"Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.
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Lesson 18: Building the Temple of God Part 3:
The Doctrine of Baptisms Part 1: Baptism in Water
Review
1. Our Father wants us to consider ourselves as being "under construction" with Christ-likeness being the objective. (See 2 Peter 2:4, 5) His goal is that the Word of God becomes incarnate in us. (See 2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
2. The first step in the construction of a life that is "the new creation", to lay the foundation of repenting from dead works, that is, turning from any work that does not have the Father's life in it, and seeking the works that He has prepared for us to do. (See Ephesians 2:10)
3. To do those works effectively, we must turn our faith towards God and His promises. (See 2 Peter 1:2-4) This means that we must know and believe that what God has said about us is the unquestionable reality and that we can trust, rely on and cling to His every word.
In this lesson we will...
1. Begin laying the next foundation block by understanding the doctrine about baptisms;
2. Define "baptism";
3. Understand the significance of Christian water baptism;
4. Consider the requirements of the Father about water baptism;
5. Look at an Old Testament picture of baptism in water that was given as a spiritual example to us. (See 1 Corinthians 10:11)
Our objective is...
to be prepared for the works that God has called us to by making a public declaration of our allegiance to the Father
and the Kingdom of Jesus His Son.
Introduction
Hebrews 6:1-3 "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement. And this we will do if God permits.
A. Four baptisms in the New Testament
1. John's Baptism;
2. Christian Baptism;
3. Holy Spirit Baptism;
4. Baptism by fire.
B. Definition - baptism
To Baptise = to immerse; fully covering (with water) to dip into, to put something down into.
C. John's baptism - baptism of repentance, a washing
Mark 1:2-5 "As it is written in the Prophets: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" John came baptising in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptised by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins."
John's baptism was a preparation for the coming of the Lord. It involved public decision-making concerning a past life of sin.
Acts 19:1-5 "And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptised?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptised with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus."
John's baptism was a sign of repentance and was not a sufficient sign of new life.
D. Christian baptism in water - burial and resurrection
Matthew 3:13-17 "Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptised by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptised by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptised, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Jesus example as "representative man" shows how water baptism fulfils an important step in the process of salvation.
E. Requirements for Christian baptism
Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
Repentance.
Mark 16:15-16 "And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
Belief.
Matthew 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."
Being a disciple who observes the commands of the Lord.
F. What does the Christian baptism in water mean?
Romans 6:3-11 "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
It is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our participation it that experience by publicly showing that we identify ourselves with Him
Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ."
Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
G. An Old Testament picture of baptism
Genesis 7:1 "Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation."
1 Peter 3:18-22 "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us; baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him."
H. The Washing of the Word
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
The washing of sin out of the life of the believer is accomplished through the Word of God flowing through him regularly.
Malcolm Vine, Cornerstone Ministries. September 2004.
To contact the Bible School email: bibleschool@cornerstoneministries.org.uk
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