BAPTISM A TESTIMONY OF YOUR FAITH IN CHRIST

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, 2025

Understanding the Symbol and the Substance

BIBLICAL FOUNDATION:

• KEY VERSE: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9)
• FURTHER STUDY: Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:11-12; Acts 2:38
• BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Romans 12:1-16 & Psalms 85-88

MESSAGE:Salvation: The Condition of the Heart

The question of whether water baptism is enough to save a sinner has been a point of confusion for many. However, a close look at the Scriptures makes it abundantly clear that salvation is not a ritual; it is a heart condition. The Bible defines the path to salvation in unmistakable terms: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

This verse lays out the two non-negotiable conditions for salvation:

1. Confession: A public declaration that Jesus is Lord. This is not a passive acknowledgment but an active surrendering of one’s life and will to His authority.
2. Belief: A deep, heartfelt conviction that God has raised Jesus from the dead. This belief is the foundation of the Christian faith, as it authenticates Jesus’ victory over sin and death.

Water baptism, while incredibly significant and a command from our Lord, does not provide the remission of sins. The only thing that cleanses us from sin is the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7). Baptism is a subsequent act of obedience and a public testimony of the faith that has already taken root in one’s heart.

The Symbol and the Substance: What Baptism Truly Represents

The Apostle Peter sheds light on the true meaning of baptism in 1 Peter 3:21: “The like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” This verse is crucial. It tells us that baptism saves us in the same way Noah and his family were saved in the ark—they were saved “through” the water, not “by” the water. The water was a means of judgment for the old world and a means of salvation for the new. Similarly, water baptism is a testimony of our salvation, not the cause of it.

Peter clarifies that baptism is not about “the putting away of the filth of the flesh.” It is not a physical cleansing, but a spiritual one that has already occurred through faith in Christ. Instead, baptism is “the answer of a good conscience toward God.” It is an outward act that comes from an inward change—a heart that has been made right with God and desires to publicly declare its allegiance to Him.

Water baptism is a powerful, symbolic reenactment of the Gospel message:

Identification with Christ’s Death: When a believer is immersed in the water, it symbolizes their death to the old, sinful life. The old self is buried with Christ.

Identification with Christ’s Resurrection: When they are brought out of the water, it symbolizes their resurrection to a new life in Christ. They have been made new, raised to walk in newness of life.

The Apostle Paul elaborates on this in Romans 6:3-4: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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.” This is the theological underpinning of water baptism. It’s a vivid picture of our spiritual union with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

The Misunderstanding of Baptism and Salvation

The confusion between baptism and salvation often arises from misinterpreting a few key scriptures, such as Acts 2:38, where Peter says, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

While this verse seems to link baptism directly to the remission of sins, we must understand the full context of Scripture. The Greek word for “for” can also be translated as “because of” or “on account of.” In this context, Peter is calling people to be baptized because their sins have been remitted through repentance and faith in Christ. Baptism is the public sign of that forgiveness, not the means of it. This is a crucial distinction.

A person can be baptized and still be lost if they have not been genuinely born again. A religious act, no matter how sincere, cannot save a person. Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ can bring salvation. Baptism is an outward expression of that faith, not the faith itself.

Paul further emphasizes this point in Colossians 2:11-12, where he compares baptism to a spiritual circumcision “made without hands.” This spiritual circumcision is the act of “putting off the body of the sins of the flesh.” Just as physical circumcision was a sign of the covenant with God in the Old Testament, water baptism is the outward sign of the new covenant, symbolizing the inward work of the Holy Spirit.

Living a Life as a Testimony

As believers, our lives are meant to be a constant testimony of our union with Christ. Our salvation is a reality, and our baptism is a public declaration of that reality. It is a moment where we stand before God, the church, and the world and say, “I am no longer my own. My old self is dead, and I have been raised to a new life in Christ.”

This is not a one-time event but the beginning of a lifelong journey of walking in the victory of His resurrection. Our lives should be a living testament to the transformative power of the Gospel. Every choice we make, every word we speak, and every action we take should reflect the newness of life we have received in Christ. We are to walk in “newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

Let us celebrate the beautiful and significant act of water baptism, not as a means to salvation, but as a powerful testimony of the salvation we have already received. It is a glorious moment where we publicly identify with our Savior and declare to the world that we belong to Him.

PRAYER:

Dear Father, I thank you for the glorious gift of salvation through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. I declare my faith in His death, burial, and resurrection, and I live in the consciousness of this glorious truth. My life is a testimony of my union with Christ, and I walk daily in the victory of His resurrection, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.