God’s Plan of Salvation - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

God’s Plan of Salvation

Part 5 – God’s Teaching About Baptism

eis

en

ekSlide2

God’s Plan of Salvation

If there is any topic in the Bible that is full of controversy and confusion,

baptism is itEvery denominational group in the world practices some variation of baptismAll of these groups have different forms and different reasons

Why so much controversy?“Hide the penny” – if anyone gets too close to finding it, stir up the mud

The devilSlide3

God’s Plan of Salvation

Just like muddying the water in “hide the penny,” so the devil has tried to confuse the issue of baptism

Because baptism is where a person’s sins are washed away, the devil has intentionally created confusionThe devil hopes that everyone will give up trying to understand the truth Slide4

God’s Plan of Salvation

It doesn’t matter what any church teaches about baptismThe only thing that counts is what God teaches about it

What does

the Bible say?Slide5

God’s Plan of Salvation

The New Testament was written in Greek, because that was the common language at the time

Baptizo means to immerse, to dip into, to plunge, to submergeRantizo means to sprinkle

Cheo means to pourOver the years “baptize” has come to mean “to sprinkle, pour, or immerse”Slide6

God’s Plan of Salvation

When God wrote the New Testament, He always used baptizo

to describe baptismIn 1311 AD the Roman Catholic Church, at the Council of Ravenna, Italy, declared sprinkling and pouring to be of equal standing with immersion

Many Protestant churches adopted the Catholic practice of sprinkling without first consulting the ScripturesSlide7

God’s Plan of Salvation

Since that time most Bible translators have transliterated

baptizo to “baptize,” thus avoiding controversy over the real meaning of the wordGod said immerse

as clearly as He could say it in the Greek language – He said baptizoThere is another way outside of etymology to determine the meaning of a word – context Slide8

God’s Plan of Salvation

If I ask you to go to the barn and bring back my saddle, bridle, and horse, you know to bring my saddle horse

If I ask you to go to the shop and bring back my hammer, saw, and horse, you know to bring back my saw horseContext dictates the meaning of the word In the same way, context will dictate the meaning of baptizeSlide9

God’s Plan of Salvation

John the Baptist was baptizing at

Aenon near Salim, “because there was much water there” (John 3:23)

You don’t need much water for sprinkling or pouring, but you do for immersionAfter Jesus was baptized, He “went up immediately from the water” (Matthew 3:16)You don’t need to come up from the water unless you’ve been down in it, as in immersionSlide10

God’s Plan of Salvation

In Acts 8:38, both Philip and the Ethiopian went down into the water

The context of the Scripture dictates immersionIt is clear from the Bible that God speaks of baptism as being immersionFrom this point on, we will primarily use the word immersion, and immersion is what we mean if we say baptismSlide11

God’s Plan of Salvation

N.T.

baptism requires

Sprinkling requiresPouring requires

Immersion requires

Water, Acts 10:47





Much water, John

3:23

?



Going

to the water, Matt 3:13



Administered

in water, Mk. 1:9



Down into water, Acts 8:38



Coming up out of water, Matt 3:16



A burial, Romans

6:4



A resurrection, Col. 2:12



Bodies washed, Heb. 10:22



(this

chart taken from Gareth Reese’s commentary on the book of Acts)Slide12

God’s Plan of Salvation

Acts 2:38 is a Scripture we want to cover in some detailThousands of Jews on Pentecost asked, “What shall we do?”

Peter responded, “Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38)Slide13

God’s Plan of Salvation

Peter’s answer is straightforward: 1) Repent, and 2) Be immersed

Most people don’t argue that repentance is necessaryImmersion in the name of Jesus for the purpose of forgiveness of sins is where some people have real problemsMost so-called “fundamental evangelicals” teach that an individual is saved by “faith alone”Slide14

God’s Plan of Salvation

“For by grace you have been saved through faith… not as a result of works…” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

These “faith only” groups arbitrarily assign to immersion the status of worksThey say that immersion therefore can have nothing to do with salvation

Such a position forces a person to try to squirm around the obvious meaning of Acts 2:38Slide15

God’s Plan of Salvation

One argument against the plain teaching of Acts 2:38 is that “for” really means “because of”

A man is thrown into jail for [because of] crimes committedThe Greek word translated “for” is eis

This Greek preposition literally means going into, or with a view towardRead Matthew 26:28 – same Greek preposition eis

en

ek

eisSlide16

God’s Plan of Salvation

Jesus’ blood was shed “for the forgiveness of sins”Clearly this cannot mean that Jesus blood was shed because our sins were already forgiven

