The Ordinances of the Church: Baptism

Aim: To teach a proper understanding of the ordinances of a local church.

Point of Contact: Do you know why we baptize people? Do you think a Baptist Church should accept the baptism of another denomination? Why? Today we are going to study the church ordinance of Baptism and we will find the answer to these questions.

Introduction: An ordinance is that which has been decreed or appointed. Scriptural churches observe two ordinances, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. Both of these were observed by the early church. (Acts 2:41,42; I Corinthians 11:23-32) Some churches observe foot washing as an ordinance but this was apparently never observed as an ordinance by the early New Testament Churches. (John 13:14,15)

These are Church ordinances. God decreed that churches should observe these and not individuals or groups outside of a church. These ordinances are to be observed under the supervision of the church and under the authority of the church.

Some look upon the ordinances as sacraments that impart some spiritual blessing upon those that observe them. According to this view, there is a saving benefit in the ordinance of Baptism and certain spiritual benefits received in the Lord Supper observance. The New Testament teaches however, that the ordinances are symbolic acts setting forth spiritual truths.

The purpose of the church ordinances are for perpetuating great truths of the gospel. Eg. The New Birth, the Atoning Death, the Bodily Resurrection, the Second Coming, etc. Men might forget these truths, so our Lord enshrined them in these two ordinances so that they would be kept before the church and the world continually. Today we want to study the ordinance of Baptism.

I. . The Origin of Baptism.

The word "baptize" comes from the Greek word "baptizo" which means to dip, plunge, or to sink beneath the water by immersion. In every New Testament example, to baptize was to immerse an individual in water.

Professor P. Lange, a Lutheran: "It must be merely granted by every unprejudiced reader of Holy Scripture and Christian antiquity that the Baptism of new born infants was altogether unknown to primitive Christianity".

Concerning the interpretation of Romans 6:1-5; John Wesley, the founder of Methodism: "Buried with Him" alluded to the ancient manner of baptism by immersion".

John Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism: "Among the ancients, they immersed the whole body in water. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church".

A.. The Baptism of John, the Baptist. (Matthew 3:1-17; John 3:22,23)

John came forth from the wilderness preaching repentance and baptizing. This was the first time it was practiced. He baptized people who repented of their sins and put their faith in the coming Saviour, Jesus Christ. He received his authority from Heaven. Luke 20:4-8.

John baptized Christ and all His disciples. (Matthew 3:11-17; Acts 1:21) The baptism that John referred to in Matthew 3:11, was Holy Spirit baptism which occurred for the first and last time at Pentecost. Today there is only one baptism and that is water baptism. Ephesians 4:5. John's baptism was a Christian baptism.

B. The Baptism of Jesus. (Matthew 3:13-17)

Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan (60 miles) to be baptized of John who was the only one living who had the authority to baptize.

Jesus said it was necessary for Him to be baptized in order to fulfil all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15)

Some question whether Jesus Himself ever administered baptism. (John 3:22), would seem to teach that at the beginning of His ministry He did, but not long after delegated this work to the disciples. (John 4:1,2) However, the Scriptures clearly state that He did not baptize.

Jesus was baptized by immersion at the beginning of His earthly ministry (being about 30 years old). In so doing, He pictured what He was going to do at the end of His earthly ministry, namely die, be buried, and rise again.

C. The Baptism by the Disciples.

1. All the Disciples were baptized by John the Baptist. (Acts 1:21,22)

2. The Disciples baptized those who were saved through the ministry of Christ and themselves. (John 4:1,2)

D. Baptism by the New Testament Church.

1. Christ placed the authority to baptize in the church. (Matthew 28:16-20) And Paul told a local church they were to keep (guard) the ordinances. (I Corinthians 11:2) This would mean that, they only were to administer and supervise.

a. Peter preached and practiced Baptism. (Acts 2:38-41)

Those baptized were added to the already existing church. When Peter baptized Cornelius in Acts 10, we find that he got permission from the brethren who accompanied him and who were from the church in Joppa.

b. Paul preached and practiced Baptism. (Acts 16:14,15)

Paul was a missionary sent out from a local church which no doubt gave him this authority even as we give such authority to missionaries today.

2. Some other Baptisms.

a. Philip baptized in Samaria and he baptized the Ethiopian Eunuch. (Acts 8:12,38)

The church at Jerusalem may have authorized this , but if not, the Holy Spirit, before the Scriptures were completed, directed him to do this, which would have made it valid. Now that the Scriptures are complete, no one should presume to be given such authority today. (II Timothy 3:16,17)

b. Paul was baptized by Ananias and here again at the direct command of the Holy Spirit.

Although even this, may have been authorized by the by the church at Damascus. (Acts 9) No baptism is valid unless authorized by a scriptural New Testament local Church or authorized by God Himself. Nowhere in Scripture do we find a single place where anyone was baptized by anyone who did not have his authority from Christ Himself or the church which He built.

