Baptism
Paul’s conversion
Act 22:6-16 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
Hearing then Believing
A person needs to be able to hear the Gospel and understand baptism
Rom. 10:12-18 17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Repentance
One must know the they have sinned and in need for baptism
Acts 2:36-47 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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.
Confession
One must acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ before being baptized
Luke 12:8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.
Understanding the importance of baptism
Washes you of your sins
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.’
Adds you to the church his body
Acts 2:1-47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
1Cor. 12:12-14 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body–whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free–and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
Col. 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.
Put on Christ in baptism
Gal. 3:26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Born of God through baptism
John 1:11-13 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God–13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
They believed first then they were to become children of God
How do we become children of God?
John 3:3-6 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
How are we reborn through baptism? The old man has to be put to death, how?
Rom 6:3-11 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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.
What does Peter say about baptism?
1Peter 3:18-22 :21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
1John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
The Bible is very plain about what is right and what is wrong. Judge for yourself. In this section I encourage you to look at what the Word of God says about. Do not be deceived you can read and you can see the direct contrast as to what is being done in our world today in churches and in society compared to what the New Testament teaches.
Why is it important to take heed to what the scriptures says and not some man?
2Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. :3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
Be a Berean
Acts 17:11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Don’t fall short of it
Heb. 4:1-13 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.
Obeying God and being baptized is not a work. Being baptized is a required action resulting from belief and in faith in what is promised.
Grace is not earned but an undeserved payoff for our transgressions that should have resulted in spiritual death.
Grace is what has now been given to you because God has allowed you to live long enough to hear and obey His Gospel.
Act on your faith like they did in the New Testament Church
See these actual examples of those who had been saved? Should we follow God’s example or Man’s? Which one will save us?
Acts Chapters 2, 8,9,10&16
Please consider this passage as well from Jesus Himself.
Mark 16:15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.