By Robert Lewis
Introduction:Baptists believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer; in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, with theauthority of the local church, to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; That it is a pre‑requisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord’s Supper; in which the membersof the church, by the sacred sue of the bread and fruit of the vine are to comÂmemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn selfexamination.
I. OBEDIENCE IS THE FIRST REASON
Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the reÂmission of sins, andye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
MAN IS DEPRAVED! MARKED BY CORRUPTION OR EVIL; DR. HENRY C. THIESSON. LECTURES IN SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY: “BY DEPARAVITY WE MEAN MAN’S WANT OF ORIGINAL RIGHTEOUSNESS AND OF HOLY AFFECTIONS TOWARDS GOD, AND ALSO THE CORRUPTION OF HIS MORAL NATUREAND HIS BIAS TOWARD EVIL.” YES A BIAS TOWARD SIN, REBELLION EVIL AND WRONGDOING!
Black, O so black!Black as the starless night’s dark track!Black as the unclean raven’s wing!black as a man’s sin! Earth’s blackest thing!
Romans 6:4Therefore 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.
-ARE YOU DEAD?
-WHEN YOU GET BAPTIZED YOU SAY YOU ARE DEAD WITH HIM!Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in bapÂtism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
-WHEN YOU START TO WITNESS YOU ARE DEAD!
Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourÂselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God…. through Jesus Christ our Lord.
RECKON: Greek, 3049. logizomai {log-id’-zom-ahee}; middle voice from 3056; to take an inventory, i.e. estimate (literÂally or figuratively): -conclude, (ac-)count (of), + despise, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, reckon, suppose, think (on).
II. CONFESSION IS THE ULTIMATUM
Matthew 10:32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Acts 8:37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I beÂlieve that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
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 conÂscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Romans 10:9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
III. IMMERSION IS THE ONLY BIBLICAL METHOD
Matthew 3:16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him,…
Mark 1:9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
Acts 8:38And he commanded the chariot to stand still:and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the euÂnuch; and he baptized him.
Romans 6:4Therefore 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.
I Peter 3:21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting way of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conÂscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
IV. IDENTITY IS THE PURPOSE
Acts 2:41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
I Corinthians 12:27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
V. AUTHORITY IS THE PRE-REQUISITE
Matthew 16:18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 17And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neÂglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 28:19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:47Praising God, and having favour with all the people.And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Acts 13:1Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
I Corinthians 12:13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whethÂer we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Ephesians 4:4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Acts 14:23And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, onwhom they believed.
I Corinthians 14:12Even so ye, forasÂmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Colossians 1:18And he is the head of the body, the church:who is the beginÂning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preemiÂnence.
Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Black, O so black!Black as the starless night’s dark track!Black as the unclean raven’s wing!black as a man’s sin! Earth’s blackest thing!
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.