LET THE BIBLE SPEAK ABOUT BAPTISM
By Mike Gurganus
Adapted from the tract, "Watered Down Baptism" By Allen Webster
INTRODUCTION:
1. When we "water something down," it is diluted, weakened, and made less potent.
a. In the old days taverns "watered-down" their drinks to make them go further.
b. You may have been in restaurants that did the same thing to ketchup for the same reason.
c. Some medicines are "watered-down" so they will not be too strong for children.
2. In religion, some things have been watered down. In a decadent age of loose morals, many religious teachers have "watered-down" the Gospel to make it more appealing to the vice-ridden self-indulgent. We are told:
a. "It's okay to drink, just don't get drunk."
b. "Dress provocatively, if you want, but don't go naked."
c. "Gamble if you like it, if it's for a good cause, or entertaining, just don't become addicted."
d. "Sex before marriage is acceptable, so long as it is between 'consenting adults' who intend to marry one day."
e. Thus homosexuality is blinked at, gambling sanctioned, immodesty defended, social drinking permitted, dancing promoted, and adulterers accepted without question
3. Doctrinal matters have not escaped being "watered down," either.
a. It is said that grace is not only unmerited (true), but unconditional (untrue).
b. Since culture has changed, women are not to be denied church leadership roles, we are told.
c. Instrumental music, once an innovation, is now offered an open invitation.
d. The Holy Spirit used to work only through the Word, but now moves in "mysterious ways"
e. Baptism, too, has been "watered down" in the religious world.
4. No one can deny the importance that the Bible places on baptism since the word occurs nearly one hundred times in various forms in the New Testament.
5. May we allow the Bible to speak about baptism and see that the Bible doctrine of baptism has been "watered down" in at least three ways.
Man Has Watered Down Baptism By Teaching That..
I. BAPTISM IS BY SPRINKLING AND POURING INSTEAD OF IMMERSION.
A. Some have watered down baptism by taking most of the water out!
B. In order to be able to obey God's command to be baptized, we must know what baptism is.
C. We may understand what baptism is by seeing what is required in baptism.
1. Water is required. Acts 10:47
2. Much water is required. John 3:23
3. Going unto the water. Acts 8:36
4. Going into the water. Acts 8:38
5. Coming up out of the water. Acts 8:38
6. A burial. Colossians 2:12
7. A resurrection. Romans 6:4
8. These requirements eliminate both sprinkling and pouring and leave only immersion as the method of baptism.
D. We may substitute "immersion" in passages that deal with baptism and it will fit. Not so with sprinkling and pouring.
1. Acts 8:36-39
2. Romans 6:4
3. Colossians 2:12
E. The only Biblical conclusion that may be drawn is that baptism is by immersion.
II. BAPTISM IS "TO SHOW THAT ONE HAS BEEN SAVED" INSTEAD OF TO SAVE.
A. Some have watered down baptism by denying its purpose. The Bible is clear on the purpose of baptism.
1. Baptism saves us. Mark 16:16; I Peter 3:21
2. Baptism removes our sins. Acts 2:38, 22:16
3. Baptism is the transition form living in sin to living in righteousness. Romans 6
4. Baptism places us into Christ. Galatians 3:27
a. Where salvation is. Acts 4:12
b. Where every single spiritual blessing is found. Ephesians 1:3
B. No where in the Bible does one read of a baptism to show the world that one has already been saved; however one does read in the Bible of people being baptized to be saved.
1. To the Jews on Pentecost, "Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins..." (Acts 2:38).
2. When did the Ethiopian rejoice (Acts 8:39)?-after he was baptized (Acts 8:38)
3. When did the Philippian jailer rejoice Acts 16:34?-after he was baptized.
4. Paul was told, "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins" (Acts 22:16).
C. The only Biblical conclusion that may be drawn is that one is baptized so that he can be saved.
III. BAPTISM IS TO "OBEY GOD" INSTEAD OF "FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS."
A. Some have watered down baptism by accepting into fellowship those who were not baptized teaching that baptism is simply to obey God and not for the remission of sins.
1. Their rationale.
a. That one who was baptized knew that he was doing so to "obey God," so that would be sufficient.
b. While it is good to want to obey God, one cannot "obey God" without understanding God's will.
1) Jesus said, "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God. Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me."(John 6:44,45).
2) The Biblical order in conversion is learning and then coming to God, not coming to God and then learning.
2. Every religious action in the New Testament has a spiritual meaning behind it.
a. There are no unnecessary rituals. One cannot misunderstand the meaning and still complete the action acceptably.
b. Take the Lord's Supper for instance. One cannot eat the bread just to "obey God" and not understand that it represents His Body and do so in a manner well pleasing to God (Matthew 26:28; I Corinthians 11:23-28).
3. Paul found some in Ephesus who had been baptized incorrectly.
a. Though they had been immersed, and had done so to "obey God," they were lacking in their understanding of the Holy Spirit and the coming of Christ (Acts 19:1-6).
b. When they learned that they did not properly understand baptism under the Great Commission, they were baptized again. Notice that since they were taught wrong, their baptism was wrong. No man can be taught wrong and baptized right.
B. Frequently in Bible studies, a sincere person who has learned what the Bible teaches about baptism will ask, "Do I need to be baptized again?" The answer lies in the answer to this question, "What did you understand when you were being baptized?"
1. Did you understand that Jesus was the Son of God? If not, you could not be baptized Scripturally (Acts 8:37,38).
2. Did you understand that baptism marked a change in lifestyle? I fit did not signify a break with the old world (repentance), then it could not be Scriptural (Acts 2:38).
3. Did you understand that in this act God would forgive you of your sins? If not, then the baptism could not have been Scriptural.
CONCLUSION:
1. The Bible has spoken. Baptism is by immersion to save by having their sins remitted.
2. Do not settle for watered down baptism. Get the real thing-your soul depends upon it.