Series: N/A
Service: Praise and Preaching Service
Type: Sermon
Speaker: Dwayne Gandy
Baptism: The Moment We Are Washed in the Blood of Christ
When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, heaven opened, the Spirit descended like a dove, and the Father’s voice declared, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” It was a breathtaking scene—a moment that announced to the world that Jesus had come to fulfill all righteousness. He wasn’t baptized because He needed forgiveness; He was baptized to show perfect obedience, to identify with sinners, and to set the pattern for all who would follow Him.
That same pattern still stands. When a person believes in Jesus Christ, repents of sin, and is baptized, they share in that same divine story. They are washed in the blood of the Lamb, buried with Christ, and raised to walk in newness of life. This message—simple yet world-changing—lies at the very heart of the gospel.
The Authority Behind Baptism
Jesus began His ministry by being baptized, and He ended His earthly ministry by commanding baptism. In Matthew 28:18-20, often called the Great Commission, He declared, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
The key word is authority. When we act “in the name” of someone, we act by that person’s authority. If a son takes a signed check from his mother and spends it however he wishes, that is not authority—it’s rebellion. But when we baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we do so precisely as they have instructed. We do not have the right to change it, redefine it, or delay it.
Baptism is not a church tradition invented by men—it is a divine command sealed with heavenly authority. To change the way or purpose of baptism would be to use that signed check for something God never authorized.
What Jesus Taught and What His Followers Preached
When Jesus told His apostles to baptize, He linked it directly to salvation: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). The connection is clear—faith leads to obedience, and obedience leads to the washing away of sins. The book of Acts unfolds as the record of that command being carried out again and again.
Acts 2 – The Birth of the Church
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached to the crowds in Jerusalem that the Jesus they crucified was both Lord and Christ. When their hearts were pierced with guilt, they cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter’s answer was simple and Spirit-guided: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”
In that moment, 3,000 souls obeyed. They were not told that there was nothing they could do; they were told exactly what God required. Baptism was not a human work to earn salvation—it was the response of faith to the grace God had offered in Christ. It was the moment their sins were washed away.
Acts 8 – The Ethiopian Eunuch
Later, Philip preached Jesus to an Ethiopian official riding home in his chariot. As they traveled, they came to some water, and the man said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
Philip answered, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch confessed, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Immediately, they stopped the chariot, went down into the water, and he was baptized. Then the man went on his way rejoicing.
That story teaches several eternal truths:
- Baptism is for believers who understand and confess their faith in Jesus.
- Baptism involves immersion in water.
- Baptism should not be delayed once a person believes—it is urgent and immediate.
The word baptize itself literally means to immerse. The early Christians did not sprinkle or pour. They went down into the water and came up out of the water, reenacting the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Acts 9 and 22 – The Conversion of Saul
Saul of Tarsus, later called Paul, met Jesus on the road to Damascus. Blinded by the light, trembling, and broken, he asked, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Jesus told him to go into the city and wait for further instruction. When Ananias came to him, his words were direct: “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Saul’s faith was genuine, but his sins were not washed away until he obeyed that command. Baptism was the point where he entered into the cleansing power of Christ’s blood.
Acts 16 – The Philippian Jailer
When the earthquake opened the prison doors, the jailer thought the prisoners had escaped and was ready to take his own life. Paul stopped him and said, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.” Overwhelmed by what he had witnessed, the jailer fell before Paul and Silas and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They told him to believe in the Lord Jesus, and then they taught him the word of the Lord. That very night—long before dawn—he and his family were baptized. He rejoiced because he had believed in God and been forgiven. Again, the urgency of baptism is evident. When a person understands what it means, there is no reason to wait.
Acts 19 – Re-Baptized in Jesus’ Name
In Ephesus, Paul met some disciples who had been baptized only into John’s baptism. When he explained that baptism must now be “in the name of Jesus,” they were baptized again. The lesson is timeless: it is not enough to be baptized simply because it is a religious act; we must be baptized by the authority of Christ, for the purpose He ordained—for the forgiveness of sins.
Baptism in the Epistles
The apostles continued to teach about baptism long after the book of Acts. Their letters show what baptism means and what it accomplishes in the life of a believer.
Romans 6:3–4 – Buried with Christ
Paul wrote, “Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead… we also should walk in newness of life.”
Baptism unites us with Christ’s death and resurrection. It is the moment when our old self is buried, our sins are left behind, and we rise to live a new life. This is not symbolic only; it is the divine moment when God performs His saving work on the soul.
Galatians 3:27 – Clothed with Christ
“As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” In baptism we are clothed with the righteousness of Christ. God no longer sees us in our sin; He sees us wrapped in His Son. It is the entry point into every spiritual blessing.
Ephesians 1 – All Blessings Are in Christ
Paul reminds us that “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” is found in Christ. Redemption, forgiveness, and grace are located in Him—and baptism is how we come into Him. Outside of Christ, there is no salvation. Inside Christ, there is no condemnation.
1 Peter 3:20–21 – The Antitype that Saves
Peter connects baptism to Noah’s salvation through water: “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism—not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.”
Peter clarifies that baptism is not about external washing. It is not a ritual bath or a physical cleansing. It is the inward pledge of a conscience that says, “I will do whatever God commands.” Baptism does not earn grace; it accepts it. It is faith in motion.
God’s Grace and Human Response
Some object that baptism sounds like a “work.” But the truth is, baptism is the opposite of earning anything. It is the humble act of surrender, where we allow God to do the cleansing. It is grace that provides the water, grace that sent the Son, and grace that washes the sin.
Naaman, the Syrian commander, learned this lesson when he was told to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be healed of leprosy. He didn’t like the command. He thought there were better rivers back home. But when he obeyed, he was healed. Not because the water had power, but because God did.
Baptism is our Jordan River. When we step into the water in faith, God keeps His promise to wash us clean. If He had chosen something else—if He had said, “Do 100 pushups to be saved”—the only faithful response would be to start doing pushups. What matters is not the method, but the obedience of faith.
Everything God says is true. The truth is everything God says. And God says that when a penitent believer is baptized, their sins are forgiven, they are united with Christ, and they rise to live a new life.
A Word to the Heart
For some, baptism happened long ago, but the memory still shines. Remember what God did for you in that water. Remember the grace that met you there. Live every day as someone who has been raised from death to life.
For others, the story may bring a question: Was I baptized the way the Bible describes? If not, there is no shame in making sure. Many believers, even those baptized young, have later chosen to obey again once they truly understood sin, repentance, and the meaning of being buried with Christ. God’s arms are always open to those who want to obey from the heart.
Baptism is not about joining a local congregation; it is about becoming part of Christ Himself. You are not baptized into the Palm Springs Drive Church of Christ—you are baptized into Christ. You belong to Him, and your name is written in heaven.
The Invitation Still Stands
In every generation, the call is the same: “Why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Baptism is not merely a ritual. It is the moment of rebirth—the divine intersection of faith and grace. Through it, our sins are forgiven, our conscience is cleansed, and we are added to God’s family. In that sacred water, heaven rejoices, sins are erased, and a new life begins.
So if your heart is pricked—if you hear the echo of Peter’s words, “Repent and be baptized”—don’t wait. The same God who opened heaven at Jesus’ baptism is ready to open heaven for you.
Come to the water. Come to the cross. Come to Christ.
