A. It has been several months since I’ve come to know Christ as my Saviour and I was wondering
what should be done about baptism. I know that most other believers in the Lord Jesus are
baptized, but since I haven’t been approached about it perhaps there is some reason I do not
deserve to be baptized.

B. Well, my dear brother, you speak of being saved, but not baptized. This is the perplexed
condition of many of the Lord’s people today, especially young Christians. I suppose this
condition arises from the fact that baptism isn’t so openly and freely discussed because of different
understandings on the subject.

A. From reading in the book of Acts its seems that they were baptized very promptly after they
confessed Christ.

B. That is true indeed. I understand in Acts 2 that they were baptized the same day. In Acts 8,
baptism soon followed Philip’s preaching in Samaria. Later in the same chapter they stopped the
chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch immediately in order to baptize him. As to the conversion of Saul
of Tarsus in Acts 9, God told Ananias to go to Saul. He not only put his hands on Saul to receive
sight and the Holy Spirit, but baptized him. All this happened within a few days after the Lord
Jesus appeared to him on the Damascus road. When Cornelius and those with him believed, as
we read in Acts 10, they too were baptized the same day. The same follows in Acts 16 with Lydia.
There, too, we read that the Philippian jailor was baptized the same hour and that at night!

A. My! With such urgency connected to baptism it is no wonder that some have thought it
necessary for salvation.

B. I admit there seemed to be an urgency connected with baptism, and this I believe should be
more closely followed today. But I do not excuse those who insist that baptism is essential for
salvation. Baptism is a figure of salvation and forgiveness through the death of Christ. "And now
why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord" Acts 22:16. You see, dear brother, baptism is an act performed upon one by someone else.
You cannot baptize yourself. Therefore, if baptism is required and absolutely necessary for
salvation, then Christ could not save a poor lost sinner for glory without having some man handy
to do the baptizing to finish the requirements. Obviously this is in error.

A. Yes, I can see that. It is through faith in Christ as my Saviour, and seeing that His shed blood
is the only cleanser for my sins, that I depend.

B. Very good then; Christ Himself is the object of our faith and it should be the desire of our
renewed hearts to follow His Word, and I trust it is this which has aroused your thoughts as to
baptism. Tell me though do you find any verse in the Bible instructing you to be baptized?

A. Well, not exactly, but believers did submit to baptism, didn’t they?

B. Exactly! They did submit to baptism in every case, but the instructions from the Lord regarding
baptism are given to those doing the baptizing, not to the new converts as the recipients of
baptism. They were told to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and this
preceded by teaching. Matthew 28:19. This teaching was the gospel and no doubt included
baptism. You see, of:those baptized in the scriptures few, if any, could give you a thorough
explanation of all baptism means. This didn’t prevent or even delay their baptism. It is true that
in apostolic days the new converts were not confused by various and opposing doctrines about
baptism. But whatever it meant they were baptized promptly after professing to belong to Christ.

A. Then my lack of knowledge should not be a cause of the delay in my case.

B. Some feel that we should wait a while after one has professed Christ to see if the conversion
seems real.

A. What about Simon the magician in Acts 8? It doesn’t seem that his profession was real, yet he
was among those baptized.

B. This is an example, as you cite, of one who was later discovered to be not really saved. This
shouldn’t alarm us even though it does disappoint us when one who has made a profession of
Christ apostatizes from his professed faith. For Simon, he simply never was truly saved.

A. Was Philip too hasty in. baptizing him then?

B. If he was, Peter didn’t scold him or tell him so when Peter discovered Simon’s heart of
unbelief. Really, we should baptize on the basis of profession, and profession of faith only. Simon
did profess and so was baptized. I don’t believe Philip was too hasty. If we accept such reasons
prompting delaying of one’s baptism, it might be delayed indefinitely.

In view of our discussion and the fact that you are not baptized,, I suggest that after meeting this
morning we announce a baptism for this afternoon. This will exercise any others in a similar
condition to yours and perhaps lead them also to take their place in death with Christ in baptism.

A. It seems a bit sudden, but I’m satisfied it is the truth and I wish no further delay.