The New Testament's

1
The New Testament's Teaching Concerning Baptism
2
A hotly-debated, much misunderstood and often
misrepresented subject in the religious world
Practically every Christian group practices it
in some fashion, but very few attach any eternal
significance to it
3
So far in our study we have examined the seven
baptisms to which the New Testament refers
From that study we have determined from the Bible
that there is currently only one baptism, that of
the Great Commission- baptism for the remission
of sins
4
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are
called in one hope of your calling One Lord, one
faith, one baptism,
Ephesians 44, 5
5
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world,
and preach the gospel to every creature. He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he
that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 1615, 16
6
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 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 2818, 19
7
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 238
8
We have also allowed the New Testament to define
baptism for us
It is an immersion
Water is the element in which it is to be
performed
9
Since there is only one (Ephesians 45), and
since the New Testament plainly defines it in the
fashion just noted, there can be no other mode
and there can be no other element
Thus, New Testament baptism binding on man today
is immersion in water
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What is the Purpose of Baptism?
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No Bible believer would try to resist the truth
that all of Gods words are important
When God tells man something to do, in order to
be obedient, man must do it
12
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in
your sins for if ye believe not that I am he, ye
shall die in your sins.
John 824
What Bible believer would dare say that these
commands are not essential?
I tell you, Nay but, except ye repent, ye shall
all likewise perish.
Luke 133
13
No Bible believer would try to resist the truth
that all of Gods words are important
When God tells man something to do, in order to
be obedient, man must do it
What about when God tells man to do this?
14
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ Acts 238
Just as much a command as John 824 or Luke 133
How can one be essential to obedience and the
other not be?
How can the former be essential to salvation and
the latter not be?
15
It is not the Bible that is at fault in regards
to the confusion regarding this command
Look at how one popular creed book presents the
thought
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Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but
it is essential to obedience.Baptism, therefore,
is an act of obediencebut it possesses no power
in itself to remit sin, to change the heart, or
to sanctify the spirit. (The Hiscox
Standard Baptist Manual, Edward T. Hiscox, 1982,
pp. 83, 84)
17
It is not the Bible that is at fault in regards
to the confusion regarding this command
Look at how one popular creed book presents the
thought
First, lets break down these statements then,
let us compare them to the Bible
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Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but
it is essential to obedience.
The bible makes it clear that obedience is
essential to salvation
19
And being made perfect, he became the author of
eternal salvation unto all them that obey
him Hebrews 59
This passage connects obedience
With salvation
So, that which is essential to obedience is
likewise essential to salvation
20
Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but
it is essential to obedience.
The bible makes it clear that obedience is
essential to salvation
If it is true that baptismis essential to
Obedience (and it is), it is also true that
baptism is essential to salvation (and it is)
21
Baptism, therefore, is an act of obedience.
This is certainly true
And, as we have just seen from the Bible, since
it is an act of obedience it is also an act
essential to salvation
22
but it possesses no power in itself to remit
sin, to change the heart, or to sanctify the
spirit.
As the bible demonstrates, this statement is not
true
Baptism does possess the power to remit sin,
change the heart (indeed the whole of a man) and
to sanctify the spirit
23
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 238
24
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the
name of the Lord. Acts 2216
25
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.
Romans 64
26
That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word,
Ephesians 526
27
but it possesses no power in itself to remit
sin, to change the heart, or to sanctify the
spirit.
the bible reveals that baptism does all of these
What far too many do is confuse what baptism does
with what the water does
water does none of these baptism does them all
28
SO It is that man, not god, is the one who has
brought about the confusion on this issue
Baptism may not be essential to salvation, but
it is essential to obedience.Baptism, therefore,
is an act of obediencebut it possesses no power
in itself to remit sin, to change the heart, or
to sanctify the spirit. (The Hiscox
Standard Baptist Manual, Edward T. Hiscox, 1982,
pp. 83, 84)
Man tries to differentiate between what is
essential to obedience and what is essential to
salvation
The bible makes no such distinction
29
We must conclude then that when God gives man a
command, man must obey it in order to be pleasing
to God
If this was all we knew it would be sufficient to
show that baptism is essential for mans
salvation, because it is a command of God
30
However, the Bible gives us much more detail
concerning the purpose of baptism
Since it does so, man is likewise bound by what
the New Testament teaches concerning its purpose
31
The Bible commands baptism (as we have clearly
seen)
Thus, Man must obey this command
The Bible defines it as an immersion in water (as
also clearly noted)
Thus, Man must perform it in this fashion alone
32
If the Bible also specifies a reason for its
performance, this must also be honored
33
When God tells man to do something, man must do
it in order to please God
When God gives man the manner in which something
is to be done, man must do it in that manner in
order to please God
34
If God also gives man a purpose for somethings
being done, it must be done for that purpose
God does not always give man particulars
concerning a command, but leaves them to mans
discretion
35
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations
Matthew 2819
No particulars on how man is to Go
But, what if God had said, Go ye by boat, and
teach all nations?
