Why Baptism?

Why Baptism?

Do you believe in God?  Do you believe in a Being who has far greater knowledge and power than mankind?  Do you believe in a Being who created the heavens and the earth, and to whom all things and all people are subject?  The Bible teaches that there is a God, One who created the world and everything in it, and that He is far greater in knowledge and power than mankind (Isaiah 55:9).

The Bible also teaches that when we disobey God, it is sin (James 4:17), and that our sins separate us from our Creator (Isaiah 59:2).  Do you believe that your sins in this life separate you from the God of Creation?  If you do believe, what do YOU think God should have us do to have our sins removed?  If you asked a room full of people what they THINK God would have us do to be saved from sin, you would probably get many varying and conflicting opinions.  But, thankfully, the question is not what does man think God may or may not require of us, but what has He commanded?

In Acts chapter 2, a multitude of men are convinced in their hearts that sin separates them from God.  They are convinced that they stand guilty in the eyes of God and ask Peter and the disciples WHAT SHALL WE DO?  They want to know, what must we do to be CLEANSED of our sins?  And Peter replies, “Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).  Many at that time may have been expecting some grand display of divine power, or may have been expecting the voice of God to come booming from the heavens, or beams of light to burst from the upon them.  But Peter said in order to have your sins washed away you MUST be baptized, that is, literally meaning fully immersed, in water, in the NAME (by the authority of) Jesus Christ, FOR the remission of (deliverance from) sins.

WATER!?  Immersion in water?  Why?  Why is this part of the God’s prescription for salvation?  Now, there are many theories about water, its molecular content, what it represents, its metaphorical nature, but, the bottom line is that God commanded baptism; whether or not we fully understand it is IMMATERIAL!  Remember that God’s knowledge and ways are far beyond our own, and there are many things He does and commands that we, with our limited human understanding, will never fully comprehend.  The fundamental fact is that it is evident from His revelation that water baptism is what the Lord prescribed!  Who is man to challenge a clear instruction from God?

As you consider some of the following verses, notice that the Bible plainly teaches that water baptism is essential to salvation from sin.  If one believes the Bible is the inspired word of God, then that person will simply do whatever the Lord asks of them through faith.  If God asked us to just stick our feet in water to be saved, we should do it.  If He asked us to jump through a ring of fire, we should do it.  If he asked us to get a certain kind of tattoo, we should do it.  Why?  Not because we trust in something about the act itself, but because we believe in the God who commanded it!

Read Matthew 28:18,19.  Yes, Jesus Christ commanded His followers to go into all the world and teach others His doctrine, and TO BAPTIZE them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  How can someone claim to be a disciple of Christ but dismiss this simple command?

Read Mark 16:16. Jesus says “he that believes AND is baptized will be saved”.  For most people who claim the Bible is the word of God, they recognize the Bible plainly teaches belief is essential to salvation, which it does! (John 3:16, I John 5:5) But, how could we read and understand a verse that says belief is necessary for salvation, and disregard a verse that says belief and baptism are necessary?  You take away the power and necessity of water baptism from God’s plan of salvation you take away the power and necessity of belief.  You can’t have one without the other because of that three letter word, AND.

Read Mark 1:9. People in the world say they want to be like Jesus.  Do you want to be like Jesus?  Do you want to follow His example?  Jesus was baptized in water!  Jesus went down into the river Jordan, and was baptized by John as an EXAMPLE of obedience for all of us!

Read Acts 2:40,41. – When Peter preached the Gospel to these men, it says that those who gladly receive the word, those who BELIEVED, were baptized, and in verse 47, after they were baptized the Lord added them to the church, the BODY of believers.  Being added to the Lord’s church (not the local church) requires water baptism.

Read Acts 8:12. What did those individuals DO who believed in the Gospel of Jesus that Philip preached?  They responded to the teaching by being baptized in water, just as those in Acts 2:38, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins.

Read Acts 16:15. What did Lydia and her household do in response to her understanding of the Gospel?  They were baptized.

