Baptism. (379)

We take a deep dive into baptism. Nathan responds to a recent podcast or throwdown, while Keith turns to a listing founded knaves concordance.

In two leadoff, Keith reads and comments on Scriptures relating to the baptism of John. Nathan has the chance to interject his observations.

• Salvation comes first, baptism next.
• a fallacy about Noah and baptism can be found in 1 Peter 3:21,22.
• the waters of the flood would have killed anything in them since they represent God’s wrath
• the water separated Noah from the mess. Nathan.
• water doesn’t cleanse physical sins.
• baptism is a sign of setting one’s self apart for God.
• A few are said to be saved, despite no record of baptism.
• For example The thief on the cross, and those Jesus declared forgiven when he healed them

Nave’s entry on baptism is much more extensive than what follows. These are the verses that Keith focuses on in the episode.

JOHN’S

Matthew 3:5-8,11; NASB

5 Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan;
6 and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance;

11 “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John’s water baptism is all about repentance. It didn’t do much, other than acknowledging sin and one’s remorse over it. It served two points towards the salvation of the baptism in Christ it was a symbolic symbol of cleansing, but it also had divine qualities. (Matthew 21:25.

John’s baptism could only truly represent the death that sin brings. Repentance is a start but it cannot save. Acts 1:5. It’s pointless unless it leads to salvation found in Christ.

Acts 19:3,4 NASB

3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”

CHRISTIAN

Baptism is a command from Christ

Matthew 28:19 NASB
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

The combination of faith and baptism leads to salvation. The lack of faith means that we are condemned. It’s our sin that condemns. The only way out is to believe in Christ. Baptism doesn’t mean anything unless we have faith. A baptism is a physical event, being dipped into the water. It goes hand-in-hand with spiritual baptism. Baptism in Christ is also closely connected with baptism in the Spirit. John 3:5; Acts 2:38,41.

Mark 16:16 NASB
“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved, but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.

One fallacy about baptism deals with who is qualified to be an apostle. It means that all those born after the era of the disciples are disqualified. When the disciples needed a replacement for Judas, they only consider those who had experienced the baptism of John and were alive at the crucifixion of Christ.

Acts 1:22; NASB
beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us — one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

Some people insist that child baptism is correct they use these passages found in Acts 16. At best, the child has only received the baptism of John, not baptism into Christ. Baptism into Christ means they have made an expression of faith. Even with John’s baptism, have they made a statement of repentance? As stated earlier, baptism by itself does nothing. Especially with no faith in Christ, a person is still condemned by their sin

Acts 16:14,15,33; NASB

14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.
15 And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.

33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

Baptism is the mark of identity with Christ. We dissented into the water to signify dying with him. Just as he rose from the tomb, we also raise from the water. The water represents the wrath of God on us that can only lead to death. The power of Christ to be resurrected from the tomb means that we will also be raised.

Romans 6:3,4; NASB

3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Galatians 3:27; NASB
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Ephesians 4:5; NASB
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

As far back as the Old Testament, God promised to send his Holy Spirit. This gift of the Holy Spirit was for everyone. Men and women, young and old, even the slaves and free. The Holy Spirit guides us and unites us in God.

Isaiah 44:3; NASB
`For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground; I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring And My blessing on your descendants;

Joel 2:28,29; NASB

28 “It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions.
29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Zechariah 12:10; NASB
“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.

The Holy Spirit can now come, but only once Christ had ascended. What does it mean to be baptized with the spirit? How does it happen? The process of the baptism of John, and Christ demonstrates our death and resurrection. But the Holy Spirit baptism comes differently. The laying on of hands and prayer.

Luke 24:49; NASB
“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you, but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 8:15-17; NASB

15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:13; NASB
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Titus 3:5,6; NASB

5 He saved us, not based on deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,