HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR BAPTISM?
READING ACTS CH. 2 V 41-47.
(Preached By Ken Humphries)
 
  Introduction:
Now here in Acts chapter 2 we have the record of Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost. In v 41 we read.
”then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
You see, baptism is one of two ordinances delivered to the local New Testament church, the other being the Lord’s supper.
Now folks, there are two extremes amongst people concerning the ordinance of baptism.
1. There are those who greatly over emphasize it making it a requirement for salvation! That is called baptismal regeneration and is totally unscriptural.
2. Then there are those who totally ignore it deeming it non-essential. Those who believe the ordinance of baptism to be non-essential believe that at the time of salvation a person is baptized by the spirit into the body of Jesus Christ and that is good enough.
So in our message this morning we are going to examine a number of ideas surrounding baptism and endeavour to discover if it really is important. Or maybe it is just something certain church groups such as the Baptists have added. And if they added the ordinance of baptism simply to be different and distinctive from others!
But let me also add, if you are here today and do not believe as we do then please do not take offence. I most certainly will never button hole you about the issue, it is entirely a matter for your own self to consider and do with, as you believe God would have you do. You are answerable to your Heavenly Father as to how you accept or reject His word. Therefore if you are not baptized you are not a member of this house and neither the office bearers nor I have any rule over you. Please remember that scripture reminds us to obey them who have the rule over you!
1. Baptism and its Origination!
A. This is something that commenced with John the Baptist!
In Matthew 3 v 1-2. & v 6 we read.
”In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
V 6 “And were baptized of him in the Jordan, confessing their sins”
John was sent by God to baptize!
B. This is something that continued with the apostles!
The converts on the day of Pentecost were baptized. Acts 2 v 41.
The converts in the revival at Samaria were baptized. Acts 8 v 12.
The apostle Paul was baptized. Acts 9 v 18.
The Gentile converts were baptized. Acts 10 v 47-48.
In the book of the Acts all that embraced Christianity were baptized.
Throughout the epistles we find that the early churches practiced baptism.
C. This is something which is carried out by New Testament Baptist churches ever since!
2. Baptism and its Explanation!
I read the story of two little girls who went to grandmother’s church and witnessed their first baptismal service by immersion. When they returned home they were telling mom all about it. One of the girls said, “it was really neat mom. Grandma’s church has a swimming pool in it right under the
pulpit.” The other girl spoke up and said, “and the preacher got in there with another man, he held the man’s nose and said in the name of the father, the son, and in the hole you go!”
Now that is simply a child’s definition of a baptismal service!
And it has a funny side to it where children are concerned, but to those of us who are older God expects us to take a more serious view.
A. By Definition, Baptism means to Immerse!
The English word “baptize” is derived from an original greek word, “baptizo”, that both the Lord and his disciples used, which, means to dip fully, immerse, or plunge” only!
The Greeks had original words which meant “sprinkle” or “pour”, and the Lord and the apostles used those words, but never with reference to baptism.
In the more than the 50 times that the Lord and his apostles used the word “baptize” with reference to individuals, they never one time used any form of the Greek word which meant to sprinkle or pour upon. More than 50 times they used the word “baptizo” which meant immersion beneath water!
   
  B. By Declaration, Baptism means to Immerse!
It’s interesting, even non-Baptist scholars, in declaring the meaning of baptism, say that it means to immerse. A Roman Catholic by the name of Bellermine said, “ordinarily baptism is preformed by immersion, and that to represent the
burial of Christ.” (Disputations, vol.111, p 279.)
Bishop Bossuet, a French Catholic said, “to baptize signifies to plunge, as is granted by all the world.” (quoted by Booth, Pedobaptism examined, I, p 48.)
R. Wetham, a Catholic, in Annotationa on the New Testament said, “the word baptism signifies a washing, particularly when it is done by immersion, or by dipping, or plunging a thing under water which was formerly the ordinary way of administering the sacrament of baptism.” End quote!
Martin Luther, the founder of the Lutheran church, said, “first, the name baptism is Greek; in Latin it can be rendered immersion, when we immerse anything into water, that it may be all covered with water. And although that custom has now grown out of use with most persona (nor do they wholly submerge children, but only pour on a little water), yet they ought to be entirely immersed, and immediately drawn out. For this the etymology of the name seems to demand.” End quote!
J. J. Van Oosterzee, a Dutch Lutheran, said in practical theology, p 419: “history teaches that baptism at a very early period degenerated from its primitive simplicity. It was originally administered by immersion.”
Conybeare and Howson, who were Episcopalians, in their book, the life and epistles of Paul, said on Romans 6 v 3-4; “this passage cannot be understood unless it be borne in mind that the primitive baptism was by immersion.”
I thought this was quite humorous. H. H. Milman, also an Episcopalian, in history of Christianity, 111, p 317 said, “the danger of dipping in cold climates may be a very good reason for changing the form of baptism to sprinkling.”
John Calvan, the founder of the Presbyterian Church, in Institutes of the Christian religion, B. IV. ch 15, said concerning baptism by immersion, “the word baptize itself signifies immerse, and it is certain that the rite of immersion was observed by the ancient church.”
Adam Clarke, a Methodist, in commenting on Romans 6 v 4 said, “it is probable that the apostle here alludes to the mode of administering baptism by immersion, the whole body being put under water.”
Congregationalist, G. P. Fisher said, in the beginning of Christianity, p 565, “baptism, it is now generally agreed among scholars, was commonly by immersion.”
Another Congregationalist by the name of Coleman said, “in the primitive church immersion was undeniably the common mode of baptism.” (Antiquities).
Leonard Woods, also a Congregationalist said, “our Baptist brethren undertake to prove from ecclesiastical history, that immersion was the prevailing mode of baptism in the ages following the apostles. I acknowledge that ecclesiastical history clearly proves this.” (Lectures)
And we could go on with quotes from Swiss and German reformers, Dutch Armenians, German and French Protestants, and even Quakers stating the meaning of “baptize” is to be fully immersed in water.
C. By Design, Baptism means to Immerse!
Romans 6 v 3-5! Burial! Col. 2 v 12 uses the phrase, “buried with him in baptism.” The design of baptism is to show forth the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. As Christ was buried for a short period, and then rose Again, so in baptism we are buried, we stay buried for a short period, and then we are brought up again. This illustrates our death to sin, the destruction of its power, and our resurrection to a new course of life.
D. By Demonstration, Baptism means to Immerse!
Matt. 3 v 13-17. “up, out of the water”
John 3 v 23. If John was not immersing why would he need “much water”?
Acts 8 v 35-39. “went down into” and “came out of”
1. Baptism and its Administration!
In the administering of the ordinance of baptism there are four requirements that must be met. In addition to the appropriate application which is immersion, there must also be an:
   
