The 5 Things You Should Know About Baptism

Rudy was a good guy but he did the bare minimum with hygiene. Ladies, would you date fellas with bad hygiene? Could you ride around in the car with windows up on a hot summer day?

-Doing the bare minimum in important areas isn't just bad for us; it’s bad for those around us.

We all know the bare minimum of salvation.

Romans 4:5

And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Titus 3:5

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

John 3:16

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

But remember—doing the bare minimum in important areas isn’t just bad for us; it’s bad for those around us.

4 Things We Need to Know about Baptism; 1. You must be saved. 2. Baptism is good discipleship.

3. Baptism is a set of specific practices to be observed. 4. What happens in baptism?

1. You must be saved

a. This point in itself assumes salvation is a separate event from baptism

i. Account of Cornelius’ Household-Acts 10:34-48; 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

ii. Account of the Thief on the Cross [Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27-28,32, Luke 23:33-43, John 19:18]

Luke 23:42-43

42 And he said, “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.”

b. What about these verses?

i. John 3:5-8

5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

ii. Mark 16:15-17

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

iii. Acts 2:38

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.

2. Baptism is good discipleship

a. Almost every opportunity for salvation included an opportunity for baptism

i. Multiple times in the Book of Acts and the Gospels; excluding the Repentant Thief.

b. Jesus commanded baptism

i. Mark 16:15-17

3. Baptism is a set of specific practices to be observed

a. It is a public ceremony

i. Baptisms were not held secret. In the Book of Acts; not hidden even though the person would be in danger of social ostracized or death.

b. Water- Acts 10:47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

i. Immersion vs. Sprinkle. Baptizo does not mean fully immersed. Luke 11:38; wash.

ii. Speculated that perhaps The Household of Cornelius (Acts 10:47-48), and The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:29-34) were not fully immersed.

c. Baptizer and candidate for baptism

i. Baptizer does not have to be a minister or ordained. Any disciple of Christ and saved person can practice baptism.

ii. Infant- Speculated that the Household of Cornelius (Acts 10:47-48), and The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:29-34) had infants in them.

d. Dedication to God

i. Father, Son and Holy Spirit-Matthew 28:19-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,

1. Father --John 14:7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

2. Son-- John 1:49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

3. Holy Spirit-- Luke 4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness; Colossians 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

4. Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

ii. In the Name of Jesus

1. Acts 2:38 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.