According to the book of Acts, chapter 2, in verse 38, Baptism is “for the remission of sins”. Now, when we use the word “remission” what are we saying? In the dictionary, we read under the definition of remission: pardon; forgiveness, as of sins or offenses; or the relinquishment of a payment, obligation. So, then, we can conclude that at baptism, sins are forgiven, pardoned, and payed for. Thus, baptism is a very important event. Perhaps, the most important single act of a Christian’s life. Before this event takes place, a sinner is not pardoned for his sins and remains unforgiven. Baptism is, therefore, essential for salvation in Christ. 

 1 Peter 3:21 states, “… baptism now saves you–not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience–through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It has been made very clear to us that baptism is how one is “saved” from sin and put in the right relationship with God. 

 Click the fllowing links to see these pictures taken of Edlyn Estabillo on March 11, 2007, in Gerona, Tarlac.

Picture of Edlyn’s baptism_1, Picture of Edlyn’s baptism_2, Picture of Edlyn’s baptism_3

The question might come into your mind, “I thought we are saved by the grace of God; by Jesus blood which was shed on the cross”. This is very true, friends, God’s grace is the way in which we can be saved and not simply by our own human efforts (Eph 2:8, 9). It must be understood, though, that grace alone does not save us. Faith is essential (Jhn 3:16), confession of Jesus as our Lord and God is essential (Jhn 20:28, 29), repentance of sin is essential (Lk 13:3), but after none of these important steps can one call him/herself a child of God. Only after baptism is one’s sins washed away (Acts 12:16) and he/she puts on Christ (Gal 3:27). The blood of Jesus symbolically washes away our sins at baptism. Baptism would be useless if this were not the case.

 Baptism can only be performed on one who is a conscious believer in Christ. The prerequisite for baptism is faith and the result of these is salvation (Mark 16:6). One can only be baptized if he/she believes with all his/her heart (Acts 8:37, 38). This excludes children and infants that do not have the ability to believe or repent. Children have no sin anyway and therefore, there is no need to baptize them (Eze 18:20, Mat 18:3, 19:14).

 The mode of baptism is immersion. The very word, baptize, taken from the Greek word baptizo, means to immerse, to plunge or bury in water. There are several biblical examples which prove this to be the case (Lk 3:21, Rom. 6:3-5, Jhn 3:23). The concept of sprinkling or pouring as a method of baptism is no where found in the Bible.

 Perhaps you have been immersed but for the wrong reasons. Was your baptism to enter a manmade denomination or to enter the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13)? Were you baptized to be saved or because you were supposedly already saved (1 pet 3:21, Jhn 3:5)? There are many misunderstandings about this sacred act of worship and only a sincere observation of the scriptures can clear away the false ideas. Some had the wrong idea about the purpose of baptism and realized that they were not really saved (Act 19:3). The only remedy for this problem was a re-baptism, this time, in the name of the Lord Jesus and for the remission of sins.

 With these things in mind, you can discover for yourself, whether you have truly been saved. I urge you to obey the blessed command of our Lord and be baptized for the remission of sins if you have not done so already.