  A. An Acceptable Aspirant!
The one desiring baptism must first of all be saved. The order is always salvation then baptism!
Matt. 28 v 19-20, “go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Acts 2 v 41, “then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”
Acts 8 v 12-13, “but when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and
when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.”
Acts 8 v 36-37, the Ethiopian eunuch asks, “what doth hinder me to be baptized?” Philip’s answer was, “ if thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”
What was he to believe? He first of all had to believe that Jesus was the Son of God, which he did.
B. An Approved Agency!
This area of baptism is deemed to be the least important by most people, and is, consequently, the one most often violated. Baptism is a church ordinance, and consequently, the only agency that is approved of God to administer it is His church. The question may very well be asked just here, well if that is so where did John get his authority to baptize? He got it from heaven!
Matt. 21 v 23-27. The question here is about authority. Notice when asked about John’s authority to baptize that the chief priests and elders said, “we cannot tell.” They did not say, “we do not know.” They said, “we cannot tell.” They knew full well that John had received his authority from God, but they were not willing to acknowledge it.
In Matthew 28, we discover that the Lord delivered sole authority for administering scriptural baptism to his church.
Listen, listen, the only agency that is approved by God to administer scriptural, New Testament, water baptism is his church. And this is where the rub comes in. Which church is His church? I am convinced, confusion on the question of authority to baptize comes from ambiguous and erroneous thinking on the church. Well, which is the true church? Now! There are two methods by which a person can determine which church is the church that Jesus started!
1. Historical elimination!
Jesus said in Matthew 16 v 18 “and I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Now that promise says, there will be a church just like the one I am starting and it will be in existence for a very long time.
Well, what church today is most like the church Jesus Christ started?
The Mennonites did not begin until 1520’s!
The Lutherans did not begin until 1521!
The Presbyterians did not begin until 1532!
The Episcopalians did not begin until 1533!
The Methodists did not begin until 1827!
The Mormons did not begin until 1830!
The Christian Science did not begin until 1879!
The Pentecostals did not begin until 1900’s!
The Church of the Nazarenes did not begin until the 1900’s!
And those are only some of the main stream churches about today, and by historical elimination, we have removed all claimants of being that church that Christ set up except two, the Baptist’s and the Catholics. And both groups claim to be the original church. So to determine which is authentic we will go to a second method of proof, doctrinal identification.
   
