I Believe In Baptism. KEY VERSE: Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

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1 I Believe In Baptism Acts 2: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Acts 8: But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) KEY VERSE: Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. INTRODUCTION Repentance, is death to sin. o A person dies o When a person dies what do we do with the body? We bury it. o Likewise after we repent (we die to self) we must bury our sins under the blood of Jesus. o This we do in water baptism, a form of burial. Most burials are sad occasions, but when we are buried with Christ, it is a victorious ceremony. Today I want to talk about four aspects of baptism: 1) The Proper Mode of Baptism, 2) Examples of Baptism, 3) The Proper Formula for Baptism, 4) The Need for Baptism. I. THE PROPER MODE OF BAPTISM There is controversy in the religious world regarding the correct mode (manner or method) of baptism. o Some contend one must be immersed in water; others say a simple sprinkling will get the job done.

2 o There is no such contention in God s Word. There are three accounts in the New Testament which shed light on the proper mode of baptism. The first is John 3:23. o Here John the Baptist was baptizing because there was much water. o Had John been sprinkling his converts, there would have been no reason for him to have selected a spot with much water. o He could have baptized a whole city with a camel skin full of water by sprinkling. So it is evident John baptized by immersion. Secondly, the question of the mode of baptism is further clarified by the account of Jesus baptism in Matthew 3: o Jesus went up straightway out of the water. o Had He sprinkled He could not have come up out of the water. o The Word of God tells us that Jesus was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness, as an example to us. o Therefore, we should also be baptized immersed in water. The third example which clearly proves that immersion is the proper mode of baptism is the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, recorded in Acts 8: o Acts 8: Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. o Notice in the passage the Ethiopian eunuch and Philip were riding through the desert when they came to a certain body of water and the Eunuch asked to be baptized. Had immersion not been the proper mode, Philip could have sprinkled him with water from a canteen. But they had to wait until they got to a body of water sufficient for immersion. And they went down both into the water and when they were come up out of the water verifies this was not a sprinkling service. It is apparent from a biblical record that the Apostolic method of baptism was by immersion. o Church history reinforces this fact. o The first reference to sprinkling was not until the second century; for over a thousand yeas after that, immersion remained the prevalent practice. Another proof that baptism should be administered by immersion is the very meaning of the word. o The New Testament was written in Greek. The word Baptism comes from the Greek word Baptizo. Baptizo signifies literally and always to plunge. Baptism and immersion are therefore identical. o The Greek church maintained that the Latin church, instead of baptismos practiced rantismos (Greek for sprinkling).

3 Romans 6:3-4 the Bible says, 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. o Was a little dirt sprinkled over Jesus when He was buried? Certainly not. He was put in the tomb and it was sealed. He was surrounded by the grave. o Our baptism is a type of His death, and for it to be effective, we must be submerged in water as He was in the heart of the earth. Colossians 2:12 says, Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. o This confirms what we read in Romans. After repentance, we are baptized so our old man, the body of sins, may be buried or put away. o The old man is entombed in the watery grave of baptism. So it is easy to see that only immersion can fulfill the figure of burial. II. EXAMPLES OF BAPTISM How did the Apostles baptize? Peter, on the day of Pentecost, commanded that baptism be administered in the name of Jesus Christ. o Acts 8:16, says the Samaritans were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. o Acts 10:48 says those of Cornelius household were baptized in the name of the Lord. o John the Baptist s followers were re-baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:5) o Saul of Tarsus (The Apostle Paul) was baptized, calling on the name of the Lord. (Acts 22:16) III. THE PROPER FORMULA FOR BAPTISM The majority of the church world baptizes its converts in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. o They base their actions on a single Scripture, Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. o Probably no other verse has been quoted more, yet understood less. In considering this Scripture, there are several things that we should remember. First, we must realize that no one is being baptized in this passage. o Rather, it is a command to baptize. o No one in all the Bible is baptized merely repeating the words of this formula. Second, Jesus is speaking to His disciples. o Therefore, if we want to understand these words we need to see how they understood them.

4 o If we want to carry out the command of the Lord correctly, we need to see how the closest followers of the Lord carried it out. o How did those who Jesus was speaking to baptize? The disciples baptized everyone in the NAME of Jesus. When they baptized in the NAME of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost it meant to baptize in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! What is the NAME of the Son? o The name of the Son is Jesus. o Matthew 1:21 says, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. What is the NAME of the Father? o Hebrews 1:4 tells us that Jesus Christ by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels. o The name of the Son is Jesus. o If He received that name by inheritance, then the name of His Father must also of necessity be Jesus. Jesus told the stiff-necked Jews that if another came in his own name (antichrist), they would receive him, but He had come in His Father s name and Him they would not receive (John 5:43). Jesus is the NAME of the Father. What then, is the NAME of the Holy Ghost? o John 14:26 tells us that the Comforter would come in the name of Jesus. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Holy Ghost is the title. Jesus Christ is the Name. o So we see that Lord Jesus Christ is the full name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Peter obeyed the Lord s commission as given in Matthew 28:19 when he preached water baptism in the NAME of Jesus Christ on the day of Pentecost. o He was never challenged doctrinally on this subject. o All the other disciples (including Matthew) stood with Peter as he properly interpreted the Great Commission. Peter was also given the keys to the kingdom and Jesus said to him, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. o So Peter was the one to preach the first message of Baptism on the Day of Pentecost to give the formula for baptism. o When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost He opened the door for the Jews in Jerusalem. o When the Gentiles needed the door opened then Jesus sent Peter to preach to Cornelius. If Peter would have done it wrong on the Day of Pentecost then Jesus wouldn t have sent Peter to Cornelius. Do the words said at baptism really make that much difference?

5 o I Corinthians 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? o Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. o Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. It is through this name that the gospel message realized its spiritual punch. o We cast out devils in Jesus name. o We pray for the sick in Jesus name. o We pray over our food in Jesus name and on and on. Why should we stop using that name when we come to the waters of baptism? We should not. o Whatever we do in word or deed, we should do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. o His is the only name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. IV. THE NEED FOR BAPTISM There are at least four reasons why water baptism is Jesus name is essential to our salvation. 1) We are commanded by God s Word to be baptized. o Acts 10:8 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. o Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 2) Water Baptism in Jesus name remits our sins. o Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 3) Baptism is a public act that identifies us with the church. o I Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 4) Water Baptism in Jesus name puts us in Christ. o As we identify with His burial, we take upon us His name and become shareholders in all its power. o Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. o Romans 6:3-4 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. CONCLUSION Water baptism is a meaningful part of our salvation. Those of us who have been baptized realize how great a provision it was for us. Those who have not been baptized in Jesus name should make plans to do so today.