Why I Am A Member Of The Church of Christ
Lesson # 7
The Pattern Of
Baptism
Introduction
We have discussed the idea that there is a pattern found in the New Testament concerning Christianity. That pattern is something that was taught in every church in the 1st century. In this lesson we will examine that concept as it regards baptism. We will discuss the design & purpose of baptism in the scheme of salvation.
1. What is baptism?
a. Problem – struggle to understand because the dictionary defines baptism as –
to sprinkle; to pour or to immerse. Therefore many see baptism as
meaning all three definitions & all three are practiced in various
denominations.
b. How this definition came about – transliteration of Greek word “baptizo”
1) About 1311 AD the Catholic Church began the practice of sprinkling
instead of immersion because it was not as inconvenient as
immersion.
2) King Henry VIII was a Catholic who wanted a divorce from his wife
Kathryn so he could marry Ann Bolin. The pope refused to grant
him a divorce so he left the Catholic church & started the Church
of England (Anglican church). He appointed the Archbishop of
Canterbury as it’s head & he immediately granted king Henry his
divorce.
3) The Church of England held onto many of the same practices as the
Catholic church, one of them being sprinkling instead of
immersion.
4) Martin Luther & John Calvin both came from Catholic backgrounds &
also followed some of the same traditions of the Catholic church
one of them being sprinkling.
5) John Wesley was an Anglican preacher who started the Methodist
church & also retained the Church of England’s practice of
sprinkling.
6) In 1604 King James ordered the scriptures to be translated into the
English language.
a) 47 scholars & Puritans were chosen to do this work.
b) Because king James was a member of the Church of England &
had been sprinkled & not immersed, these scholars
made a compromise
c) Instead of translating the Greek word baptizo as immersion they
transliterated the word (English equivalent of the Greek
alphabet) & made a new English word.
d) Now they were free to define the word any way that they chose.
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c. What baptism means seen from scripture
1) You do not have to know the Greek language to understand the Bible.
The Bible is self explanatory, so we can understand the meaning of
baptism from reading the scriptures.
2) Acts 8:36-39 - As they
traveled along the road, they came to some
water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I
be
baptized?" And he gave
orders to stop the chariot. Then both
Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip
baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of
the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see
him again, but went on his way rejoicing. (NIV)
3) John 3:23 - Now John
also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because
there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized. (NIV)
4) Romans 6:3,4 - Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into
Christ Jesus were
baptized into his death? We were therefore
buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as
Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we
too may live a new life. (NIV)
5) The baptism practiced by the
early Christians was immersion not
sprinkling or pouring. Substituting sprinkling or pouring for
immersion is following man made tradition & not the commands
of Jesus & His apostles. Jesus condemned substituting mans
traditions for God’s commands in Mt.15:1-9
2. The purpose of baptism
a. Problem – some see baptism as simply a symbol, a tradition, or an outward
expression of an inward feeling. They also see it as simply how one joins a
denomination. Therefore it is not important to the salvation experience.
b. Mt.28:18-20
- Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and
on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age."" (NIV)
1) Meaning of “into the name of” – into the possession of
2) It is not just a formula of words to say when one is baptizing someone.
You do not have to say anything at a baptism. What we must do is
disciple them to the Lord. Making disciples means to cause them to
believe in & accept Jesus as Lord, renounce their sin & be baptized
into the possession of Jesus so they can belong to Him.
c. Acts
2:38 - Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you,
in the
name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NIV)
1) Meaning of “in the name of” – by the authority of
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2) If Jesus is Lord, I have no other choice but to be baptized; I must bow
to His authority.
d. The purpose of baptism is then - to submit to the authority of & become the
possession of Jesus.
3. Baptism accomplishes several things
a. Acts 2:37-41 - When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said
to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter
replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus
Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of
the Holy
Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all
who are far off-- for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many
other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves
from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were
baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
(NIV)
1) They were convinced that Jesus was the messiah & wanted to submit to
His authority. Peter pleaded for them to save themselves by
responding to the authority of Jesus & 3000 were baptized that
day.
2) They were baptized in the name of Jesus (by the authority of) for the
remission of their sins.
3) Therefore baptism is related to salvation & is necessary.
b. Acts 22:12-16 - "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout
observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at
that very moment I was able to see him. "Then he said: 'The God of our
fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and
to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what
you have seen and
heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be
baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.' (NIV)
1) Baptism was to wash away Paul’s sins
2) Only then did he have a basis to call upon the name of the Lord. Only
then could he appeal to Jesus’ authority to call on God & save him.
3) He was then a possession of Jesus, saved from his sins
c. Rom. 6:3,4 - Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ
Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him
through baptism
into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from
the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
(NIV)
1) Baptism puts us into Christ – no salvation out of Christ – Acts 4:12
2) Baptism allows us to live a new life – after raised from the dead
d. 1 Cor.12:13 - For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether
Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to
drink. (NIV)
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1) Baptism puts one into the body
2) There is only one body – Eph.4:1-6
3) The body is the church – Eph.1:22,23
4) The saved are added to the church
– Acts 2:47
5) Therefore baptism puts one into the body of Christ, which is His
church, where the saved are added.
e. Gal.3:26,27
- You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of
you who were baptized into
Christ have clothed yourselves with
Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female,
for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NIV)
1) Baptism allows us to be clothed with Jesus
2) Therefore we become God’s sons
f. Col.2:11-13 - In him you were also circumcised, in
the putting off of the
sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with
the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, (NIV)
1) Christian circumcision – putting off sinful nature (forgiveness of sin)
2) When is this done? When one is baptized
g. 1
Pet.3:21 - and this
water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-- not
the removal of
dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience
toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (NIV)
1) Baptism is not for a physical cleansing – is for a spiritual cleansing
2) Enables us to appeal to God for a clean conscience
3) Salvation is based upon the resurrection of Jesus
4. Who is baptism for?
a. Problem – Some denominations baptize babies to save them from inherited sin.
They believe that babies are born in sin or inherit it from their forefathers.
We grow up & by nature become children of wrath (Eph.2:1-3)
b. Mt.28:19 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (NIV)
1) Disciples are the ones to be baptized
2) Disciples are those who are taught & believe & are willing to make a
commitment & become a possession of Jesus.
3) Babies cannot be taught or make that commitment for themselves, so
they are not candidates for baptism.
c. Baptism is for every unforgiven person who can believe in Christ & repent of
their sins; people who of their own free will can obey Jesus’ commands.