THE TRUTH ABOUT BAPTISM

1. Just a few days ago there was a Presidential debate. Another debate will be held later this week.

2. For some time we have watched two men compete for the highest office in our land.

3. During a Presidential election, candidates often try to draw or present a contrast.

POLITICIANS FREQUENTLY DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND THEIR OPPONENTS.

a) In our day to day life, we often profit from contrasts.

b) Certainly when it comes to religious instruction, contrasts are very useful.

c) Throughout Jesus’ life we find that Jesus used contrasts.

2) As early as Mt. 3:9 we see Jesus using this style of teaching.

3) Jews were appealing to Abraham for help, but Jesus said “I say unto you.”

4) This morning we want to use contrasts to examine the topic of baptism.

a) We will state beliefs from the religious world and contrast them with the Scriptures.

b) For the first unlikeness I have selected the idea that many baptisms exist and have God’s approval.

5) There are people—sincere people—who believe in Holy Spirit baptism, fire baptism, and water baptism.

6) In addition to believing in multiple baptisms, there are many beliefs about how to baptize.

7) We can find groups who use immersion, sprinkling and pouring.

8) There are even groups which say, “tell us which method you want and we will accommodate you.”

9) When it comes to baptism, some baptize once; others do it three times.

10) In the world, baptism means many different things. There is no set definition for what it is.

11) Listen to how God describes it – Eph. 4:4-5 – READ.

a) Just as there is only “one hope” and “one Spirit,” so there is only one baptism.

b) Many baptisms are accepted in the world, but God knows of only one—the one given by Him.

c) In this lesson we will seek to establish what this one baptism is.

12) As noted a few moments ago, not a few believe Holy Spirit baptism is available.

13) Holy Spirit baptism is something that many seek and even claim to have received.

14) When we look at the Bible, we find that Holy Spirit baptism was a promise; it is never commanded.

15) A study of the promise of Holy Spirit baptism (Acts 1-2) shows that Spirit baptism was for the apostles.

16) An especially important verse in these two chapters is Acts 1:5.

17) The apostles needed to be immersed in the Holy Spirit because they would be doing special tasks.

18) Some of them would write the Scriptures. Others would pass along gifts of the Holy Spirit to Christians.

19) No completed New Testament existed, so special signs were needed to prove the truthfulness of Christianity.

20) If we use the Bible as our guide, we learn that Holy Spirit baptism was not for all Christians.

21) Listen to Acts 8:36-38 – READ.

a) There was a man who realized he was lost and he needed salvation. He met up with a preacher.

b) Did this preacher tell him to pray for or beseech God for Holy Spirit baptism? No.

c) The unsaved man received instruction, and this teaching led him to request water baptism.

d) According to Eph. 4:4-5, there is only one baptism.

e) Several years before Ephesians had been written (AD 60), there had been multiple baptisms.

f) The apostles had been baptized in the Holy Spirit. There had been John the Baptist’s baptism.

g) Both John’s baptism and the Holy Spirit baptism of Acts 1-2 were in about 33 AD.

h) When Paul wrote the book of Ephesians (20 years later), there was only baptism.

i) In the book of Acts Luke consistently shows us what this one baptism is.

22) Contrary to what we see in the religious world, there is only one baptism and it is for adults.

23) In today’s world, infant baptism is a common practice.

24) Notice from Acts 8 what was said to the non-Christian before he was baptized in water.

25) He was asked if he “believed.” He was first instructed and then he had to accept the teaching.

26) Hearing and accepting the gospel were prerequisites. In fact, Jesus Himself said this in Mk. 16:16.

27) A similar case demonstrating faith (belief) is found earlier in Acts 8 (verse 12).

28) Those who “believed” a message delivered by a preacher were “baptized.”

29) Adults were baptized, and there was only one proper baptism for them to undergo.

30) In view of these points, we might ask why people were baptized.

31) We are often told that baptism has no part in our salvation.

32) Salvation, we are told, is purely by God’s grace and noting but belief (faith only) on our part.

33) Here is what Peter said to this idea – 1 Pet. 3:21 – READ.

a) Is baptism a necessary component in our salvation? God says that it is.

b) How does baptism save us? It saves in the same way faith saves us.

c) Believing (faith) is part of God’s will—a condition necessary for salvation.

d) Baptism is also part of God’s will, and it is another condition for salvation.

34) In spite of what Peter said, we are repeatedly told that if baptism is necessary, we nullify God’s grace.

35) If we teach that baptism is essential, we diminish and trample God’s kindness towards man.

36) These conclusions are also refuted by the Scriptures and they stand in contrast to God’s word.

a) Tit. 3:5 refers to the “washing of regeneration” (baptism).

b) In the preceding chapter (Tit. 2:11) Paul spoke about God’s grace.

c) God’s grace (Tit. 2) and God’s instructions about baptism (Tit. 3) go hand in hand.

d) Baptism is not a work of merit; it is not something we do to work our way to heaven.

e) Noah didn’t save himself by building the ark; he did as he was told.

f) We do a similar thing when we comply with the commands of God.

37) If God requires baptism, and our examples of it involve water, how much water is necessary?

38) We could make baptism quick and convenient by not having a baptistery.

