Simple Studies in Christian Essentials

 

                            Lesson 4

 

                 The Ordinance of Baptism

 

   Introduction: Fundalmentalists do not teach that Baptism

is a saving ordinance, but that it is a matter of obedience.

We are not saved in the act of Baptism, but must be before

submitting to the rite in order to make it real Christian

Baptism.

 

I. Baptism is a Symbol.

 

   A. The death, burial and resurrection of Christ,

      - Rom 6:4-5.

 

   B. The Believer's identity with Christ in His

      death, burial, and resurrection, "together

      with Him," - 2 Cor 5:14-21.

 

   C. The Believer's death to the old life and

      resurrection to the new, - Col 2:12-13;

      2 Cor 5:17.

 

II. The Mode of Baptism.

 

   A. It is a "burial," - Rom 6:4-5.

 

   B. The literal meaning of the Greek work

      translated "baptize," is to dip or

      immerse," {Thayer's Greek Lexicon}.

 

   C. Bible accounts carried this out:

 

       1. The Lord Jesus came "up...out of the

          water," - Matt 3:16.

 

       2. John was baptizing at the Jordan because

          "there was much water there," - Jn 3:23

 

       3. Philip and the eunuch "went down both

          into the water," - Acts 8:38.

 

III. Who are candidates for baptism?

 

      A. Those who have repented of their sins,

         - Acts 2:38.

 

      B. Those who receive Jesus Christ by faith

         as Saviour and Lord, - Acts 2:36,41;

         Acts 8:36-37; Acts 18:8.

 

   Note: No one can be scripturally baptized until

he is saved, and any one who becomes conscious that

he was baptized before he was born again should

have the ordinance rightly administered to him.

It has been well called "believers baptism."

 

   Conclusion: Infant baptism is nowhere taught

in the Bible. They brought the babies to the

Lord Jesus for His blessing, but that was not

baptism, - Study Acts 16:14-15; Acts 16:30-34;

1 Cor 1:16; with 1 Cor 16:15.

 

  Sprinkling in the New Testament is always

with blood and never with water, - Heb 9:13;

Heb 10:22; Heb 11:28; Heb 12:24; 1 Pet 1:2;

Rev 19:13.

 

 

                              Questions

 

1. Is baptism to be considered a saving ordiance?

 

2. Of what three things is baptism a symbol?

 

3. What figure does Paul use to describe

   baptism?

 

4. What is the meaning of the Greek word for

   baptism?

 

5. Show by three Bible accounts of baptism that

   immersion was practiced then.

 

6. Who are candidates for baptize?

 

7. Can one be scripturally baptized before he is saved?

 

8. Is infant baptism taught in the Bible?

   Why did they bring their babies to Christ?

 

9. What is said about sprinkling in the New

   Testament?