Baptism CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS. BAPTISM Baptism has come up several times in the course of our discussions of the other Fundamentals of the Christian

Baptism

CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS

BAPTISM

Baptism has come up several times in the course of our discussions of the other Fundamentals of the Christian Faith.

We will now take a look at what Scripture reveals about Baptism, and how man’s way of observing Baptism often differs from what

God commands about Baptism.

Are you going to believe God or man?

INTRODUCTION

BAPTISM

Baptism is the immersion of believers only, in water, after professing their faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus

as their only means of salvation.

It symbolizes the burial of our old man, and resurrection of our new man.

It is an ordinance administered on Scriptural authority and is done in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

DEFINITION

BAPTISM

We start off with the idea of being baptized by being fully immersed in water as a believer in Jesus Christ.

This section will be broken into two distinct parts because every denominational church in the world today has so perverted and

abused the whole concept of Baptism.

DEFINITION

BAPTISM

One can only be baptized when they have believed on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as their only means of salvation.

BAPTISM AFTER BELIEVING ON JESUS

BAPTISM

Acts 2:41 (KJV) 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Peter preached the Gospel to these people, they gladly received his word and THEN were baptized.


BAPTISM

This order is so obvious to anyone who has read their King James Bible that it hardly seems it should be mentioned.

However, when observing how other organizations handle Baptism, it is obvious the statement needs to be addressed.

This is what happens when man turns from God and follows his own philosophy.


BAPTISM

Matthew 28:16–18 (KJV) 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.


BAPTISM

Every group of believers needs to remember that statement made by Jesus!

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.


BAPTISM

Matthew 28:19–20 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 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.


BAPTISM

Every group of believers needs to remember that statement made by Jesus!

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:


BAPTISM

So Jesus tells YOU to

GO,

TEACH ALL NATIONS,

BAPTIZE THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY GHOST.


BAPTISM

If you are a born again believer and have been baptized yourself according as Scripture is teaching us,

then

You are to do what Jesus has commanded us to do.


BAPTISM

Notice, he did not say anything about having to attend seminary,

become a priest,

go by a title like Father, Reverend, Rabbi, or Master?!


BAPTISM

Here is a freebie!

Matthew 23:8–10 (KJV) 8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.


BAPTISM

I point this out because mankind has chosen to go against the Word of God and place men’s word, their tradition, as at the very

least equal to God’s Word.

Having been raised in the Catholic church, I am keenly aware of the idea that tradition and the Word of God are to be on equal

footing.


BAPTISM

Paragraph 82 of the Catholic Catechism has this to say.

82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, “does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honored with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.”

• Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd Ed.) (26). Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference.


BAPTISM

Notice how the Catholic church teaches that it is the Catholic Church to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation

is entrusted.

They teach you are neither permitted nor qualified to go out and do what we just saw Jesus command us to do!


BAPTISM

Jesus has this to say.

Mark 7:9 (KJV) 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

Mark 7:13 (KJV) 13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.


BAPTISM

Here is what the Catholic church states about Baptism as found in their corruption of the Apostles Creed, called the Nicene Creed.


BAPTISM

The Apostles Creed The Nicene Creed

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son.With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.He has spoken through the Prophets.We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.We look for the resurrection of the dead,and the life of the world to come. Amen.


BAPTISM

According to the Catholic church, we have forgiveness of sins through baptism!

Scripture, speaking of Jesus, says this:

Colossians 1:14 (KJV) 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:


BAPTISM

Baptism occurs after believing on Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection, as your only means of salvation.

Forgiveness of sins comes from believing on Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection.

So Baptism cannot produce forgiveness of sins!


BAPTISM

Once again we take a look at Matthew 28:19,

Matthew 28:19 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


BAPTISM

Jesus tells us to teach all nations.

So, I ask you, Who can be taught?

Can a newborn infant be taught?

Can they say they believe in Jesus and therefore be able to be baptized?

Are we to follow Scripture or the traditions of men?


BAPTISM

Scripture teaches us what Jesus told us to do.

We are to teach others and THEN baptize them.

Consider the story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Philip followed what God had told him to do.

He taught the Eunuch, asked the Eunuch if he believed, and THEN baptized the Eunuch.

This confirms what Jesus told us to do.


BAPTISM

The Catholic church teaches infant baptism.1250 Born with a fallen human nature and tainted by original sin, children also have need of the new birth in Baptism to be freed from the power of darkness and brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God, to which all men are called. The sheer gratuitousness of the grace of salvation is particularly manifest in infant Baptism. The Church and the parents would deny a child the priceless grace of becoming a child of God were they not to confer Baptism shortly after birth.

• Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd Ed., p. 319). Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference.


BAPTISM

The Catholic church believes if you are not baptized as an infant, God will cast you into the Eternal Lake of Fire should you die

before you have an opportunity to personally believe on Jesus.

Who will you believe, Jesus or the Catholic church?

They are not same.


BAPTISM

It is hard to believe this section is so abused in what is called Christianity.

But, as has been seen throughout all of history, man always seems to find ways to go against the commandments of God.

