Baptism and the Christian
.The word “baptize” is from the Greek “baptizein” or “baptein” and means to dip.
. Baptism is considered a sacrament in many churches taken from or Catholic, but an ordinance in most evangelical and Western Christian churches.
. Matthew 28:19 (Jesus said) Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
. Baptism is therefore ordained (authorized) by Jesus, hence, it's an ordinance by definition.
. A sacrament is a rite instituted by Jesus and has sanctifying grace. “Sanctifying” means that the person is purified. On the other hand an ordinance is an outward expression of faith, being symbolic.
. Baptists believe that baptism is an ordinance which is symbolic and does not impart grace.
. Christians baptize by various methods: The three methods used by different denominations are
aspersion – sprinkling, effusion – pouring, and immersion – to submerge, covering completely..
Aspersion does not fit the definition of “baptize” since it certainly is NOT “dipping”.
Pouring doesn't fit the definition because it's the dipper being dipped (baptized), not the person.
.
Catholics, Methodists, and Episcopalians baptize as a general rule by aspersion. Mennonites and other Anabaptists use effusion. Baptists, although it's redundant baptize by immersion.
. The Didache is a Greek work from around 100 AD which speaks of baptism:
. “…But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.”
. From this it can be seen that in abnormal situations where running water is not available, still water can be used or can be poured. However, the Didache is not the Bible! This does not infer that “pouring” is the proper method of baptism, but only shows that “pouring” was used by the church at an early time. In fact the Didache would infer that a natural running body of water is the most appropriate place for Baptism. “No living water” implies immersion.
. However, Scripture tells us more of baptism and should be the source of our information:
. Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
. Water Baptism is symbolic or a metaphor for the death and burial of the sinful man and the regeneration as a “new” man (or woman) just as Jesus was glorified by his own death and resurrection. As a baptized Chrisitan we signify that we are commening a new life.
. Campbellite And Stonite factions split from the Baptist faith in 1832 and formed what they call non-denomination churches. This is called the “American Restoration Movement”. They portend that baptism has saving grace. Baptism to them is not symbolic, but the end of the process of salvation. That would imply if their doctrine was true then all those unbaptized and incorrectly baptized throughout the ages fell short of the glory of God.
. Some would say that Orthodox Jews performed baptism long before John the Baptist did. However, that's not the case. Their ceremony included ritual washing. This ceremony was performed to cleanse the body before participating in religious ceremonies. Such ritual had no symbolism and was used by both men and women to cleanse biological impurites.
. The first person known to ever baptize was John, the cousin of Jesus, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. John was born to prepare the way for Jesus' ministry. (Matthew 3:4-6)
. Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 2And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
. There are three types of baptism:
.- The Baptism of repentance called the Baptism of John.
- The Baptism of remission called the Baptism of Jesus.
- The Baptism of fire called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. (Used in the early church to show the power of God and to help the church begin).
John's Baptism was in preparation for Jesus. People were to repent, to return to God!
. Matthew 3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
. As you can see “repent” was to confess the sins. Many churches ask for a testimony at the time of baptism. Public confession of our sins is honored by God.
. The Baptism of Jesus was to be the effectual baptism.
. John 1:33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'
. No one else, but Jesus, had the Holy Spirit descend and remain on them.
. John came to baptize with water for repentance to prepare for the remission of sins, Jesus came to baptize with the Holy Spirit FOR the remission of sins.
. Acts 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.
. Jesus implied in Matthew 21 that just as He was was authorized by God, likewise John was authorized by God to baptize. John himself implied in John 1:33 that he was sent by God by saying “the one who sent me”.
. If we read Acts 19 we can readily see the difference between the Baptism of John and that of Jesus.
. There he (PAUL) found some disciples. 2And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John’s baptism." 4And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." 5On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them...
. It is obvious from these verses that the disciples didn't have God's spirit when they were baptized by John, but did receive the Holy Spirit due to their belief in Jesus. The spirit wasn't received later, but at the time they believed and were baptized. Hence, the Holy Spirit came with belief, not baptism.
. The proof of this is in Acts 10:47 "Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" where the people already had the Holy Spirit and were then baptized.
