I had a question about baptism. I was wondering if its true that one must be
baptized in order to survive armageddon. Of course I was to be baptized but I
would like to know what would happen if I didnt get the chance? I have
looked at your website a few times and i'm still exploring it, i'm new to
it. So if you could get back to me that would be great thanks.
That’s a very good question as to
whether it is
necessary to be baptized in order to survive Armageddon. It might be good to
consider what baptism is really about, and why Jehovah requires it.
This is what Insight on the
Scriptures, volume 1, pp. 248-249
under Baptism, says about the origin of baptism:
The first human authorized
by God to perform water baptism was John the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. (Lu
1:5-7, 57) The very fact that he was known as “John the Baptist” or “the
baptizer” (Mt 3:1; Mr 1:4) implies that baptism or water immersion came to the
attention of the people especially through John, and the Scriptures prove that
his ministry and baptism came from God; they were not of John’s origin. His
works were foretold by the angel Gabriel as from God (Lu 1:13-17), and Zechariah
prophesied by holy spirit that John would be a prophet of the Most High to make
Jehovah’s ways ready. (Lu 1:68-79) Jesus confirmed that John’s ministry and
baptism were from God. (Lu 7:26-28)
We see that it was God who introduced
baptism. For what purpose? We can learn the significance and importance of water
baptism by what was included in the Law given through Moses, which became “our
tutor leading to Christ.” (Gal. 3:24) According to the Law
the Levites were cleansed, and also anyone
who had become unclean, by spattering “sin-cleansing water” upon them. (Num.
8:7; Exodus 30:17-21) Insight on
the Scriptures, volume 1, page 1084,
says:
In Israel a person who. . .
was unclean. . . was required to undergo a specified cleansing procedure on pain
of being “cut off from the midst of the congregation.” In this procedure the
ashes of a sound red cow on which no yoke had come were used. Water in which
some of these ashes had been mixed was sprinkled on the unclean one. —Numbers
19:1-22.
Note what it says in the book of Numbers concerning the law that Jehovah gave
his people, of the offering of the red cow “on which no yoke had come,” and
which had no physical defects:
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 2 "Here is another ritual law required by the LORD: Tell the people of Israel to bring you a red heifer that has no physical defects and has never been yoked to a plow. 3 Give it to Eleazar the priest, and it will be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 4 Eleazar will take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tabernacle. 5 As Eleazar watches, the heifer must be burned--its hide, meat, blood, and dung. 6 Eleazar the priest must then take cedarwood, a hyssop branch, and scarlet thread and throw them into the fire where the heifer is burning.
7
"Then the priest must wash his clothes and
bathe himself in water. Afterward he may return to the camp, though he will
remain ceremonially unclean until evening. 8 The man who burns the
animal must also wash his clothes and bathe in water, and he, too, will remain
unclean until evening. 9 Then someone who is ceremonially clean will
gather up the ashes of the heifer and place them in a purified place outside the
camp. They will be kept there for the people of Israel to use in the water
for the purification ceremony. This ceremony is performed for the removal
of sin. 10 The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must
also wash his clothes, and he will remain ceremonially unclean until evening.
This is a permanent law for the people of Israel and any foreigners who live
among them. —Numbers 19:1-22 (New
Living Translation)
This purification ceremony with water,
mixed with the ashes of the sacrificial red cow, a sin offering, was, as it
says, “for the removal of sin”
[“the ceremony to wash away sin”;
Contemporary English Version; “the water of cleansing; it is for
purification from sin,” New International Version – UK; “The water will
be used to make people pure from their sin,” New International Reader's
Version], and
it has meaning for us. Note what The Watchtower, April 15, 1984, on page
30, says regarding this:
A valuable link in the
record leading to the establishment of God’s Kingdom is provided by the book of
Numbers. It also points to Jesus Christ. For instance, the animal sacrifices
and use of the red-cow ashes pointed to the far greater provision for cleansing
through Jesus’ sacrifice. (Numbers 19:2-9; Hebrews 9:13, 14)
(Bold mine)
Further on this, Insight on the Scriptures, volume 1, page 191,
says:
According to Numbers
chapter 19, a sound red cow without defect and upon which no yoke had come was
also slaughtered and burned outside the camp. The ashes of this “sin offering”
were deposited in a clean place outside the camp (Nu 19:9) and thus a portion
was available for mixing with water to be sprinkled on unclean persons or things
to purify them. (Nu 19:17) The apostle Paul referred to the figurative
cleansing of the flesh by “the ashes [Gr., spo·dos´] of a heifer” to
highlight the far greater cleansing of “consciences from dead works” possible
through “the blood of the Christ.”—Heb 9:13, 14.
