Baptism

Introduction: Baptism is an important part of the Christian religion. In just my library on my computer the word appears over 28,000 times. It is not hard to understand, but there is still a lot of argument about baptism. In fact, churches have split over baptism. Let me just ask three questions of the Bible text concerning baptism.

I. Why?

A. For salvation

1. Acts 2.38

2. Galatians 3.27 Put on Christ

3. Acts 22.16

4. I Peter 3.21

5. Mark 16.15-16

B. To imitate Jesus Follow His example

1. Matthew 3:13-17 To fulfill all righteousness

2. Mark 1.9

3. Luke 3:21-22

C. To become a part of the church, body, family of God 1 Corinthians 12.13

D. Jesus commanded it Matthew 28.18-20

II. How? Immersion

A. Definition of word

1. βαπτίζω (from: βάπτω: to dip an object in a liquid): to dip, immerse

2. βαπτίζω occurs in the sense of “to immerse” from the time of Hippocrates (469–399 B.C.), in Plato and especially in later writers: βαπτίζειν τὸ σκάφος, “to sink the ship,” (Josephus)

B. Examples

1. Acts 8.26-40 they came up out of the water

2. Romans 6.3-4; Colossians 2.12 buried

III. When?

A. Acts 9.18 Saul - Paul

B. Acts 16.20 - 35 Jailor At the same hour of the night

B. In every Bible example of baptism it was done as soon as the people came to faith

C. If I believe and repent of my sins, but die before baptism, will I be lost? That question can only be answered by God. I recommend that a person be baptized as soon as possible after repentance.

Conclusion: We in Churches of Christ are trying to follow the Bible only. We don’t always agree on every little detail, but we love each other as fellow disciples of Jesus, as people seeking God’s will from Scripture. We believe the Bible is God’s book and we want to follow it. We would love to have you join us.