. The baptism of Jesus by John marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. Jesus didn't come to baptize, but to provide a means of salvation for the world. (Jesus did not become God at his baptism, because he was God already!) The heresy which proposes that Jesus became God at his baptism is called Adoption.
. Baptism is always by water. Every instance of baptism refers to water. Water represents the cleansing blood of Jesus. Just as are sins are washed away by the blood of Jesus, we become a new creature in God by the symbolic washing of our body and dedicating it to Christ.
. Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
. The water is to be of sufficient amount to allow the candidate to be entirely immersed. Scripture refers to:
.- John was baptizing at Aenon because the water was plentiful there. (John 3:23)
- Jesus, at his own baptism “immediately he went up from the water”, implying that he had been in the water. (Mark 1:10 and others)
- Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:6) as were the disciples (Mark 1:5)
- The eunuch saw flowing water in a stream and was baptized (Acts 8:36), and Philip and the eunuch “both went down into the water” (Acts 8:38). They “they came up out of the water” (Acts 8:39).
- Revelation 7:17 says that Jesus will guide us to “springs of living water”. This represents belief in Jesus and our baptism.
- We are “buried therefore with him by baptism” (Rom 6:3).
Did Jesus himself baptize?
. John 4:1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples).
. The apostles are believed to have been baptized by John, except for Paul. Therefore, the apostles are the first to perform the “Baptism of Jesus”.
. Others say that Jesus baptized early in his ministry and himself baptized the apostles:
. John 3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
. Other scholars believe that Jesus accompanied the apostles while they baptized since John 4:1 says that Jesus did not baptize. That Jesus did not baptize is more consistent with scripture.
. In whose name should we baptized?
. We can be baptized in Jesus' name or the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.Acts 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
.
We're not to be baptized by any other name.
. 1 Corinthians 1:15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name (Paul's).
. How should the person be immersed?
. Forward, backward, one time, three times? Many make an issue of this, but the scripture does not indicate which direction, but appears to be one time.
. Circumcision and Baptism:
. Circumcision represents the fulfillment of the covenant between God and Abraham. It was a picture of baptism. Whereas circumcision was a physical symbol, baptism is spiritual. It represents circumcison of the heart. Wheras circumcision was a male rite only, baptism is for Christian men and women (Acts 8:12).
. Who should be baptized?
. All Christians should be baptized. It's called Believer's Baptism or credobaptism. The baptism of infants is not scriptural although it's been done for centuries. It is referred to as pedobaptism and was performed at the age of eight-days in order to represent circumcision which was also done at that time. Cathlolics perform baptism to exorcise evil (among several reasons) from the infant so as to protect them through life.
. European Christians who rejected infant baptism and insisted upon believer's adult baptism were called Anabaptists, meaning to re-baptize.
. Converts on the day of Pentecost were baptized (Acts 2:41). Likewise were the converts at the revival in Samaria (Acts 8:12). Paul the Apostle was baptized (Acts 9:8). Paul's converts were baptized (Acts Chapters 16 and 18) and baptism has been continuous throughout scripture, even until this day.
. When should baptism occur?
. The Christian should be baptized immediately after belief. It demonstrates that you are starting a new life in Christ and is a public confession of faith. Paul (Acts 9:18), as the eunuch, were baptized immediately upon belief. We should be joyful and ready to display our new found faith!
. Who should baptize?
. Acts 1:22 (KJV) (Referring to the apostles): Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
. The raising up our of the water is a metaphor for the resurrection. Only one who is ordained (authorized of God) is to do baptisms. In early Baptist history a preacher who was himself baptized would baptize others and authorize them to perform baptisms. They then had the authority to do so as well.
.
.
Summary:
. Baptism is authorized by Jesus and is for all believers as a symbol of our death, burial, purification (remission of sins) and the resurrection. It signifies the death of the old man and the birth of the new man cleansed by water, representing the blood of Jesus shed in payment for our own sins. As such we are to totally immersed as a confession of our faith and the forgiveness of our sins. We receive the Holy Ghost at the time of our belief. It is most desirable that we immediately be baptized by a person ordained to do so. As baptism is symbolic it is not a prerequisite for salvation, but is obedience as a result of our salvation.
No comments:
Post a Comment