Why Get Baptized If Baptism Doesn't Save You?

Romans 6:3-4 and a public expression of new life in Jesus

By Pastor John Erickson

I think symbols are fascinating.

On their own, they might not mean a whole lot. But once you know what they represent, everything changes.

Imagine a teenage boy walks up to your daughter and hands her twelve pinecones he found in the yard. You might wonder why he brought her a bunch of pinecones, but it's probably nothing to worry about.

Now imagine he walks up with twelve red roses.

Oh. Suddenly we're going to have a conversation.

The objects themselves are just plants. It's what they symbolize that changes the moment.

My wedding ring is another example. The ring does not create my marriage, but it tells you something about the commitment it represents. Put a ring on a different finger and it may simply be jewelry. The meaning matters.

Baptism works a little like that. It's a physical action with a powerful spiritual meaning.

And that raises a question I hear from time to time: if we're saved by grace through faith in Jesus, why does baptism matter so much?

Baptism Is an Outward Sign of an Inward Work

When someone is baptized, they're making visible something God has been doing in their life.

In Romans 6:3-4, Paul connects baptism with Jesus' death and resurrection. Going down into the water points to being united with Christ in his death. Coming out of the water points to new life in his resurrection.

That's a whole lot of meaning for what might look, from the outside, like somebody getting dunked in a pool.

Baptism tells a story.

It says, "The old way of living isn't the final word over me. I belong to Jesus. I'm trusting him for the life I could never produce on my own."

The water doesn't do the saving. Jesus does.

That's important in our understanding of baptism. We don't believe that a person has to be baptized in order to earn salvation. The thief crucified beside Jesus didn't have an opportunity to schedule a baptism service, yet Jesus promised him a place in paradise.

But that doesn't make baptism optional in the sense of being unimportant.

Jesus instructed his followers to make disciples and baptize them. When people respond to the gospel in the book of Acts, baptism repeatedly follows.

It's a response of obedience, not a way to purchase God's favor.

God Has Been Telling This Story Through Water

One reason I love baptism is that the image of water shows up all through Scripture.

Think about Israel coming out of Egypt. They had been enslaved, and God made a way through the sea. On one side was their old life under Pharaoh. On the other side was a new future as God's people.

Paul draws on that story in 1 Corinthians 10 when he describes the Israelites passing through the sea and being identified with Moses.

The Exodus isn't exactly the same event as Christian baptism, but the imagery helps us understand what's happening.

God leads people out of bondage and into a new identity.

And in baptism, we publicly identify ourselves with Jesus, who has made that rescue possible for us.

Baptism Is About More Than Getting Wet

The Greek word often used for baptism is baptizō, associated with immersing or dipping. But the physical movement of going into water is not the entire point.

A symbol without its meaning is just an action.

What makes baptism beautiful is the faith it expresses. It's a person saying yes to Jesus in a way other people can see.

Every baptism tells a story.

Some people grew up knowing about Jesus but came to understand their faith in a new way. Others have walked through terrible things. Some have spent years convinced God wanted nothing to do with them.

And then they stand in front of people, enter the water, and say, in a very tangible way, "Jesus has changed my life."

There's something powerful about the church witnessing that moment together.

Why Make It Public?

We sometimes describe faith as a private relationship with God. There is a personal part of faith, absolutely. No one else can believe for you.

But following Jesus is not meant to be a completely isolated project.

In baptism, you are identifying publicly with Jesus and his people. The church gets to celebrate with you, encourage you, and help you continue growing.

That's an important reminder because baptism isn't graduation.

It's not a ceremony announcing, "I've finally arrived. I understand everything about God and will never struggle again."

If that were the standard, we'd have some pretty empty baptism services.

Instead, it's a step in a continuing life of discipleship.

So Why Wait?

Maybe you've been following Jesus for some time but have never been baptized. Perhaps you wonder whether it matters now, especially if your faith began years ago.

I think the better question is, if Jesus has done this work in your life, why not tell the story?

And maybe you're still figuring out what it means to follow him. That's okay too. Baptism isn't something to rush into merely because other people are doing it. It's worth understanding what you are saying through this act.

But I don't want us to mistake the simplicity of baptism for something small.

Water. A confession of faith. A community celebrating new life.

It's a simple symbol of the most important change a person can experience.

Jesus has made us new. Baptism lets us tell the world.