(Bold mine)
The scriptures help us to understand the significance and importance of baptism,
how “the blood of the Christ,” the sin
offering provided by Jehovah, has far greater value in purifying us from our
sins when we are baptized than did the “water for the removal of sin,” under the
law covenant. Having repented of our sins, baptism symbolizes our being washed
or cleansed from them, made possible by “the blood of the Christ.” For that
reason we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 2:38; 10:48) It is
upon our baptism that Jehovah forgives us our sins—which grants us a clean
conscience—and we are then symbolically dressed in white robes, such as in the
case of the "great crowd" in Revelation. (Rev. 7:9, 13,14; 3:4,5; Isaiah 1:16;
Ezekiel 16:9) That is why the converted Saul, who became the apostle Paul, was
told by Ananias: “And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized and wash your
sins away by your calling upon his name.” (Acts 22:16)
Under the Law covenant, anyone who refused to comply with the water cleansing
regulation was to "be cut off from the midst of the congregation, because it is
Jehovah’s sanctuary that he has defiled.” (Numbers 19:20) It is really at the
moment of baptism that a person has the benefits of Christ’s ransom applied to
him. This was pictured by mixing the ashes of the “sin offering” (the whole red
cow, which included the blood) with the sin-cleansing waters. (Numbers 19:5, 9)
Anyone unwilling to get baptized fails to benefit from the ransom, and remains
unclean in God’s eyes. (1 Peter 3:21)
We might compare baptism to the wedding ceremony, for the marriage is not
official, legal, until after the ceremony. When Peter explained to the crowd,
that had come running on account of the amazing event that occurred at
Pentecost, many of them responded and asked what they needed to do. Peter
answered them by saying, “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the
free gift of the holy spirit.” The account says that “those who embraced his
word heartily were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were
added.” You see, a person becomes a member of God’s household upon his baptism.
He then receives the holy spirit and is now a son or daughter belonging to
Jehovah, having him as his Father. That is also what Jesus meant when telling
Nicodemus, "unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God." A person cannot receive God's spirit without baptism. (Acts
2:37-41; John 3:5; 1 Cor. 3:16,17; 2 Cor. 6:18; 1 Tim. 3:15)
We see that baptism is a command from Jehovah. Jesus commissioned his disciples
to "go and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them," and
"teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:19,20)
For that reason, we do not need anyone's permission to obey that divine
directive. To forbid or hinder someone from getting baptized through man-made
conditions, restrictions, or qualifications, would be a serious matter, putting
oneself in opposition to God. (Acts 5:29, 38,39; Rev. 22:18,19) Every elder in
his congregation has the responsibility to encourage and help the brothers to
obey Jehovah in carrying out all his requirements. It is not his business to
want to determine whether or not a person, who wants to get baptized, is ready
to do so. (Rom. 14:4)
If the elders in your congregation feel that you are not ready for baptism and
thus try to discourage you, or even prevent you from doing so, what might you
want to do? (Acts 8:36; 10:47; 16:33) In my own case, when I was 16 years old I
got to know Jehovah and came to love him. Therefore I was determined to get
baptized. I waited for the upcoming District Convention, took my bathing suit
and towel with me and was baptized along with 605 others. I had not met with any
elders or servants to seek their permission. I felt that this was something very
personal between me and Jehovah. From what followed immediately after provided
me with evidence that Jehovah had indeed accepted my baptism. I am sure others
have done the same, and Jehovah has blessed their obedience. If there is no
convention where you might join in with others to get baptized; or it is
impossible to get baptized on account of your elders not including your name on
their approved list for baptism candidates, then you can keep in mind that any
baptized brother is qualified to do baptizing, in any suitable body of water
where you can be immersed. (2 Cor. 3:1, 4-6) The Society often likes to remind
us that we do not have a clergy class among God's people; so why should we
subject ourselves to fleshly men who themselves do not subject themselves to
God? (1 Cor. 3:1-9)
What about a person who wants to get baptized but is unable on account of some
physical disability, perhaps being confined to a bed, or even hooked up to a
mechanical device that keeps him alive; or even due to a mental inability to
understand God’s requirements and therefore being unable to obey. That situation
evidently does not apply to you, so I don't see why you would not have the
chance to get baptized. In circumstances where a person truly does not have the
ability to obey Jehovah, we can be sure that Jehovah understands. He is the
maker of his laws, and it is up to him whether he enforces them or decides to
make exceptions. That is not something for us to determine. (Matt. 12:1-5)
However, Jesus warned that God will hold accountable and punish the leaders
among his people who have made God's word invalid by their own traditions and
doctrines, such as substituting the “sin-cleansing water” with a "water of
dedication," and preventing a person from obeying God accordingly. (Matt.
15:6-9)
The "great crowd" that "comes out of the great tribulation," are all of them
baptized, for they "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb." (Rev. 7:9, 14) There are no other survivors of the great tribulation
mentioned in the Scriptures. Don't allow anyone to hinder you from getting
baptized. (1 Peter 3:21)
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