BAPTISM IN THE BIBLE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

I) SUMMARY POINTS

A) BAPTISM MEANS TO BE IMMERSED

B) THERE ARE AT LEAST 7 BAPTISMS IN THE BIBLE

C) ARGUMENTS

1) ARGUMENT ONE

a) If there is only one baptism which saves unto eternal life

b) and if Holy Spirit baptism actually identifies the believer with Christ

c) then the baptism which saves is Holy Spirit baptism and not water baptism

2) ARGUMENT TWO

a) If baptism is an identification

b) then water baptism is an identification of some kind

c) since one observes that one does not actually become identified with the water when one is water baptized

d) then water baptism is not a real baptism but is symbolic

3) ARGUMENT THREE

a) Since Holy Spirit baptism is not something the individual actually does, rather it is something which God the Holy Spirit does

b) and since Holy Spirit baptism is the only baptism which is part of the actual, real, salvation unto eternal life process

c) then passages which command the individual to be baptized must be referring to the water baptism as symbolic of the individual having already been saved unto eternal life, as water baptism is an activity which is to be performed by the individual and not by the Holy Spirit

4) ARGUMENT FOUR

a) Since dozens of passages stipulate that eternal life is received upon a moment of faith alone in Christ alone - with no mention of any other requirement.

b) And since being saved unto eternal life is stipulated as not of works, not of any righteous deeds, and not of ourselves

c) Then water baptism is excluded from what one must do to have eternal life.

II) BAPTISM DEFINED

A) [Lk 16:24]:

B) [Compare Jn 13:26]:

C) [Compare Rev 19:13]:

D) [Lev 4:6]:

E) [Ro 6:3]:

F) [Heb 9:10]:

G) [Mk 7:1-4]:

SEVEN MAJOR BAPTISMS IN THE BIBLE

I) THE BAPTISM OF MOSES

A) [1 Cor 10:1-3]:

1) Compare Ex 13:21-22]:

2) [Compare Ro 9:4]:

3) [Ex 6:6-7]:

II) THE BAPTISM OF THE CROSS - OF CHRIST BEARING THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD.

A) [Isa 53:4-6]:

B) [1 Pet 2:24]:

C) [2 Cor 5:21]:

D) [Mk 10:35-39, (cp Mt 20:20-23a)]:

E) [Compare Mt 26:39]:

F) [Compare Jn 18:11]:

III) BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE BAPTISM THAT SAVES YOU

A) HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM HISTORICALLY BEGAN AT PENTECOST

1) [Acts 11:15-17]:

B) BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AN EVENT IN THE LIFE OF EVERY BELIEVER BEGINNING AT THE POINT OF PERSONAL TRUST ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST ALONE AS SAVIOR

1) [Eph 1:13-14]:

2) [Compare Gal 3:2b]:

3) [Compare 1 Cor 12:12-13]:

4) [Compare Ro 6:1-4]:

C) HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM IS ALWAYS IN THE PASSIVE VOICE RELATIVE TO THE CONTRIBUTION OF MAN

[The following is an excerpt from the study on ROMANS CHAPTER 6 covering the subject of Holy Spirit baptism]:

I) [Ro 6:1-2]:

B) THE QUESTION IS ASKED, 'SHALL WE BELIEVERS CONTINUE IN SIN, I.E., LEAD A LIFESTYLE OF SIN IN SUBJECTION TO THE REIGN OF THE INTRINSIC SIN NATURE?

C) BELIEVERS HAVE DIED TO, I.E., BEEN SEPARATED FROM THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY - FROM THE SLAVERY TO - THEIR OLD SIN NATURES IN THEIR DAILY LIVES

1) [Compare Ro 5:21]:

2) [Compare Ro 6:6-7]:

3) [Compare Ro 8:9]:

4) [Compare Ro 6:14]:

5) [Compare Isa 64:6]:

6) [Compare Ro 6:20]:

D) HAVING DIED TO SIN, I.E., THE SIN NATURE DOES NOT SIGNIFY THAT THE SIN NATURE NO LONGER EXISTS, NOR THAT IT NO LONGER CAN HAVE INFLUENCE OVER THE BELIEVER

1) [Eph 4:22-24]:

