed themselves with Christ. In other words this verse connects more than just faith with being a child of God… we are children of God through faith because we are clothing ourselves with Christ and all of us who have clothed ourselves with Christ were, in fact, baptized (baptism itself is sometimes referred to by this metaphor)
While this verse doesn’t blatantly blurt out “salvation” by using that term it seems obvious in Scripture (I can do some research to drum up some references if you’d like) that being a child of God is part of "being saved." In fact that is exactly what happens to us when we are saved… we become part of the family of God, we become His children.
I found an excerpt from Martin Luther where he made his own comments on this verse and they were quite interesting. “He must put off his old activities, so that from sons of Adam we may be changed into sons of God. This does not happen by a change of clothing or by any laws or works; it happens by the rebirth and renewal that takes place in Baptism, as Paul says: ‘As many of you as were baptized have put on Christ’. . . . Paul is speaking about a ‘putting on’, not by imitation but by birth. He does not say: ‘Through Baptism you have received a token . . . that is what the sectarians [Anabaptists] imagine when they make Baptism merely a token, that is, a small and empty sign” (Luther’s Works, 26:352-53). That “small and empty sign” phrase has a haunting, hollow ring to it.
Ephesians 5:25-27
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
You might think I am kidding by using this verse. After all, this verse is mostly about loving wives (which I do, by the way). And just so you know I didn’t not bold the “Husbands love your wives” part because I think it is untrue but because it doesn’t really fit into the whole idea of baptism. So yes, it is true, this verse is truly speaking about husbands and wives, BUT, this verse is comparing two things so it is necessary to understand both things. This is comparing the love of husbands for wives to the love of Christ for the Church.
We notice several things about the love of Christ for the Church. One He gave Himself up for it. Also he did this to sanctify the Church (sanctify basically means “to make holy”). He wants the Church sanctified so that He may present it as a blameless, holy, blemish-free community. And connected with all of this… the washing of water with the word?
It is interesting that this uses a similar phrase to other passages alluding to baptism (i.e. the washing). But this washing isn’t just a “spiritual washing.” This washing is done with water. Water is a crucial element. This is referring to a physical something. But note the other element… the word. As you well know from John 1:1, the word does not usually mean “the word of God aka the Bible.” The Word in the NT is often referring to Christ. I think that is what we see here. The two elements of this “washing” are water and Christ.
So I understand the noun here translated as “washing” is only used one other time… in Titus 3:5. So this washing is here connected with water and there this washing connected with salvation (although just to be clear, each verse could stand on its own and support, but not prove, baptismal regeneration, but the connection between the two verses strengthens them even more). Also in this verse this washing with water is connected to becoming holy, becoming sanctified and becoming blameless… all things our salvation is meant to achieve.
Colossians 2:11-12
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
This verse is cool even if the grammar is a little hard to follow. The first part talks about Christians being “circumcised” by Christ with a “circumcision not performed by human hands.” What is this circumcision? The next sentence says that our entire “flesh” was put off in Christ’s circumcision (as opposed to Jewish circumcision with just took off a part of the flesh… and I think we all know what part of male anatomy that was). And, here is the kicker, this fill body circumcision is equated with… ding, ding, ding… baptism! Baptism is this full-body and soul circumcision of Christ. Remember those passages from Genesis and Exodus, detailing the circumcision as a sign of the Old Covenant for God? Circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant and baptism is the sign of the New Covenant; it is the new circumcision, it is a better and more fulfilled sign of this better and more fulfilled covenant with God. But wait… there’s more!
Again we see that baptism is connected to being “raised with Christ” (the “in which” links the two). Being raised with Christ is a metaphor for the new life in Christ (which really is connected with salvation). It was the burial with Christ (aka, in baptism), and in this burial with with Christ we are raised with Him.
Colossians 3:3
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
On the surface this doesn’t mention baptism at all. Well… thats because it doesn’t. But what is the context in this verse? Well keep in mind that the previous verse we discussed was just 14 verses in front of this one and it is part of the context. And that verse, Colossians 2:11-12, talks about us dying. So how have we died? Obviously we haven’t physically kicked the bucket? We could say that we have “died to self?” Maybe the context of Colossians 2 will tell us.
