ERRORS ON BAPTISM
1. I was once told that banks are sometimes easy targets for counterfeit money.
2. So much money comes in from Wal-Mart and McDonalds that banks cannot check every bill.
3. For this reason the banks sometimes ship counterfeit cash to the Federal Reserve.
4. The Federal Government apparently checks money very closely and returns counterfeit cash to banks.
5. These banks must then absorb the loss for the counterfeit cash.
A. We do not like fooled. We do not enjoy being deceived and tricked.
B. Yet, many times in our world people are misled.
C. Some think they are buying a genuine article when it is actually an imitation.
D. Deception is so widespread that even college degrees are sometimes counterfeited.
E. One fellow a few years back was convicted of selling people medical degrees.
F. This man sold medical degrees to people who had not earned them.
i). Those who bought the fake degrees then practiced medicine.
6. If we knew our doctor’s degree was phony we would be outraged.
7. Being exposed to other things that people counterfeit would also make us very unhappy.
A. What about things in the spiritual realm?
B. Are there things, spiritually speaking, that are counterfeit?
C. Are there things that are presented as genuine but they are actually an imitation?
D. Let’s return to the scripture reading.
E. Gal. 1:6-9.
F. God says there are “other gospels.”
G. In other words, there are counterfeit gospels.
H. There are messages that profess to be from God but they are not.
I. This fact should not surprise us.
J. Jn.
K. The devil is a spiritual being, and he is interested in securing the souls of people.
L. Thus, he will lie, deceive, lead astray, and create a counterfeit message to promote his cause.
M. As we look at our world do we find counterfeit gospels?
N. Are there any religious messages that imitate the true gospel? Yes.
O. One of the devil’s greatest deceptions is in the area of baptism.
i). This morning I am going to list a few counterfeit messages about baptism.
ii). The first counterfeit teaching about baptism is related to infants.
iii). Some “christen” very small children.
iv). There are also religious people who “baptize” children who are very small.
v). What does the Bible say about children and baptism?
vi). Does God’s word instruct us to baptize children who are infants?
vii). Is there a reference to “christening” in scripture?
viii). Jesus commented on this matter in Mk. 16:16. He said (quote).
ix). According to the Lord people are to be baptized.
x). This is right and this is a command of God.
xi). However, baptism is for those who “believe.”
xii). While some baptize small children who are kicking and screaming, this practice is not of God.
xiii). While some force small children to submit to christening, baptism in the Bible was not forced.
xiv). Those who believed often asked to be baptized.
xv). Consider the example found in Acts 8:36-37.
xvi). There was a man who was taught about Jesus and salvation.
xvii). He
“believed” (Mk.
xviii). This man then confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.
xix). Baptism is for those who believe and can confess Jesus as Lord.
xx). Can babies do these two things?
xxi). Those
who are baptized are also told to repent (turn from their sins), Acts
xxii). Does a child who is 6 months old have sins they need to turn from?
xxiii). Can small children believe in Christ and confess Him as Lord?
xxiv). The man in Acts 8 asked a preacher if he could be baptized.
xxv). The preacher didn’t need to push the non-Christian into the water.
xxvi). There was no opposition to being immersed.
xxvii). When
we contrast the practice of infant baptism with the New Testament there is only
1
conclusion.
xxviii). The gospel that teaches infant baptism is another gospel.
xxix). It is not the gospel of Christ and the New Testament.
8. WHEN PEOPLE ARE BAPTIZED IT IS GENERALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PEOPLE DO IT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SOME PRACTICE IMMERSION, OTHERS SPRINKLE, AND THE REST POUR WATER ON THE PERSON.
A. In life we sometimes like variety.
B. In other cases variety is undesirable.
C. If someone needs to give us two $20 bills in change, would we be willing to have a little variety?
D. Would we take one genuine bill and one counterfeit?
E. Not all variety is good.
F. If this is true in the temporary and secular realm, what about the spiritual?
i). If God accepts any type of baptism we should welcome the variety.
