Romans 6 Baptism

Romans 6 Baptism

On February 20, 1964, a baby boy was born, to a young scared military couple, in the naval air station in Jacksonville Florida. This baby was born prematurely. He was a blue baby. His lungs were not working right. His heart had issues. The doctors told his parents this child would not live 10 hours. He did, but still his mother was not allowed to see the baby for 3 days because the doctors were convinced he would die at any minute.

Both parents were Christians from their childhood. The mother came from a Methodist background. The father, a Presbyterian. The hospital chaplain came and asked the parents if they would like the baby to be baptized. They said yes, so he sprinkled their baby. Later the base chaplain came and asked a similar question. The parents again said yes, so the base chaplain sprinkled the baby. Later the mother’s pastor came by and he too sprinkled the baby.

As the Lord’s will was worked out, the baby lived. 2 years later the young family moved to Palatka, FL. where the dad was invited to church weekly by one of his customers, until he and his young family began attending Francis Baptist Church. It was in this church that the family’s now 6-year old son, came to faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized by immersion.

My question to you this morning, This young boy was baptized 4 times over a period of 6 years. “Which of that young boy’s baptisms stuck?”

Open your Bibles this morning and turn with me please to Romans chapter 6. Romans chapter 6.

- Read Romans 6:1-11

As we look at this passage this morning, look there again with me please at verse 3.

- Read Romans 6:3-4

Paul asked them a question here. He says, are you unaware of your baptism? Do you not know why you were baptized. Do you not know what it means? Do you not know what it stands for, what it indicates?

Sadly, many folks in our churches these days, many who have been baptized, have no idea what baptism indicates. They have no idea why they were baptized, or why it is important to be baptized. They have no idea if or when they should allow their children to be baptized.

So, this morning I would like to talk about baptism.

I. THE MEANS OF BAPTISM

Our church, and our denomination baptizes by immersion. we do this for primarily 3 reasons.

1. The meaning of the word.

The word baptize comes from the word “Baptizzo” which means to dip, or immerse. It was used to describe fabric that was immersed in dye to be colored. So, historically, the word translated as baptize means to dip or to immerse.

2. The examples in scripture

In almost every instance where we find the word baptize used in the New Testament, it appears to refer to someone who has been immersed.

In Matthew 3, where John the Baptist baptizes Jesus, it says that Jesus went down into the Jordan and that He came up out of the water. Acts 8:38 says that he went down into the water.

So, it appears that baptism by immersion was practiced by the early church.

3. The picture it portrays

It pictures the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior.

- Romans 6:3-4

Baptism is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. That is one of the reasons we believe in baptism by immersion.

When we are baptized it is also a picture of our death in Christ, and when we come up out of the water, it is a picture of the new life we live through Jesus Christ. Baptism by immersion most accurately depicts what has taken place when we follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Now, for these reasons and others, our church practices baptism by immersion. Does that mean we do not, or cannot fellowship with believers who believe differently than we do? No. The means of baptism is something we hold to as a group of believers, but it does not define who is saved and who is not.

We will fellowship with and work with other churches and other Christians who believe differently than we do in this area.

I have family who are and have been practicing Presbyterians who baptize differently than we do. I have friends and family who are active in the Methodist church, who believe differently in this area than we do. That does not mean we cannot work with them, it simply means that as a group of believers, we believe differently in this area than they do.

We have looked briefly at the means of baptism. Let’s look for a minute at the purpose of baptism.