--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21…" description: "\"In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I [do] not see how an infant could properly rec..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png" --- # In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an… ![“In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I [do] not see how an infant could properly receive this ordinance as an expression of his or her faith.” quote by John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png) > “In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I \[do\] not see how an infant could properly receive this ordinance as an expression of his or her faith.” [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Baptism should reflect personal faith; infant baptism conflicts with that principle. **In simple terms:** Baptism needs personal belief. Key Takeaway Consider faith‑based baptism. Themes faith ritual theology Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type theological debate When to use this quote - church membership - family religious practice - personal conversion Key Concepts soteriology ecclesiology Questions to Reflect On - Is personal faith essential for baptism? - What role does community play? A Different Perspective May overlook communal aspects of faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baptism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptism/) [Colossians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colossians/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Ordinances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinances/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [I was baptized as an infant. I was confirmed as an adolescent; I was active in my church's youth group and in my university…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-was-baptized-as-an-infant-i-was-confirmed-as-an-adolescent-i-was/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [A man who knows that he is saved by believing in Christ does not, when he is baptized, lift his baptism into a saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/a-man-who-knows-that-he-is-saved-by-believing-in-christ-does-not-when/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [One of the great blessings of the restored gospel is the privilege of entering into sacred covenants with our Father in Heaven-covenants made binding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-b-wirthlin/one-of-the-great-blessings-of-the-restored-gospel-is-the-privilege-of/) [Joseph B. Wirthlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-b-wirthlin/) > [A man may act as proxy for his own relatives; the ordinances of the Gospel which were laid out before the foundations of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-smith/a-man-may-act-as-proxy-for-his-own-relatives-the-ordinances-of-the/) [Sam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-smith/) > [“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy. Colossians 1:11”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/may-you-be-strengthened-with-all-power-according-to-his-glorious/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Sabato ilianzishwa na Mungu siku ya saba ya uumbaji wake. Siku ya Sabato ni siku takatifu, iliyoko katika Amri Kumi za Mungu, ambayo hatuna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/sabato-ilianzishwa-na-mungu-siku-ya-saba-ya-uumbaji-wake-siku-ya/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. COLOSSIANS 3:23”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-chapman/work-willingly-at-whatever-you-do-as-though-you-were-working-for-the/) [Gary Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-chapman/) > [“We . . . do not cease to pray for you. COLOSSIANS 1:9”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/we-do-not-cease-to-pray-for-you-colossians-1-9/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [Let our hearts overflow with thankfulness... -Colossians 2:7](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/let-our-hearts-overflow-with-thankfulness-colossians-2-7/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [All my theology is reduced to this narrow compass - "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archibald-alexander/all-my-theology-is-reduced-to-this-narrow-compass-jesus-christ-came/) [Archibald Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archibald-alexander/) > [Colossians 1:16 tells us that everything was created FOR God... don't we live instead as though God is created for US, to do OUR…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/colossians-1-16-tells-us-that-everything-was-created-for-god-don-t-we/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Kill them all in the Name of the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell/kill-them-all-in-the-name-of-the-lord/) [Jerry Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell/) > [“My motto…"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." Colossians 3:17”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-palumbo/my-motto-whatever-you-do-in-word-or-deed-do-all-in-the-name-of-the/) Bob Palumbo > [He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-the-apostle/he-is-the-image-of-the-invisible-god-the-firstborn-over-all-creation/) [Paul the Apostle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-the-apostle/) > [“AND WHATEVER YOU DO, WHETHER IN WORD OR DEED, DO IT ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-kristen-moore/and-whatever-you-do-whether-in-word-or-deed-do-it-all-in-the-name-of/) Sandra Kristen Moore ## More by John Piper > [“Even in the miserable guilt we feel over our beastlike insensitivity, the glory of God shines. If God were not gloriously desirable, why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/even-in-the-miserable-guilt-we-feel-over-our-beastlike-insensitivity/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“The Spirit inspired the Word and therefore He goes where the Word goes. The more of God's Word you know and love, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-spirit-inspired-the-word-and-therefore-he-goes-where-the-word/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Do you feel loved by God because you believe he makes much of you, or because you believe he frees you and empowers you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-feel-loved-by-god-because-you-believe-he-makes-much-of-you-or/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-missions-exists-because-worship-doesn-t-worship-is/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“If you hold a grudge, you doubt the Judge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/if-you-hold-a-grudge-you-doubt-the-judge/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Worship is the highest moral act a human can perform, so the only basis and motivation for it that many people can