EARNESTLY CONTENDING FOR THE
FAITH:
BAPTISM
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS
GOD MANIFEST IN THE FLESH.
THAT IS WHY HE IS GOD |
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to
die today that you would not go to hell?
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Baptism cannot wash away sin.
Only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can wash away
sin. Baptism was a charge given to the church by the
Lord Jesus Christ.
WHAT BAPTISM IS
1. Baptism is a church
ordnance given to the church by the Lord Jesus Christ in
Matthew 28:19-20.
2. Baptism is for believer's
only. There is no New Testament instance of baptizing an
unbeliever.
3. Baptism is by immersion only. There is no Bible
example of sprinkling or pouring (effusion). Believers
are to be dipped once (completely immersed once) in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Triune
immersion is not scriptural. Triune immersion refers to
the practice of some denominations whereby they dip the
candidate three times: once in the name of the Father;
once in the name of the Son; and once in the name of the
Holy Ghost. This cannot picture scriptural baptism
because the Lord Jesus Christ died once and was
resurrected once. Scriptural baptism is a picture of
the one-time death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
4. Baptism is the picture, or symbol, of the death,
burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore, baptism must be by immersion only
since sprinkling and pouring cannot be a picture of the
death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
5. Baptism is an act of obedience and identification.
Baptism has no saving value.
6. Baptism is necessary for church membership. The
Bible requires repentance and faith prior to baptism.
Repentance and faith are the requirements for
salvation. In other words, one must be saved in order
to be scripturally baptized.
WHAT BAPTISM IS NOT
1. Baptism
is not for unbelievers.
2. Baptism is not for infants.
3. Baptism is not necessary for salvation. Repentance
and faith are necessary for salvation.
4. Baptism is not a sacrament. Neither is it a
necessary step or channel to salvation.
5. Baptism is not the New Testament equivalent of
Old Testament circimcision as is taught by Covenant
Theologians.
THOSE WHO SHOULD BE
REBATIZED
1. Anyone who was
baptized as an infant.
2. Anyone who was baptized as an unbeliever.
3. Any who joins a Baptist Church from a non-Baptist
church.
4. Anyone who would join a Baptist church that is
not of like faith and order: For instance anyone from a
Baptist church that believed that you could lose your
salvation, or, give your salvation back.
(For more information on this subject see the article "Why
Should I Be Rebaptized" located on this web site.)
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