"First Principles"
DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS (CONTINUED)
LESSON 35
D. In this lesson we will continue with our study on water baptism. Let’s pick up where we left off in lesson 34 by asking this question: Once we have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior is there any special timeframe wherein we need to be baptized?
1. We should be baptized as soon as possible after we are born again.
a. (Acts 2:38-41 KJV) "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."
b. (Acts 8:12 KJV) "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."
c. (Acts 16:32-33 KJV) "And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. {33} And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
E. After a person is born again, there are no specific requirements that must be met prior to them being baptized but it is recommended that each applicant be instructed on the following points.
1. The applicant should be enrolled or at least be willing to enroll in a class that teaches the basic principles of the Christian faith.
a. (Matthew 28:20 KJV) "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
2. The applicant must have truly repented of their sins.
a. (Acts 2:38 KJV) "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."
3. The applicant must be willing to demonstrate their faith by making a public confession.
a. (Acts 8:36-37 KJV) "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."
F. Christian baptism serves more than one purpose.
1. Christian baptism identifies the candidate with the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. (Romans 6:5 KJV) "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."
b. (Galatians 3:27 KJV) "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."
c. (Colossians 2:12 KJV) "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."
2. Christian baptism accomplishes in the life of the believer what the Old Testament type and shadow of baptism accomplished for the children of Israel when they went through the Red Sea.
DOCTRINE OF BAPTISMS (CONTINUED) LESSON 35, PAGE 2
Continuation of Paragraph F. 2.
a. (1 Corinthians 10:1-2 KJV) "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; {2} And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;"
(1) Note that in the type and shadow of baptism the Israelites went down into the water and came up on the other side. The armies of Egypt went into the water and did not come up on the other side. When we are baptized, we should believe God for deliverance and leave all the things of our past down under the water.
b. (1 Peter 3:21 KJV) "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:"
G. If I am baptized by immersion, does it really matter what particular phraseology or Biblical formats that are used during the ceremony?
1. When we baptize, we do it according to Matthew 28:19 but it really doesn’t matter as long as you are baptized according to the scriptures. A person could be baptized in the name of the: “Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” in the name of “Jesus”, in the name of “Jesus Christ”, in the name of the “Lord” or in the name of the “Lord Jesus”. Jesus is God and all these titles refer to a different aspect of the same God. The scriptures support the use of each of these phrases for the purpose of baptism.
a. (Matthew 28:19 KJV) "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
b. (Acts 2:38 KJV) "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."
c. (Acts 10:48 KJV) "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days."
d. (Acts 19:5 KJV) "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."
Note: When you are baptized with water there are several things that you should be aware of: 1) You should not wear a bathing suit: you are not going swimming. 2) You should not wear clothes that become transparent when they get wet. 3) You should bring a change of clothing and a blanket to put over the seat of your vehicle in case there is no place to change clothes. 4) You should bring a towel. 5) You should we prepared to give a clear testimony of being born again by the Spirit of God.
Note: At this point the class instructor will demonstrate the procedure to be followed during the water baptismal ceremony.