Water Baptism

BAPTISMAL LESSONS AND MATERIALS
Material by Pastor Michael "Bong" Abagon 

Pastor Rick explains in simple terms baptism

Where it all begins
Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, which is part of what has been commonly called as the Great Commission “Go ye into all the world and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

In here, you’ll find the command to make disciples of all nations.  And when they are disciples you are to baptize them.

Making Disciples

What does it mean to be a disciple of Christ?  It means to be a follower of Him.  A follower is one who has confessed Christ and committed Himself to Him in the following ways: 

• He has repented of his sins  (Acts 2:38)
• He has put his faith in Christ as your Savior (John 3:16)
• He has made Him Lord of his life (Matt 16:24)
• He had accepted Him in his heart (John 1:12)

Coming to church doesn’t save you, nor reading the bible and being religious.  It is having a personal relationship with Christ that brings a person to true assurance that they are going to heaven.

If you think you have not made a commitment to follow Christ…

·  Would you like now to repent of your sins?   Yes  No

·  Would you like now to acknowledge that Jesus is your only Savior?  Yes     No

·  Would you like now to make Jesus Lord of your life?         Yes       No

·  Would you let him come into your life now?        Yes       No

If your answer to all is “yes,” then read this prayer and pray it from your heart. 

“Dear Jesus, I ask that you forgive me of my sins that I have done against you.  Thank you for sending Jesus.  And that through his death my sins are forgiven.  I trust my life to Him as my Savior.  And I turn over my life to Him and make Him Lord of my life.  Amen.”

Sign your name:  ______________________   Date: _______________

(If you have at one point, received Jesus and prayed this similar prayer, sign your name above and indicate the date or event.  If you can’t remember, it will not hurt to rededicate your life and pray this prayer, sign and date.)

John 1:12 says, “But as many as receive Him, He gave them the power to become children of God, even to them that believe in His name.”  According to this verse, what would you have if you have received and believe in his Name?  _______________________________________

Congratulations if you have prayed this prayer sincerely. This day marks you becoming a part of God’s family.  You need to grow and be a part of a local church where you can grow.   Let us help you with water baptism and find you the nearest local church where you can grow.   

Mililani Fil-Am Baptist Church
(808) 741-6294

FBC of Wahiawa
(808) 622-4321

Waipahu Community Christian Church 
(808) 773-1713

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Baptizing Them

“Well, why do I still need to get baptized?” The second part of Christ’s command in Matthew 28:19-20 is to baptize those who follow Him.  This is what a person needs to do after he received Christ as His Lord and Savior – to be baptized.

Let’s remember four key words to better understand the answer to “Why you need to get baptized?”

• Submission
• Identification
• Representation
• Proclamation

1.     It’s All About Submission (Matt. 28:19)

a.     You don’t make disciples by doing baptizing, but you baptize them because they have been made disciples. 

b.     The word “disciple” from Greek has the basic meaning of a “learner.”

                                      i.     It’s a word used to describe the apostles of Jesus Christ in Matt. 10:1 and Luke 22:11. 

                                    ii.     Also of those who manifest that they are His disciples by abiding in His Word like that of John 8:31 – Jesus said to those Jews who believed, “If you abide in my word, then you are my disciples indeed.” Also John 13:35, John 15:8.

                                   iii.     In the book of Acts, a disciple is one who has believed in Christ and confessed Him to others (Acts 6:1, 2, 7, 14:20,22,28, 15:10, 19:1). 

You can say:  “a disciple is one who has placed his trust in Christ, confessed Him to others and abiding in His word.” 

c.     These are the people that you baptize. 

d.     Understand that biblical baptism is for persons who have made a conscious decision to follow Christ.  It would not matter how old they are, as long as they understand that they have made a commitment to trust Christ and confess Him to others by abiding in His Word.                                                                           

e.     That is the same reason why we do not baptize babies, or just anyone.  They have to be individuals who are aware of their commitments to Christ.  In the first place, there are no significant passages that teach this anyway.  Babies in the time of Christ are brought before God by the parents to be dedicated.  This act is the coming of parents more than the coming of the baby.  We do not baptize the infants however but by the virtue of the commitments the parents make, we present the child to God. 

f.      Baptism then is not a sacrament but an ordinance.  Sacrament as Webster defines it “ritual to dispense grace.”  Baptism however does not dispense grace.  There is no mystifying power of grace added to a person that is baptized except the blessings that comes through his obedience to Christ.  You don’t become more of a Christian when you are baptized but your obedience to baptism confirms you are one.  It is not a sacrament but it could rightly be called an ordinance.  An ordinance is a commanded practice to be observed and in this case, it is a practice commanded by our Lord Jesus to be observed. 

g.     Submission through baptism is clearly displayed by the early Christians in the book of Acts.  And as we look into them, the pattern of baptism follows after they have believed. 

