Baptism

[Daave220]

Ok, so I've been a Christian for two or three years now and I haven't been baptized yet, chances are it'll be done Easter Weekend (I was actually thinking about getting it done two Easters ago but my Dad thought I should wait... honor thy mother and father). Anyways one of my really good friends just accepted Christ and he wants to be baptized with me. I was hoping you all could give me some (or a lot of) scripture to go over with him concerning baptism, that'd be amazing. Oh... and while we're at it passages that any of you think are good for a new Believer... please add as well.

In Christ Jesus,
Dave

 

[MrPolo]

Jn 3:5 Jesus answered (Nicodemus), "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."

Mt 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,

Mt 3:11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.

Gal 3:25-27 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

1 Cor 12:12-13 As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" Peter (said) to them, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the holy Spirit."

Acts 10:44-47 While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?"

Titus 3:5 ... not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the holy Spirit.

1 Pet 3:20-21 God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. This prefigured baptism, which saves you now.

Rom 6:3-4 Or are you unaware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.

Col 2:12 You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

 

[iamjcs]

No spiritual benefit results from baptism, itself. Rather, it is a public symbol of a spiritual rebirth that has already occurred in the person being baptized.
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God is love & we are to strive (wih His help) to become more & more like Him.

1 Corinthians 13 (NASB w/Strong's)
[FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13:4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13:5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Geneva, Helvetica]13:8a Love never fails[/FONT]

 

[wildboar]

It's interesting if you read above that Mr. Polo who believes in baptismal regeneration has a lot of Scripture to back up his position. iamjcs who says that baptism is just a public symbol doesn't have any.

 

[Daave220]

It's interesting if you read above that Mr. Polo who believes in baptismal regeneration has a lot of Scripture to back up his position. iamjcs who says that baptism is just a public symbol doesn't have any.

Through my study I believe that God cares about what is in your heart not if you were baptized or not; an example I think of is there is no proof that the man to the right of Christ on the cross was baptized but yet Christ says such powerful words as "And He said to him, 'Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.'" ~Luke 23:43.
HOWEVER, I do feel baptism is such an important thing and that's why I am trying to get it done very soon.

In Christ Jesus,
Dave Hogan

 

[wildboar]

Whether or not the thief on the cross was baptized is an unknown. He very well could have been one of the many people baptized by John the Baptist or even baptized by one of Jesus' disciples. He seems to have known who Jesus was. It is possible that he was not baptized. Baptism is one of the means of grace where God promises to give forgiveness of sins. God also gives forgiveness of sins in the preaching of the Word and in the Lord's Supper. It is possible for God to save people apart from these means, but these means are the means through which God has attached His promise. I'm always a little skeptical when people develop their theology of something like baptism from a passage such as the one about the thief on the cross that doesn't say anything about baptism. There are plenty of very clear passages in Scripture that speak of baptism being for the forgiveness of sins. Sometimes people receive the forgiveness of sins in the preaching prior to baptism but they still receive forgiveness of sins in baptism. Sometimes people receive it in baptism accompanied by the Word first. If we believe why wouldn't someone want to receive the gifts that God is giving out. I think a big problem is that people think of salvation too much as something that they received when they said some sort of sinner's prayer (which is entirely unscriptural). Christ saved me 2000 years ago on the cross and Christ continues to give me forgiveness of sins daily and has given it to me in a special way in the Word and Sacraments.

 

[Aibrean]

No spiritual benefit results from baptism, itself. Rather, it is a public symbol of a spiritual rebirth that has already occurred in the person being baptized.
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Um...incorrect. Take a look at the experience of Jesus' baptism. After he was baptized, the spirit of God descended upon him. Before Jesus was baptized, John baptized "with water for repentance".

Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

John 3:5

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Pretty strong "symbol" to be used in the requirements of salvation!

