by Richard Shin
Last week, we learned the importance of baptism and how it marked a response of genuine repentance and faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross. Specifically, we did this through looking at the beginning of the Church in the life of the apostles. This week, we’re going to look at one apostle in particular, and how his life and ministry gives us further understanding of the nature and practice of baptism.
Paul’s conversion to faith in Christ is a remarkable miracle that resulted in a command from Christ Himself to be baptized (Acts 22:1-16). Specifically, it is recorded in verse 16 that Paul was to “rise and be baptized and wash away [his] sins, calling on [the Lord’s] name.” At first glance, this verse seems to tell us that baptism actively washes away sins, if called on God’s name. However, the washing away of sins is connected with calling on Jesus’ name. It’s more appropriate to understand this phrase as used in other passages. In Acts 2:21, we see Peter commanding others to be baptized “by calling on the Lord’s name.” This verse was an echo of Joel 2:32 where it’s stated that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It’s also cited in Romans 10:13, where Paul is instructing the Roman church that we are equal in light of our sinfulness and Christ’s righteousness.
The “calling” on the Lord’s name is the mouth’s expression of the heart’s conviction of total dependence. Paul knew that Christ’s resurrection represented the culmination of Christ’s atoning work. In his heart, he knew that Christ’s death was necessary for salvation. His baptism was a public witness to his cordial union with Christ.
Because of this strong image of death and resurrection in the act of baptism, Paul used it as a teaching tool in his ministry to the churches. When some were abusing grace because of God’s infinite nature to forgive based on Christ’s perfect nature, Paul rebuked the Roman church by reminding them that those who were “baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death” (Rom. 6:3-4). Our confession of baptism contradicts the false logic of continuing in sin.
Paul also taught that when we are baptized into Christ Jesus, we undergo a vivid reenactment of our participation with Christ in His historical death on the cross. In Galatians 3:27, Paul teaches us this idea when he speaks of baptism actively “clothing” us with Christ. Earlier, Paul had written to the Galatian church that we became sons of God not through our perfect observance of the law, but through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:16; 3:26). Paul had repeated in the same epistle that it was heretical to add a religious ceremony (circumcision) to the completed work of Christ (Gal. 3:1-5; 5:1-6). He insisted that from the cross of Christ flow all the blessings of eternal life and life in the Spirit (Gal. 3:13-14; 5:11; 6:14-15).
How odd, then, would it have been that Paul would emphasize Christian baptism as a requirement for salvation? After Paul’s insistence that faith comes through hearing and believing the message of the cross, it wouldn’t make sense that he would add baptism as a necessary component to that same goal. Instead, their baptism gave a physical presentation of the spiritual certainties involved in faith. Baptism illustrates the transaction that actually has already taken place. And when Paul speaks of “clothing” ourselves with Christ, he encourages us to remember that faith in Christ’s death alone is the means to salvation.
The interaction between faith and baptism is explained further in Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthian church. He wrote to the Corinthians saying, “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 Cor. 1:17).