Indeed it does, for in Colossians 2 we see that we were dead for we were “buried with Christ.” And we were buried with Christ in… baptism! Funny little thing, context. So the context links the death mentioned in Colossians 3 with being buried with Christ in baptism in Colossians 2. And this “death” in Colossians 3 is linked with us being “hidden in Christ” again, a metaphor for becoming part of the family of God, of being caught up in the divine love of God, of being saved.
Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Whatever this “washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” is, it does a lot! Through this washing we were saved and we become heirs of the hope of eternal life. That’s a big deal! So even though it doesn’t use the term “baptism” this washing, just so we are clear, is one of rebirth, renewal and makes us heirs to eternal life… aka our eternal salvation is tied up with this washing. So what is this washing?
It is interesting that the word washing is often used of baptism in Acts 2 and 22. Another real eye-opener is that in this washing it is the Holy Spirit who is doing the washing. And we often see the Holy Spirit being connected with… baptism! And further note that washing seems to be the same idea as the ritual Jewish washings in the OT… the parallels would be obvious! Besides, to my mind at least, there is no other worthy candidate for “washing” other than baptism.
1 Peter 3:20-21
“… long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”
The key phrase is of course, “baptism now saves you…” This phrase is repeated twice in the passage. I had read this verse a dozen times, but in class and in Church you pay attention to what the pastor or professor thinks is important. When I first read this with an open mind it blew me away. ”Baptism now saves you.” It was like a smack in the face. You have to do all kind of interpretive and linguistic gymnastics to escape the very obvious wording. In short you have to find a way to interpret "baptism now saves you" to really mean "baptism doesn't save you." I know there are intelligent, honest Bible-honoring Christians who believe they should interpret the verse that way, but for me it makes nonsense of having a clear, understandable Bible to do so.
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.’
You no doubt recognize this passage as the Great Commission and no, it does not say anything specifically regarding salvational efficacy of baptism. However it is noteworthy that Christ’s final charge, his great commission, his instructions to the disciples before His ascension into heaven is to preach the gospel and to make disciples and, obviously, baptism is a critical component to this mandate. Remember that Christ was alive on Earth for 40 days after His resurrection where He continued to teach the apostles and this is Christ’s final charge and last summary to his most faithful followers. Back in my youth pastor days, If I were leading a mission trip with a group of Baptist students to another county getting people baptized would not have been considered as a major “selling point” or a major motivation to go. Would it even be considered as important work on the mission trip amongst many Baptists, Evangelicals or non-Denominationalists? I can't speak for all of us, but I know that in my circles it would not have merited much discussion or consideration.
Mark 16:16
“And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.’ ”
This passage at the end of the Gospel of Mark has many similarities with the Great Commission at the end of the Gospel of Matthew. They both mention preaching and making disciples and they both connect baptism to this important work. This verse does not tell us what happens in the rare case where someone believes and refuses to get baptized. But it does
a) link baptism with salvation and
b) consider the thought that someone who does not believe isn’t going to be baptized anyway so there is no pressing need to include this in this verse and
c) as a Baptist I would NEVER, EVER IN A MILLION YEARS SAY, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved.” After all, he who slips up and says that in a Baptist service will likely be unemployed.
Acts 2:37-41
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is unto you, and to your children. . . Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Notice that we see the elements of faith, water and the Spirit. This is just like what we saw in the prophecy of Ezekiel, just like what we saw in the story of Namaan, just like what we saw with the baptism of Jesus, just and just like Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus in John 3. Its almost like there is… shock and horror… a theme is being presented to us.
As you no doubt know, this is the “invitation” during Peter’s great sermon on Pentecost. Where do we begin? We see the need to repent, which virtually no one denies. We see that everyone was to be baptized and (in English) this baptism is for the forgiveness of your sins. I don’t know how much more simply Peter could have stated his point. And, at risk of skipping ahead, this is the same Peter who said in his own letter of 1 Peter, “baptism which now saves you.” It seems that if Peter was slipping up and saying things he ought not to say, he sure was doing it a lot. Once again, we notice that baptism is connected with… receiving the Holy Spirit. Need I say more at this point?
At risk of talking too much, do notice the theme of “obedience” found here. We read about those who accepted Peter’s message, which sounds like our modern-day language of “accepting Christ.” However, in this story, all of those who accepted the message actually did something; they got baptized! I think we see there that not only is baptism linked with forgiveness again, but also that truly accepting the message of Christ also seems to entail obedience… otherwise, perhaps, you didn’t fully accept it. Obedience and faith seem to go hand in hand. Think about it, would they really have “accepted Peter’s message” if they had refused baptism? I think that is why the verses points out that those who accepted the message were baptized… obedience went hand in hand with faith.
