| I.
|
Who
Should be Baptized? |
|
| A.
|
The
only requirements for Baptism are the requirements for salvation;
found in - Romans 10: 9-11… |
|
| 1.
|
Heart
belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. |
| 2. |
Confession
of heart belief that He is Lord and Savior. |
|
|
|
| B.
|
The
clearest case of an individual’s baptism in the Bible is the
Ethiopian eunuch in - Acts 8: 26-39. In verse
36, the eunuch asked, "…what doth hinder me to
be baptized?" Philip then answered with the condition
of baptism in verse 37, "If thou believest
with all thine heart, thou mayest." The eunuch’s response
then sealed the matter, "I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God." |
| C.
|
There
are NO examples of baptism in the New Testament of
anyone but believers. |
| D. |
Two
other examples of baptism immediately after salvation include: |
|
| 1.
|
Acts
18: 8 |
| 2. |
Acts
8: 12 |
|
|
|
|
| II. |
What
is the Method of Baptism?
|
|
| A.
|
Again,
Acts 8: 26-39 gives the clearest example. In - Acts
8: 38-39, BOTH Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch
went down into the water and came up out of the water. |
| B.
|
In
- Mark 1: 9-10 Jesus was baptized in the same
manner. |
| C.
|
Baptism
is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection. The
only way to bury someone is to put them completely underground.
The method of Baptism is to put them completely underwater.
No one in the Bible was ever sprinkled. No one can be buried
by sprinkling a little dirt on them, especially when they
are upright. |
|
|
|
| III. |
What
is the Purpose of Baptism?
|
|
| A.
|
There
are 7 - types of baptism mentioned in the whole Bible.
In each case, physical baptism is a picture of a spiritual
truth. The important point to consider is the picture portrayed
by baptism. |
| B.
|
There
are 2 - types that pertain to the New Testament believer… |
|
| 1.
|
Holy
Spirit Baptism; As found in - Ephesians 1:
13 and John 14: 16-17, |
|
And
the basic purpose is as found in - John 14: 25-27
and I Corinthians 2: 9-14. |
| 2. |
Water
Baptism; This is as was previously discussed. The
purpose is as found in Romans 6: 1-7,
to show the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
Christ IN the new believer. Sprinkling does NOT
picture or communicate death. This also pictures the
individual becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ,
passing from the old person to the new - 2 Corinthians
5: 17. |
|
|
|
|
| IV. |
How
Important is it to be Baptized?
|
|
| A.
|
It
is NOT essential for salvation. Ephesians 2:
8-9 makes very clear that a person is saved by Grace
through Faith WITHOUT works of any kind or type, including
Water Baptism. |
| B.
|
It
IS essential for service and spiritual growth. The
"Great Commission" as found in - Matthew 28:
18-20 proves that it is essential. Baptism is an integral
part of the Great Commission and it is found in verse
19 preceeding teaching in verse 20. |
| C.
|
Before
anyone can be taught to follow Jesus Christ, they must be
willing to submit to the "First Act of Obedience".
If a person refuses to obey the Lord in the first point, they
will not obey Him in future points. |
|
|
|
| V. |
Why
Does God Instruct us to be Baptized?
|
|
| A.
|
Baptism
is the First Act of Obedience in service to the Lord. |
| B.
|
Jesus
set the example Himself by submitting to baptism before
He began His public ministry - Matthew 3: 13-15,
"to fulfill all righteousness." This point of submission
and obedience is the single most important thing to realize
regarding Baptism. |
| C. |
It
is a public testimony of the new convert’s identification
with Jesus Christ through the death, burial, and resurrection.
It identifies the new child of God with the Lord Jesus Christ
- John 1: 12-13. |
| D.
|
Three
examples of people in the Bible who submitted to Baptism after
salvation: |
| |
| 1.
|
The
Apostle Paul - Acts 9: 10-18. |
| 2. |
The
Philippian jailer and his household - Acts 16:
19-33. |
| 3. |
The
Ethiopian eunuch - Acts 8: 26-39, as previous
discussed. |
|
|
|
Now
we see clearly that Baptism is most important, by the examples
God has given us in His Word.
|
| VI. |
There
is much false teaching among religious groups concerning
Baptism, because they do not rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Three examples are;
|
|
| A.
|
Man
must be baptized in order to be saved. |
| B.
|
Babies
should be baptized into God’s family, or into "the church". |
| C.
|
Baptism
by being sprinkled is just as meaningful as immersion. |
|
|
|
|
From the Bible principles taught in this paper, you should understand
|
|
that
these teachings are false, and why.
|
