At the end of His mission on earth, Christ gave His commission to over 500 believers present at His farewell. He said to them: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20).

In the commission given to His disciples there are some essential instructions: “Go ye therefore,” “teach all nations,” and “baptizing them.” All are very important, but here we will focus on just one of these very important points mentioned: “baptizing them.”

In Mark 16:16, Christ said: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”In these words, Christ is very specific about the basic conditions of our salvation: 1. “He that believeth”; 2. “and is baptized.” The number 1 condition to be saved is to believe. Number 2 is to be baptized. Since these two conditions are indispensable for our salvation, we should have a very clear understanding of their significance.

We should understand also that believing precedes baptism. If we are baptized without believing in Christ as our Saviour and Lord, there is no salvation. Baptism, then, is to be offered only to those who really believe in Christ. Otherwise there is no conversion or salvation.

Before baptizing people, John preached to them: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:2). Thus, repentance is the first fruit of believing and a basic condition for baptism.

When some of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to be baptized just to take political advantage from the influence of John, he openly rebuked them, saying: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father” (Verses 7-9).

Here John stated some very important truths: First he preached the message of repentance. To the Pharisees and Sadducees he explained that, before baptism, they should repent of their sins. How can we know that a person has repented? “Bring forth fruits meet for repentance.” And John added something else: It is not enough being natural children of Abraham. Our race, our nationality, our profession to be God’s people cannot grant salvation to us. If we do not believe in Christ as our Saviour, and if our life doesn’t show forth fruits of genuine repentance, we are not prepared for baptism. If we are baptized without true repentance, our baptism is in vain and our salvation is in question.

“Many of the scribes and Pharisees came confessing their sins, and asking for baptism. They had exalted themselves as better than other men, and had led the people to entertain a high opinion of their piety; now the guilty secrets of their lives were unveiled. But John was impressed by the Holy Spirit that many of these men had no real conviction of sin. They were timeservers. As friends of the prophet, they hoped to find favor with the coming Prince. And by receiving baptism at the hands of this popular young teacher, they thought to strengthen their influence with the people.”1

The evangelist Mark says that “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). He calls the baptismal ceremony “baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”In other words, there is no remission of sins simply because we are baptized. We need to understand that “without shedding of blood is no remission”(Hebrews 9:22). Our forgiveness and acceptance is based on the sacrifice Christ made on Calvary. As we accept His perfect righteousness and His perfect sacrifice in our behalf, we are accepted and forgiven. We become new creatures in Christ. Our life is changed.

Luke, the beloved Physician, makes a very important remark: “And all the people that heard [John the Baptist], and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him” (Luke 7:29, 30). He says that the people, who heard John the Baptist, justified God, being baptized. In other words, those who recognized the righteousness of God, accepting His gospel, received baptism from John. On the other hand, “the Pharisees and lawyers” rejected the counsels of God, and did not receive baptism. They were not baptized not because they were “Pharisees and lawyers,” but because they rejected the counsels of God “against themselves.” They rejected the gospel of Christ. Even though they had a high profession of piety, and were natural descendants of Abraham, nothing could save them without accepting God’s provision for their salvation in Christ.

Addressing the multitude on the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

Peter mentioned the same condition as did John: “Repent,” then “be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Then he added something very important: “Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” It is important to consider the sequence: 1. Repentance; 2. baptism of water, and 3. baptism of the Holy Ghost.

Since repentance is so essential for our justification and baptism, we should have a clear understanding of what repentance is.

James Hastings in his Dictionary of the Bible, article Repentance writes:

“Repentance for sin is commonly expressed by ‘turn’ or ‘return’ (e.g. Dt 4:30, Is 55:7, Ezk 3:2, Hos 14:2). Repentance has a prominent place in the NT, alone (Mt 4:17, Lk 15:7, Ac 2:38 etc.) or in conjunction with faith (Mk 1:15, Ac 20:21 etc.), as an indispensable condition of salvation. The word ordinarily used (metanoia) means literally ‘change of mind.’ The change, however, is one in which not the intellect only, but the whole nature (understanding, affections, will), is involved. It is such an altered view of God and sin as carries with it heartfelt sorrow for sin, confession of it, and decisive turning from it to God and righteousness (Lk 15:17, 18, Ro 6:17, 18, 2 Co 7:10, 11 etc.). Its reality is tested by its fruits (Mt 3:8, Lk 6:43-46). From this ‘godly sorrow’, which works ‘repentance unto salvation’ (2 Co 7:10, 11), is distinguished a ‘sorrow of the world’ which worketh death’ (v. 10), i.e. a sorrow which has no relation to God, or to the intrinsic evil of sin, but only to sin’s harmful consequences. There may be keen remorse, and blaming of one’s self for one’s folly, yet no real repentance. . . . Repentance is the turning from sin; Gospel faith is the turning to Christ for salvation.”

Ellen G. White presents some true gems about repentance in the following quotations:

“True repentance is more than sorrow for sin. It is a resolute turning away from evil.”2

“Repentance is turning from self to Christ.”3

“Repentance is an intense hatred of sin in all its forms.”4

“In order to obtain the righteousness of Christ, it is necessary for the sinner to know what that repentance is which works a radical change of mind and spirit and action. The work of transformation must begin in the heart, and manifest its power through every faculty of the being.”5