Both in Matthew 26:28 and Acts 2:38, “for the forgiveness of sins” means for

the forgiveness of sinsSlide17

God’s Plan of Salvation

Others argue that immersion in the name of Jesus Christ isn’t immersion in water, but instead is immersion in the Spirit

Remember Acts 8:36 – Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopian eunuchThe Ethiopian said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being immersed?”Water immersion evidently has something to do with preaching JesusSlide18

God’s Plan of Salvation

In Acts 10:44, Cornelius received what the Bible calls the “immersion in the Holy Spirit”

For a further study on what this entails, see The Holy Spirit studyAs a result of Cornelius’ immersion with the Spirit, Peter and his fellow Jewish Christians were amazedSlide19

God’s Plan of Salvation

“Surely no one can refuse the

water for these to be immersed who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”“And he ordered them to be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ

” (Acts 10:47-48)Acts 10:47-48 proves that immersion in the name of Jesus takes place in waterActs 2:38 plainly says, then, that immersion in water is for the forgiveness of sinsSlide20

God’s Plan of Salvation

Romans 6:1-11 is the longest section of scripture dealing with immersion

In the fifth chapter Paul wrote of the greatness of God’s graceThe question addressed by Paul is: “Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?”The reason that this is true is because Christians have died to sin – Read Romans 6:1-11

May it never be!Slide21

God’s Plan of Salvation

1) “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?” (

vs 3)Only in

Christ Jesus is there no condemnation – Romans 8:1All of God’s blessings are reserved for those in Jesus – Ephesians 1:3Most important question: “How do I get

into Jesus?”God’s answer – a person must be

immersed into Christ JesusSlide22

God’s Plan of Salvation

1) continued (vs

3)No one enters into Christ by “accepting Jesus into his heart” – this man-made perversion is anathema to the Lord and should be to us also – see Galatians 1:6-10

The only way through the door of salvation is immersion into Jesus – anyone who tries another way is a thief and a robber (John 10:1)When a person is immersed into Christ, he is immersed into His death – that is where we contact the blood of Jesus shed for forgiveness of sinsSlide23

God’s Plan of Salvation

2) “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (

vs 4)This is a clear description of being “born again” – see John 3:3

We have been buried in immersion, and raised to walk in newness of lifeThe old man is buried, and a new one is raised who walks in a different lifeSlide24

God’s Plan of Salvation

2) continued (vs

4)Nowhere does the Holy Spirit even hint that immersion is only a “symbol of the conversion that has already taken place”God insists that the process of being born again, in which

He does the work, is accomplished in immersionSlide25

God’s Plan of Salvation

3) “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection” (

vs 5)There is only one Biblical thing that is the likeness of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection – immersion in water

Neither sprinkling nor pouring is that likenessThis description of immersion into Christ as the likeness of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection makes it clear that immersion into Christ is in waterSlide26

God’s Plan of Salvation

3) continued (vs

4)Our union with Christ occurs in the likeness of His death – not before, not after – in

If we have been united with Christ in the likeness of His death, Paul says that we certainly shall be in the likeness of His resurrectionAn examination of the context shows that the Holy Spirit is talking about a resurrection like Christ’s in this present age

We have buried the old man; the new man certainly is as Christ was after He was resurrectedSlide27

God’s Plan of Salvation

4) “… knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7)

The biggest problem that the Christian faces is the desire of the flesh to sinWe need to be conscious of the fact that the sinful body has been crucified in immersion; it’s deadSlide28

God’s Plan of Salvation

4) continued (vs

6-7)Therefore a Christian is not a slave to sin – sin has no business telling him what to doThe Christian can tell sin to “get lost;” he is free from sin’s powerSlide29

God’s Plan of Salvation

5) “Now if we have died with Christ we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him” (

vs 8-9)After Christ’s resurrection, the devil had no more that he could do to Him

Christ had destroyed him who had the power of death – see Hebrews 2:14We believe that we live with Him – see John 5:24Slide30

God’s Plan of Salvation

6) “For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all, but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (

vs 10-11)When Jesus burst forth from the grave, Satan could no longer tempt Him

No longer could the devil meet with Him in the wilderness tempting His flesh with appeals to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the boastful pride of lifeSlide31

God’s Plan of Salvation

6) continued (vs

10-11)Sin could no longer touch or tempt JesusSince we have shared in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection through our immersion, we are to consider ourselves just as removed from the power of sin as Christ was in His resurrection