                                      i.     Acts 8:12 – Philip, who was chosen as one of those that helped the apostles preached the word in Samaria and proclaimed Christ there (v.4).  Verse 12 says, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized.”

                                    ii.     8:35 ff – Once more, Philip had an encounter with a royalty described as an Ethiopian Eunuch.  There also, after believing the       

                                   iii.     Eunuch was baptized (v. 38).  An interesting point here is that the Eunuch was more excited to be baptized. 

                                   iv.     9:18 – Chapter 9 describes the Apostle’s Paul encounter and it says after he had an encounter with Jesus Christ, being with Christ’s disciples, verse 18, “...He got up and was baptized..”

                                    v.     Paul’s ministry (Acts 16) in Macedonia bore many fruits and in this instance, verse 15, Lydia and her household after believing, “she and the members of her household were baptized…”

                                   vi.     Acts 16:33 – the story of the Philippian Jailor after listening to Paul’s declaration of the good news, immediately he and all his family were baptized.”

                                 vii.     Acts 18:8 – describes the ministry of the Apostle Paul in Corinth and there Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.” 

                                viii.     19:1-7.  When Paul found some believers in Ephesus who was baptized under John’s baptism, He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is in Jesus, 5 on hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 

Baptism is urgent in the sense that it is a command of our Lord.  The early Christians were baptized quickly upon receiving Him.  They understood the dynamics of their commitment to Christ. 

Baptism however is not a senseless act of obedience and submission.  It is a ceremony that has full of meanings.  Erickson wrote in Christian Theology, “It is a symbol … for it is a graphic picture of the truth it conveys.”

                                                                                                       

2.     It is all about Identification with Christ:  Romans 6:1-11

a.     The scripture seems to put a great attachment between baptism and our unity with Christ in his death and resurrection. 

b.     The Apostle Paul is answering an aged-old question that if our assurance of salvation is not dependent on our performance but only through faith, then one can continue on sinning?  He asks it this way:  “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?  2. By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”  Paul’s response to why a Christian shouldn’t continue living in sin (again not perfection) is that we died to sin.  To illustrate his point, Paul uses the mode of baptism.  He continues, “3.  Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  Paul asked his readers to bring their minds back to the time they were baptized.  It appears that after a person receives Christ back then, the person is immediately baptized.  When that is so, they are reminded of a couple of things. 

c.     When they were baptized into Christ, they were baptized into his death.  The significance of your baptism in Christ is that you are declaring you have died with him.  Paul puts it this way:

                                      i.     Gal 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

                                    ii.     Col. 3:3, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  4.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

This is the truth Paul wants the Roman believers to remember. 

d.     You also 4.  were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.  You not only identify that you died with Christ but also buried with Christ.           

e.     Your baptism is a reminder that you have died from your sin, buried as well.   

f.      In order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Baptism is your identification to what Jesus offers for man. 

3.     It is all about Representation of New Life:

Rom 6:6 leaves off with the verse so we too may live a new life.  Baptism is a representation of a New Life.  It is a representation of new life this way…

a.     John the Baptist required repentance and confession of sin (Matt. 3:7-8)

b.     Peter called for repentance, then baptism (Acts 2:37-41)

4.     It is all about Proclamation

            This is more of a practical reason.  “It is setting forth the truth of what Christ has done; it is a “word in water” testifying to the believer’s participation in the death and resurrection of Christ” (Rom. 6:3-5).  The act of baptism is powerful enough to communicate the message however, we take

            Proclamation to God’s people

When you stand before God’s people to be baptized, you are declaring to them that you are one with them by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior. 

You also proclaim to them that you are not perfect and like any other Christian; you need prayers as you experience to grow in your Christian life.

Proclamation to the world

The people watching you in baptism are not only Christians but also non Christians.  It is for that reason    7 that you also are proclaiming to them that you are now in Christ.  This is really the true essence of baptism – to declare before the world that you have been “one” in Christ.  Baptism is a public indication of one’s commitment to Christ. 

That is why, events like these are an important occasions to invite non-believing friends.  The one being baptized must take this opportunity as well to invite friends and families especially those who doesn’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Topic:  Questions and Answers on Baptism

Text:  Various Selections

Introduction: 

Can babies or children be baptized?

