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New Hampshire Confession of Faith #14

Matt. 28:18-20; Matt. 26:26-28 

XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER

We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, into the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost; to show forth, in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, with its effect in our death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a Church relation; and to the Lord s Supper, in which the members of the Church, by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self examination. 

  1. THE FIRST ORDINANCE, BAPTISM
    1. Only Two Ordinances
      1. The Lord established only two ordinances in his kind of church. Baptism is at the threshold of the church; the Lord's Supper is within the church.
      2. Other rites have been acclaimed as ordinances, but they do not meet proper criteria. A proper ordinance will picture the work of Christ for his people.
      3. The ordinances of the Old Testament were given to point to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. They are now ended, and the only two ordinances in the Lord's churches today point back to his finished work.
      4. These ordinances guard and preserve the truth.
    2. Baptism Is For Believers Only - Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added [unto them] about three thousand souls.
      1. Therefore, every candidate for baptism must have a consciousness of his baptism.
      2. Neither can one person be baptized for another person.
    3. Baptism Has Three Elements In Its Form
      1. Immersion - ... how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3)
      2. Submersion - ... and that he was buried (1 Cor. 15:4)
      3. Emersion - ... and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:4).
    4. Baptism Is A Confession of Sins and Faith In Christ - Matthew 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
    5. Baptism Is A Proclamation Of A New Life - Romans 6:4 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.
    6. Baptism Is Done In The Name Of The Father, Son and Holy Spirit
      1. Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
      2. There is only one immersion, because there was only one death of Christ; but it is done in the name of the Trinity: three in one. One immersion, three persons.
      3. Some believe in a tri-immersion, but this cannot be substantiated by scripture.
    7. Baptism Demands Obedience
      1. The command is for the churches - Go ye therefore ... baptizing them (Matt. 28:19).
      2. So, our evangelism is not only to get people saved but also to lead them to scriptural baptism.
      3. We do not read of any believers in the New Testament who were not baptized. That is because salvation and baptism are very closely related.
    8. Baptism Is A Prerequisite To Church Fellowship
      1. Baptism is not required for salvation, but it is required for church membership.
      2. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized (in water) into (concerning) one body (the local church), whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink (by faith) into one Spirit.
      3. Baptism always precedes The Lord's Supper.


  1. THE SECOND ORDINANCE, THE LORD'S SUPPER
    1. The Commemoration
      1. The fruit of the vine represents the Lord's blood, which was shed for many - Mark 14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
      2. The Supper is to be taken in remembrance of me (Luke 22:19).
      3. The Supper commemorates the undying love of Christ
    2. The Elements
      1. Unleavened bread - Mark 14:22 Jesus took bread ..., which was unleavened bread from the table of the Passover. This pictures his perfect and sinless life and body, which was given as a propitiation to God for our sins.
      2. Fruit of the vine - Matthew 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. No other word or phrase is ever used for the element in the cup except this phrase: fruit of the vine.
    3. The Self-Examination
      1. 1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
      2. 1 Corinthians 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
        1. The word "unworthily" is an adverb, not an adjective. It does not relate as much to the person himself as it does to the way in which he is taking The Lord's Supper, not discerning the Lord's body.
        2. If a church member takes this Supper for any other reason than to discern the Lord's body, he is taking it for the wrong reason.


  2. THE MEANING OF THE ORDINANCES
    1. Regarding the past, they are a monument and memorial of Jesus Christ.
    2. Regarding the present, they are a commemoration, a privilege and an obligation.
    3. Regarding the future, they are a sure sign of our glorious triumph over sin and a glimpse of a very bright consummation of all things in Christ.

 

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