Acts 2:38
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

When we are baptized, God seals the forgiveness we have by faith in him.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

The primary message of baptism is identification. Baptism identifies the Christian with two things, Christ and the local church. We are told in Romans 6:4-5, the act of baptism identifies us with Christ in His burial and resurrection. Being put under the water is a picture of being buried with Christ and the raising up out of the water is a picture of our being resurrected with Christ.
The Word of God says in Romans 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.”
God enables those who are saved to live such a different lifestyle that the world will see they are a new creature in Christ, II Corinthians 5:17.
Not only does our baptism identify us with the Lord Jesus Christ, but it also identifies us with the local church. At the moment you were saved the Holy Spirit baptized you into the body of Christ, and the Pastor baptizes into the local church body. The local New Testament Church is the only institution on the earth that requires a person to be baptized to become a member of it.
In baptism you are giving testimony that you have now separated yourself from the world and have joined up with God’s people at the church.​

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

There are many places in the Scriptures that teach us both by exhortation and example that only those who profess a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are qualified material for baptism.
This is clearly taught in Acts 8:35-37. Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian Eunuch in verse 35, and as they came to some water in verse 36, the eunuch asked Philip to baptize him.
Philip’s reply to him in verse 37 was, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”​

And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Here we find that the eunuch professed a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ before he was baptized.

Again in Acts 16:23-34, the Philippian jailer and all his family were baptized, but only after that they believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation. Notice verse 34 says, “Believing in God with all his house.”

From the above Scriptures we learn two very important truths. First, we learn that the Bible does not teach the baptism of babies or small children since they are not believers. Second we learn that once a person becomes a believer, he should then unite with a local church and follow the Lord in believer’s baptism. From this short simple study we learn that neither the teaching of Pedo-baptism (baptizing babies), nor Baptismal-Regeneration (being saved by water baptism) are taught anywhere in the Scriptures, but rather, these teachings are contrary to the teaching of the Scriptures. ​

Those who teach baptismal regeneration lean heavily on Mark 16:15 for their proof text. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” A careful study of this verse reveals that it is the unbeliever who is damned, not the unbaptized.

In I Peter 3:21, the Word of God teaches that baptism is “the answer of a good conscience toward

God.”
Baptism is a person's answer to a call so to speak after being saved/born again/whatever you label it.​

Thanks for listening.​

 

[Aibrean]

TO note,

1. Acts 8:37 NU-Text and M-Text omit this verse. It is found in Western texts, including the Latin tradition.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Good to note that Aibrean....yet irrelevant IMHO, no offense.

Baptism is at once an act of obedience, identification and submission. It is an act of obedience to God and His Word (See Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:41). As such, it is "the answer of a good conscience toward God" (1 Pet. 3:20–21). It is an act of identification in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:3–5).
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]As such, it focuses upon His saving work and efficacious blood and so is a symbolic cleansing from sin (See Acts 22:16). It is an act of submission to the "Name" of the Lord Jesus, i.e., a public acknowledgment of His Lordship over the life (Acts 2:38).
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[wildboar]

NoRapturebaptist:

Despite what anyone's tradition may say about baptism, the Scriptures never that baptism is an act of obedience. Through baptism we receive the benefits of Christ's death and resurrection which is what Romans 6 says. The passage you cited Acts 2:38 does not say that baptism is an act of obedience. What it does say is that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins.

We find numerous passages that speak of baptism as more inclusive than circumcision(for example, women receive it as well as men). We don't find any that make it more exclusive. If I were an adult Gentile in Old Testament times and wanted to become a Jew, I would have to express some type of belief and then I would be circumcised and so would any males in the rest of my household including any chilren and slaves. This is exactly the situation we find in the New Testament in regards to baptism. They are all household baptisms with the exception of those who did not have households (Jesus, Paul and the Ethiopian Eunuch). If you read the next verse in the Acts 2 passage you would have found that the passage says:

Acts 2:38Peter said to them, "(AY)Repent, and each of you be (AZ)baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39"For (BA)the promise is for you and your children and for all who are (BB)far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself."

