“Baptized in a bathtub, really?”

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Over the years I have seen people get baptized in an animal’s water trough, in a swimming pool, in a lake, in a church baptistery and even in a household bathtub. Can any body of water really work for someone wanting to be baptized? Let’s take a closer look at this and learn some valuable lessons.

No power in the water

The first thing we need to talk about is the water itself. Throughout Biblical history, water has often been connected with powerful events.  In every case, the power is not in the water itself. Whether it be Moses turning the waters of Egypt into blood (Ex. 7:2), the parting of the Red Sea (Ex. 1421), Naaman dipping seven times in the Jordan river to remove his leprosy (II Kings 5:14), Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:8-9) or people being baptized (Acts 2:41), there was no inherent power in any of those waters. The power was always God’s.

Does not matter where the water is

In Acts 8, the Ethiopian saw water and said “See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” (vr. 36). Was he looking at a pool, pond, river or lake? It does not matter. The emphasis was on the water, not where the water was located. Some think that because John baptized Jesus in the Jordan river, all baptisms need to be done in a river. Is this correct? No. Certain characteristics are required of the water used in a baptism, but there are no requirements placed on the location of the water (the geographic spread of even just the early church supports this).

More than a puddle

When we are talking about water, we are not talking about a small amount. When Peter asked “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47), he was not speaking about a cup of water to sprinkle them or pour on them. The word baptize means to immerse, to plunge. The water that is required must be enough for a person to be totally submerged in. 

Can a bathtub really work?

Just because someone uses a bathtub it does not mean they are taking a bath. That’s is the very point Peter was making about baptism. He said the baptism was not for removing the filth of the flesh but rather the answer of a good conscience (I Pet. 3:21). Obviously, the average bathtub is just not going to work for everyone. If a person cannot be totally immersed (covered by the water), than some other source of water must be used. It might seem like a mockery of God to use a bathtub or water trough, but please keep in mind the purpose and urgency of baptism.

Being baptized into Christ

I once baptized a man in the Ohio River. I was not baptizing him into the Ohio River, I was using the Ohio River to baptize him into Christ (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). Jesus preached from boats and on mounts. Those places were used as a means to an end – to get the message out. Similarly, swimming pools, rivers and baptistries are just a means to an end. They can all be used to immerse people into Christ’s death for the remission of sins (Acts 22:16; 2:38; Rom. 6:4-7). If a person’s heart is not right, if they do not believe in Christ, do not confess Him and do not repent, then the person is just getting wet (Acts 8:36).

By turning baptisms into a ceremony with all the pomp and show, religious groups offer vain conversions. Many even think a special garment must be warn. Let’s beware of the danger of mishandling the words of truth.

Chuck

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