Water Baptism Lesson 9

 

Water Baptism Lesson 9

The question of “Why be Baptized will be discussed in this and succeeding lessons.

First, Jesus commanded it and if we knew nothing more, this should be enough.

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of 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.

Peter preached Water Baptism in his first message. Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the  remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Water Baptism is basic Bible doctrine. Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits.

(Paul was saying here, these doctrines are basic and yes we will teach them, but let us go on to perfection in Christ. Yes, a personal relationship with Jesus and those spiritual things that accompany salvation on toward maturity IN Christ Jesus.)

The basic scriptures are signifying what Jesus did for us in his crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and his life.

We Identify with Christ in his crucifixion;

(Jesus took our sins so that we might become righteous- Jesus went to the grave, but He rose from the dead)
 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 

Ephesians 4:8-10 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Matthew 12:40  For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly ; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Jesus suffered Death: (In water Baptism we identify with Christ's; death, burial and resurrection.)

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Romans 6:6 We know that our old sinful self was crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.

Galatians 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

We identify in the Death of Jesus:

Galatians 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Galatians 6:14  May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Christ, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Colossians 3:3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Hebrews 2:14 Jesus shared in our humanity, so that by His death, He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is the devil.

We were buried with Christ (in the grave of water)

Colossians 2:12 We were buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

We Identify in His Resurrection: (Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over the devil)

Revelations 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

Ephesians 4:8-10 “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

Colossians 3:1-4 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (The old you died and you are resurrected with Christ in God.)

Now we are to walk in Newness of life and that Life is Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

We are not saved by our own goodness, but by the goodness, the love, and the favor of God. We are not saved by our own merit, but by the blood of Jesus Christ. the Bible clearly describes the baptism which was taught and practiced in the early church and which puts one "into Jesus Christ" as a burial.  Nowhere in the Bible is the action of Christian baptism described as being anything other than "a burial", or an immersion in water and a resurrection to a new life as we are lifted up out of the water to live a new life In Christ Jesus.