Read Acts 19:3-5.  These people realized they had not been properly baptized into Christ, and saw the urgency of making sure they were baptized for the right reasons.  Baptism is such a vital consideration that those who are not sure why they were baptized should give strong consideration to whether or not they should do so again.  If you have been baptized, and did not have the understanding of being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), if you did not confess His name with your mouth before men (Romans 10:10), or were not at the time truly committed to repenting of your sins (Matthew 9:13), you need to consider whether or not your baptism was according to scripture. 

Read I Peter 3:21. Why should you be baptized?  This verse teaches that baptism saves us.  Not baptism alone.  Just like verses which teach that our faith saves us don’t mean faith alone, or verses that teach the love of God saves us don’t mean we don’t have to love Him back!  But if we recognize from scripture that faith does save us, and that we are saved by the grace and love of God, etc., then we must recognize that there are some things we must do to be saved, and baptism is clearly taught as one of those acts of obedience.

Recalling his conversion in Acts 22:16, Paul recalls these instructions: “And now, why are you waiting, arise, and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”  Over and over again, the word of God demonstrates and teaches that men and women must be baptized for the remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ in order to step into God’s eternal purpose!  It is not a matter of whether or not the word of God teaches water baptism is essential to salvation; anybody with common sense who can read at an elementary school level can see that.  It is a matter of whether or not one trusts in the teachings of God’s word!

Truly, there isn’t anything really special about the water itself, but when you of your own free will CHOOSE to go down into the water by faith, it’s YOU that becomes special in the eyes of our God.

Jeremy Koontz

  

Heaven, part 1

Heaven, part 1

Everything a Christian does, in worship and in daily life,must have heaven as its motivation.  Why strive, suffer, abstain, work, if he does not have a clear goal – heaven – pulling him on?  This being true, we should have heaven, and what Scripture tells us about heaven, in constant sharp focus in our minds.

Won’t it be wonderful there? Yes indeed; God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away”, and, again, the One seated on the throne said, “To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment” (Revelation 21:4, 6).

Who can we expect to find in heaven?  As it is His dwelling place we will find God the Father – and indeed, when Jesus was baptized by John, the Father from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son … ”  Matthew 3:17.   Then when Stephen was murdered (Acts 7:55, 56) Jesus – crucified, resurrected, and ascended -- appeared in heaven, at the right hand of the Father. Who else will we find in heaven?  Hear the apostle Paul telling the Romans that they will receive eternal life, “who by patience in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality” (Romans 2:7).    No one will get there by accident; but by “patience in well doing”.  In heaven there is kept “an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading” I Peter 1:4

These considerations hint of the marvel that will be heaven.  They are the more marvelous as we make comparison with them against our circumstances.  We are surrounded by indifference, even hostility, to spiritual things:  entertainers, athletes, politicians, so-called “beautiful people”, are held up for adulation as “worthy of praise”; while the honest laborer is contemptuously labeled “deplorable”.  This laborer will probably never have a million dollar mansion in this life.  The difference is that he desires a better country, that is, a heavenly one.  And God “is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:16).

How will we get to heaven?   Not as something we have earned -- we have sinned, the wages of sin is death  (Romans 3:23; 6:23); so we are helpless and hopeless.  (Hebrews 10:4).   Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:29).   HOW do we come to Him?  Scripture gives the answer.  For instance, Jesus said, John 6:44, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him”.  How does the Father draw one?    By a direct operation of the Holy Spirit?  No.   By determining beforehand who will be saved, and all others lost? No.   Let the Bible speak for itself.  Jesus continues in verse 45; saying, ‘It is written in the prophets, And they will all be taught by God.  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me ….”  Verse 45. Who comes to Jesus?  Those who have learned from the Father.   No big puzzle, always consult the context.

What may one learn, “from the Father?”

He may learn, that the wages of sin is death.  He may learn, that “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” and he may learn that “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Romans 6:23; Hebrews 9:22; 10:4). He may learn that Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes     

   away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  He learns, then, 

   that Christ by death paid for all sins and sinners from

   Adam, and He “has appeared once for all at the end of

   the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself’”

   (Hebrews 9:26).

   Pat