FOR THE
CHILDREN:
Now Is The Time For Baptism
June 12, 2005 (AM) - Pastor Ronnie Wolfe
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Picture used by permission
Introduction
Many people have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, but that seems to be the end of their testimony for their Christianity. But there is another step that every believer should take in his testimony for Jesus Christ, and that is baptism.
You know, baptism is not really that bad. You don= t need to be afraid of the water. We haven= t lost anyone yet.
Give serious consideration to your baptism today if you have never been baptized. Let= s spend a little time talking about baptism: Now Is The Time For Baptism, perhaps, for you.
- BAPTISM IS ILLUSTRATIVE
- One definition of baptism is: A
a Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth; "most
churches baptize infants but some insist on adult baptism@
- First, baptism is not a sacrament, because the definition of sacrament is: A a formal religious act conferring a specific grace on those who receive it@
- Baptism does not bestow any grace. Only God can do that.
- Turtullian said, A After the world had been hereupon set in order through its elements, when inhabitants were given it, "the waters" were the first to receive the precept "to bring forth living creatures." Water was the first to produce that which had life, that it might be no wonder in baptism if waters know how to give life.@
- This is foolish philosophizing. Everyone knows that the water did not bring forth life on its own, but it was by the power of God that creation was performed.
- These writers and preachers are substituting the symbol for the substance of baptism.
- If water does bring spiritual life, then the earlier a person gets that life, the better off he is. That is the reason that Infant Baptism was proposed by churches in the early second century after Christ Jesus; and irregular churches began to exist, churches that have abrogated the real teaching of baptism in Scripture.
- Charles Spurgeon gives the definition of baptism when he says,
A Baptism sets forth the death,
burial, and resurrection of Christ, and our participation therein. Its
teaching is twofold. First, think of our representative union with Christ,
so that when he died and was buried it was on our behalf, and we were thus
buried with him.@
- His definition more correctly tells us what baptism is according to scripture.
- It is illustrative or representative of our union with Christ in faith
- Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
- Our baptism actually is a picture of the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, no less, no more.
- 1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
- So, we are saved by baptism in a figure, not in reality.
- We are actually saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-10). Baptism saves us symbolically.
- So, baptism is Illustrative
- This means that no individual has the authority to baptism another person.
- Baptism is to be performed by a church of the Lord Jesus Christ.
- When you are ready to be baptized, don= t get you neighbor to do it. Don= t call your best friend to come and do it. It must be done by a local church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This commission was given to his churches.
- 1 Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether [we be] Jews or Gentiles, whether [we be] bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
- By baptism, we are identified with a body, with one body. We are baptized to be associated with a body of Christ, a local church.
- Being baptized into one body does not mean that we are somehow baptized spiritually into a universal, invisible body of believers.
- This baptism is a water baptism whereby we are brought into the fellowship of a local church. This identifies us with that particular body and with the basic beliefs of that local church.
- So, you should not be baptized to be identified with a church unless you are in agreement with their doctrine, at least as much as possible at your stage of Christian growth.
- Gal. 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
- When we are baptized, we put on Christ, just as if we were putting on an uniform to identify us with our country.
- When we put on a uniform as a soldier, we are expected to serve as a soldier.
- 2 Tim. 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
- We are expected as soldiers to A endure hardness.@
- Many people are baptized and then they are AWOL (absent without leave). Some are baptized on Sunday and never return. These people do not understand baptism.
- The word A incendiary@ means B Tending to excite or inflame factions, sedition or quarrels.
- Sometimes disagreements come concerning baptism.
- This is so apparent, because people have actually died over this subject of baptism.
- Did you know that more people have died over the subject of baptism than all the people in all the wars that have ever been fought?
- 50,000,000 people died in the Dark Ages over this very subject, and some believe this is a conservative (or a low) figure.
- Those who have opposed the Bible doctrine of baptism have taken it upon themselves to force people to believe their teaching on baptism. When certain believers objected and would not go along with the new doctrine, they were forced into prisons and then to death by fire, drowning, beheading and other horrible ways.
- Even though today, as far as I know, people are not being killed because of their belief in baptism, there are still many churches that take the position of affusion, pouring, sprinkling, and infant baptism.
- That= s all well and good if they want to do that. That= s their business and not mine.
- But I must teach you what I believe the Bible teaches about baptism no matter what other churches may teach.
- I am convinced that baptism is by immersion only and that only believers are candidates for baptism. Water cannot bring life, but the Spirit of God can.
- 1 Cor. 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.