If we don’t see ourselves this way, it’s a cinch that we won’t even come close to acting this waySlide32

God’s Plan of Salvation

7) Summary of Romans 6:1-11

Immersion places one into ChristA person buries his old man in immersion, and is raised to walk in newness of life – he is born againUnion with Christ takes place in the likeness of His death, which is immersion in water

Following immersion into Christ, the Christian is to consider himself just as removed from the power of sin as Jesus was when He was resurrectedSlide33

God’s Plan of Salvation

In Galatians 3:26,27 we find that Christians are the sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus because of their immersion into Christ

“For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized [immersed] into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” (Galatians 3:26-27)Slide34

God’s Plan of Salvation

Once again, the expression “immersion into Christ” is used

As was pointed out in Romans 6:3, the only way into Christ is by being immersed into HimMany religious groups cannot accept the statement that Christians are sons of God by faith, and that the adoption occurs during immersion into ChristSlide35

God’s Plan of Salvation

Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For by

grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God;

not as a result of works, that no one should boast”Many who claim that a person is saved by “faith alone” assume that immersion is a workIf baptism is a work, it cannot be connected with salvation, for salvation comes “not as a result of works”Slide36

God’s Plan of Salvation

Why not let God define what He means by “faith”Galatians 3:26 tells us that we are sons of God by

faith in Christ JesusVerse 27 goes on to tell us how that metamorphosis occurred

When we were immersed into Christ, we were clothed with ChristSlide37

God’s Plan of Salvation

Suppose you were going to a costume partyYou put on a Donald Duck costume

You have now been clothed with Donald DuckPeople don’t see you; they see Donald DuckSlide38

God’s Plan of Salvation

So it is with immersion into Christ

When you are immersed, you become clothed with ChristWhen God looks at you, He sees JesusYou have become His son through faith

Faith, in God’s definition, includes more than “simple belief”It includes belief, repentance, confession that Jesus is Lord, and immersion in water into ChristSlide39

God’s Plan of Salvation

“For by one Spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:13)

There are two possible interpretations for this verseThrough the action of the Holy Spirit we have all entered the body of Christ by being immersed into it

The word spirit refers to our attitude – with one attitude we were all immersed into one bodySlide40

God’s Plan of Salvation

There are some who twist this passage to speak of being baptized in the Holy Spirit

Baptism in the Holy Spirit only occurred twice – once to begin the church on Pentecost, and once to extend salvation to the GentilesFor more information see the study entitled The Holy SpiritSlide41

God’s Plan of Salvation

There is no question that immersion into Christ occurs through the medium of water

One cannot be in the body of Christ without being immersed into ChristImmersion – in water – into Christ places one into Christ’s body, His churchSlide42

God’s Plan of Salvation

Colossians 2:12, like Romans 6, makes the point that we have buried with Christ in immersion

In immersion we are also “raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12)Any works connected with immersion are on God’s part – we are saved through faith in

His workingSlide43

God’s Plan of Salvation

Romans 6:17-18 are interesting versesAlthough they do not mention immersion directly, they add to our knowledge of the subject

Read Romans 6:17-18“Having been freed from sin” tips us off that Paul is still talking about immersion, as he was earlier in the chapter (vs. 1-11)Slide44

God’s Plan of Salvation

What is the form

of doctrine to which we were committed?Form means “mold” or “likeness”Example of concrete forms

Christians have obeyed something that is a form of the doctrineWhat is the basic doctrine of Christ?It is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ – see 1 Corinthians 15:3,4Slide45

God’s Plan of Salvation

Is there anything that is the

form or likeness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ?

Immersion into Christ is the likeness of the gospel – see Romans 6:5Consistent with the rest of the Bible, when we obeyed the gospel in immersion, we were freed from sinAlso notice that this obedience has to come from our own hearts

– e.g., infant baptism can’t be validSlide46

God’s Plan of Salvation

1 Peter 3:21 makes the point that just as the flood waters served to destroy the old world in Noah’s time, and save Noah’s family, so the waters of immersion save us today

“And corresponding to that, immersion now saves you – not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21)Slide47

God’s Plan of Salvation

“immersion now saves you” – that seems like a pretty plain statement

Those who deny that immersion has anything to do with salvation have real trouble with this verseDr. Kenneth Taylor, in his paraphrase of the Bible, the Living Bible

, gives us his opinion of this verse“That, by the way, is what baptism pictures for us, in baptism we show that we have been saved

…”Slide48

God’s Plan of Salvation

That is not

what the Scripture says – it is instead straight Baptist doctrine1 Peter 3:21 says clearly, “… baptism now saves you…”

