Welcome!

QUESTION 20:
If baptism isn't a Christian's public testimony to the world, what is it?

ANSWER:
The Christian's testimony is more real than a symbol. The bible is very clear that our testimony to the world is our "profession or confession of faith in Christ. Hebrews 3:1 speaks of our profession. Hebrews 10:23. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering."

Young Timothy had a good profession among many witnesses 1 Timothy 6:12. Our Lord Jesus Christ had the same, 1 Timothy 6:13 "I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession." The word "profess" or "confess" is a verbal thing and cannot be substituted by an act of obedience in baptism or taking a stand for the Lord. It can only be done with the mouth. Our Lord makes this clear in Matthew 10:32, "Whosoever therefore shall "confess" me before men, him will I "confess" before my Father which is in heaven." Paul puts the same thing this way, "That if thou shalt "confess" with thy mouth the Lord Jesus....thou shalt be saved." John says, "whosoever shall "confess" that Jesus is the Son of God... 1 John 4:15. Romans 10:10, "For with the heart man believeth unto salvation but with the "mouth confession" is made unto salvation." This is God's way of testifying to the world. Behind this verbal confession must be a transformed life through the power of the blood of Christ. It will be no testimony to the world to profess what you do not possess. "Let everyone that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity," 2 Timothy 2:19. Romans 5:1, "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."

All comments and questions to: Harold Smith

Return to Baptism Question Page

Updated July 2009, by Shelly Allen