II. The Four Requirements of Baptism. (I Corinthians 11:2)

God has given a divine pattern for baptism just as He did for the Tabernacle. Every part, piece, and dimension of the Tabernacle told some truth that God wanted the people to know about Himself. If anything had been changed, then the picture God wanted the people to see about Himself would have been marred and an untruth revealed. Thus God took Moses up into the mount and for forty days instructed him about its construction and He said, "See, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the Mount." (Hebrews 8:5)

God would have us observe these same instructions, about the ordinances for they picture divine truth that must be preserved without the slightest change. The picture of the Gospel must not be marred.

The pattern involves four things:

A. Scriptural Candidate.

Baptism is to be administered to those and to those only, who have exercised and professed a saving Faith in Christ. Only an individual who gives testimony of Salvation is to be Baptized. (cf. Acts 8:13; 2:41; 8:36; 16:33)

This eliminates infant baptism.

B. A Scriptural Mode: Immersion. The New Testament supplies ample evidence for this:

1. The Baptism of Christ.

"And Jesus, when He was Baptized, went up straightway out of the water".

"Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan". Mark 1:9,10.

"Jesus was in Jordan and came up out of the water".

2. John used "much water" for baptism.

"And John also was baptizing in Enon, near to Salem, because there was much water there". John 3:23. There was no need for much water if only pouring or sprinkling was practiced. (Cf. Philip: Acts 8:38,39)

3. References by Paul.

Romans 6:4, "Buried with Him by baptism."

Colossians 1:12, "Buried with Him in Baptism."

C. Scriptural Design or Motive.

1. By following Christ in baptism we are obeying His commandment. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Baptism does not save but is an act of obedience after one is saved. The Bible teaches that after you are saved by His blood then you have the privilege to be Baptized in water. It is through the Blood to the water and not through the water to the Blood.

2. In Baptism, the believer presents the picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as the Gospel that brings salvation. Romans 6:1-10; I Corinthians 15:1-4.

3. In Baptism, the believer pictures to the world what has happened in his heart. Romans 6:1-10. Eg. His own death to sin, his fellowship with Christ in His death, his rising to walk in newness of life. Baptism is the outward picture of an inward work of Grace.

4. Baptism is a picture of the future resurrection of the believer. That though he may physically die, he will be resurrected.

D. The Scriptural Administrator: The Church.

The authority to baptize was placed in the Church by Christ.. (Matthew 28:19) The ordinances must be guarded for their purity and teaching. God realized that if individuals were able to promiscuously administer the ordinances, that their purity would not continue as when they were first given. But if that supervision was given by a scriptural church, then that group of people would not be easily swayed to alter any aspect of the ordinance. (I Corinthian 11:2.)

God did not give the authority to baptize to individuals nor to an unscriptural church. Therefore the authority for baptism rests only in a scriptural New Testament Church.

III. The Dangers of Unscriptural Baptism.

A. It is disobedient to the command of Christ.

B. It presents a false picture of the Gospel.

Eg. If a church baptizes by sprinkling, it does not picture the Gospel. (Romans 6:1-10)

If a church baptizes for salvation, it does not picture salvation by faith.

C. It places approval upon Unscriptural Churches.

The New Testament Church is the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. (I Timothy 3:15)

The church must stand for the pure, unadulterated truth regardless of the consequences. It must be scriptural and it must do things decently and in order. It must declare it is the true church and that it only has the authority to baptize. Any other church that has departed from the faith by its doctrine or practice is not a scriptural New Testament Church.

For a scriptural church to accept the baptism of an unscriptural church would be a gross mistake and would in actuality make it an unscriptural church because it is no longer adhering to scriptural teaching, either in doctrine or in practice.

Eg. Suppose a scriptural Baptist church accepted the immersion baptism of a Methodist church. It would be saying the Methodist church was a scriptural church and therefore had the right to baptize. But, Methodist churches do not believe in Eternal Security or in salvation by Grace through Faith and is therefore made up of unsaved people to a large extent and especially unscripturally baptized people.

To accept "alien immersion" is an unscriptural practice and Baptists must guard the purity of the Ordinance of Baptism by not accepting it.

Definition of Baptism: "Christian Baptism is a specific act to be administered by a specific body to persons professing specific qualifications for the profession of specific truths". J. R. Graves.

Conclusion: Baptism is important. It is the act that pictures salvation and the gospel. It also is the act that places a person in the church or the body of Christ. Have you been scripturally baptized? If not, you need to do that today.

Questions:

1. What is an ordinance?

2. What are the two ordinances administered by a New Testament church?

3. Why is it that "footwashing" is not observed as an ordinance?

4. What are the purposes of the ordinances?

5. Who administered the first Christian baptism?

6. Define the word "baptizo"?

7. Who baptized the twelve apostles?

8. When did Holy Spirit baptism occur? Has it happened since?

9. What is the only baptism today?

10. Who baptized Jesus? Who gave him his authority?

11. Why was Jesus baptized?

12. What did God say as soon as Jesus was Baptized?

13. By what mode was Jesus baptized?

14. Who has the authority to baptize today?

15. What are the four requirements for baptism?

16. Why should people who are saved be baptized?

17. Why should a scriptural church refuse to accept "alien immersion"?