conceive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-the-highest-moral-act-a-human-can-perform-so-the-only/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Do you love the cross because it makes much of you? Or do you love it because it enables you to enjoy and eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-love-the-cross-because-it-makes-much-of-you-or-do-you-love-it/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“job 14:1 man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of troubles "If that isn't your experience now it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/job-14-1-man-who-is-born-of-a-woman-is-few-of-days-and-full-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“Not to aim to show God is not to love, bc God is what we need the most deeply. And to have all else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/not-to-aim-to-show-god-is-not-to-love-bc-god-is-what-we-need-the-most/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-has-given-us-prayer-as-a-wartime-walkie-talkie-so-that-we-can/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Ignatius, when he heard the clock strike, would say, "Now I have another hour to answer for." (Eph. 5:16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/ignatius-when-he-heard-the-clock-strike-would-say-now-i-have-another/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) [Explore all 803 John Piper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) ## More Baptism quotes > [“Baptism is a symbolic narrative not only of incorporation into Christ but also of ongoing life in Christ. Although a once-for-all death to sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-gorman/baptism-is-a-symbolic-narrative-not-only-of-incorporation-into-christ/) [Michael J. Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-gorman/) > [Men can be attracted but not forced to the faith. You may drive people to baptism, (but) you won't move them one step further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alcuin/men-can-be-attracted-but-not-forced-to-the-faith-you-may-drive-people/) [Alcuin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alcuin/) > [Wicked sons do not have the Holy Ghost in the same way as do beloved sons, and yet they do have Baptism. So, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/wicked-sons-do-not-have-the-holy-ghost-in-the-same-way-as-do-beloved/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [It is this one Spirit who makes it possible for an infant to be regenerated . . . when that infant is brought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/it-is-this-one-spirit-who-makes-it-possible-for-an-infant-to-be/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Each restorational advancement of the Army of the Lord has established denominational forts that are given responsibility to maintain the purity and power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hamon/each-restorational-advancement-of-the-army-of-the-lord-has/) [Bill Hamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hamon/) > [True greatness,true leadership,is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you. True service is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/true-greatness-true-leadership-is-found-in-giving-yourself-in-service/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [Knowing that there is one Baptism, we who hold the head and root of the One Church know for certain that to him who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyprian/knowing-that-there-is-one-baptism-we-who-hold-the-head-and-root-of/) [Cyprian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyprian/) > [I know that with consecration on the part of believers, separation from the world, disentanglement from enslaving sins, and a mighty baptism of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/i-know-that-with-consecration-on-the-part-of-believers-separation/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [I respect journalism. I was always very aware of journalism from a very broad point of view, but I'd say my baptism by fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-d-arcy/i-respect-journalism-i-was-always-very-aware-of-journalism-from-a/) [James D'arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-d-arcy/) > [I taught what was clear in Acts 11:26: SAVED = CHRISTIAN = DISCIPLE, simply meaning that you cannot be saved and you cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kip-mckean/i-taught-what-was-clear-in-acts-11-26-saved-christian-disciple-simply/) Kip McKean > [Any investigator worthy of baptism becomes a convert worthy of saving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/any-investigator-worthy-of-baptism-becomes-a-convert-worthy-of-saving/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Baptize first the children; and if they can speak for themselves, let them do so. Otherwise, let their parents or other relatives speak for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippolytus-of-rome/baptize-first-the-children-and-if-they-can-speak-for-themselves-let/) Hippolytus of Rome > [“The Second Council of Mileve (416) anath ematized all "who deny that new-born infants should be baptized immediately after birth." n The Tridentine Council…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pohle/the-second-council-of-mileve-416-anath-ematized-all-who-deny-that-new/) [Joseph Pohle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pohle/) > [The Church received from the apostles the tradition of giving baptism even to infants. The apostles, to whom were committed the secrets of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/origen/the-church-received-from-the-apostles-the-tradition-of-giving-baptism/) [Origen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/origen/) [Browse all 314 Baptism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I [do] not see how an infant could properly receive this ordinance as an expression of his or her faith.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Piper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-baptism-is-an-expression-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baptism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-baptism-is-an-expression-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/john-piper-255_baptism_in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-bapt_418727.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter 3:21 baptism is an expression of the faith of the person being baptized. I…” — John Piper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Piper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In Colossians 2:12 and 1 Peter...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-baptism-is-an-expression-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/in-colossians-2-12-and-1-peter-3-21-baptism-is-an-expression-of-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```