No.  The scripture reminds us that baptism is for those who have made a conscious effort to follow Christ.  I am afraid babies don’t have that intellectual capacity to make decision to follow Christ.  Some children however can have that intellectual ability to trust in Christ, in that case, when they receive Christ they are most welcome to be baptized in the water. 

Why other religions baptize babies or children is to secure them to going to heaven or to ward off evil spirits.  None of these however are taught in the bible.  The Bible tells us that God is a merciful God and therefore doesn’t require judgment on those incapable.  That is why babies from early Christian tradition, babies are presumed to go to heaven when they die.  Notice the following scriptures. 

• David assumed his baby is in heaven.
• Jesus said, “Do not hinder the little children to come unto me,  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Warding of evil spirits cannot be done through baptism.  Scripture teaches that babies are to be dedicated to God than being baptized.  Baby dedication is an act of the parents where they commit their baby to the Lord. 

What is the mode of baptism?  How come others are sprinkled on, poured on and not immersed in water?

I.      John the Baptist baptized at Aenon (Jordan) river “because there was much water there” (John 3:23)

II.    When Jesus was baptized, it said, Jesus came up out of the water” (Mark 1:10). 

III.  The Ethiopian Eunuch’s experienced is that Philip and he both went down into the water, Philip baptized him, and they came up out of the water (v.38-39). 

                                                                                                     

IV.  Romans 6:3-5, Paul appears to be contending that there is a significant connection between how baptism is administered (one is lowered into the water and then raised out of it). 

V.    Beasley-Murray says:  Despite the frequent denials of exegetes, it is surely reasonable to believe that the reason for Paul’s stating that the baptized is buried as dead, rather than that he died (v.6) is the nature of baptism is immersion. 

VI.  The predominant meaning of Baptism is “to dip or to plunge under water.” 

VII.    Martin Luther and John Calvin acknowledged immersion to be the basic meaning of the term and the original form of baptism practiced by the early church. 

Can baptism save?  What Is Baptismal regeneration?

I.      Mark 16:16 – “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

a.     The second half of the verse does not mention baptism at all.  It is simply the absence of belief, not of baptism, which is correlated with condemnation. 

b.     Also, the entire verse (and indeed the whole passage, (verses 9-20) is not found in the best texts.

II.             John 3:5 – “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” 

a.     There is no clear indication that baptism is in view here. 

b.     Water here since to favor cleansing or purification, not baptism. 

c.     The key factor is the contrast between the supernatural (Spirit) and the natural (flesh):  “that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (v.6).” 

III.           1 Pet. 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 clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”                                    

a.     The verse is actually a denial that the rite of baptism has any effect in itself.  It saves only in that it is “an appeal to God,”  an act of faith acknowledging dependence upon him. 

IV.           Acts 2:38 – “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

a.     Peter’s proceeding messages (3:17-26) emphasis is upon repentance, conversion, and acceptance of Christ, there is no mention of baptism. 

b.     The key verse of that message is 3:19, a parallel to 2:38 except for the significant fact that there is no command to be baptized reads:  “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”

c.     Once more, in the defense of Peter and John before the religious leaders in chapter 4:8-12 speaks of baptism but does not mention baptism at all.

d.     And when the Philippian Jailor in Acts 16:30 ASKED Paul, “What must I do to be saved?”  Paul answered simply, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (v.31). 

The key issue to baptism, however, is that it is obviously inseparable from salvation.  When a person is described as being saved, they are seen next being immersed in water.  Baptism is an expression or a consequence of conversion.

V.             Titus 3:5 – Here Paul writes that God “saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit.” 

a.     The passage is so vague to point to baptism.

b.     The “washing of regeneration” refers to a cleansing and forgiveness of sins. 

Above all, it contradicts the principle of salvation by grace, which is so clearly taught in the New Testament.  The insistence of baptism as a means to salvation is similar to the insistence of the Judaizers upon circumcision as part of salvation.  Paul challenges this boldly in Gal 5:1-12.  Reading the first five verses, Paul writes,

Jesus Himself, with the exception of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 never insisted nor preached the topic of baptism in reference to the Kingdom.  The thief on the cross was assured by Christ, without external baptismal rite that he would be in paradise. 

PRACTICAL  REMINDERS

Before Baptism

• Convey your desire to be baptized
• Attend or go through counseling about baptism
• Introduce to Baptismal Coordinator
• Bring the necessary clothing:
• Towel
• Change of clothes
• Secure a white robe from the coordinator

During Baptism

• Meet with the Baptismal Coordinator
• Baptisms are usually done at the beginning of the worship program. 
• Make your way to baptismal rooms during welcome and announcements

After Baptism

• As part of baptismal celebration a Baptismal Certificate is given
• Have a Photo taken