  2. A Doctrinal Identification!
The church that has the Biblical right to administer baptism is the one that is identical in organization and doctrine to the church Jesus built. Taking the Jerusalem church as an example, we will compare its characteristics with those of both Baptists and Catholics.
The Jerusalem church baptized only those who were first of all saved.
Acts 2 v 41. “then they that gladly received his word were baptized”
There is absolutely no record anywhere in scripture that the Jerusalem Church or any of the churches in the epistles ever baptized anyone other than saved people. The same holds true for Baptists, but not for Catholics. The Catholic Church is almost entirely made up of those who were baptized in their infancy, which in its self is an unscriptural practice! As is readily admitted by scholars, the church at Jerusalem baptized by immersion only. The Catholics admit that they changed the ordinance of baptism because sprinkling is more convenient.
Here’s a quote taken from “The Faith of our Fathers” pages 316-317,
”for several centuries after the establishment of Christianity baptism was usually conferred by immersion. But since the twelfth century baptism by infusion has prevailed in the Catholic Church. Baptism is the essential means established for washing away the stain of original sin, and the door by which we find admittance into the church. Hence baptism is an essential for the infant as for the fully-grown man. Unbaptized infants are excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven. Baptism makes us heirs of heaven and co-heirs with Jesus Christ.” End quote.
And folks, I have to say that is complete fallacy and totally unscriptural.
Baptists, and I guess I should say, those who practice New Testament Church Government, still continue to practice baptism by immersion as originally performed by the Jerusalem Church.
Church government is another area of comparison worthy of consideration. There was no ecclesiastical authority over the church at Jerusalem. Although some Baptists have departed from this mode of church government, most of our Baptist congregations are still self governing, who elect their own officers, call their own ministers, and conduct their own business and are responsible for their own finance.
The complexity of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the Catholic Church is far too complex to even consider.
Friends it is the firm conviction of this Pastor and I hope of this church that the authority to baptize was given to the church that Jesus built, and that the church that Jesus built was and is a church that practices the twin ordinances of the Lord’s supper and baptism as related in the New Testament.
I believe the whole idea of the ordinances, whether it be the ordinance of the Lord’s table or the ordinance of baptism are given as a means of keeping the church spiritually and doctrinally pure and may it ever be so.
When an observatory is about to be built, the site selected is always on some high mountain. The aim is to find a place where there is a clear, unobstructed view of the heavens. Similarly, faith requires for its heavenly vision the highlands of holiness and separation, the pure sky of a consecrated life. A. B. Simpson.
If you take seriously the Lords table and baptism it can only call you to a life of purity. On the other hand if you are only fooling about with Christianity and have obeyed these two ordinances simply because it was the thing to do, because of a marriage or because of family or for some other reason, friend I would not be in your shoes for millions.
4. Baptism and its Identification!
Another thing dear friends we need to understand about baptism is that the act of baptism is an act of identification!
Baptism identifies us as:
               
  A. Believers in Christ Jesus.
When a person stands in the Baptistry it is an open declaration to others that they have repented of their sins, they have been saved, and they are willing to take the first step of obedience in following the Lord as commanded in his precious word!
Baptism is the outward manifestation of an inward transformation!
The story is told of a machinist at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit who became a Christian and was baptized. He began to devote himself totally to the cause of Christ and had a burning desire to put right some wrongs he had previously done. He had been stealing tools and parts from Ford for years.
One morning he brought back all the stolen tools and parts that still remained at his home and offered to pay for the parts he had sold on to others. He explained to his foreman how he had been saved and baptized, and asked forgiveness of the company. To say the least this man’s actions were without precedent. Henry Ford, who was visiting Europe, was sent a message concerning the details of what had happened and was asked to reply. In his reply Mr. Ford said, “dam up the Detroit River and baptize the entire city.”
Now it was not this man’s baptism that made the difference. It was the fact that he had been made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Baptism is simply our way of testifying outwardly about the change that has taken place inwardly.
B. Member of the church.
As we have already seen in the book of the Acts, baptism is the door to the church. It is through believing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and then through the act of obedience in baptism that a person is admitted to the local church and can then enjoy the privileges and responsibilities of the church local.
C. Keeper of the Covenant.
Or as in our case a keeper of the constitution, which of course is our covenant.
Having been led as we believe, by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord, and on profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we do now in the presence of God, the angels in heaven, and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into a covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
And those friends who have not joined the local church are breaking the covenant of their baptismal vow.
You see in being baptized you are covenanting with God and the church local that you will be responsible for upholding unity in the body, but if you have not joined the body you are not upholding the unity of the body. Because you are not a part of the church body, the body is incomplete and needs you to be whole and wholesome. By being baptized you are making a public covenant to live in newness of life as Paul reminds us.
Although we become Christians instantaneously by faith in Christ, knowing God and developing faith is a gradual process. There are no shortcuts to maturity. It takes time and obedience to be holy.
Erwin w. Lutzer.
A few centuries before Christ a man named Alexander conquered almost all of the known world using military strength, cleverness and a bit of diplomacy. The story is told that Alexander and a small company of soldiers approached a strongly fortified walled city. Alexander, standing outside the walls, raised his voice and demanded to see the king. When the king arrived, Alexander insisted that the king surrender the city and its inhabitants to Alexander and his little band of fighting men.
The king laughed, “Why should I surrender to you? You can’t do us any harm!” But Alexander offered to give the king a demonstration. He ordered his men to line up single file and start marching. He marched them straight toward a sheer cliff
The townspeople gathered on the wall and watched in shocked silence as, one by one, Alexander’s soldiers marched without hesitation right off the cliff to their deaths! After ten soldiers died, Alexander ordered the rest of the men to return to his side. The townspeople and the king immediately surrendered to Alexander the Great. They realized that if a few men were actually willing to commit suicide at the command of this dynamic leader, then nothing could stop his eventual victory.
Are you willing to be as obedient to the ruler of the universe, Jesus Christ, as those soldiers were to Alexander? Are you as dedicated and committed? Think how much power Christ could have in our area with just a portion of such commitment. James S. Hewett.
My brothers and sisters, Jesus said, “If YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.” (“TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN TO SACRIFICE!”)