Calvary's Chapels Position on Water Baptism
WHAT IS BAPTISM?
Baptism is an act that Jesus commands His followers to participate in.
(Matthew 28:19 NKJV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Bible also teaches us that baptism represents the pledge of a good conscience before God
(1 Peter 3:21). In other words, baptism is something that Christians outwardly do in order to show what God has inwardly done. Jesus Christ gives new life to all who place their faith in Him. And in this process, there is a death to the former self, and a new resurrected life that follows. This is what Jesus referred to as being 'born again' (John 3:3), and what the Apostle Paul describes when he writes that believers in Christ are 'new creatures, the old has gone and the new has come' (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When a person is submerged underwater as they're baptized, it represents the death and burial of their old life. When they are brought up out of the water, it represents the new resurrected life that God has given to them (Romans 6:4). In other words, water baptism is a physical depiction of the spiritual work that God does within a person's heart when they place their faith in Him. The only requirement for you to be baptized is that you believe in Jesus Christ, and that you understand what baptism represents.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM?
According to the book of Romans, here's the exact purpose for water baptism:
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Baptism is a symbolic act by which we share in the death and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus died and was buried for the sake of our sins. By being baptized we're essentially saying that we identify with what Jesus went through for us.
In a way, baptism is a funeral and a birthday celebration rolled into one. As we go down, we recognize the death of the old us, and as we come up, we celebrate the birth of the new us. God gave us this rite as a physical reminder of the spiritual decision that we've made. Baptism is also a way for us to practically put our faith into action and demonstrate to the world that we've died to our old selves and desires, and have received a new resurrection life in Christ. It keeps us accountable and mindful that the world is watching us and expects to see some sort of change in our lives.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?
While there is a much longer and detailed study on this issue the short answer is no, baptism is not necessary for salvation. We base this on the principles taught throughout the New Testament by Jesus and the Apostles. The most fundamental reason why the act of water baptism must be unnecessary for salvation is that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and not through any single work of man
(Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5).
We believe that baptism is a good work, but a work nonetheless. And that it diminishes God's grace by teaching that grace and something equals salvation.
CAN I BE BAPTIZED MORE THAN ONCE?
There is no biblical prohibition against a Christian being baptized more than once. The only thing that I would mention, however, is that a person should truly examine their heart and make sure that they're being re-baptized for the right reasons.
I say this because we would never want something so special as baptism to become something that people flippantly take part in. But as long as water baptism is accompanied by the proper spirit of reverence and adoration for the Lord, Christians are free to be baptized as often as they choose or as often as the Lord leads them.
SHOULD I GET BAPTIZED AGAIN IF I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING THE FIRST TIME?
As one reads the New Testament, it becomes fairly clear that a person should be baptized with an awareness of what they're actually doing. Baptism is something that you need to fully comprehend in order for it to have any true significance in your life. Based on this, once you are fully aware and have an understanding of what baptism is and what it represents, you should be baptized again.
WHAT IS CALVARY CHAPEL’S POSITION ON INFANT BAPTISM?
There are no examples of infants or small children being baptized in the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible lays out certain requirements for baptism that no infant or young child could possibly meet. As Philip evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter 8, the eunuch asked "What hinders me from being baptized?" In other words, "What do I need to do before I can be baptized?" Philip's answer to this question is very important because it sets a precedent for Christian doctrine:
(Acts 8:37-38 NKJV) Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." {38} So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Here we see that personal belief and faith in Jesus Christ is a pre-requisite for baptism. The Bible also tells us that we ought to recognize and appreciate the significance of what baptism represents. It depicts the burial of the old life and the hope of the new resurrected life in Christ.
According to the Apostle Paul, every person who gets baptized is expected to understand and appreciate this wonderful truth. Therefore, when we baptize someone here at Calvary Chapel, they must first of all be a believer in Jesus Christ (Acts 8), and they should also understand what baptism means and represents (Romans This is why before we begin our baptisms, we have a short Bible study that thoroughly explains all of this for the benefit of those who have a desire to be baptized.
Of course, this brings us to the issue of baptizing infants and small children. We don't baptize infants or small children because it's impossible for them to consciously place their faith in Christ and understand what baptism represents (this begins to change when a child is about 8-10 years old). Although the outward act of baptism would be accomplished, the inward significance of baptism would be completely void and ritualistic. Furthermore, the biblical model is always that of infant and child dedication, never baptism (Exodus 13:2, 12-15, 1 Samuel 1:26-28, Luke 2:22, 27, 18:15-17, Matthew 19:13-15,
Mark 10:13-16).
Baptism is an act that Jesus commands His followers to participate in.
