Water Ways: Purposes Of Baptism

1. Baptism of Paul Harvey – Conservative Radio Broadcaster – “Now you know the rest of the story.”

In Guideposts magazine, Paul Harvey wrote about his baptism. “The preacher had said there was nothing magic in the water. Yet as I descended into its depths and rose again, I knew something life-changing had happened, a cleansing inside out. No longer did there seem to be two uncertain, contradictory Paul Harveys; just one immensely happy one. I felt a fulfilling surge of the Holy Spirit and afterward I cried like a baby. The change this simple act has made in my life is so immense as to be indescribable.” As the old song says, “He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.”

2. Baptism, oddly enough, is controversial even though ordained by Jesus – Matthew 28:18-20

a. Not here to bash others with a different view

b. I hope God is gracious to people who don’t clearly understand baptism but practice it

c. I do want to see what the Bible says about it rather than just what I think about it

3. Baptism/water has always been part of God’s will

a. Creation – Genesis 1:9 gathering of waters (“qavah” same root as “Mikveh” place of ceremonial washings)

b. Noah’s Flood – 1 Peter 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

c. Moses – 1 Corinthians 10:2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

d. John the Baptist

e. Jesus

f. Among the Elementary Teachings – Hebrews 6:1-2

4. Consider SOME Aspects of Baptism

I. The Word – Baptizo = to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge

A. A “Made Up” Word –

1. Translators feared for their safety in translating as immerse

2. William Tyndale – burned at the stake for translating the Bible into English in 1536

3. Sprinkling of water became the standard in AD 1311

B. Practiced by Jewish People for Centuries (Exodus 19:10-11; Leviticus 8:6-9; 14:8-9)

1. Living Water – lake, spring, sea, rain water caught in cistern (provided by God)

2. Self-immersion in Mikveh (gathering of water) – Many at temple mount (Acts 2)

C. Practiced in the NT Also

II. The Ways of Baptism

A. The Way IN – Galatians 3:26-27

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

1. Salvation is “IN Christ” – baptism begins with faith and is the way IN

2. Naaman – 2 Kings 5

3. Involves the Forgiveness of sins – Acts 2:38

4. 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.

5. No “sinner’s prayer” – Note Acts 2:21 (cf. Joel 2:32); Acts 22:16 (cf. 9:18b Then he rose and was baptized;)

B. The Way DOWN and UP – Romans 6:1-4

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

1. Death and Burial

2. Reenactment of Gospel and our newness of life

3. Resurrection to New Life – NOW and Later

C. The Way WITHIN – 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.

1. Gift of HS = Salvation or the Spirit Himself

2. Within Us – Galatians 4:6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

D. The Way OUT – For ALL People – Jews and Non-Jews – Matthew 28:19 (ALL nations)

1. Every detailed account of conversion in Acts includes Baptism

a. Pentecost Acts 2:38-41

b. Samaritans Acts 8:12-13

c. Eunuch Acts 8:38

d. Saul Acts 9:18

e. Cornelius Acts 10:48

f. Jailer Acts 16:33

g. Lydia Acts 16:15

h. Ephesus (Baptism of John only) Acts 19:5

2. Alexander Campbell thought that the KJV was obsolete because of the changes in the English language. So, he began working on his translation of the NT (Living Oracles, 1826). When he got to the word, “Baptize” he discovered it meant IMMERSE. He was distressed because he had only been sprinkled as a child. He immediately found a friend who was a Baptist preacher and had him immerse him in a nearby river. Here is an important principle: When we discover a truth we should follow through with it.

3. This is an important quality –

a. Hear God and DO what he says.

b. Hinges on whether we love God with all our hearts, souls and might