Some believers may not understand the purpose of water baptism or see a need for it personally, since it neither forgives sins nor contributes to their salvation (see the past two articles for more information on that aspect). However, the Bible provides a few important reasons why believers should be water-baptized.
First, water baptism serves as a public witness of (and testimony to) their new life in Christ through faith. Baptism identifies them with Jesus, who died, was buried, and rose from the grave, having conquered sin and death through His shed blood. As such, water baptism is an outward, visible sign that symbolizes the inward, invisible change that occurred when a person died to sin and was raised to life, having trusted Jesus exclusively for their forgiveness and salvation.
Consider what Romans 6:3-7 says, “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.”
Next, God’s Word commands born-again believers to be water baptized as an act of obedience to Jesus (for the reasons stated above). Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Additionally, Peter said in Acts 10:47-48, “‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”
Based on these biblical facts about baptism:
Believers who have trusted Jesus for their salvation but have not yet been water-baptized are instructed to do so in God’s Word for the reasons and purposes stated above.
Believers who were water-baptized before they were born-again should be rebaptized as an act of obedience to Jesus after being redeemed by His blood.
Believers who were saved and then water-baptized but fell away and returned to Christ should consider being rebaptized as a public testimony of their return to Jesus and a physical reminder of their death to sin and re-pursuit of Him.
Believers who were water-baptized after becoming born-again do not need to be rebaptized.
Individuals who are not born-again should not be water-baptized because it accomplishes nothing of value apart from salvation.
I hope this information on the purpose of water baptism has been helpful and answers the question of why believers should be baptized.
