Baptism Belongs to Those Who Repent and Believe

Scripture is clear that baptism is only for those who can understand and believe the gospel. Baptism is not for those who are ignorant of the gospel or the meaning of baptism. The message of the Great Commission is this: Believe and be baptized.

Jesus says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (Matthew 28:19). There is a message to be taught and a knowledge to be received before someone can be baptized.

Our Confession of Faith affirms this in Chapter 29, Paragraph 2:

“The proper subjects of baptism are only those who actually profess repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ.”

This means that baptism belongs to those who can:

Acknowledge their sinfulness.
Recognize their need for Jesus.
Repent and believe the gospel message.

Peter’s Message to Cornelius and His Household

In Acts 10, Peter preaches the gospel to Cornelius and his household. Starting in verse 34 and continuing to verse 43, Peter lays out the gospel message so that they can hear, understand, and believe.

In Acts 11, Peter recounts the story, saying that Cornelius sent for him because he needed to deliver a message through which Cornelius and his household would hear and believe. It was only after hearing and understanding the gospel that Peter says in Acts 10:47:

“Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people?”

Baptism, therefore, belongs to those who:

Acknowledge their sinfulness.
Recognize their need for repentance.
Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Acknowledging Sinfulness: The Foundation for Repentance

Before baptism, a person must recognize the reality of their sin:

They must understand that sin is evil.
They must recognize that sin deserves physical, spiritual, and eternal death.

Baptism does not belong to those who believe they are “good people” or who think they can earn God’s favor through their own works. Baptism belongs to those who understand:

They are completely corrupt and incapable of doing any good apart from God.
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).

Without repentance and faith in Christ, a person has no right to baptism.

Trusting in Christ Alone for Salvation

Baptism also does not belong to those who trust in themselves. Many people may say, “I know I am a sinner, but I will try harder to be better.” However, baptism is not for those who rely on their own efforts.

Baptism belongs to those who:

Acknowledge that they cannot meet God’s standard of perfect obedience.
Look away from themselves and trust in Christ.
Rest in the perfect works and merits of Christ for their salvation.

We are indeed saved by works—but not our works. We are saved by the perfect works of Jesus Christ. Christ, as the God-man, accomplished perfect obedience on our behalf.

Faith: A Gift of God’s Grace

Repentance and faith are not works we produce on our own. They are gifts from God:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

God, being rich in mercy, opens our eyes to see:

Our own wretchedness and sin.
Our need for the Savior.

This is why repentance and faith are not dead or meaningless. They are living and active because they are empowered by God Himself.

True Repentance Produces Fruit

John the Baptist warned the Pharisees in Matthew 3:7-8:

“You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.”

This means that baptism does not belong to those who make a one-time profession of repentance and faith. It is not for those who:

Walk an aisle or say a prayer once, but show no evidence of spiritual life.
Profess faith without producing any fruit.

Such people remain devoid of the Holy Spirit and are still walking in the flesh. Baptism belongs to those who have been born again—born of the Spirit of God.

A Life of Daily Repentance and Faith

The Christian life is one of continual repentance and faith. True believers will demonstrate their faith in their daily lives:

By constantly confessing their sin.
By relying on Christ for pardon.
By walking in daily trust and obedience to Him.

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray:

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

This is a daily confession of sin—evidence of a life that is truly repentant and reliant on God’s grace.

Living by Faith in Christ

Paul expresses the life of a true believer in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

This means that the believer lives every day by faith in Christ:

When we sin, we look to Christ for forgiveness.
When we struggle, we trust Christ for strength and hope.
Every day, we find our comfort, peace, and assurance in Christ alone.

Conclusion: To Whom Does Baptism Belong?

Baptism belongs to those who:

Repent of their sin.
Believe in Christ alone for salvation.
Live lives of daily repentance and faith, trusting in Christ’s finished work.

These are the proper subjects of baptism—those who know that only Jesus can save, and who continue to rely on Him every single day.

Let us, then, remember the seriousness and beauty of baptism, and let us live lives that reflect true repentance and faith in our Savior.

“To Whom Does Water Baptism Belong?” sermon (Acts 10:34-48)