Would man have been bound by these particulars?
36
On occasion, God has given commands and also
given particulars as to how the commands were to
be carried out, without giving any specified
reason(s)
37
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals
of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and
his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and
bring it within the veil
Leviticus 1612
God specified fire, and a particular origin for
that fire but, He gave no reason
38
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took
either of them his censer, and put fire therein,
and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire
before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And
there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured
them, and they died before the LORD.
Leviticus 101, 2
Why did this occur?
Man violated Gods particulars
39
And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of
covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of
the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward
after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear
it but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest
they die. These things are the burden of the sons
of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
Numbers 415
Particulars given, but no reason
40
And when they came to Nachons threshingfloor,
Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and
took hold of it for the oxen shook it. 7And the
anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah and
God smote him there for his error and there he
died by the ark of God. II
Samuel 66, 7
Why did this occur?
Man violated Gods particulars
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Thus, when God tells man what to do and the way
to do it, man must obey both the command and the
particulars involved with that command
There have also been occasions when God has given
man a command, particulars in obeying that
command, and a reason for obeying
42
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the
disciples, and said, Take, eat this is my body.
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it
to them, saying, Drink ye all of it
Matthew 2626, 27
43
Notice that commands were given- Eat Drink
Notice that particulars were involved- Bread
Fruit of the Vine
44
For I have received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same
night in which he was betrayed took bread And
when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat this is my body, which is broken for
you this do in remembrance of me. After the same
manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my
blood this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in
remembrance of me. I Corinthians
1123-25
45
Notice that commands were given- Eat Drink
Notice that particulars were involved- Bread
Fruit of the Vine
Notice also that there was reason or purpose
involved- In remembrance of me
46
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat
of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the
Lords body. I Corinthians
1128, 29
Why would this occur?
Not because it wasnt done not because it wasnt
done according to the particulars
47
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat
of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that
eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the
Lords body. I Corinthians
1128, 29
But because it wasnt done for the right reason-
not according to the expressed purpose!
48
Hence, when God tells man to do something, man
must do it
When God gives man particulars in obeying that
command they, likewise, must be observed
Even so, when God gives man a reason or purpose
for doing something that must be the reason and
none other will suffice
49
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
Go Mt. 2819
None Given
None Given
Lost
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Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
Go Mt. 2819
None Given
None Given
Lost
Take Fire Lev. 1612
From off Altar
None Given
Burned Lev. 10
51
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
Go Mt. 2819
None Given
None Given
Lost
Take Fire Lev. 1612
From off Altar
None Given
Burned Lev. 10
Handling of Holy Things Num. 415
By Kohath Only
None Given
Killed (Uzzah)
52
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
Go Mt. 2819
None Given
None Given
Lost
Take Fire Lev. 1612
From off Altar
None Given
Burned Lev. 10
Handling of Holy Things Num. 415
By Kohath Only
None Given
Killed (Uzzah)
Lords Supper
Bread Juice
In His Memory
Damnation
53
We have already noticed that God has commanded
man to be baptized
We have allowed God to define His terms and have
seen that baptism is immersion in water
Thus, concerning this subject, God has given man
both a command and particulars
54
Man must be obedient not only in doing what God
said, but also in doing it in the way God said
But, what about the purpose for baptism?
Has God given such? And, if so, must man obey it
for that reason?
55
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved
but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 1616
56
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 238
For- Greek word eis meaning in order to
NEVER means because of
57
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the
name of the Lord. Acts 2216
58
Purposes or reasons given?
For salvation
For remission of sins
In order to wash sins away
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Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
?
?
?
Baptism Mk. 16
Immersion In Water
To Be Saved
Lost
60
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
?
?
?
Baptism Mk. 16
Immersion In Water
To Be Saved
Lost
Baptism Acts 2
Immersion In Water
For Sin Remission
Lost
61
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
?
?
?
Baptism Mk. 16
Immersion In Water
To Be Saved
Lost
Baptism Acts 2
Immersion In Water
For Sin Remission
Lost
Baptism Acts 22
Immersion In Water
To Wash Away Sins
Lost
62
When God commands, man must obey
When God gives particulars, man must abide by them
When God gives man a reason, he must obey the
command for that reason
63
Man's Complete Obedience- Required by God
Command
Particulars
Reason
Punishment
Baptism Mk. 16
Immersion In Water
To Be Saved
Lost
?
?
?
Baptism Acts 2
Immersion In Water
For Sin Remission
Lost
Baptism Acts 22
Immersion In Water
To Wash Away Sins
Lost
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