Christian Baptism

Water baptism was commanded, preached and practiced throughout the new testament. It began with the baptism of John and continued into the church age. The Greek word baptizo means to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet) used only in the new testament of ceremonial ablution. Following are a few of the scriptures concerning water baptism.


Matt 28:19

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:


Mark 16:15-16

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.


Luke 24:47

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.


The great commission tells us to:

We know that John baptized with water.


Mark 1:8a        I indeed have baptized you with water

Mark 1:4          John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the
                         remission of sins
Matt 3:11         I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance
John 3:23        And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and
                         they came and were baptized.
Acts 1:5a         For John truly baptized with water;

 

 

Jesus was baptized of John

Matt 3:16         And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water
Luke 3:21        Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized...

The disciples of Jesus baptized during Jesus’ earthly ministry

John 4:1          When therefore the Lord Knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized
                         more disciples than John,
John 4:2          (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

Why baptism?

Rom 6:3         Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his
                        death?

Rom 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.
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.
Gal 3:27         For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ

 

 

Therefore by submitting to Christian baptism we are being a doer of the word (James 1:22) and symbolically being buried with him and raised again to newness of life. In effect putting on Christ.

Peter preached baptism!

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

This is the Altar call. Peter had just preached the first sermon of the church. The crowd answered “Men and Brethren, what shall we do” Peter answered their call with Acts 2:38-39 Repent Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Luke 24:47) and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Greek word for remission is Aphesis (af-es-is) which means freedom, pardon, deliverance. Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus we have freedom, pardon and deliverance. He has set the captives free.

Now Peter had just spent 3 1/2 years with Jesus. He was there when the Lord spoke the words of what we call the great commission. So either Peter did not understand what the Lord was saying or we don’t.

Acts 2:41        Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added
                         unto them about three thousand souls.

Philip preached baptism in Samaria!

Acts 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.

Acts 8:16       (For as yet he (the Holy Ghost) was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in
                      the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Philip preached baptism to the eunuch!

Acts 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?

Acts 8:38        And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both
                        Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Paul was baptized

Acts 9:18       And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight
                        forthwith, and arose and was baptized.

Acts 22:15-16 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now
                       why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins calling on the name of
                     the Lord.

Cornelius was baptized

Acts 10:47-48a  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the
                        Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
                      Lord.

After Cornelius and his household received the baptism of the Holy Ghost they were commanded to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

Lydia and her household was baptized

Acts 16:15   And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us...

The Philippian jailer was baptized

Acts 16:33    And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized,
                       he and all his straightway.

No time was wasted here, that same hour (midnight) the jailer and his household were baptized.

The Corinthians

Acts 18:8      And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and
                       many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized

The disciples of Apollos were baptized at Ephesus

Acts 19:2-6   He (Paul) said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said
                       unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto
                       them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul,
                       John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should
                       believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they
                     were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

These men, about 12 of them had received the baptism of John, however, Paul re-baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus. After water baptism, Paul laid his hands on them and they received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 19:6)

Paul corrected the divisions of the Corinthians

1 Cor 10        Now I beseech you, brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the
                      same thing

                       That there be no divisions among you
                       but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.

vs 11b            that there are contentions among you
vs 12              Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos: and I of Cephas; and I
                       of Christ
vs 13              Is Christ divided?
                      Was Paul crucified for you?
                       or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
vs 14              I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius
vs 15             Lest any should say that I baptized in mine own name

 

 

Paul was not crucified for us, Jesus was, we are not to be baptized in Paul’s name but in the name of Jesus.

We know that the scriptures declare two baptism: One of Water and One of Spirit.. Hebrews 6:2
Jesus discusses the two baptisms in John 3:3-6


Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (from above) he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Paul writing to Titus sum’s it up

Titus 3:5         Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us
                        by the washing of regeneration (bath of rebirth), and renewing of the Holy Ghost

In conclusion

Water baptism is commanded (Matt 28:19, Mark 16:16).

The early Church preached and practiced baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:47-48, 19:2-6 , 22:15-16).

There are no examples of baptism practiced or preached in the titles “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” and, if we are practicing that, then we are not practicing the Apostles Doctrine. 1 Cor 13:1 tells us that out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall every word be established. However, the 20th century church has made a doctrine out of one witness.

Other early writers

See I Hermas, Vision III vs 76

They are such as have heard the word, and were willing to be baptized in the name of the Lord, ...

See Barnabas Chapter 10 vs 1-15

vs 15    The signification of which is this: That we go down into the water full of sins and pollutions; but come up again bringing forth fruit; having in our hearts the fear and hope which is in Jesus by the Spirit.


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This page created on July 06, 1997
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Copyright © 1997, 2004 Sandy McIntosh All Rights Reserved.
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