39) Just think if we baptized people by sprinkling or pouring.

a) We could send someone to the drinking fountain with a small cup.

b) From that cup we could put a few drops on a person’s head or dump the whole cup on them.

c) In Jn. 3:23 the Bible says that those who baptized did so in “much water.”

d) Let’s think about that. A man of God went to a place which had “much water” to baptize people.

e) If we took a garden hose and hosed someone down, that would be using “much water.”

40) Dousing someone with water is not what the New Testament writers had in mind.

41) How do we know that?

42) Let’s return in our minds to Acts 8:38.

43) When these verses we read, we saw a picture.

a) Two men were together, and one of these men needed to be baptized.

b) Luke is very specific in recording this incident.

c) He says both men “went into the water” (verse 38).

d) As if this were not enough he then said, “they came out of the water.”

44) If we baptized with a cup, no one would be wet unless there was clumsiness.

45) Men tell us that baptism only requires a little water; God says much water.

46) Religious teachers say that we can be baptized, but it is not necessary. God says it is required.

47) We also told that many methods can be used; God says there is only one.

48) This one way is described in very specific terms. We have already introduced Eph. 4:4-5.

49) In Rom. 6:4 Paul went further. He described baptism as a “burial.”

50) We cannot bury a body by sprinkling or pouring dirt on it.

51) A verse later (Rom. 6:5) Paul said we are “planted” with Christ (KJV).

52) When we look at what the Bible says about this topic, nearly ever Bible fact is rejected by the religious world.

53) Those in the world are not in conflict with us; they are in conflict with God.

54) In our society religious officials say that baptism is a good thing to do.

55) It is a sign that we are saved. It is a way of confessing our faith.

56) Religious people should be baptized because their sins have been forgiven.

57) Many comforting statements are made, but are these declarations true?

58) We find our answer in places like Acts 22:16.

59) A man was told to “arise, be baptized, and wash away his sins calling on Christ.

60) When we recognize the Lord for who He is, we are ready to become a Christian.

61) When we reach the point of acknowledging Jesus’ Lordship, our sins are almost forgiven.

62) Luke says a man was told to be baptized so his sins could be “washed away.”

63) The world says baptism does not wash away sins.

a) Religious people mock the idea that being dipped in water can be related to salvation.

b) As New Testament Christians we are often ridiculed for believing that baptism is the final step.

c) When we look at God’s word, the point cannot be plainer.

64) Jesus Himself addressed this matter in Jn. 3:3, 5.

a) Jesus said a person must be “born anew” to see the kingdom of God.

b) We have been born once (physical birth), but that is not enough.

c) Sometime after we are born, we learn about sin and we commit sin.

d) When that occurs, we need to be born anew (again), a second time.

e) What does the new birth require?

f) Jesus said it involves the Spirit (receiving the Word of God) and being “born of water.”

65) From the world we hear that a new birth does not require water.

66) Baptism, we are told, can have no part in our becoming a Christian.

67) Jesus said baptism does have part in the new birth; it is required.

68) We cannot accept both views; only one conclusion can be right.

69) Will we accept what the Lord said, or will we reply upon what the world says?

70) In an attempt to escape the point, some say “this water is related to our physical birth.”

71) If this were true, how can physical birth be a condition for salvation?

72) Returning to the date when we were brought into the world is history is a past event.

73) Jesus said “born anew” (a second time). Jesus’ statement recognized physical birth.

74) Not only did He recognize physical birth, notice that He drew a contrast to it.

75) As I said at the start of this lesson, Jesus often taught by contrast.

76) Yes, you have been born once, but you need to be born again.

77) Jesus expressed Himself well, but too many refuse to see His point.

78) Another contrast for baptism is found in Col. 2:11-13.

79) All agree that once a person becomes a Christian, their life is new.

80) We cannot have new life unless we have been joined with the Lord.

81) I want to start with Col. 2:13 and work backwards.

82) Colossians is a book that you can almost read in reverse.

a) You can literally start with the 4^th chapter and work through the texts backwards.

b) Here is verse 13 – READ.

83) These people had been evil; wicked; corrupt; unrighteous. They were separated from God due to sin.

84) Yet, the text says they had been “made alive.”

85) How did that happen?

86) Verse 12 – READ.

87) Salvation came through (by) baptism.

88) The evil and corruptness (verse 13) was remitted by the means in verse 12.

89) From the preceding verse we also find that these people repented – READ verse 11.

90) Although there was belief and a desire to change, these two items were not enough.

91) They had to be baptized, verse 12.

92) In the world, faith only or sorrow for sin is supposedly enough to become a child of God.

93) In God’s word we find a different process.

94) Being religious is not enough. Believing in Christ or accepting the Bible is not enough.

95) Once people are ready to call on the Lord’s name (confession, Acts 22:16), the final step is baptism.

96) When we look at the Scriptures we find a definite contrast between them and common religious instruction.

97) If we know the truth, we can show it to others by way of contrast.

98) If we are searching for the truth, we can find it by contrast.

99) God’s word is always much different than the errors of men.

100) We hope that each one who is here is interested in God’s word.

101) Have we seen the contrasts between New Testament Christianity and said, “I want the truth?”