BIBLICAL BAPTISM

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3:13-16</B>:  "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest thou to me?  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now:  for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.  Then He suffered him.  And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water."  One thing we must be totally clear about is that Jesus is our example in all things (John 13:15; 1Pe. 2:21; 1Jo. 2:6).  Thus to be Baptized, as Christ was baptized, would be only fitting for us to follow after.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="28c5f400.gif" border=0 width="95" height="64" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> An important Bible <I><B>principle</B></I> to remember is that once a person is <I><B>convicted</B></I> of the truth, he/she will want to be baptized:  "But <I><B>when they believed</B></I> Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, <I><B>they were baptized</B></I>, both men and women.  Then Simon himself <I><B>believed also:  and when he was baptized</B></I>, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done."  Acts 8:12-13.  "And Philip said, <I><B>If thou believest</B></I> with all thine heart, thou mayest.  And he answered and said, <I><B>I believe</B></I> that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  And he commanded the chariot to stand still:  and they went down both <I><B>into the water</B></I>, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."  Acts 8:37-38.  See also Acts 2:38; 22:16.  Thus Jesus instructed us as believers to:  "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."  Mat. 28:19.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="29046460.gif" border=0 width="70" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Now let's notice the significance of water being present in a Biblical baptism.  In the text above (Mat. 3:13-16) Jesus Himself tells John to baptize Him in the river Jordan (water).  And John himself confirms this in John 1:31:  "...that He [Jesus] should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water."  See also Mark 1:8-9; Acts 1:5; 11:16.  In Acts 8:36 the Ethiopian eunuch seems to pull water out of his hat with his suggestion that water needed to be present in order for him to be baptized.  But either Philip explained this to him, or the eunuch knew how to be Biblically baptized (Acts 8:38-39).  Even more startling is the fact that Paul teaches us that the fathers of the nation of Israel were all baptized under the waters of the Red Sea (1Co. 10:1-2) and Peter teaches us that Noah and the other eight persons on the ark were baptized by the waters of the flood (1Pe. 3:20).  The question is - Why is that significant enough to mention, or what prompted Paul to explain to the Corinthians that the fathers needed to be/were baptized?  Even Peter wanted water to be administered to people who had been baptized with the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 10:47).</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B><U>Does The Bible Teach That You Must Be Baptized In Order To Be Saved?</U></B></I></div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Consider</U></B>:  Mark 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21 and <B>John 3:5</B> which says: "Except a man be born of water [baptism] and of the Spirit [conversion], [Jesus says:] <B><U>he cannot enter into the kingdom of God</U></B>."  Baptism represents the washing away of ones sins (Acts 22:16; Tit. 3:5; 1Pe. 3:21), of which unless we are washed (by the blood of Jesus 1Jo. 1:7), we cannot be saved.  In other words, look at it this way:  As the shed blood of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour represents the cleansing of sin in our lives when we accept Him into our hearts and believe in His sacrifice, so does baptism represent to the world our belief in these same principles plus the resurrection of Christ (see Col. 2:12 and also Rom. 6:1-7 which is referred to next).  And this resurrection states to the world in figurative language that we shall "walk in newness of life" (verse 4), meaning "we should not serve sin (verse 6)" anymore.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="05564640.gif" border=0 width="100" height="100" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> "Christ has made baptism the sign of entrance to His spiritual kingdom. <U>He has made this a positive condition with which all must comply</U> who wish to be acknowledged as under the authority of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."  <U>6T:91</U>.  "Jesus was our example in all things that pertain to life and godliness.  He was baptized in Jordan, just as those who come to Him <U>must be baptized</U>."  <U>YI:95</U>.  "The descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Gentiles (Acts 10:47) was not an equivalent for baptism.  The requisite steps in conversion, in all cases, are faith, repentance, and baptism.  Thus the true Christian church are united in one Lord, one faith, one baptism."  <U>3SP:332</U>.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="29146460.gif" border=0 width="70" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> In his sermon on baptism, <B>Luther says</B>:  "The word `baptism' comes from the Greek word baptizo and from the Latin mersia, and signifies, <B>to plunge one entirely in water</B>, so that he will be entirely covered... Baptism is a Greek word which can be translated immersion, as when we plunge something in water that it may be entirely covered."  <U>Catechism, article Baptism, pp. 131-132</U>.  Calvin certifies that "the word `baptism' signifies to plunge entirely, and that it is certain the custom thus totally to plunge was anciently observed in the church."  <U>Institution chretienne, tome II., livre 4. p. 19</U>.  "We see here (acts 8:38) how the ancients used to administer baptism;  it was customary with them to plunge the entire body in water."  <U>Comment., tome II., pp. 61-62</U>. </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="2923c500.gif" border=0 width="60" height="80" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Concerning <B>rebaptism</B> see Acts 19:1-5.  "There are many at the present day who have unwittingly violated one of the precepts of God's law... The honest seeker after truth will not plead ignorance of the law as an excuse for transgression.  Light was within his reach.  God's word is plain, and Christ has bidden him search the Scriptures.  He reveres God's law as holy, just, and good, and he repents of his transgression.  By faith he pleads the atoning blood of Christ, and grasps the promise of pardon.  His former baptism does not satisfy him now.  He has seen himself a sinner, condemned by the law of God.  He has experienced anew a death to sin, and he desires again to be buried with Christ by baptism, that he may rise to walk in newness of life.  Such a course is in harmony with the example of Paul in baptizing the Jewish converts.  That incident was recorded by the Holy Spirit as an instructive lesson for the church."  <U>3SP:122-133 & LP:133</U>.  See also 7MR:262.</div> <bR> <div>      <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="1b846460.gif" border=0 width="70" height="70" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>According to history</B>, the original form of baptism was total immersion.  The <U>French-Latin Dictionary</U>, written and published by a society of Catholic priests at Trevoux, France, in the sixteenth century, article Baptism, says:  "the primitive church baptized by immersion, and even to this day the entire Greek Church baptizes the same way; indeed, the Greek word baptizo signifies to plunge."  The <U>L'Encyclopedie Methodique</U>, published in Paris, France, from 1782 to 1832, <U>Theology, Vol. 1., article Baptism</U>, we find the following words:  "We would like to know why Protestants, who profess scrupulously to follow the primitive church, have not renewed the custom of baptizing by immersion."  The same voluminous work, <U>Theology, Vol. II., article Immersion</U>, says:  "Immersion the action of plunging in water any body whatever.  It is certain that during the first centuries of the Church, the custom was to administer baptism by immersion;  that is, to say, by plunging the individual in water from head to foot.  It appears that St. John thus baptized the Jews in Jordan; that Jesus Christ administered baptism in the same way through His disciples.  John 4:2.  Thus, in the beginning, to baptize was to plunge in water, or cover with water, the entire man... According to the instructions of the apostles, the person who was baptized by being buried in water and then coming up out of water, commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  St. Paul says to the Colossians:  `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.'  Col. 2:12."  In the <U>Cictionaire de l'Aeademie francuise</U>, we find:  "In the first centuries of the church, baptism was conferred by immersion."</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="29355450.gif" border=0 width="85" height="69" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> In <U>D Abbe C. Brandeville, dans le Dictionnaite de la concersation et de la Lecture, par Dukett et d'antres derivains, tome II., artical Bapteme</U>, Paris, 1851-1858, we read:  "The rule followed till the twelfth century, was to baptize by immersion, by plunging in water the body of him who received the sacrament.  