Which is language very similar to the language used for circumcision in the Old Testament.

 

[Daave220]

I'm surprised no one said John 3:16... it doesn't say "For God so loved the world that whosoever believe in him and is baptized shall not parrish but have ever lasting life."

I feel like if someone's parents believe in believer baptism and that person is never baptized even into his late teen years and he's in a car with some friends who were bapitzed as babies and a drunk driver hits the car and they all die... is God gonna take the one who was not baptized and follows Christ's will the best he can or the kids that were baptized as babies and haven't read a word in the bible, gone to church since they were 10 yrs old, dont pray, or do anything for Christ?

 

[Aibrean]

Dave, it does elsewhere in the bible.

Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Baptism is necessary, but not absolutely necessary.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

double post sorry.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Dave, it does elsewhere in the bible.

Mark 16:16
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Baptism is necessary, but not absolutely necessary.

We all agree that baptism is a good thing here. Necessity? I don't think it is...BUT it is commanded to us by the Lord. I believe Mark was also telling his predominantely Jewish audience that baptism is important for sure. This shows that Mark was basically saying that believer's should indeed be baptized, but you won't be condemned if you aren't. The unbeliever is condemned regardless.

 

[wildboar]

I'm surprised no one said John 3:16... it doesn't say "For God so loved the world that whosoever believe in him and is baptized shall not parrish but have ever lasting life."

I feel like if someone's parents believe in believer baptism and that person is never baptized even into his late teen years and he's in a car with some friends who were bapitzed as babies and a drunk driver hits the car and they all die... is God gonna take the one who was not baptized and follows Christ's will the best he can or the kids that were baptized as babies and haven't read a word in the bible, gone to church since they were 10 yrs old, dont pray, or do anything for Christ?

Verse divisions are man-made and although they are helpful in locating passages I believe they do more harm than good. John 3:16 is not a sentence that should just be ripped from its context. In John 3 we read:

1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.[a] 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but[b] have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

In the passage Jesus says that a person cannot see the kingdom/reign of God unless they have been born again/from above. Nicodemous doesn't understand how this is possible and so Jesus explains in verse 5 that a person must be born of water and of the Spirit. Despite modern attempts to say that the water is speaking of physical birth (as if Jesus were saying that you had to experience a natural birth) the context determines that Jesus is speaking of baptism where water is joined with the Word. In chapter 2 the Gospel of John was speaking about baptism.

God uses baptism just as He uses the preaching of the Word to work faith in our hearts. In His Word God says that baptism, the Lord's Supper, and the preaching of the Word are all for forgiveness of sins.

An unbaptized Christian at the time of the Apostles would have simply been unthinkable. There may have been rare instances where a person was killed prior to receiving baptism but this was an extraordinary event and shouldn't be used as an excuse to delay baptism.

Also baptism is not magic. People do fall away from the faith. As for the kids in the car. It's not about what these kids did for Jesus (we can't do anything for Him, He did it all for us). I would leave the matter in God's hands but they all seem to have been showing a lack of faith. The one refused to receive baptism despite his claims to be a Christian and demonstrated unbelief. The other demonstrated unbelief by refusing to receive the preaching of the Word.

 

[Daave220]

Sorry to take so long to write back. You all make good points, and yes you are right about the John 3:16... I did not read around it and you make a good point there.

I do think someone made a mistake that Matthew is written to the Jews (especailly because of Matthew Ch 1) and I always heard that Mark wrote to Rome in his Gospel.

And my number one reason for delaying is because of my father, he (who once was a believer now isn't) didn't think I was ready to change when I know it's the Holy Spirit that changes us but he wanted me to wait. So I wanted to wait because in (I think) Galatians or Ephesians (or somewhere else I can't remember) where Paul list "Disobedience to Parents" up there with stealing and other crimes of such. He list many offenses that make God upset and that was up there with them.

I should be getting Baptized in a creek near my house in the next month into the Christian Church as a whole.