II) [Ro 6:3]:

A) ALL BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED BY GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT, I.E., IDENTIFIED WITH & PLACED INTO CHRIST JESUS ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO RECEIVING THE BENEFITS BROUGHT ABOUT BY HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS

1) THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM INTO CHRIST JESUS & HIS DEATH, BURIAL & RESURRECTION , THE BELIEVER IS CREDITED WITH HAVING ALL OF HIS SINS PERMANENTLY FORGIVEN - PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

2) THIS BAPTISM INTO CHRIST CREDITS ALL BELIEVERS WITH THE ABSOLUTE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD'S SON

3) HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM IS EXCLUSIVELY DONE TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL BY GOD AND GOD ALONE AT THE MOMENT THAT INDIVIDUAL TRUSTS ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE

4) HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM PLACES ONE INTO CHRIST TRANSFORMING HIM INTO A NEW CREATURE OUTSIDE OF THE CONTROL OF THE SIN NATURE

a) [2 Cor 5:17]:

i) [2 Cor 5:5]:

ii) [Compare Eph 1:13-14]:

iii) [2 Cor 5:6]:

iv) [Compare 1 Cor 12:13]:

v) [Compare Gal 3:27-28]:

vi) [Compare Eph 1:22]:

III) [Ro 6:4]:

A) INTRODUCTION

B) THE BELIEVER HAS BEEN PLACED INTO, I.E., IDENTIFIED WITH THE DEATH, BURIAL & RESURRECTION OF CHRIST THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM SO AS TO HAVE A POSITION OF UNION WITH THE SON OF GOD WHICH PROVIDES FOR A NEW LIFE OUTSIDE THE CONTROL OF THE SIN NATURE

1) [Compare Gal 6:20]:

C) A COMPARISON IS MADE BETWEEN OUR LORD'S DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION AND THE BELIEVER'S ENABLEMENT TO LIVE A NEW AND GODLY LIFE

D) CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD AS A RESULT OF GOD'S GLORIOUSLY OMNIPOTENT POWER

E) AS A RESULT OF THE BELIEVER BEING BURIED WITH CHRIST INTO THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM, THE BELIEVER CAN NOW CHOOSE TO LIVE A GODLY LIFE

F) THE BELIEVER HAS THE UNIQUE CAPACITY TO WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE, I.E., IN A NEW KIND OF LIFESTYLE: A GODLY ONE

1) [Compare 2 Cor 5:17]:

G) THIS NEW LIFESTYLE ENTAILS CHOICES FOR THE BELIEVER -

RE-ENSLAVE HIMSELF TO THE DARKNESS OF THE SIN NATURE REMAINING WITHIN HIM

OR

WALK IN THE LIGHT OF THE NEWNESS OF LIFE NOW PROVIDED WITHIN HIM VIA THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1) [Compare Ro 6:15-19]:

2) [Compare Ro 7:18-21 & 8:5a]:

IV) BAPTISM OF FIRE

A) THE BAPTISM OF FIRE IS A BAPTISM OF JUDGMENT OF UNBELIEVERS INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE

1) [Mt 3:11-12, cp Lk 3:16-17]:

2) [Compare Mt 25:31-33, 46]:

3) [Compare 2 Thes 1:7-9]:

V) THE BAPTISM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST:

A) JOHN'S BAPTISM WAS A SYMBOL OF A JEW'S REPENTANCE, I.E., OF CHANGING ONES MIND TO BELIEVING IN THE COMING MESSIAH, JESUS CHRIST FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND OF BELIEVING THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO BRING IN HIS KINGDOM RULE UPON ACCEPTANCE OF HIM BY ISRAEL

1) [Compare Mt 3:1-2]:

2) [Compare Mk 1:4]:

B) JOHN'S WATER BAPTISM SYMBOLLIZED THE HOLY SPIRIT'S REGENERATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL

1) [Compare Mt 3:3, 6-9]:

2) [Compare Titus 3:5]:

C) THE PURPOSE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST'S MINISTRY WAS TO TESTIFY TO ISRAEL AS TO WHOM THE MESSIAH, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS SO THAT THROUGH HIS TESTIMONY ABOUT JESUS ALL ISRAEL MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST UNTO ETERNAL LIFE. THEN WOULD BEGIN THE KINGDOM RULE ON EARTH