The inconveniences and dangers attending this practice led to the adoption of the simpler mode of sprinkling."  The French Catholic Historian Fleury, in his <U>Historie Ecclesiastique, tome V., p. 627</U>, speaking of the ancient custom in England, says:  "The Bishop Paulin in 627 established his seat in the city of York... In those beginnings he baptized in rivers, because oratories and baptisteries had not yet been built.  This shows that they baptized by immersion."  There exists ancient baptisteries, which were originally made to plunge people in, some of which are found in different parts of the Old World, see <U>Encycloped e des Sciences religieuses, tome II., article Baptistere</U>.  "From the time of Constantine," says the Abbe Martigny, "the solemn administration of baptism occurred only in baptisteries built by the church.  It is certain that in the beginning there were no other baptisteries but rivers and fountains."  <U>Dict. des Antiquites chretiennes, an mot Bapteme</U>.  "At Rome the new converts were led to the Tiber.  There still remains in the prison of Mamertime, the miraculous well in which, according to tradition, St. Peter and St. Paul baptized their guardians Processus and Martimanus." <U>ibid</U>.  According to <U>Abbe Racine's Abregee de l'Histoire ecclesiastique, tome V., pp. 8-11</U>, "the twenty-fourth day of April of the year 1125... they baptized by immersion, having, in all that they did, due regard for honesty and Christian modesty."</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="28032320.gif" border=0 width="50" height="50" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div> "The first case on record of anything being used for baptism except immersion is the case of Novatian, given by Eusebius. Novatian, being very sick and it being thought he would die immediately, had water poured all over him in bed.  This occurred not earlier than AD 251.  But Novatian recovered and was refused recognition by the church because of the incompleteness of his baptism.  Other sick persons subsequently desired to receive this `clinical' baptism, but the authorities of the church strongly condemned it, yet the custom gradually grew in spite of these objections.  <U>The Signs of the Times, Vol. 3, p. 20</U>.  The <U>Encyclopedia Britannica</U> says:  "The Council of Ravenna in 1311 was the first council of the church which legalized baptism by sprinkling, by leaving it to the choice of the officiating minister."  "In the early days of the church, only adults who presented themselves freely and with a consciousness of what they were doing, were baptized." <U>La Vie chretienne dans les premiers siecles</U> (Christian life in the First Centuries), <U>par Aug. Neandre, chap. 9, p. 343</U>.  "In the apostolic age, baptism was administered by immersion, and was followed by the laying on of hands. Acts 8:17; 19:5,6.  It is very probable that it was conferred only of adults.  John baptized after a confession of sins, and the apostles themselves administered baptism only to those who repented of their sins (see Luke 3:3; Acts 19:4), or in whom the desire to be baptized led others to suppose that they had repented."  <U>Encyclopedie des Sciences religieuses, tome II., article Bapteme</U>.</div> <bR> <div> "No question has been more fully discussed than that of infant baptism.  The most distinguished church historians of today acknowledge that this custom cannot be traced to the apostolic age."  <U>Hist. des trois premiers siecles de l'Eglise, tome II., p. 488, Note G</U>.  Speaking of the Petrobrusians and Henricians of southern France, Peter the venerable, Abbe of Clugny, in his letter entitled, "<U>Against the Petrobrusians</U>," says:  "They deny that children can be saved by baptism before coming to the years of understanding."  In <U>Jacques Cappel sur la Doctrine des Vaudois representee, par Claude Seissel (Sedan, 1618)</U>, about the Waldenses, "baptism of children," was not done, <U>Hist. et Doctrine des Cathares Puritains on Albigeois, de Strasbourg, tome I., chap. 3, p. 26</U>.  "The Albigeois rejected the baptism of little children."  See also, <U>Histoire des Albigeois et des Vaudois, adressce a Louis XIV., p. 12, parle R.P. Benoit, predicateur de l'ordre de St. Dominique</U>.But what does the Bible say?  Mark 16:16 states:  "he that believeth," which can not be accomplished by the infentile mind, just as Philip stated to the Ethiopian:  "if thou believest… thou mayest be baptized," Acts 8:37.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto: heislord@teacher.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto: heislord@teacher.com"><U><IMG SRC="0547a3d0.gif" border=0 width="122" height="61" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> </td> </tr></table></body>