THE USE OF BAPTISM

By Gary Ray Branscome

Although baptism and the Lord’s Supper are both ceremonial proclamations of the gospel, they are not the same. God designed each one for a different role. That is why we partake of the Lord’s Supper often, but are only baptized once.

Just as Abraham, “Received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith that he already had while uncircumcised” (Romans 4:11). All who are baptized believing that there is forgiveness in Christ, receive baptism as a sign and seal of the righteousness that they already have through faith in Christ. Therefore, just as Abraham could only be circumcised once, a believer should only be baptized once. And the Christian church has always followed that practice.

In the past some have mistakenly assumed that they needed to be rebaptized every time they sinned. However, because that error assumes that forgiveness comes through the water, rather than through faith in Christ, the Christian church has always condemned it. Furthermore, when we come to baptism believing that there is forgiveness in Christ, our coming to baptism is a public testimony to our faith in Christ [not faith in baptism]. And, because it is a public testimony, the promise, “Whoever confesses me before men, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven,” belongs to all who come (Matthew 10:32). Then, after being baptized, we continue to confess Christ before men, not only by our words, but by attending church and receiving the Lord’s Supper.

The words, “You are all the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ,” use baptism as a synonym for conversion (Galatians 3:26-27). And, we put on Christ by being clothed in His righteousness, the righteousness that God imputes to us “without works”. As it is written, blessed is “The man, to whom God imputes righteousness without works,” (Romans 4:6). That same symbolism [of being clothed in Christ’s righteousness] is found in the words, “She [Christ’s church] should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8). Moreover, the righteousness that we receive when we “put on Christ” is the “wedding garment” spoken of in Matthew 22:12-13. The wedding garment that makes us acceptable to God. Therefore, once we come to faith in Christ there is no need to be rebaptized, because the righteousness that we receive at conversion is always ours through faith. For that reason, if we do something that we need to repent of, then we should repent, looking to Christ for forgiveness, believing that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one who believes” (Romans 10:4). And, believing His promise, that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:9).