Baptism - A Reason Why

So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

“HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.”

The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. Acts 8:25-40

The exciting truth of baptism is the opportunity it gives us to identify personally with Jesus Christ. This truth comes to life as we read the account of Philip’s encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch.

Out of a deep desire to worship God, this man had traveled over two hundred miles to Jerusalem. Despite all his efforts, there was still a gnawing emptiness within his soul. He had never accepted Jesus as his Savior. Led by the Holy Spirit, Philip approached the eunuch’s chariot and heard him reading from Isaiah 53, which tells of God’s suffering servant.

As he began to share God’s redemptive plan through Jesus Christ, the eunuch’s eyes were opened and he was saved. Philip was surprised when the eunuch asked: “What prevents me from being baptized?” Once saved, early believers eagerly testified to their new identity. It was a privilege to be a baptized as Jesus was by John the Baptist.

It was also, and still is, a matter of the heart. When we truly know Jesus, we long to bear the marks of His love and grace. Baptism is not a way to salvation. It is a way to say: “I love You, Jesus, and I want to identify personally with You.”

“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit...” Acts 10:47