Many things save: grace, faith, Jesus’ blood, God, obedienceIf God chooses to make all of these operative when an individual is immersed into Christ, who can set aside that choice?Slide49

God’s Plan of Salvation

Note that immersion is an appeal to God for a “good conscience”

A good conscience has only been available since Christ’s death on the crossThrough immersion, a person is saved because he enters the resurrection of ChristSlide50

God’s Plan of Salvation

In John 3:3, Jesus told a Pharisee named Nicodemus that, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”

Nicodemus wondered how a person could be born again after he was oldJesus answered, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5)Slide51

God’s Plan of Salvation

Being

born again consists of being born of water and SpiritIt seems clear that Jesus was speaking of immersion in His name, which clearly includes water and Spirit – see Acts 2:38

The kingdom of God didn’t come until the day of Pentecost following Jesus’ resurrectionFor further information, see study on the kingdom of God in Christ’s Church study bookletSlide52

God’s Plan of Salvation

Just as the kingdom didn’t come until after the resurrection of Christ, neither did the Spirit (John 7:37-39), and neither did immersion in Christ’s name

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus of things yet to come from that standpoint in timeThe kingdom, immersion in Christ’s name, and the Holy Spirit all came at Pentecost some 2½ years after Jesus’ conversation with NicodemusSlide53

God’s Plan of Salvation

The same point as that made in John 3:3,5 is also made in Titus 3:5

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)Paul speaks of God saving us through the

bath of regenerationSlide54

God’s Plan of Salvation

This literal rendering of the Greek (bath) ties together with the thoughts expressed in 1 Peter 3:21 and John 3:5

Titus 3:5 is clearly speaking of being born again through immersion in water – born of water and SpiritThe bath

of regeneration eliminates all past sinThe renewing action of the Spirit continues to save the faithful ChristianSlide55

God’s Plan of Salvation

In Ephesians 5:26 Paul speaks of the church as having been “cleansed… by the washing of water with the word”

Literally the church has been cleansed with the bath of water with the word

The word of God cleanses the church, on an individual basis, in immersionThere is a nice connection with 1 Peter 1:23, “… you have been born again… through the living and abiding word of God”Slide56

God’s Plan of Salvation

Our final Scripture verses dealing with immersion are Ephesians 4:4-6

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one immersion, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:4-6)Just as there is only one Spirit, and only one Lord, and only one Father, so there is only one body, one faith, and one immersionSlide57

God’s Plan of Salvation

Sometimes I’m asked, “What faith are you?”

The reply, “Christian”“I know. But what faith Christian?”

There is only one faith -- ChristianSimilarly there is only one immersionDenominations practice various formsAs far as God is concerned, there is only one immersion – into ChristThose who have been baptized with any other baptism are still condemned to hell by their sinsSlide58

God’s Plan of Salvation

A few extraneous thoughts

Story of two Baptist preachers going over “plan of salvation” with a familyPreachers wanted them to “accept Jesus into their hearts”“What about baptism?”

Preacher quoted 1 Corinthians 1:14 and 17, “I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius… For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel”Slide59

God’s Plan of Salvation

The Baptist preacher proceeded to explain that baptism had nothing to do with salvation

He said there were a lot of saved people in Corinth, but only Crispus, Gaius, and the household of

Stephanas had been baptizedKnew that couldn’t be rightDidn’t know enough to answer, so had to go home and study the BibleSlide60

God’s Plan of Salvation

Why did Paul say he was thankful that he hadn’t immersed many in Corinth

He says in 1 Corinthians 1:15, “… that no one should say you were immersed in my name”

It wasn’t that the Corinthians weren’t immersedPaul would later say in the same letter, “… we were all baptized into one body…” (1 Corinthians 12:13)In Corinth Paul preached the gospel, and he let others do the immersingSlide61

God’s Plan of Salvation

Another guy said that there were over 100 Scriptures which talk about how a person is saved by faith, but only a few which mention immersion

He concluded that since immersion wasn’t mentioned very often, it wasn’t very importantIf that line of reasoning is correct, then being born again must not be important at all, because it is mentioned only four timesSlide62

God’s Plan of Salvation

Summary of God’s Teaching about Baptism

When a person is immersed, God places him into ChristImmersion saves him by the resurrection of ChristHe is regenerated as He receives the Holy Spirit in his washing

There is only one immersion – into ChristSlide63

God’s Plan of Salvation

Part 6 – The Choice