My New Commitment

How to Follow Christ Through Baptism

1. Who are the ones that should be baptized?

What is the New Testament criterion for participating in baptism?

Acts 2:38–41 CSB

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!” 41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

Repentance

Acts 8:12–13 (CSB)

12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.

Believe in salvation

Acts 8:30–39 (CSB)

30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken from the earth. 34 The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?” 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture. 36 As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing.

Seek & believe

Acts 16:14–15 (CSB)

14 A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household were baptized, she urged us, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.

Opening your heart

Acts 16:29–34 (CSB)

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him along with everyone in his house. 33 He took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds. Right away he and all his family were baptized. 34 He brought them into his house, set a meal before them, and rejoiced because he had come to believe in God with his entire household.

Belief

Acts 18:8 (CSB)

8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, along with his whole household. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized.

Belief

Acts 19:4–5 (CSB)

4 Paul said, “John baptized with a baptism of repentance, telling the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

Hear and Belief

2. When should a person be baptized?

Immediately upon believing.

3. In lesson one, “My New Security in Christ”, you discovered that a person becomes a Christian…

❑ Through personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross.

4. How does this influence your view on baptism?

Baptism is the next step after making a faith commitment.

5. Baptism is a symbolic reminder of our faith commitment.

a. What did Joshua use to remind God’s people of their faith commitment? See...

Joshua 24:23–27 (CSB)

23 “Then get rid of the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” 24 So the people said to Joshua, “We will worship the Lord our God and obey him.” 25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people at Shechem and established a statute and ordinance for them. 26 Joshua recorded these things in the book of the law of God; he also took a large stone and set it up there under the oak at the sanctuary of the Lord. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.”

A large stone under a tree.

b. What symbol or picture did Paul use to remind God’s people of their faith commitment? See...

Romans 6:1–4 (CSB)

1 What should we say then? Should we continue in sin so that grace may multiply? 2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

Baptism

6. Baptism reminds us of our new…

a. Union with Christ. See...

Romans 6:3–5 (CSB)

3 Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection.

b.New life as a Christian. See...

Romans 6:4 (CSB)

4 Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

7. What should motivate a person to be baptized?

a. Obedience in Christ command. See...

Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV)

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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

b. Jesus example, his own baptism. See…

Matthew 3:13–16 (ESV)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

8. Why should I be baptized by immersion?

a. Because Jesus was baptized that way. See...

Matthew 3:16 (ESV)

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

b. Because the word “baptize” literally means “Immerse”.

The English word “baptize” is a transliteration of the Greek word “baptizo”, which translated means “to dip under” or to immerse”.

c. It best symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as proclaimed by many denominational founders and leaders.

Martin Luther… “I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imparts and the mystery signifies.”

John Calvin… “The word ‘baptize’ signifies to me to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church.”

John Wesley… “Buried with Him, alluding to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church.”

9. What is a confession of faith?

My testimony of belief.

10. Take some time to finish this sentence and discuss it with your discipler. During this lesson I felt…

❑ frustrated ❑ confused ❑ enlightened ❑ challenged

11. Explain why you feel this way.