Transcript What Is Baptism?

What Is Baptism?
Why Another Sermon On Such An
Old Topic?
Objection to preach it due to the fact that it has
been discussed and debated for years yet never
settled – then why continue to preach on it?
– I believe this objection is a serious mistake
– True, in one sense not settled – not everybody agrees
about it
– But in another sense, it’s been settled thousands of
times in the minds of men & women who have to give
an account to God in judgment – and they have acted
accordingly to the settlement of it in their own minds
Why Another Sermon on Baptism?
Likewise, necessity is laid upon you! You
cannot avoid it – you must also settle the
question in you own mind and for your
own soul
You are compelled to decide in your own
mind what baptism is, and that will be
settling the question so far as you are
concerned
Objections
The question was settled for me when I
was a baby – my parents baptized me…
– Even this does not enable you to escape the
necessity of conclusion – must decide for
YOURSELF as we all stand in judgment –
Rom.14:12
Objections
Don’t be impatient when someone
proposes to discuss the subject with you –
don’t be unwilling to hear him – weigh it
fairly, so that you may decide the question
intelligently
Objections
“I can’t understand…requires knowledge
of dead languages, especially Greek in
order to make an intelligent decision as to
what baptism is; and as I am no scholar, I
don’t think God will hold me accountable if
I happen to decide incorrectly”
– Mistaken, Good common sense and a careful
study of the N.T. you can learn what God
requires of you and live a life pleasing to God
Proposed Method
If my mind were unsettled in regard to baptism, I
would take this course:
I would take my own N.T. and beginning at the
first chapter of Matthew, I would read it all the
way through, watching for that word “baptism”,
and everywhere I found it, I would examine
carefully the passage in which I found it, and
learn all I could about it…and when I got
through, put it all together and make up my
mind. That way I would feel sure it was God
teaching, and approve my decision
Proposed Method
I’m convinced this is the best way to settle
controversial questions
– Does not involve a single word in any
language but our own
– Does not involve arguments & disputations on
the subject from other men
– It involves nothing but listening to the
utterances of God’s word as you have it in
your possession and forming your own
conclusion and acting upon it
Proposed Method
If this method is not safe, then nothing is!
– May seem an impossible task to read the N.T.
through, but not much more reading than the
newspaper or favorite book, journals, etc.
– Easier way would be to use a concordance to locate
the word “baptism” but I don’t believe it would be as
effective as what I suggested
– Don’t get upset when I propose to study the whole
N.T. ….Save time by having marked the passages so
we won’t have to hunt for them.
Proposed Method
One other thing…preparation of mind:
– If you want to investigate any question without bias of
mind, it is good to throw out of your mind by effort of
imagination, all you know about it and come to
investigate the subject as if you never heard or read
about it before.
– The mind as a blank sheet of paper ready for God to
write on it whatever is found in His word.
– We will not go to the dictionary to define it or to the
Greek but we will see if the Book itself will explain it to
us. And if so, we will have God’s definition
Book of Matthew
Mt 3:5,6- Then went out to him
Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the
region round about Jordan, 6 And were
baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their
sins.
– Here we learn people were baptized in the
river Jordan (where) it was done. Plainly no
mistake
Book of Matthew
Mt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water
unto repentance: but he that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am
not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
– Here we learn a little more…”water” is the
element used in this thing called baptism
Book of Matthew
Mt 3:13-16 - Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan
unto John, to be baptized of him.14 But John forbad him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest
thou to me? 15 And Jesus answering said unto him,
Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all
righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Jesus,
when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and
he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and
lighting upon him:
– From this, we learn what He did when he was through with the
baptizing – he “went up straightway out of the water”.
– But that’s all – it does not tell us what the baptizing was… we are
still in the dark
Book of Matthew
From this whole chapter we learn only this:
– When John baptized, it was in the river
Jordan
– That he used (in some way, we don’t know
how) water,
– And that after Jesus was baptized, he went up
straightway out of the water, showing that he
had been down into it.
– But that’s all we learn, so we read on
Book of Matthew
We do not find the word again in its literal sense until we
come to the last chapter of Matthew 28:18,19
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.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:
– Here we learn that those men were to baptize in all nations – it
was to be a universal thing
– They were to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit…a very solemn thing – universal thing
– Becomes very interesting…wonder more than ever what it is
Book of Matthew
We’re through with Matthew now and
ready to begin at Mark
May have to read whole N.T. through
before we get our question answered!
Book of Mark
Mr 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and
preach the baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins.
– Here is another place of baptizing…in Matthew we
found he baptized in Jordan. Here in the wilderness
– May puzzle us until we know the geography of
Palestine…we remember a portion of the river Jordan
near it’s mouth runs along a barren wilderness on its
western bank, so this tells us what part of Jordan
John was baptizing…lets see
Book of Mark
Mr 1:5 And there went out unto him all the
land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem,
and were all baptized of him in the river of
Jordan, confessing their sins.
– We were right, it is in the river Jordan and in
the wilderness at the same time.
Book of Mark
Mr 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with
water: but he shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost.
– We knew this before…already read that
Book of Mark
Mr 1:9,10 - And it came to pass in those days,
that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and
was baptized of John in Jordan.