G. However, if God recognizes only one type of baptism, the others are counterfeit.
i). They are an imitation.
ii). What does God’s word say about the method of baptism?
iii). God word says that baptism requires a lot of water. Jn. 3:23.
iv). This is an interesting statement.
v). Why does baptism require “much water”?
vi). Some other passages tell us.
vii). Rom. 6:4 states that baptism is a “burial.”
viii). In order to bury something the item needs to be covered; fully enclosed.
ix). The people who are baptized are therefore immersed in water.
x). The man who confessed Christ as Lord (Acts 8) went “down into” the water.
xi). In fact, this account shows that that both men were actually in the water.
xii). Again and again the Bible shows that baptism is an immersion.
9. In view of this what must be said concerning baptism by sprinkling and or pouring?
A. Those who practice these things may be wonderful people.
B. They may have the best of intentions.
C. Yet, baptism by sprinkling or pouring is a different gospel.
D. It is an act that is counterfeit.
10. WHEN PEOPLE DISCUSS BAPTISM THEY OFTEN WANT TO STATE WHY IT IS DONE.
A. Some say that baptism allows us to join the church.
B. Others affirm that baptism shows our faith and salvation.
C. The majority of religious people teach that baptism is not associated with salvation.
D. What does God’s word say?
E. In the second chapter of Acts (verse 38) Luke wrote ( quote).
F. Baptism is for (unto—in order to receive) the forgiveness of sins.
G. Baptism
is said to “save” us (1 Pet.
H. Baptism
(because it unites us with the Lord’s death) washes away our sins (Acts
I. Some say that we are saved by faith alone and therefore baptism has no part in salvation.
J. The Bible says we are not saved by faith alone. Jas. 2:24.
K. When it comes to baptism there are many gospels.
i). One gospel says that baptism doesn’t have anything to do with our salvation.
ii). A second gospel says that baptism doesn’t wash away our sins.
iii). A third gospel says baptism is not essential.
iv). A fourth gospel says baptism only identifies us with the church.
v). A fifth gospel says baptism demonstrates our faith.
11. If we want to go to heaven we must listen to and obey God’s gospel.
12. This gospel says that baptism is essential.
13. Christ’s gospel says baptism is the final act to receiving forgiveness of sins.
14. WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE TRUE GOSPEL AND BAPTISM, WE CANNOT OVERLOOK THE NEW BIRTH.
A. Jesus said (Jn. 3:3, 5) that a man must be born anew (again).
B. According to the Lord unless people are born again they cannot be saved.
C. The Lord explained how the new birth operates. Jn. 3:3, 5.
D. The “Spirit” gives us life through His word. 1 Pet.1 23.
E. Those in Acts 2 were born of the Spirit when they heard what God required.
F. The same was true for Paul in Acts 22 and the man who was baptized in Acts 8.
G. We are born of the Spirit when we hear, understand, and obey the gospel.
H. In addition to the Spirit we must be born of “water.”
I. In
other words, baptism is required if we want to enter into the
15. This is not a popular teaching.
16. This is also not the most convenient teaching.
A. I have spoken to people about salvation in different parts of the world.
B. On many of these occasions I have thought about those who teach a different gospel.
C. Those who proclaim a counterfeit message have a much easier time teaching people.
D. It takes very little effort to say to someone, “Say this prayer and be saved.”
E. Or, “I will pray with you and you will be saved.”
F. Or, “Confess Jesus as Lord and you will be a child of God.”
17. Counterfeit gospels are easy to teach. The truth takes a little more time.
A. Many of us have learned a general principle in life.
B. The way that is fast and easy is often the wrong way.
C. The right way generally takes time, effort, and patience.
D. This is very true when it comes to the gospel of Christ.
E. To present the gospel as God gave it takes some time.
18. We need to take that time and effort because a false gospel will condemn us.
19. Listening to a false gospel is equivalent to listening to the devil.
A. If we believe we are saved, what gospel was used?
B. Was it a gospel created by men in the religious world?
C. Have we been deceived by a false (counterfeit) gospel?
D. Or, have we been exposed to and obeyed the gospel of Christ?