The Importance of Scriptural Baptism

Dan Lightfoot

BIBLE BAPTISM

-Dan Lightfoot 1430

I. ONE BAPTISM -- Text: Eph. 4:3-6

A. ...Japanese people are difficult to convince that there is only one God

(600 mil. in Japan).

1. Difficulty in U.S. with one baptism...

2. "One" with baptism means the same as with one God.

3. One says, "True, but you can choose to be sprinkled, poured, or immersed, & that's the one Bap. for you."

4. If so, it is true of God, Lord, and Spirit...(9 in Godhead?)

5. ..One baptism because there is one God, etc. --Others are excluded.

B. What about baptism in the Holy Spirit?

1. Isn't that discussed? Yes. Weren't some baptized in the H.S. and water? Yes.

a. The apostles in Acts 2. Cornelius in Acts 10.

b. But afterward, in A.D. 62, "There is one baptism." Only one that is binding and valid

C. What is that one? H.S. or water baptism?

1. Matt. 28:19-20 - "Go ye & teach all nations ..."

a. What baptism lasts 'til the end of the world?

b. One that man can administer (& only Jesus baptized in the H.S.

-Matt. 3:11-- "I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

2. that one baptism is water baptism.

a. Even those who claim to be baptized in the H.S. have been baptized in water also.

b. How can he maintain one baptism? Count them!

3. Everyone born of the water & the Spirit has the indwelling of the HS -- but that is a different matter…

II. WHAT IS THE ONE BAPTISM? (1st of 3 questions)

A. 1st, it takes water to be baptized. Acts 8:35 -- "Here is water..."

B. 2nd, it takes much water. John 8:23 -- "John was baptizing in Aenon near Salim because there was much water there."

C. 3rd, It takes going into the water. Acts 8:36-38 -- Philip & the eunuch

1. "Both" used twice. Both went into the water.

2. Whatever keeps sprinkling preachers out of the water now would have done it then...

D. 4th: It involves a BURIAL:

1. Romans 6:4 - "...we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life."

2. Col. 2:12 - "...having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him thru faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

. did not say buried "spiritually"...but "in baptism"

b. ...Now, resurrected to walk in newness of life.

E. NOW WHAT? They came up out of the water!

1. Acts 8:39 - "...& when they came up out of the water..."

2. Mk. 1:10 - "Jesus came up straightway out of..."

F. SUMMARIZE: - Water -- Much water -- into water -- Burial in water -- raised from water -- came out....

1. How would you vote now -- sprinkling or immersion?

G. N.T. WAS WRITTEN IN GREEK...

1. "Cheo" is pour. "Execheen" is poured.

2. "Rhantizo" is sprinkle. "Rhantismenoi" - sprinkled.

3. "Baptizo" is immerse. "Baptisthesis" - immersed.

4. Which did the Lord use? It is all a matter of faith! We can do what He commanded or make up our own way!

5. "Baptizo" has not been translated...

H. The one baptism is immersion in water thru faith in Christ. Sprinkling & Pouring are not taught in scripture.

III. WHY BE BAPTIZED ? (2nd question)

A. "Because Jesus was." Good!

1. But many have a false idea about that.

a. They mean, "Jesus was the son of God & He was baptized. I was the son of God & was baptized .. I was saved before baptism."

b. That reasoning won't stand. Jesus was born God's son. Those making the argument above say we are born sons of the devil.

2. Jesus sustained a right relationship with God before His incarnation.

3. What about us? We are sons by adoption...

4. Jesus was the son of God w/o repentance. Can I be?

5. Jesus was the Son of God in a different way than we are.

6. Jesus was an exception no matter what you believe about baptism.

a. Matt. 3:13-17 - Jesus came to John to be baptized. But John said, "I have need to be baptized by you."

b. Two reasons: 1) John was humble. 2) he knew the reason for his baptism was remission of sins (Lk. 3:3), & Jesus had none. . .

c. Why was Jesus baptized? To fulfill all righteousness

Psalm 119:172 - "All thy commandments are righteousness."

It was a simple act of obedience on Jesus' part.

7. Luke 7:29-30 -- 2When all the people & the tax collectors heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John. 30But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.

He divides those who heard John into two categories:

1) those who justified God, being baptized and,

2) those who rejected God, being not baptized.

8. Jesus was obedient - Heb. 5:8-9 - "Tho he was a son. He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,"

9. One reason for baptism is to test our faith.

B. Secondly, BE BAPTIZED TO GET INTO CHRIST.

(Into UNION with Christ)

1. Consider the blessings of being in Christ:

a. 2 Cor. 5:17 - "If any man be IN CHRIST, he is a New Creature"

b. Rom. 3:1 - "No Condemnation to them that are IN Christ Jesus"

c. 2 Tim. 2:10 - "I endure all things ... that they may also obtain the Salvation which is IN CHRIST JESUS with eternal glory."

d. Col. 1:14 - "IN WHOM we have Redemption thru His

blood, even the Forgiveness of sins."

e. Eph. 1:3 - "...blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ."

f. 2 Cor. 1:20 - "We have ALL PROMISES IN CHRIST"

g. Eph. 1:3 - "We have OUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST."

2. If we are new creatures (etc.) in Christ, then we are old creatures out of Christ...

3. How does one get into Christ?

a. Only two passages tell us how: Romans 6:3 &

b. Galatians 3:27

4. (broken record) We are new creatures in Christ. But we are baptized into Christ. :. we are baptized to become new creatures. (etc. with the others).

5. If we can be saved without baptism, then we can be saved w/o these (enumerate).

6. By faith we obey God, & are baptized to be IN CHRIST.

C. Third, BE BAPTIZED TO BE SAVED!

1. Mark 16:15-16 - "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. "

2. Diagram the sentence...

3. Try 1 + 1 = 2. Reverse it to 2 + 1 = 1 & it doesn't work.

4. Can't reverse Mark 16 either. Or pray around it.

D. Fourth, GOD ALWAYS PUT BAPTISM BEFORE SALVATION

(In passages where both are stated)

1. Mk. 1:4 -- "...baptism for remission of sins..."

2. Luke 3:3 -- "...baptism for remission of sins..."

3. Mk. 16:16 -- "...& is baptized shall be saved."

4. Acts 2:38 -- "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins"

5. Acts 22:16 - "...be baptized and wash away thy sins..."

6. I Pet. 3:21 - "...baptism doth now also save us..."

E. Fifth, BE BAPTIZED TO CONTACT OUR LORD'S DEATH

1. John 19:34 - blood & water from His side.

2. His blood was shed in His death - it cleanses us.

a. Rom. 6:3 - baptized into His death.

b. Now Acts 22:16 means more to us...

c. Sins washed away! by His blood! (Rev. 1:5) Baptism & the Lord's Supper have largely been ignored. & both point to the Lord's death.

V. WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?

A. Matt. 28:19-20 -- those taught. (excludes infants)

B. Mk. 26:16 -- those who believe (excludes infants)

1. Religion is a personal matter - babies can't make that choice.

2. Suppose a 200 lb. man wanted to be baptized but didn't believe in Jesus? 150 lb.? 100 lb.?

C. Acts 2:38 - Those who can repent. (babies can't)

D. Acts 8:37 - those who can confess, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

E. Baptism is for the lost. It is not the first act of a Christian.

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