Acts 22:16
“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.”
This passage records a sermon of the Apostle Paul. He is talking about his own conversion to Christ and he has told about about how he came to see Christ on the road to Damascus, how he was blinded and how he found Ananais, a Christian, who helped him to recover his sight. In verse 16 Paul quotes what Ananais said to him. Remember, at this point in the story Paul had already “accepting Jesus as savior” (though that language is not used) and yet Ananias still tells Paul that he needed to be baptized… and furthermore that this baptism would “wash his sins away”!!!
What is so striking about this verse is that not only does it link baptism with forgiveness of sins, but that it is done for the forgiveness of sins after Paul’s conversion! Even if someone were to argue that at this point Paul hadn’t been “saved” it does no better as a defense of a “symbol only” baptism. For if Paul was not “already saved” then he had no business being baptized in the first place. I have personally found the few symbol-only responses to this verse to be unsatisfying.
Romans 6:3-6
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
The key phrase for me is “…in order that…” This phrase links two parts of that verse. If I am allowed to reorganize the sentence (but not change the meaning of it, I hope) I think you will see what I am talking about: “We were buried with Christ in baptism in order that we may live a new life, just as Christ was raised from the dead.” In other words the reason we are able to live a new life is because we are buried with Christ… and because Christ was buried and raised from the dead, so shall we. But the way we are united with Christ’s death is baptism. This verse does not use the word “salvation” but the ability to live a new life (which suggests not only living a holy life now on Earth but partaking of divine eternal life now) is a real spiritual reality and a real grace given at baptism.. No mere symbol can do this.
1 Corinthians 12:12-13
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
This verse talk about the body of Christ (aka the Church) and how we are but parts of that body. We were baptized into this family, so again, baptism is quite important. Also note that we were baptized in one Spirit… and this is not school spirit, excitement, or a worship experience kind of “spirit.” This is the actual, literal third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit we were baptized into. And further note that this baptism also made us drink of the Spirit. To drink means to “partake of” the Spirit. This verse strongly connects baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit. Again, it would take more than a mere symbol to accomplish these things.
Galatians 3:26-27
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Symbol only proponents like to point out that this verse teaches us that we are children of God through faith… therefore baptism is not essential for salvation (but it is still a really good idea). Of course faith is essential for salvation, no is arguing about that. But look again.
We are all “children of God through faith” you might say. However the word “for” is key here. It says we are his children in faith for (or because) everyone who was baptized into Christ has clothed themselves with Christ. In other words this verse connects more than just faith with being a child of God… we are children of God through faith because we are clothing ourselves with Christ and all of us who have clothed ourselves with Christ were, in fact, baptized (baptism itself is sometimes referred to by this metaphor)
While this verse doesn’t blatantly blurt out “salvation” by using that term it seems obvious in Scripture (I can do some research to drum up some references if you’d like) that being a child of God is part of "being saved." In fact that is exactly what happens to us when we are saved… we become part of the family of God, we become His children.
I found an excerpt from Martin Luther where he made his own comments on this verse and they were quite interesting. “He must put off his old activities, so that from sons of Adam we may be changed into sons of God. This does not happen by a change of clothing or by any laws or works; it happens by the rebirth and renewal that takes place in Baptism, as Paul says: ‘As many of you as were baptized have put on Christ’. . . . Paul is speaking about a ‘putting on’, not by imitation but by birth. He does not say: ‘Through Baptism you have received a token . . . that is what the sectarians [Anabaptists] imagine when they make Baptism merely a token, that is, a small and empty sign” (Luther’s Works, 26:352-53). That “small and empty sign” phrase has a haunting, hollow ring to it.
Ephesians 5:25-27
“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
You might think I am kidding by using this verse. After all, this verse is mostly about loving wives (which I do, by the way). And just so you know I didn’t not bold the “Husbands love your wives” part because I think it is untrue but because it doesn’t really fit into the whole idea of baptism. So yes, it is true, this verse is truly speaking about husbands and wives, BUT, this verse is comparing two things so it is necessary to understand both things. This is comparing the love of husbands for wives to the love of Christ for the Church.
