The Sacredness of Baptism
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7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” 13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan, coming to John to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have the need to be baptized by You, and yet You are coming to me?” 15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 After He was baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and settling on Him, 17 and behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
The Meaning of Baptism
The Meaning of Baptism
Literal translation: To plunge, dip, immerse into a liquid (Water, Dye)
It is an event of important significance. This event for Old Testament saints was considered an act of purification for as seen in
Matthew 3:7–11 “7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance; 9 and do not assume that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you that God is able, from these stones, to raise up children for Abraham. 10 And the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit is being cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Thus, the act of repentance was an outward act of consecration to the Sovereign Lord God in accordance to His laws. However, we see from our text John The Baptist was declaring his role in commanding repentance, but preparing for the prophesied messiah who is coming. And when the messiah comes he will have a baptism that is different from an immersion into water alone, but an act of the Holy Spirit and fire (Purification, Seals)
Ephesians 1:13 “13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,”
So, what is Baptism?
An act of public declaration that a personal regenerative work of the Holy Spirit which leads to conversion. This act of the Holy Spirit that seals the believer and baptizes them with fire into fellowship with Christ (Eph 1:13b). With this new awareness and nature we are commanded to participate in an act of obedience to God’s mandate and apostolic instruction to repeat and be baptized (Matt 28:19; Acts 2:38). This act symbolizes an inward change through an outward deed. It expresses our uniting with Christ through HIs death, burial and resurrection by faith. This act symbolized through immersion into water in the authority of Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:3–4 “3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.”
Matthew 28:19 “19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”
What does this mean?
The process of Baptism is Two-Fold.
By Fire which is an act of the Holy Spirit prior to immersion. This takes place during regeneration followed by authentic repentance and confession of faith in Christ Jesus.
By Immersion, which is an act of the new convert as their first act of obedience. It is the outward declaration to the body of Christ. This is a visual testimony of faith of our death, burial and resurrection.
The process of salvation can take place without baptism taking place. Because salvation is an act of God for humanity, regeneration and repentance is what is necessary for eternal security.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other responded, and rebuking him, said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our crimes; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
19 And He did not let him, but He said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
39 Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”
These accounts and many throughout history proves that baptism by immersion isn’t what saves us. It is our faith in Christ. However, it is command to be an completed upon confession of faith as soon as possible.
Multiple arguments
Multiple arguments
Baptism by immersion can save you (Not true)
Infant Baptist (Denominational argument)
Sprinkling (Historical reasons)
Household salvation (Credit vs Faith alone) E.I. Crispus and entire household
Acts 18:8 “8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord together with his entire household; and many of the Corinthians, as they listened to Paul, were believing and being baptized.”
Second work of grace: Additional acts beyond confession of faith and complete baptism experience accompanied with the evidence of speaking tongues. (NOT BIBLICAL)
Acts 2:5–8 “5 Now there were Jews residing in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together and they were bewildered, because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?”
origins
Genesis 11:5–9 “5 Now the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the men had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they have started to do, and now nothing which they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth; and they stopped building the city. 9 Therefore it was named Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.”
Motivation
Motivation
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”38 And he ordered that the chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Heard message with led to repentance
Holy Spirit regenerative work
Conviction and motivation to change by faith
Baptism through immersion
United with other believers who’s made the choice of Christ Jesus as Lord
Testimony through the demonstration of a regenerate heart
Symbolic declaration for all to witness
Its a story that can be shared how grace and mercy was given to me
God is glorified through the two-fold process of baptism
God shows up
God endorses us from heaven as his children
