True Christian Baptism.ppt - Halifax Christadelphians · True Christian Baptism ... Faith. This is evident from a passage in Acts 19 : ... repentance. He told the people to believe

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Whoever believes and is baptised will be savedWhoever believes and is baptised will be saved…. …. Mark Mark 1616:16:16

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Principles of Baptism

Is this a baptism?


Perhaps most people who were askedthis question would say “yes”.

They might remark that it was probablymore accurate to describe it as a“christening”.

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The churches that practise infant baptismusually have another stage later which, forexample, in the Church of England is called

“confirmation”.

This raises the question: “If the infantcandidates for baptism (or “christening”) are

required to confirm what was done for themin infancy, was the original rite valid?


If this is a valid baptism why do somechurches only practise adult baptism?

We may also ask why do some churchesinsist on total immersion in water ratherthan sprinkling a few drops of water onthe head of the candidate?

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The candidate affirms his belief in the Lord Jesus


The candidate now emerges from under the water

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Sometimes a swimming pool is used


Perhaps we can help resolve thesequestions by asking what the first centuryChristians did.

Did they simply sprinkle the head of thecandidate or did they insist on totalimmersion?

Is there any evidence that they baptisedinfants or even children?

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First Century Baptism

We first meet baptism in the New Testament

through the activities of “John the Baptist”.

What did John the Baptist do?


Now John also was baptising at Aenonnear Salim,because there was plentyof water, and people were constantlycoming to be baptised.

John 3:23 (NIV)

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9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in

Galilee and was baptised by Johnin the

Jordan. 10 As Jesus wascoming up outof the water, he saw heaven being tornopen and the Spirit descending on himlike a dove.

Mark 1:10 (NIV)


The Example of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

36 As they travelled…they came to somewater and the eunuch said, “Look,here iswater. Why shouldn’t I be baptised?”….38 Then both Philip and the eunuch wentdown into the waterand Philip baptisedhim. 39 When they came up out of thewater, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly tookPhilip away…

Acts 8:36-39 (NIV)

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These and other New Testament

passages clearly indicate that:

true Baptism consists of complete

immersion in water.


The word ‘baptism’ is derived from theGreek verb baptizo, “to dip in or underwater” *

“The primary meaning of the verb is to dip,submerge or plunge beneath the surface” #

If sprinkling was intended a different Greekverb would have been used.

* Liddle and Scott, Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, Oxford University Press,1990, p 146# The Translator’s New Testament, The British and Foreign Bible Society, 1973, p 555

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What else can we learn from the New

Testament accounts of baptism?

Is there any evidence that infants were

baptised?


1 In those days John the Baptist came,preaching in the Desert of Judea2 andsaying, “Repent, for the kingdom ofheaven is near”….5 People went out to him from Jerusalemand all Judea and the whole region of theJordan.6 Confessing their sins, they were baptisedby him in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:1,5,6 (NIV)

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4 And so John came, baptising in the desertregion and preaching a baptism ofrepentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5

The whole Judean countryside and all thepeople of Jerusalem went out to him.Confessing their sins, they were baptisedby him in the Jordan River.

Mark 1:4,5 (NIV)


There are other similar passages (eg Acts2:38) but it is evident from these twoexamples that:

1. Repentance, which acknowledges sin, isa pre-requisite for baptism and

2. Infants and young children would not becapable of understanding the need forrepentance.

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• The need for understanding precludes infant baptism.

• There are no examples of infant or child baptism in the New Testament*.

* Baptisms of households are described in Acts 11:14 and Acts

16:31-33. In the latter case it specifically stated that the household

believed. This could not apply to infants.


Candidates for baptism also need to haveknowledge of the principles of the ChristianFaith.

This is evident from a passage in Acts 19:1-5 where we learn that Paul encountereda group of disciples whose knowledge wasincomplete.

In particular, they were unaware of theexistence of the Holy Spirit.

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1 Paul …arrived at Ephesus. There he found somedisciples2 and asked them, “Did you receive theHoly Spirit when you believed?” They answered,“No, we have not even heard that there is a HolySpirit.” 3 So Paul asked, “Then what baptism didyou receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.4

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism ofrepentance.He told the people to believe in theone coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”5 Onhearing this, they were baptised into the name ofthe Lord Jesus.

Acts 19:1-5 (NIV)


This example of the re-immersion ofdisciples demonstrates that thephysical act of baptism is not effectivewithout adequate knowledge andbelief.

Infants cannot understand Christiandoctrine and therefore cannot submit toeffective baptism.

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There are some who claim that the rite

of baptism is not essential but that we

only need to believe that Jesus is our

saviour.

What is the Bible evidence relating to

this proposition?


“From this and other references tobaptism in Paul’s writings, it is certainthat he did not regard baptism as an“optional extra” in the Christian life, andthat he would not have contemplatedthe phenomenon of an un-baptizedbeliever”.

F.F. Bruce (1963) The Epistle of Paul to the Romans,

TNTC, IVP, page 136

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Perhaps even more important is theexample of the Lord Jesus.

He was sinless (Hebrews 4:15) and of allcandidates for baptism would havenothing of which to repent.