(Matthew 28:19 NKJV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
The Bible also teaches us that baptism represents the pledge of a good conscience before God
(1 Peter 3:21). In other words, baptism is something that Christians outwardly do in order to show what God has inwardly done. Jesus Christ gives new life to all who place their faith in Him. And in this process, there is a death to the former self, and a new resurrected life that follows. This is what Jesus referred to as being 'born again' (John 3:3), and what the Apostle Paul describes when he writes that believers in Christ are 'new creatures, the old has gone and the new has come' (2 Corinthians 5:17).
When a person is submerged underwater as they're baptized, it represents the death and burial of their old life. When they are brought up out of the water, it represents the new resurrected life that God has given to them (Romans 6:4). In other words, water baptism is a physical depiction of the spiritual work that God does within a person's heart when they place their faith in Him. The only requirement for you to be baptized is that you believe in Jesus Christ, and that you understand what baptism represents.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM?
According to the book of Romans, here's the exact purpose for water baptism:
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Baptism is a symbolic act by which we share in the death and life of Jesus Christ. Jesus died and was buried for the sake of our sins. By being baptized we're essentially saying that we identify with what Jesus went through for us.
In a way, baptism is a funeral and a birthday celebration rolled into one. As we go down, we recognize the death of the old us, and as we come up, we celebrate the birth of the new us. God gave us this rite as a physical reminder of the spiritual decision that we've made. Baptism is also a way for us to practically put our faith into action and demonstrate to the world that we've died to our old selves and desires, and have received a new resurrection life in Christ. It keeps us accountable and mindful that the world is watching us and expects to see some sort of change in our lives.
(2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
IS BAPTISM NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?
While there is a much longer and detailed study on this issue the short answer is no, baptism is not necessary for salvation. We base this on the principles taught throughout the New Testament by Jesus and the Apostles. The most fundamental reason why the act of water baptism must be unnecessary for salvation is that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and not through any single work of man
(Ephesians 2:8-9, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 3:5).
We believe that baptism is a good work, but a work nonetheless. And that it diminishes God's grace by teaching that grace and something equals salvation.
CAN I BE BAPTIZED MORE THAN ONCE?
There is no biblical prohibition against a Christian being baptized more than once. The only thing that I would mention, however, is that a person should truly examine their heart and make sure that they're being re-baptized for the right reasons.
I say this because we would never want something so special as baptism to become something that people flippantly take part in. But as long as water baptism is accompanied by the proper spirit of reverence and adoration for the Lord, Christians are free to be baptized as often as they choose or as often as the Lord leads them.
SHOULD I GET BAPTIZED AGAIN IF I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING THE FIRST TIME?
As one reads the New Testament, it becomes fairly clear that a person should be baptized with an awareness of what they're actually doing. Baptism is something that you need to fully comprehend in order for it to have any true significance in your life. Based on this, once you are fully aware and have an understanding of what baptism is and what it represents, you should be baptized again.
WHAT IS CALVARY CHAPEL’S POSITION ON INFANT BAPTISM?
There are no examples of infants or small children being baptized in the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible lays out certain requirements for baptism that no infant or young child could possibly meet. As Philip evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts chapter 8, the eunuch asked "What hinders me from being baptized?" In other words, "What do I need to do before I can be baptized?" Philip's answer to this question is very important because it sets a precedent for Christian doctrine:
(Acts 8:37-38 NKJV) Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." {38} So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Here we see that personal belief and faith in Jesus Christ is a pre-requisite for baptism. The Bible also tells us that we ought to recognize and appreciate the significance of what baptism represents. It depicts the burial of the old life and the hope of the new resurrected life in Christ.
According to the Apostle Paul, every person who gets baptized is expected to understand and appreciate this wonderful truth. Therefore, when we baptize someone here at Calvary Chapel, they must first of all be a believer in Jesus Christ (Acts 8), and they should also understand what baptism means and represents (Romans This is why before we begin our baptisms, we have a short Bible study that thoroughly explains all of this for the benefit of those who have a desire to be baptized.
Of course, this brings us to the issue of baptizing infants and small children. We don't baptize infants or small children because it's impossible for them to consciously place their faith in Christ and understand what baptism represents (this begins to change when a child is about 8-10 years old). Although the outward act of baptism would be accomplished, the inward significance of baptism would be completely void and ritualistic. Furthermore, the biblical model is always that of infant and child dedication, never baptism (Exodus 13:2, 12-15, 1 Samuel 1:26-28, Luke 2:22, 27, 18:15-17, Matthew 19:13-15,
Mark 10:13-16).