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 LUSAKA, Zambia (BP)--The president of Zambia recently
acknowledged his faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized in a public
service, Southern Baptist missionaries report.
A crowd clapped and cheered as President Levy Mwanawasa (mwah-nah-WAH-sah)
rose from the water in an outdoor baptistery behind a Baptist seminary
chapel building in Lusaka, Zambia's capital. The event drew hundreds of
people, including public officials, leaders and pastors from the area and
neighboring countries.
"This baptism was an incredible occasion for the Baptist witness to many
people who we have not had in church before," said Troy Lewis, a Southern
Baptist missionary in the southern African nation of more than 10 million
people.
"They heard the gospel of Jesus Christ."
In 2004, over 500,000 people were baptized by Southern
Baptist Missionaries throughout the world.
Is there a place for baptism today's
world, with contemporary worship, praise bands, and casual, non-traditional
services? Is baptism old fashioned, or even necessary today? Do you
need to be baptized in order to be a believer in Jesus Christ, and if you have
not been baptized, why should you be baptized?
These are common questions
confronting Christians today. Fortunately, there are clear answers to
these questions, and they come from God's word.
What is the Meaning of Baptism?
Before Christ, the Jewish people
used ritual bathing pools for personal purification. This usually involved
immersion in flowing water. John the Baptist transformed the private
ritual of personal purification in to a public act symbolizing a recommitment to
God's laws and turning from sin in expectation of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus
Christ.
With the coming of Jesus, and His
sacrificial death and resurrection, our sins are paid for. This does not
occur through deeds that we perform, or through baptism or other rituals, but
through God's grace. That is, if we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our
personal Savior and turn from our sinful ways (repent), we will be granted
salvation, which includes eternal life.
Baptism itself does not wash away a
single sin; only Jesus Christ can do that. Instead, baptism is a public
confession of the work that has already been done in uniting a believer with
Jesus. It is a statement that one has made a personal commitment to Christ
as Savior.
In Acts 2:38-39, Peter expressed
this clearly:- “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for
all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."
Here, believers are baptized after they have repented of
their sins and placed their faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism does not make
one a believer, it shows that you already are one! It is an outward symbol of an
inward decision. It does not "save" you, only your faith in Christ does that.
Baptism is also a symbol of our new
lives as Christians, as in 1 Corinthians 5:17:- Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the
old has gone, the new has come!
Why be Baptized?
If baptism is not required for salvation or
for having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then why should a
believer be baptized? The main reason is that Jesus commanded us to
be baptized. This is found in Matthew 28:18-20, which is shown at
the top of this page. In obedience to Jesus, a believer should
willingly be baptized.
Furthermore, Jesus set the example of baptism
by being baptized himself by John the Baptist. This was not because
Jesus needed to repent of sins, but instead it was to publicly set the
example of the significance of baptism for believers in Him.
Matthew 3:16-17says,
- As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that
moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a
dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son,
whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Being baptized is following Christ's example.
Baptism is a joyful event. It is a celebration of a believer's new
life in Christ, and symbolizes the end of his old life. Just as
Christ conquered death and sin, baptism symbolizes joining with Christ in
that victory. It is a powerful statement of a Christian's life, and
the act of baptism itself may serve as a testimony to bring a non-believer
toward Christ.
Shown below are different examples of baptism
by immersion. The word baptize in its original form means "to
immerse." Baptism by immersion is most likely the method that John
the Baptist used to baptize people, including Jesus.
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