Many people teach that baptism is not necessary. There has been much
study given of late as to what the Bible says about it.
  I. There are many baptisms spoken of in the Bible.
   1. There is the baptism of the Isrealites unto Moses. (I Cor. 10:1-4)
This was an immersion because there were walls of water on each side
of them and a cloud over their heads.
   2. Jesus speaks of the baptism of suffering that he underwent in his
death on the cross. (Mat. 20:20-28)
   3. The baptism of John was a baptism in water, unto repentance, and
for the remission of sins. (Mat. 3:5,6; 3:11; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3)
   4. The baptism of the Holy Spirit which Christ administered. 
(Mat. 3:11,12; John 1:33)
   5. The baptism of fire. (Mat. 3:11,12)
   6. The baptism of the Great Commission. (Mat. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15,16)
 
 II. The question could well be asked which baptism is for us. Ephesians
4:5 teaches that there is "one baptism." Which is the one baptism for
us today?
   1 .It is not the baptism unto Moses because ours is into Christ.
(Gal. 3:27)
   2. It is not the baptism of suffering for it is not commanded for us 
to die on a Roman cross.
   3. It is not the baptism of John because when that of Christ came unto
effect, that of John was no longer valid. The twelve men of Ephesus were
baptized unto the name of the Lord.(Acts 19:1-5)
   4. It is not the Holy Spirit baptism because it is not a command of
the gospel and it was promised to the apostles. (Acts 1:1-5) They recieved
it on Pentecost day. (Acts 2:4) The only other like outpouring was that
on Cornelius' household. (Acts 10:44,45; 11:15-17)
   5. It is not the baptism of fire. This will come at judgement day when
condemned people will be cast into the lake of fire. (Mat. 3:12; Rev. 21:8)
   6. The one baptism for us is that of the Great Commission. It is given
by Christ after his resurrection from the dead when he had been given
all authority. (Mat. 28:18,19) It is commanded teach and baptize them 
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. (Mat. 28:19)
It is necessary to salvation. (Mk. 16:16) It lasts to the end of the
world. (Mat. 28:20)
III. Of what does Bible baptism consist?
   1. It consists of a going to the water, a going down into the water,
and a coming up out of the water. (Acts 8:36-38)
   2. It is a burial. (Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12)
   3. The word in Greek is "Baptizo" and means to "immerse, dip, plunge
beneath." The word for sprinkling is "rantizo" and the word for pouring
is "keo" and they are never used when describing baptism. Sprinkling
and pouring are not baptism.
 IV. Why be baptized?
   1. For the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38) "For" here means the same as in
Matthew 26:28 where Jesus said his blood was shed for "the remission of sins"
He shed his blood in order that people could have remission of sins and we are
to repent and be baptized in order to have the remission of sins.
   2. Every time that salvation and baptism are mentioned in the same
scripture, there is first the command to be baptized and then the promise
of salvation. (Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3; Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:28; 22:16; I Pet. 3:21)
   3. Mark 16:16 is a complex declarative sentence. "He" is the subject,
and "shall be saved" is the predicate. Now who is the "he" that "shall
be saved?" It is the "He that believeth and is baptized." This shows beyond
a doubt that Christ's baptism is necessary to salvation.
   4. Baptism is necessary to get into Christ. (Gal. 3:27)
   5. We are baptized into the death of Christ where he shed his precious
blood. (Rom. 6:3) There we have the benefits of his blood. 
   6. Baptism puts us into the church. (I Cor. 12:13) The church is the kingdom
that will be delivered to God at the coming of Christ. (I Cor. 15:24-28)
   7. We need to be baptized to get ready for the resurrection which will
take place when Christ comes. (I Cor. 15:29)
   8. Baptism is essential in the new birth of John 3:5, which is of water
and the Spirit. The Spirit directs us through the word. The only command
where water is necessary is the command of baptism.
These eight reasons are enough to show all men of their need of Bible baptism.
  V. We need Bible baptism, not denominational baptism.
   1. Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics, and others baptize by sprinkling
and pouring which is not Bible baptism. Those having the wrong mode
still need Bible baptism.
   2. Baptists and some other denominations immerse but it is still not
Bible baptism because:
     A. They believe thatone is saved by faith alone and then baptized
        later. Bible baptism is necessary to salvation. (Mk. 16:16)
     B. They ask people to confess "God for Christ's sake has pardoned
        my sins" before baptism when those receiving Bible baptism 
        confessed faith in Christ as God's son before baptism. (Acts 8:37)
     C. Their baptism puts one into a human denomination instead of into
        Christ's church.
   3. Denominational baptism is not Bible baptism because: A. it is upon
the wrong faith: B. it is upon the wrong confession C. it is into the
wrong institutions.
WILL YOU RECEIVE BIBLE BAPTISM? FOR INFORMATION CONTACT THE CHURCH OF
CHRIST NEAREST YOU.
   
 

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