What Scripture Teaches the correct way to be Baptized?

Thesis/ Central Idea:

Learn to make the Bible your guide for life, and it will direct your steps.

Introduction:

The reason we do and say the things we do and say as Christians is because we believe as true, certain teachings (doctrines) concerning our faith.

For example:

How we worship God.

How we feel about death and life after death.

What motivates our effort to control our various human impulses, etc.

These are based squarely on the instructions or "doctrines" we believe come from God contained in the Bible.

Many times, however, we tend to deal more with the end result (actions/habits/attitudes) created by doctrine than the actual doctrine itself.

This class is given in order to obtain answers to questions we ourselves and others pose so we can determine how we should live.

Before we begin to examine these 34 questions you have posed. I would like to mention several reasons why such a study is important.

In looking at your questions, there were a total of 34

14 Questions begin with: Who; What; When; Where; Why; and How

There are 9 questions beginning with Can, Do, Should

This let’s me know that we need to start with...

2 Peter 1:3–4 (ESV)

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Worldly responses to life are corruption because of sinful desire.

We need to resolve in our minds as a matter of reference and action that scripture should direct our steps.

Psalm 119:105 ESV

105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

What does that mean to you?

When do you consult, or are confronted by scripture?

Never

Only on Sundays

Only when you are in trouble

Other

So let’s take a look at reasons why your answer should be “Other”

Jesus Commanded It

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.”

Jesus says that part of the process of making disciples is to teach them the words of Christ and encourage them to obey them.

When studying the Bible we can understand God's purpose in sending Christ and Christ's purpose in sending the Apostles.

As we study scripture we get the answers to Life and Godliness.

another reason to study is...

There is Much False Teaching

There were many early warnings that the method Satan would use to subdue the church and the world was through the teaching of false doctrine.

Romans 16:17–18 (ESV)

17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

There were many who purposefully taught false things to confuse or trap the brethren.

Test the spirits.

How are we to "test" if we do not know?

1 John 4:1 (ESV)

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV)

3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,

People often want to hear what pleases them, instead of the truth.

2 Timothy 2:16–18 (ESV)

16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.

False teachers spread false information about existing facts in order to produce confusion.

Acts 20:28–30 ESV

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Even church leaders will be guilty of this sin, by ignorance or malice.

We need to study the teachings of the bible so we can know the difference between correct doctrine and false doctrine.

Jesus said that the best way to examine teaching is to compare it to His own words because it will be His word that will judge in the end.

John 12:48 (ESV)

48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

False Doctrine Causes Problems

It divided the church

1 Timothy 6:3–5 (ESV)

3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

People will align with different teachers and there will be fighting among the brethren over false teaching

We some of the characteristics of false doctrine: in vv4-5

Later we will see some of the characteristics of true doctrine.

It makes prisoners of false ideas

Galatians 2:4 (ESV)

4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery

freedom = liberty in some versions

slavery = bondage in some versions

Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

human tradition = worldly tradition

2 Timothy 3:6–7 (ESV)

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.

In each instance Paul refers to Christians who are made slaves of some form of religious tradition, authority or practice that is based on false teaching, and whose only purpose is to enslave those Christians and otherwise who may not know the truth.

Knowing the truth, knowing correct doctrine makes you free and protects your soul from division caused by false teachers and worldly gain.

Results of Correct Doctrine

There are not only negative reasons for studying doctrine/the Bible, there are also great benefits that come from knowing the major doctrines of the Bible.

Correct doctrine leads to salvation

2 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV)

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

You cannot be saved properly without knowing the true and correct doctrine about salvation.

Equips one to serve God

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

We are saved so we can serve the living God, and correct doctrine teaches us how to please and serve Him.

Transforms us into the image of Christ

1 Timothy 1:5 ESV

5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Knowing the words of Christ and sowing them correctly into our hearts will produce a Christ-like heart, a Christian character, a change that will honor God and provide true witness to others.

Without true doctrine we cannot know God, come to Christ or be sure of our salvation.

What Scripture Teaches the Correct way to be Baptized?

Short answer: All of Them

By studying the bible you will know and come to understand what Baptism is.

The Baptism that saves.

Let’s consider:

Mark 16:16 (ESV)

16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Now if we are talking about the form of how one is baptized there are different ones:

rhan-ti-zo = to sprinkle

there are 4 occurences in the ESV in the NT

ekc-heo = pour(s); poured; pouring

there are 30 occurences in the ESV in the NT

bap-ti-zo = baptize(d)(s)(ing)

there are 77 occurences in the ESV in the NT

Now when we are discussing this idea of the correct baptism I’ll assume we are discussing the baptism that saves.

Not all baptisms save

for instance:

When one is Baptized he is either

empowered or indwelt

Baptism Correct Doctrine

Many times we teach about baptism and we focus mainly on how to do it properly and that it should be performed immediately at belief.

We ought to do better in seeing where baptism fits into the overall picture and context of Christian teaching.

We should be able to understand the "what" of baptism (what it is) and the why, for this action.

In essence, baptism is the historical moment when we receive the benefits derived from God's Plan of Salvation.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus' historical expression of love was made at the cross (John 3:16). We can pinpoint the day, date, hour of this event.

Our historical expression of faith is baptism (Mark 16:16), the expression of faith we make in response to God's offer of rescue and reconciliation.

Ephesians 4:5 ESV

5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

In Ephesians 4:5, Paul says that there is only one baptism, and this was taught for two important reasons:

1. To distinguish Jesus' baptism from others

In Paul's day there were many types of baptisms being practiced:

pagan admission rites, Jewish purification with water, the baptism of John the Baptist.

Because of this Paul wanted to impress upon them that only one baptismal/water ritual now counted with God, and that was the immersion in water of repentant believers in relation to Christ and no other.

Someone might ask, "What about Holy Spirit baptism?"

The Apostles received this at Pentecost.

Acts 2:1–3 ESV

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

The sign for this was the tongues of fire that appeared over them (Acts 2:1-3).

Acts 2:38 ESV

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

We receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at water baptism (Acts 2:38), and once we have experienced this, there is no other baptism left to administer.

2. To establish its importance

In every passage dealing with baptism, it is always associated with salvation.

There was only one Lord, one faith, and one baptism and these three were tied to the salvation offered by God (as the summary of all things produced by God's reconciliation).

When we talk about baptism, we are talking about an interchangeable word that can be used for salvation.

The word salvation includes everything we have discussed concerning man's reconciliation.

The word and action of baptism embodies all of these same things in actual historical fact and not just in religious theory.

When a person is baptized, that person receives in actual fact, not just in theory:

Christ's elect status as a chosen one of God, explained in the doctrine of election.

They are subject to God's promise of salvation outlined in the doctrine of predestination.

They receive payment for their personal sins as the doctrine of atonement explains.

They are actually set free from the judgment and condemnation they were under as the doctrine of redemption explains.

They begin to experience the new life given to them by God and detailed in the doctrine of regeneration.

They actually can call on God as their Father and not before, as the doctrine of adoption says.

These people are now truly and forever innocent and acceptable to God as the doctrine of justification says.

Baptized people are now, in reality, considered perfect in God's eyes as the doctrine of perfection teaches.

These believers now live a new and different life with a new and different purpose as the doctrine of sanctification outlines.

And finally, those who believe and are baptized can say with confidence, without pride or judgment, that they are the saved because that is what the doctrine/ teaching of salvation teaches.

10 scriptures and their ideal showing how one moves to salvation by being baptized

Here are 10 conversions recorded in Acts