We notice several things about the love of Christ for the Church. One He gave Himself up for it. Also he did this to sanctify the Church (sanctify basically means “to make holy”). He wants the Church sanctified so that He may present it as a blameless, holy, blemish-free community. And connected with all of this… the washing of water with the word?
It is interesting that this uses a similar phrase to other passages alluding to baptism (i.e. the washing). But this washing isn’t just a “spiritual washing.” This washing is done with water. Water is a crucial element. This is referring to a physical something. But note the other element… the word. As you well know from John 1:1, the word does not usually mean “the word of God aka the Bible.” The Word in the NT is often referring to Christ. I think that is what we see here. The two elements of this “washing” are water and Christ.
So I understand the noun here translated as “washing” is only used one other time… in Titus 3:5. So this washing is here connected with water and there this washing connected with salvation (although just to be clear, each verse could stand on its own and support, but not prove, baptismal regeneration, but the connection between the two verses strengthens them even more). Also in this verse this washing with water is connected to becoming holy, becoming sanctified and becoming blameless… all things our salvation is meant to achieve.
Colossians 2:11-12
In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
This verse is cool even if the grammar is a little hard to follow. The first part talks about Christians being “circumcised” by Christ with a “circumcision not performed by human hands.” What is this circumcision? The next sentence says that our entire “flesh” was put off in Christ’s circumcision (as opposed to Jewish circumcision with just took off a part of the flesh… and I think we all know what part of male anatomy that was). And, here is the kicker, this fill body circumcision is equated with… ding, ding, ding… baptism! Baptism is this full-body and soul circumcision of Christ. Remember those passages from Genesis and Exodus, detailing the circumcision as a sign of the Old Covenant for God? Circumcision was a sign of the Old Covenant and baptism is the sign of the New Covenant; it is the new circumcision, it is a better and more fulfilled sign of this better and more fulfilled covenant with God. But wait… there’s more!
Again we see that baptism is connected to being “raised with Christ” (the “in which” links the two). Being raised with Christ is a metaphor for the new life in Christ (which really is connected with salvation). It was the burial with Christ (aka, in baptism), and in this burial with with Christ we are raised with Him.
Colossians 3:3
“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”
On the surface this doesn’t mention baptism at all. Well… thats because it doesn’t. But what is the context in this verse? Well keep in mind that the previous verse we discussed was just 14 verses in front of this one and it is part of the context. And that verse, Colossians 2:11-12, talks about us dying. So how have we died? Obviously we haven’t physically kicked the bucket? We could say that we have “died to self?” Maybe the context of Colossians 2 will tell us.
Indeed it does, for in Colossians 2 we see that we were dead for we were “buried with Christ.” And we were buried with Christ in… baptism! Funny little thing, context. So the context links the death mentioned in Colossians 3 with being buried with Christ in baptism in Colossians 2. And this “death” in Colossians 3 is linked with us being “hidden in Christ” again, a metaphor for becoming part of the family of God, of being caught up in the divine love of God, of being saved.
Titus 3:4-7
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.
Whatever this “washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” is, it does a lot! Through this washing we were saved and we become heirs of the hope of eternal life. That’s a big deal! So even though it doesn’t use the term “baptism” this washing, just so we are clear, is one of rebirth, renewal and makes us heirs to eternal life… aka our eternal salvation is tied up with this washing. So what is this washing?
It is interesting that the word washing is often used of baptism in Acts 2 and 22. Another real eye-opener is that in this washing it is the Holy Spirit who is doing the washing. And we often see the Holy Spirit being connected with… baptism! And further note that washing seems to be the same idea as the ritual Jewish washings in the OT… the parallels would be obvious! Besides, to my mind at least, there is no other worthy candidate for “washing” other than baptism.
1 Peter 3:20-21
“… long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”
The key phrase is of course, “baptism now saves you…” This phrase is repeated twice in the passage. I had read this verse a dozen times, but in class and in Church you pay attention to what the pastor or professor thinks is important. When I first read this with an open mind it blew me away. ”Baptism now saves you.” It was like a smack in the face. You have to do all kind of interpretive and linguistic gymnastics to escape the very obvious wording. In short you have to find a way to interpret "baptism now saves you" to really mean "baptism doesn't save you." I know there are intelligent, honest Bible-honoring Christians who believe they should interpret the verse that way, but for me it makes nonsense of having a clear, understandable Bible to do so.
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