Can water baptism wash away one's sin?
The concept of baptism washing away sin stems from Acts 22:16, TEV. “And now, why wait any longer? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by calling on His name.”
Does this mean you can was away your sins through baptism? Let us look at Biblical evidence. How is baptism described in the Bible?
Romans 6:2-7, NIV. "We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don ’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Col 2:12: “Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”
Mark 16:16-17: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Baptism represents a decision to believe in Jesus as our Saviour. Through baptism we publicly demonstrate that we believe in our salvation obtained through Jesus, who died for us and rose on the third day. Similarly we symbolically indicate that by accepting Jesus in our lives, we are experiencing a rebirth, our old self has died, we are a new creation through Jesus Christ.
Jesus made this clear when discussing the importance of baptism with a scholar named Nicodemus. John 3:3-8: “’In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’
‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!’
Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’" NIV
It is clear here that baptism doesn’t wash away sin, but is an outward declaration that we want to live with Jesus who is the only one who can forgive our sins. It cannot be intended that the external rite of baptism was sufficient to make you pure, but that it was an ordinance appointed by Jesus as a public expression of the washing away of sins, or of the purification of the heart.
Forgiveness of sins is obtained solely through faith in the Lord Jesus, Acts 10:43: ”All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Baptism is the visible sign of this. Paul summarizes this beautifully in 1 Cor 6:11: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
What a wonderful Saviour we do have! Would you like to accept Him in your life now? He can and will forgive you of your sins, no matter how horrible they are. He can transform your life from an ugly charcoal into a radiant butterfly. You can overcome your sins through our Lord and Saviour. Why wait any longer? He is waiting for you!
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