Yet what was his attitude?


13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to theJordan to be baptised by John.14 But Johntried to deter him, saying, “I need to bebaptised by you, and do you come to me?”15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it isproper for us to do this to fulfil allrighteousness.” Then John consented.

Matthew 3:13-15 (NIV)

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If the Lord Jesus submitted to baptism, who can claim exemption?


God indicated his approval:

As Jesus was coming up out of thewater, he saw heaven being torn openand the Spirit descending on him like adove….

Mark 1:10 (NIV)

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“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased”Mark 1:11 (NIV)

And a voice came from heaven:


After this, Jesus and his disciples went

out into the Judean countryside, where

he spent some time with them,and

baptised.

John 3:22 (NIV)

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1 The Pharisees heard thatJesus was

gaining and baptising more disciples than

John, 2 although in fact it was not Jesus

who baptised, but his disciples.3 When the

Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went

back once more to Galilee.

John 4:1-3 (NIV)


3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you thetruth, no-one can see the kingdom of Godunless he is born again.”

5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no-one can enter the kingdom of Godunlesshe is born of waterand the Spirit”.

7 You should not be surprised at my saying,“You must be born again.”

John 3:3,5,7(NIV)

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Now we know

• how baptisms are to be conducted

• who is eligible

We must ask:

What is the significance of the rite of

baptism?


3 Or don’t you know thatall of us who werebaptised into Christ Jesus were baptised intohis death? 4 We were thereforeburied withhim through baptism into deathin order thatwe … too may live a new life.5 If we havebeen united with him like this in his death,we will certainly also be united with him inhis resurrection.

Romans 6:3-5 (NIV)

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6 For we know that our old self was

crucified with him sothat the body of sin

might be done away with, that we should no

longer be slaves to sin —7 becauseanyone

who has died has been freed from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe

that we will also live with him.

Romans 6:6-8 (NIV)


9 For we know that since Christ was raised

from the dead, he cannot die again; death no

longer has mastery over him.10 The death

he died, he died to sin once for all; but the

life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way,count yourselves dead

to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans6:9-11(NIV)

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In Romans, Paul says:

� Baptism is a symbolic death: the end of our former life in sin




� We die to the old life and are “buried” in a the baptismal water just as Jesus did

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� We rise from the water to a new life just as Jesus rose from the dead

appropriate to our new status





� We rise from the water to a new life just as Jesus rose from the dead

� From that time onwards we are to live a life

appropriate to our new status

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20 [There were those] who disobeyed long agowhen God waited patiently in the days ofNoah while the ark was being built. In itonly a few people, eight in all, were savedthrough water,21 andthis water symbolisesbaptism that now saves you also—not theremoval of dirt from the body but the pledgeof a good conscience towards God. It savesyou by the resurrection of Jesus Christ….

1 Peter3:20-22(NIV)


Peter says:

� Baptism is not simply equivalent to bathing,as is the case in some religions where it isregarded as an appropriate prelude toworship, rather

� Baptism is the indication that we recogniseour position before God and it is an outwardtoken of in inward change.

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There are aspects of baptism whichare important.

In particular, those who are baptisedbecome related to God’s purpose in avery special way, as Paul explains:


26 You are all sons of God through faith inChrist Jesus,27 for all of you who werebaptised into Christ have clothed yourselveswith Christ. 28 There is neither Jew norGreek, slave nor free, male nor female, foryou are all one in Christ Jesus.29 If youbelong to Christ, then you are Abraham'sseed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians3:26-29(NIV)

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Paul stresses that:

� those who are baptised have become part of God’s family and

� they are heirs of the promises made to Abraham in Genesis.


The Lord Jesus commissioned his

Apostles to go into all the world and

preach the gospel message, baptising

those who responded to their call.

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18 Then Jesus came to them and said,“All authority in heaven and on earthhas been given to me.19 Therefore goand make disciples of all nations,baptising themin the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20

and teaching them to obey everything Ihave commanded you…”

Matthew 28:18-20(NIV)


Whoever believes and is baptised

will be saved, but whoever does

not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:16 (NIV)

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The book of The Acts of the Apostlesrecords the preaching activities of theApostles and the responses of theiraudiences.

Many who heard their message werebaptised.


38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptised,every one of you, in the name of JesusChrist for the forgiveness of your sins. Andyou will receive the gift of the HolySpirit…”41 Those who accepted his messagewerebaptised, and about three thousand wereadded to their number that day.

Acts 2:38-41 (NIV)

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Key aspects of Biblical Baptism:

• Belief in the Lord Jesus Christ

• Full awareness of the significance of baptism

• Total immersion in water


One question* remains:

“And now what are you waiting for?Get up, be baptised and wash your sinsaway, calling on his name”.

Acts22:16 (NIV)

* Asked of the Apostle Paul after he hadencountered the Lord Jesus on the road toDamascus.

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END

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“This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”

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True Christian Baptism.ppt - Halifax Christadelphians · True Christian Baptism ... Faith. This is evident from a passage in Acts 19 : ... repentance. He told the people to believe