Water Baptism - For Every Believer
Text: Romans 6: 1-4 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Baptism is a very important subject in the Bible.
The various form of the word 'Baptism' appears in the Bible:
- Baptized 51 times
- Baptize 8 times
- Baptism 24 times
- Baptizing 7 times
- Water Baptism is often presented as an outward act portraying an inward experience.
- The inward experience involves coming out of your past life into the new life in Christ.
- Water baptism is a witness to one's faith in Christ and the acceptance of God's saving grace.
- If you are a new Christian, or if, as a Christian, you've never been baptized by immersion, you need to be baptized.
- It is not for nothing that the Apostle John writes the Christian confession in these words: "This is the one who came by water and blood-Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood" (1 Jn 5:6) - or, as we might say, not only with the baptism of water, but with the baptism of water and the baptism of death.
- The baptism of water, which inaugurated Christ's ministry, was a faint anticipation of the baptism of death, which crowned his ministry.
- As Noah was saved through water, so is the Christian: "Baptism now saves you." 1 Peter3:20 ...in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you– not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledgeof a good conscience to God – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who went into heaven and is at the right hand of Godwith angels and authorities and powers subject to him.
- How does baptism save a person?
- The answer is "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." © MSG Acts 16:31 "They said, "Put your entire trust in the Master Jesus. Then you'll live as you were meant to live--and everyone in your house included!"
1 Peter 3:18 - 21 Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.So he went and preached to the spirits in prison - those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And this is a picture of baptism, which now saves you by the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal to God from a clean conscience."
In other words, baptism is a union with Christ, and, united with Christ, we are carried with him to resurrection life.
A. How is Water Baptism administered?
As Pentecostals, we take the Bible literally when it comes to the administration of baptism.
Acts 8: 38-39 is the most compelling of all:
"So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing."
1. Water baptism, by immersion, testifies to a new life 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
2. It gives public witness to our identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection
Romans 6:3-4 "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Galatians 2:20-21, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."
Galatians 3:37 "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.;"
Ephesians 2:5-6; "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 2:12, "buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
Colossians 3:1-4. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory."
The "old life" is symbolically dead and buried in a watery grave.
B. Water baptism is a declaration that as a child of God, we are uniting with the body of Christ, the Church. It declares our allegiance to Christ, putting ourselves on God's side.
1. Water baptism indicates the seriousness of our commitment to Jesus Christ.
- It is the visible sign that seals the spiritual commitment.
- It affirms our salvation-that we are born again, dead to sin, alive in Him, and now free to "walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).
- We pledge to God that we will live for Him. It gives us something to live up to.
2. Water baptism is an act of obedience to our new-found Savior and Lord. Obedience is the first lesson a Christian must learn.
God's abundant blessings follow obedience to this commandment of the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) "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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
CONCLUSION:
Act 3:38 "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. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."