Baptism

IV.  Buried With Him in Baptism

            The next thing Peter commanded them to do was be baptized. 

           1.  How?

(Matthew 28:19 KJV)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

(Mark 16:16 KJV)  He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

(Acts 2:38 KJV)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Romans 6:4 KJV)  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

(Galatians 3:27 KJV)  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

           

            There is only one Scriptural method of baptism prescribed by the Word of God.  This is by immersion.  The word baptism is derived from the Greek word, baptizo, which means to dip, to plunge, to immerse.  The reason that it is so important to immerse the candidate for water baptism is simple. 

Repentance in the Bible is symbolic of death – death to the sins and ungodliness of life before meeting Jesus Christ.  Spiritually speaking, when a man comes to an altar of repentance, he is actually coming to the cross of Calvary.  Old carnal natures are crucified with Christ.  After death (to sins) it is a “must” to be

buried.  This is why Romans 6:4 says, “we are buried with him by baptism into death.”  In repentance Jesus is followed to Calvary.  In baptism He is followed to the grave and “we are buried with Him.”  But how is a person buried?  Is he sprinkled with a few handfuls of dirt at burial?  Of course not!  This would not constitute proper burial.  “Neither is there salvation in any other:  for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

           

            Jesus commanded the apostles in Matthew 28:19 to baptize in the “Name (singular) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”  Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not proper names, but are titles of God.

           

            He is the Father in creation.

            He is the Son in redemption.

            He is the Holy Ghost dwelling within the believer.

           

            But these are only titles.  The apostles understood when they were given the Great Commission, (Matthew 28:19) that they were to baptize in the one singular name, that is of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and that name is Jesus!

(Matthew 28:19 KJV)  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

           

            The Name of the Father is Jesus – John 5:43.

(John 5:43 KJV)  I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

            The Name of the Son is Jesus – Matthew 1:21.

(Matthew 1:21 KJV)  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

            The Name of the Holy Ghost is Jesus –John 14:26.

(John 14:26 KJV)  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

            Jesus had opened the disciples understanding to this great truth of the Name of Jesus in Luke 24:45-47. 

(Luke 24:45-47 KJV)  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

            This is precisely the reason why the apostles always, in every place in the Scripture, obeyed Matthew 28:19 by baptizing in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5).

(Acts 2:38 KJV)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Acts 8:16 KJV)  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

(Acts 10:48 KJV)  And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

(Acts 19:5 KJV)  When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

HOW IMPORTANT IS WATER BAPTISM?

From the scriptural definition of baptism, anyone who refuses the cleansing of the blood of Jesus that occurs at baptism in the name of Jesus Christ does not receive remission of sins or salvation from sin.  The Scripture clearly declares, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16), and “Baptism doth also now save us” (I Peter 3:21).  Baptism is a vital and important part of God’s plan of salvation in the New Testament Church.

email: kimlovesjesus@icloud.com