1) [Jn 1:6-7]:

2) [Jn 1:29-34]:

3) [Pr 30:4]:

D) AS PROPHESIED ISRAEL BY & LARGE WOULD REJECT HER MESSIAH AND JOHN'S BAPTISM SO THE KINGDOM RULE WAS POSTPONED

1) [Mt 3:6-10]:

E) JOHN'S BAPTISM DIFFERS FROM HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM

1) [Acts 19:1-6]:

2) [Gal 3:28]:

F) JOHN'S BAPTISM WAS A BAPTISM SYMBOLLIZING REPENTANCE = CHANGING ONE'S MIND TO TRUSTING IN THE COMING MESSIAH FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND ADMISSION INTO HIS KINGDOM

1) [Acts 19:4]:

G) AT FIRST, JESUS CHRIST CONTINUED THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

1) [Mt 4:17]:

2) [Mk 6:6b-12]: [Preach that the people should repent]:

3) [Mt 10:5-7]: [Go only to the lost sheep of Israel and preach that the Kingdom of Heaven is near]:

4) [Jn 4:1-2]: [Jesus and His disciples continued the baptisms of John]:

5) [Jn 3:22-30]:

VI) THE WATER BAPTISM OF JESUS

A) THE WATER BAPTISM OF JESUS SYMBOLIZED HIS IDENTIFICATION WITH HIS MISSION OF PROVIDING SALVATION FOR THE WORLD AND ESTABLISHING HIS MESSIANIC KINGDOM UPON THE EARTH

1) [Mt 3:13-17]:

B) ON THE OTHER HAND, BELIEVERS' WATER BAPTISM SYMBOLIZES AN ACTUAL HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM THE LATTER OF WHICH IS AN ACTUAL IDENTIFICATION WITH AND APPROPRIATION OF FORGIVENESS OF SINS AS A RESULT OF CHRIST'S DEATH TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS

1) BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN BURIED WITH CHRIST THROUGH HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM WHICH IS SYMBOLIZED BY WATER BAPTISM

a) [COMPARE RO 6:3-4]:

C) WE DO NOT AND CANNOT FOLLOW OUR LORD IN WATER BAPTISM

VII) THE BAPTISM OF CHURCH AGE BELIEVERS

A) CHRISTIAN WATER BAPTISM DEFINED

1) [Mt 28:19]:

2) [Ro 6:3-4]:

a) It represents retroactive positional truth - having been identified with the death of Christ on the cross

b) It represents current positional truth - having Christ's perfect righteousness credited to one's account along with the immediate reception of eternal life

B) WATER BAPTISM IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION

1) INTRODUCTION

2) EARLY CHURCH PRACTICE DELAYED NEW CONVERTS FROM BEING WATER BAPTISED UNTIL THEY STUDIED THE BIBLE

3) SALVATION IS NOT BY FAITH + ANY WORKS SUCH AS WATER BAPTISM

a) [Compare Jn 6:40]:

b) [Consider Mk 1:4]:

c) [Consider Gen 15:4-6]:

d) [Consider Mt 10:5-7, 32]:

e) [Acts 16:30b-31]:

C) THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE WHICH ARE OFTEN MISINTERPRETED AS TEACHING THAT WATER BAPTISM IS REQUIRED FOR SALVATION UNTO ETERNAL LIFE

1) [JOHN 3:5-6]:

"BORN OF WATER" REFERS NOT TO WATER BAPTISM, BUT TO HOLY SPIRIT REGENERATION

2) [1 PETER 3:18-21]:

WATER SYMBOLIZES THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM THAT SAVES YOU

3) [ACTS 2:37-38]:

"REPENT & BE BAPTIZED FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS" TEACHES FAITH UNTO FORGIVENESS OF SINS THEN WATER BAPTISM

4) [ACTS 22:16]:

"BE BAPTIZED, WASH AWAY SINS, CALLING ON HIS NAME"TEACHES WATER BAPTISM AND CONFESSION OF SINS FOR THE ALREADY SAVED

D) INFANT BAPTISM IS NOT BIBLICAL