Whether out of pride, convenience, power, etc., man is always taking what God commands and perverts it to his own way of

wanting to do things.

FULL IMMERSION IN WATER

BAPTISM

Nowhere in Scripture is there found anything dealing with baptism speaking of sprinkling water on a believer or pouring water on a

believer’s head.

Everywhere in Scripture talking about baptism of believers, the idea of being fully immersed in water is present.


BAPTISM

Whether it be a river, or any other body of water, the one who professes to believe on Jesus is fully immersed.

Even the baptism that John performed for repentance of sins for the Jews was a full immersion baptism.


BAPTISM

The only place that even remotely speaks of sprinkling of water in the idea of a baptism is found in Ezekiel 36:25.

Ezekiel 36:25 (KJV) 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.


BAPTISM

What makes this wrong to believe God is telling us to sprinkle water on an individual is God is speaking to the HOUSE OF

ISRAEL, i.e. the NATION OF ISRAEL, here, not an individual.

Remember, things that are different are not the same.


BAPTISM

We read in one of our studies, and just mentioned, about the Ethiopian Eunuch that professed to be believe that Jesus is the

Son of God and was baptized.

He was baptized by being fully immersed in water by Philip.


BAPTISM

Acts 8:36–37 (KJV) 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.


BAPTISM

Acts 8:38–39 (KJV) 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.


BAPTISM

Jesus himself was baptized by being fully immersed.

Matthew 3:13–15 (KJV) 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.


BAPTISM

Matthew 3:16–17 (KJV) 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


BAPTISM

If Jesus had not been fully immersed, but just had water poured on him or sprinkled on him, he would not have fulfilled all

righteousness.

Jesus was sent to do the will of the Father.

Do you think if Jesus had not been fully immersed in water that God the Father would have said what he said?


BAPTISM

Who will you believe, Jesus or man?


BAPTISM

As born again believers in Jesus, we are ordained to baptize others.

In other words, Jesus set baptism in place.

He placed it so that it follows salvation and precedes going out and spreading the Gospel.

The Authority To Baptize Given By Scripture

BAPTISM

We baptize others because Jesus commanded us to do so.

He did not delegate this authority to anyone else, no matter what you were told!


BAPTISM

Just as we learned in a previous lesson, it is Jesus who builds His Church, it is Jesus who said for us to go and baptize others.

You do not wait to become a denominational pastor, priest, preacher, elder or any other title conjured up by man.


BAPTISM

You believe, you are baptized, and then you are taught to go and do the same.

You then preach the Gospel unto every creature, when they believe, you baptize them and then teach them to go and do the

same.


BAPTISM

You will not find anywhere in Scripture that states you have to go to a seminary, become a priest or be called reverend before you can

baptize others.

That is man’s way that is contrary to God’s way and therefore it is sin.


BAPTISM

Mark 16:15–16 (KJV) 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.


BAPTISM

While it is difficult, if not impossible, in our present state to understand the concept of the Trinity, it is in the names of the

members of the Trinity that we baptize others.

Why? Because this is what Jesus commanded us to do.

The Father, The Son, And The Holy Spirit

BAPTISM

Matthew 28:19 (KJV) 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


BAPTISM

In the simplest sense, it only makes sense to do this, as we know there are three parts to the God-Head.


BAPTISM

When Jesus came up out of the water after being baptized by John, we get a glimpse at this Trinity.

Matthew 3:16–17 (KJV) 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.


BAPTISM

As we have stated, This is Jesus telling us to baptize others and shows how it is to be done.

Anyone that says different is going contrary to the word of God and therefore it is sin.

Will you believe the Creator or the created?


BAPTISM

When we are baptized several things are taking place.

We are declaring to the world that we belong to Jesus and not the world.

Our old man is being buried under the water and we are resurrected out of the water, a new man in Christ.

The Result Of Baptism

BAPTISM

Romans 6:3–4 (KJV) 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.


BAPTISM

Romans 6:5 (KJV) 5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:


BAPTISM

Romans 6:6–8 (KJV) 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:


BAPTISM

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 (KJV) 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;


BAPTISM

This ministry of reconciliation is our call, our commandment, to go and preach the Gospel unto every creature, baptizing them who

believe and teaching them to go and do the same.

Notice it applies to ALL believers, not just a select few.


BAPTISM

You must be a born again believer to be ordained to go and follow the commandment of Jesus that we have studied here.

Have you believed on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus as your only means of salvation?

Have you been reconciled to God?

Believe, Be Saved, Be Baptized, Learn, Do The Same

BAPTISM

Have you been baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

Are you learning about Jesus and the things he taught?

Are you going out and telling others about the salvation that is through Jesus alone?


BAPTISM

If you are able to answer yes to these questions, then rejoice in the fact that when Jesus commands us to do something, there is a

promise that he gives us, also.

Matthew 28:20 (KJV) 20 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.


Documents

Baptism CHRISTIAN FUNDAMENTALS. BAPTISM Baptism has come up several times in the course of our discussions of the other Fundamentals of the Christian