Why We Do What We Do - Baptism

“Why we do what we do”

Baptism

By

Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING:- I am going to continue on “Why we do what we do” and explain a little more in detail about Baptism.

As you recall a few weeks ago I broke down Matthew 28:19 and compared it to Acts 2:38. In that breakdown I explained how in Matthew 28:19 we are given a command to teach and baptize in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost. I explained how (Name) is a intransitive verb that does not have a direct object and how of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost are prepositional phrases that give a description of the name but do not reveal the name of the one we are to baptize in. In Acts 2 Peter reveals the name of Jesus Christ as the one and only name we are to Baptize in. Paul comes a re-baptized those in Ephesus that had been baptized unto John baptism. Phillip baptized the Eunuch in the name of the Lord. Cornelius was baptized in the name of the Lord. I said we are baptized in the name of Jesus because of such scriptures as 2 Corinthians 5:21 which says “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God”. Acts 4:12 says “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. Baptism is a must in order to be saved.

There are those that teach that Baptism is not a requirement for being saved, but I promise you by the end of this lesson I will show you way it is a definitive requirement. I prayerfully will convince those that have been Baptized to re-evaluate their Baptism and if not desire to get re-baptized will look at the importance and significance in a new light.

Prelude:- I love golf, I like to play it and I love to watch it. I love to actually play it and then go home and watch how it is supposed to be played. One thing I noticed about golf is the interviews they have with the players after a round of golf. The interviewer will ask a question like “Why did you choose to use that club on this shot or why did you shoot that type of shot here”? the golfer will respond with an answer that says exactly why they did what they did and the reason behind it. What I am saying is they know why they do what they do.

Sadly many Christian are going through the motions without truly understanding why they do what they do. They often do it because of tradition, that’s the way mom and dad did it. Some do it because their friends are doing it. Some do it because it’s the in thing right now. Some do it because the preacher said to. However; I strongly believe that you need to know without a shadow of a doubt why we do what we do. In this day and time there is a lot of false teachers, false doctrines, and just plain blatant lies and you need to know why you do what you do. Paul said in Ephesians 4:14 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”.

Baptism:- 1). It must be understood that baptism is an outward proclamation of an inward conversion. In other words, baptism is a ceremonial act undertaken after a person accepts Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior. You proclaim by baptism that you have been changed on the inside and now are going to follow Jesus. This is key to understanding why we do what we do. Because you can’t see what has happened inside I am being baptized to show you what is going on inside me.

Baptism is a gospel ordinance commemorating the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. In baptism public testimony is given to the effect that the one baptized has been crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and is raised with Him to walk in newness of life. Only one mode of baptism can rightly represent these facts of experience, and that is immersion, - the mode followed by Christ and the early church.

Now that you know that baptism is an outward showing of what is actually taking place inside a person. Let’s find out more about Baptism and why we do what we do.

Understand that Baptism did not begin with John the Baptist, although he used it. The origins of baptism go back to the Book of Leviticus the 16th chapter when the priest were about to serve in the Tabernacle they had to cleanse themselves in water, it was form of baptism or purification.