BAPTISM
IN WATER
He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16.
Remember that this scripture
does not refer to water baptism.
It refers to baptism into the Body of Christ (the born-again
experience).
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Matthew 28:19.
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.
Acts 2:38.
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be
baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of
the Lord. Then prayed they him to
tarry certain days. Acts 10:47-48.
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?
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.
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. Acts 8:36-38.
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: I Peter 3:21.
Notice several things about
these scriptures. First, belief in
Jesus, repentance, and confession came before water baptism. In other words, a person must have
already been born again. Second,
pay special attention to I Peter 3:21.
This scripture says that water baptism does not put away the filth of
the flesh, but that it is an act of obedience (“answer of a good
conscience toward God”). Therefore water baptism does not cause us to be
born again, but is part of the sanctification process (the path of righteous
living). It is God’s will for every born again child of God to
be baptized in water. It is a
public declaration of having identified with the death, burial and resurrection
of Jesus.
Remember that “baptism”
means total submersion. Total
submersion in water is a public declaration that a believer’s life is
totally submerged in Christ.
Be prepared to answer the
following questions:
1. To what baptism does Mark 16:16 refer?
2. What three things must come before water baptism?
3. Water baptism does not save the soul, but is an act of
______________ to God’s command.
4. Water baptism is part of the salvation _______________.
5. Water baptism is a __________ declaration of having
identified with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
6. What is the definition of baptism?