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About Baptism | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Matthew 28:19-20 |
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus says,
 In Matthew 28:19-20 |
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." |
Jesus commands us, who teach others, to do three things: First, make disciples (a learner) and second, baptizing them. So we have the command to baptize anyone that has become a disciple. And third to teach them.
1. HOW WE BAPTIZE
Now I personally believe that the word for baptize is the Greek word baptizo and means "to dip, to immerse or to put under." Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Wesley all believed this too. I believe that the example in Scripture is that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River (Mark 1:9-10). In Acts 8:26-40 we read the story about how Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch. That passage tells how they went down into the water and how they came up out of the water. But the most important thing about baptism is not the method of baptism. The most important thing is the purpose of baptism.
2. WHY WE BAPTIZE
Matthew 28:19-20 |
"baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." |
A name represents all a person is and believes. Baptism was a public event. The one who got baptized was saying, "I am a new person. I now believe what the Bible teaches about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And I want everyone to know that I am now a follower of Jesus. I have joined Him. I am identifying myself with Him. From now on when you think of me remember I am a Christian, a real Christian." Baptism is a public event that tells the whole world, especially your world (to everyone - Christians and non-Christians who knows you), that you believe in Jesus and have received Him as your personal Savior. That is why we are baptized.
Since the day I got married I have worn this wedding ring. Now if I did not wear the wedding ring I would still be married. But this wedding ring is a symbol. It tells everyone who sees it that I'm a married man. If, in America, I do not wear a wedding ring some people would look at my hands and think that I am still single. When you become a Christian Jesus wants you to tell everyone what happened. Baptism is like a wedding ring. It is a symbol that tells everyone you belong to Jesus.
B. To Obey what God has Commanded. We have already seen the command from Jesus to baptize in Matthew 28:19-20. In Acts 10:48 talking about the apostle Paul it says
Acts 10:48 |
"And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." |
C. Not for Salvation. 1 Corinthians 1:17 says,
1 Corinthians 1:17 |
"For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the Gospel." |
Mark 16:15-16 says
Mark 16:15-16 |
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." |
D. To Follow Jesus Example. Jesus began His public ministry by being baptized, and at the end of His ministry He commanded His disciples to baptize others. 1 Peter 2:21 says that Jesus left us His example so that we would follow His steps.
3. WHO WE BAPTIZE.
In Acts 8 is the story about a man who was the treasurer, he took care of the money for the queen of Ethiopia. He had recently been to Jerusalem to seek the truth of God. He was riding back on his chariot and the Holy Spirit ask Philip to go and talk with him. Acts 8:35 says,
Acts 8:35 |
"Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture (Isaiah 53), preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" |
In other words he was saying, "Is there any reason I can't be baptized now?" Now look at verse 37,
Acts 8:37 |
"Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." |
What are the qualifications for baptism? First you must believe and second, you must believe with all your heart.
In the New Testament there is not one example of someone who became a believer but refused to be baptized. It was expected and commanded that if someone really believed in Jesus he would then be baptized. Repentance and baptism go together. Believing always comes before baptism. "Repent and let every one of you be baptized ... then those who gladly received his word were baptized" (Acts 2:38, 41). "But when they believed Philip as he preached ... the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Notice the order of events in the verse ... "They believed ... and they were baptized." Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip"(Acts 8:12-13). "And he(the keeper of the prison)brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' So they said, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, ... and he took them the same hour of the night and immediately ... were baptized"(Acts 16:30-33) "And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized"(Acts 18:8).
If you believe in Jesus with all of your heart but have never been baptized, get baptized. Invite parents, family, friends, neighbors, and tell them, "Jesus Christ has come into my life."
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by Steve Nicholes
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