Baptism in the New Testament (Sermon: Acts 8:26-40)

Do we follow the New Testament model of baptism in our churches today? It's a question we should all ask ourselves if we desire to be obedient to God. In Acts 8, two separate instances of baptism are recorded. First, Philip preaches to a group of Samaritans who believe and are baptized. Second, He leads an Ethiopian to the Lord and baptizes him. Of course, there are other baptisms recorded in the New Testament and when they are all compared, one factor in particular stands out--only believers were baptized.

Acts 8:12 reads: "But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts 8:12). Why are only believers baptized? Baptism is a picture and a symbol of the change that has already taken place in our life (Romans 6:4). Being baptized before you are saved makes as much sense as wearing a wedding band before you are married. Why would you use a symbol of something that has happened in your life, if it had not yet happened?

Now some will concede that although the proper way to be baptized is as a believer, they were baptized as an infant. And so since they have already been baptized, isn't that good enough? The apostle Paul wouldn't think so. Look at what happened when he encountered some believers who had previously been baptized. "And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. 2 And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." 4 And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:1-5). Although these disciples had been baptized by John the baptist in expectation and preparation for the Messiah, they had not been baptized after believing in Jesus and so Paul rebaptized them in the name of Jesus. I believe this passage demonstrates that if we have not been baptized correctly, we should be rebaptized.

We are all commanded to be baptized. If as a believer, you have never been baptized, you are living your life in disobedience to the Lord. Why not go to your pastor today and express your desire to be obedient to the Lord and to follow Jesus in believer's baptism?