The Benefits Of Baptism

It is written:

“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37  Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:36-37)

According to the New Testament, there are over thirty benefits attached to believer’s baptism.

It is in baptism that the believer:

Is Saved (Mark 16:15-16);

Is Fully Initiated As A Disciple Of Christ (Matthew 28:19);

Is Purchased By The Godhead (Matthew 28:19);

Comes Into Full Fellowship With The Trinity (Matthew 28:19);

Is Born Again (John 3:5);

Is Added To The Kingdom/Church (John 3:5; Acts 2:47);

Receives The Remission Of Sins (Acts 2:38);

Receives The Gift Of The Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38);

Obeys The Command Of The Lord (Acts 10:47-48);

Has Sins Washed Away (Acts 22:16);

Is Buried With Christ (Romans 6:3-4);

Is Raised To Walk In Newness Of Life (Romans 6:3-4);

Becomes A Slave Of Righteousness (Romans 6:17-18);

Is Baptized Into The Leadership Of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:1-5);

Is Added To The Body Of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13);

Is Made To Drink Of The One Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13);

Receives The Assurance Of Being With Other Baptized Believers In Eternity (1 Corinthians 15:29);

Enters Into Christ (Galatians 3:26-27);

Becomes A Child Of God (Galatians 3:26-37);

Is Saved By Faith (Galatians 3:26-27);

Puts On Christ (Galatians 3:26-27);

Enters Into The Unity Of Baptized Believers (Ephesians 4:4-6);

Receives The Circumcision Of Christ Through Faith In The Working Of God (Colossians 2:12-14);

Buried With Christ To To Be Able To Seek Those Things Which Are Above (Colossians 2:12-3:4);

Receives The Washing Of Regeneration (Titus 3:4-7);

Receives The Renewing Of The Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-7);

Receive The Washing Of The Body (Hebrews 10:22);

Is Given The Clean Conscience (Hebrews 10:22);

Is Saved Like The Noahs (I Peter 3:18-22);

Pleads For A Clean Conscience To God (1 Peter 3:21);

Makes A Pledge Of A Good Conscience Toward God (1 Peter 3:21);

Joins In The Witness Of Christ’s Baptism Before God (1 John 5:5-8)

The New Testament clearly teaches (through all of these references) that baptism is part of God’s plan of salvation. Our friends in denominational churches who teach that we are saved and then baptized are mistaken. Usually, those that I study with who have been thus baptized express a desire to be rebaptized (and I encourage them to be in such circumstances).

However, it is also worth remembering that nearly all of these references to baptism (especially the ones in the Epistles) were written to previously baptized believers who had either misunderstood some element of their baptism, and/or who were needing to grow further in their understanding of this wonderful event. They were not considered anything other then Christians because they had misunderstood some element of baptism, nor were they counseled to be rebaptized once they learned something new or had some misunderstanding corrected.

Baptism is something which we grow in our knowledge and appreciation of, as is true of every area of the Christian life (2 Peter 3:17-18).