10 And straightway coming up out of the water,
he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a
dove descending upon him:
– We learned from Matthew that he “went up FROM the
water”…and now it says in Mark that he “came up
OUT of the water”…showing he had been down in it
– So Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, and after
he was baptized he went up out of the wateer, but we
still don’t know what it was…we read on
Book of Mark
Mr 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye
into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. 16 He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.
– Same idea of its universality in Matthew
– But also have an additional thought…v.16
– This adds interest but still no light on the act
itself…what it is
Book of Luke
Lu 3:3 And he came into all the country about
Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for
the remission of sins;
– Here we learn that not only Jordan but “all the country
about Jordan” that John preached
– Also learn that he preached the “baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins.”
– If it was a baptism of repentance, a baptism that
required a person to repent before he submitted to it,
…and “unto remission of sins”, it must have been a
matter of supreme importance.
Book of Luke
The subject grows on us by the words used in
connection with it…but no light comes yet as the
what this particular act itself was.
If we had started out knowing what the meaning
of the word was, we wouldn’t have any trouble.
But we want the N.T. to show us its
meaning…so we read on
We read through Luke and into John without any
additional light on it
Book of John
Joh 3:22,23 - After these things came Jesus and his
disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried
with them, and baptized. 23 And John also was baptizing
in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water
there: and they came, and were baptized.
– We learned in Matthew & Mark that John used water in
baptizing.
– Now we learn that when he left the Jordan, he went to Aenon
near to Salem because there was “much water there”. This
shows he wanted much water with which to baptize. But this is a
very vague expression…A picture full is much compared to a
glass full etc. So the text is extremely vague when it says “much
water”.
Book of Acts
Ac 2:38 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.
Ac 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word
were baptized: and the same day there were
added unto them about three thousand souls.
– We learn the apostles did as Jesus commanded
– Also learn that the gift of the Holy Spirit is connected
with it…its importance grows on us, but still, nothing
here to tell us what baptism is
Book of Acts
Ac 8:12 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.
– Nothing here to explain the act itself
Book of Acts
Ac 8:36 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?
– We learn additional items from this verse…
– Before baptizing, both the baptist & candidate
went down into the water
– While down in the water, the baptizing was
done
– Then they came up out of the water
Book of Acts
We haven’t found the answer yet, but we’re
getting it hemmed in…
– John baptized in the river Jordan & Aenon where
there was much water
– We see the performing act was where they went
down into the water, and then they came up out of the
water…and this explains how Jesus came up out of
the water when He was baptized
– But what Philip did to the eunuch called “baptism” and
what John did to Jesus called “baptism”, the question
that we started out with is not yet answered
Book of Acts
Ac 9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes
as it had been scales: and he received sight
forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
– Saul of Tarsus was baptized, but nothing is said to
indicate what the acts was.
– Same with Cornelius (Acts 10), Lydia (16), Jailer (16)
– The apostles are carrying out the commission to
baptize men but we find no words in these passages
to indicate what it was
Book of Romans
Ro 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ were
baptized into his death?
– Here we have 2 new thoughts:
When we’re baptized, we’re baptized into Christ
At the same time, we are baptized into His death.
Book of Romans
Ro 6:4 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.
– Here we learn that we are buried with him through baptism into
death
– Again we have learned before that persons to be baptized and
man who baptized went down into the water
– The baptizing was done there…and done with water.
– Then they came up out of the water
– Now learn that in baptism they were buried…and if water is the
element, we conclude that they were buried in water!
– We now know what the acts was! It was a “temporary”
burial…not to be left there…Jesus came up out of the water.
Book of Colossians
Col 2:12 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.
– Christ was buried in the tomb and on the 3rd day he
came up
– We are buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye
are risen with him…” makes our burial in water a
representation of His burial in the tomb, and our rising
from the water, of His rising from the dead.
Book of Colossians
This burial explains some of the things that we
met with before:
– It explains why a river like Jordan was used instead of
some smaller body of water
– It explains why “much” water was needed and found
at Aenon…enough to bury a person
– It explains why, previous to the baptism, they went
down into the water…they couldn’t bury a person
without doing so
– It explains why, at the end of it they always came up
out of the water.
Book of Colossians
We learn then,
– That baptism is an act in which a person is
buried in water and raised again in imitation of
the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ
– It is done by the command of Christ Himself
– The blessing which follows the act is the
remission of sins…the act that brings us into
Christ…into the name of the Father, Son, and
the Holy Spirit
– And it is followed by the gift of the Holy Spirit
Summary
If all of this is true, then it is a most solemn and
precious thing!
Cannot overestimate the value of it or speak
lightly of it
– If I could go to Palestine and find the sepulchre of
Joseph of Arimathea where the Savior once laid till
His resurrection, I would be glad to lay in that tomb
and have some one roll a stone to the mouth of it that
I might realize by an act of imagination my Savior’s
burial…But I cannot do that!
Summary
But in baptism, I am permitted to the next
thing to it…
– We can lay down in a watery grave in
obedience to His command and allow the
water to close above our heads, and then, as
though we were dead, we are lifted out of the
grave and begin to walk in a new life!
– It is a sacred and blessed privilege to do this!
Summary
Baptism stands midway in the life of a
person who submits to it…
It points back to the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ…
But points forward to our own death, burial
and resurrection
It brings us into Christ…the forgiveness of
sins and imparts to us the blessed hope of
heaven hereafter!