WATER BAPTISM
The mark that a person truly knows the Lord is obedience. Jesus commanded all those who believed in Him to be baptized in water. Water baptism is the first act of obedience a new believer should do.
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands (1 Jn 2:3).
"Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.’" (Matt 28:18-19)
DEMONSTRATES WHAT HAPPENED TO A BELIEVER
To be “baptized” means to be “totally immersed.” The act of going under the water and rising up from it is a picture of what has happened to the believer in union with Jesus Christ.
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HE DIED…I DIED WITH HIM
- Rom 6:6-7 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
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HE WAS BURIED…I WAS BURIED WITH HIM
- Rom 6:3-4 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death.
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HE WAS RAISED…I HAVE A NEW LIFE IN HIM
- Rom 6:4-5 -... just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
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HE ASCENDED…I ASCENDED IN HIM
- Eph 2:6 God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.
MEANING OF WATER BAPTISM
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PICTURE OF A FUNERAL OR BURIAL SERVICE – Baptism shows that a person is putting behind him, and burying forever, his past sinful life. Notice again that baptism by itself does not put to death our past life – only repentance and faith in Christ can do that. BAPTISM BURIES what repentance and faith has already put to death. You can only bury what is already dead.
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PICTURE OF A BEING PLANTED – Baptism is indeed the beginning of a new life. But there is a long way to go before the young plant reaches maturity. It must grow and develop. And so must we, otherwise we risk returning to our former sinful ways. It is a decision to totally change our life from one that was self-centered, and sin-centered, to one that is God-centered. In baptism we show our DETERMINATION TO FOLLOW Christ for the rest of our lives.
WHEN SHOULD A BELIEVER SUBMIT TO WATER BAPTISM
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (Acts 8:36-38) – In the NT church, baptism was an almost immediate act after confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The eunuch stopped his chariot, was baptized, then continued his journey!
CHALLENGE:
If we love Jesus, we will obey His commands