Baptism

The Mode and Meaning of Baptism

 The Mode of Baptism

– The practice of baptism in the New Testament was carried out in one way:
 Continued…

– The person being baptized was immersed or put completely under the water and then
brought back up again
 Continued…

– Baptism by immersion is therefore the “mode” of baptism or the way in which baptism
was carried out in the New Testament.
 The Meaning of Baptism

This is evident for the following reasons:

(1) The Greek word “baptismos” means “to plunge, dip, immerse” something in water.
-This is the commonly recognized and standard meaning of the term in ancient Greek
literature both inside and outside of the Bible
 Continued…

(2) The sense “immerse” is appropriate and probably required for the word in several New
Testament passages.
-For example; Mark 1:5
In Mark 1:5, people were baptized by John “in the river Jordan”
It says “in,” and not “beside” or “by” or “near” the river
Mark also tells us that when Jesus had been baptized “he came up out of the water” (Mark
1:10)
 Continued…

– John’s gospel tells us, further, that John the Baptist “was baptizing at Aenon near Salim,
because there was much water there” (John 3:23).
– Again, it would not take “much water” to baptize people by sprinkling, but it would take
much water to baptize by immersion.
 Continued…

– Acts 8:38–39
– Then “he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water Philip
and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water the Spirit
of the Lord caught up Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way
rejoicing”
– As in the case of Jesus, this baptism occurred when Philip and the eunuch went down into
a body of water, and after the baptism they came up out of that body of water.
– Once again baptism by immersion is the only satisfactory explanation of this narrative
 Continued…

(3) The symbolism of union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection seems to
require baptism by immersion.
Paul says, in Romans 6:3-4
“Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into
his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
 Continued…

Similarly, Paul tells the Colossians, in Colossians 2:12

“You were buried with him in baptism in which you were also raised with him through
faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.”
Now this truth is clearly symbolized in baptism by immersion.
When the candidate for baptism goes down into the water it is a picture of going down into
the grave and being buried.
Coming up out of the water is then a picture of being raised with Christ to walk in newness
of life.
Baptism thus very clearly pictures death to one’s old way of life and rising to a new kind of
life in Christ.
 The Subjects of Baptism

– The pattern revealed at several places in the New Testament is that only those who give a
believable profession of faith should be baptized.
– This view is often called “believers’ baptism,” since it holds that only those who have
themselves believed in Christ should be baptized.
– This is because baptism, which is a symbol of beginning the Christian life should only be
given to those who have in fact begun the Christian life.
 The Evidences From the New Testament
Narrative Passages on Baptism

– The narrative examples of those who were baptized suggest that baptism was
administered only to those who gave a believable profession of faith.
– (Acts 2:41)
– After Peter’s sermon at Pentecost we read, “Those who received his word were baptized”
– The text specifies that baptism was administered to those who “received his word” and
therefore trusted in Christ for salvation.
 Continued…

– (Acts 8:12)
– Similarly, when Philip preached the gospel in Samaria, we read, “When they believed
Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were baptized both men and women”
 Continued…

– (Acts 10:44–46)
– While Peter was preaching, “the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word” and Peter
and his companions “heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God”
– (Acts 10:47–48)
– “Can any one forbid water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit
just as we have?” Then Peter “commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ”
– The point of these three passages is that baptism is appropriately given to those who have
received the gospel and trusted in Christ for salvation.
 The effect of Baptism

– Baptism symbolizes regeneration or spiritual rebirth.

– When baptism is properly carried out then of course it brings some spiritual benefit to
believers as well.
– There is the blessing of God’s favour that comes with all obedience,
– as well as the joy that comes through public profession of one’s faith
– and the reassurance of having a clear physical picture of dying and rising with Christ and
of washing away sins.
– Certainly the Lord gave us baptism to strengthen and encourage our faith—and it should do
so for everyone who is baptized and for every believer who witnesses a baptism.
 The Necessity of Baptism

– While we recognize that Jesus commanded baptism (Matt. 28:19), as did the apostles
(Acts 2:38), we should not say that baptism is necessary for salvation.
– To say that baptism or any other action is necessary for salvation is to say that we are not
justified by faith alone, but by faith plus a certain “work,” the work of baptism.
– The apostle Paul would have opposed the idea that baptism is necessary for salvation just
as strongly as he opposed the similar idea that circumcision was necessary for salvation
(see Gal. 5:1–12).
– Baptism, then, is not necessary for salvation.
– But it is necessary if we are to be obedient to Christ, for he commanded baptism for all
who believe in him.
Baptism in and Filling with the Holy
Spirit

– What Does “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” Mean in the New Testament?
– What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
– There are passages in the New Testament where we read of someone being
baptized in the Holy Spirit.
– 1 Corinthians 12:13
“For we were all baptized in one Spirit into one body whether Jews or Greeks,
slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
Continued…

– “Baptism in the Holy Spirit,” therefore, must refer to the activity of the Holy
Spirit at the beginning of the Christian life when he gives us new spiritual life
(in regeneration) and cleanses us and gives a clear break with the power and
love of sin (the initial stage of sanctification).
– In this way “baptism in the Holy Spirit” refers to all that the Holy Spirit does at
the beginning of our Christian lives.
What Is “Being Filled With the Spirit”?

– Ephesians 5:18
– Paul tells the Ephesians, “Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery;
but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
– He uses a present tense imperative verb that could more explicitly be translated,
“Be continually being filled with the Holy Spirit,” thus implying that this is
something that should repeatedly be happening to Christians.
Continued…

– Such fullness of the Holy Spirit will result in renewed worship and thanksgiving
(Eph. 5:19–20), and in renewed relationships to others, especially those in
authority over us or those under our authority (Eph. 5:21–6:9).
– In addition, since the Holy Spirit is the Spirit who sanctifies us, such a filling
will often result in increased sanctification.
Continued…

– Furthermore, since the Holy Spirit is the one who empowers us for Christian
service and gives us spiritual gifts, such filling will often result in increased
power for ministry and increased effectiveness and perhaps diversity in the use
of spiritual gifts.
Continued…

– We see examples of repeated filling with the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. In
Acts 2:4, the disciples and those with them were “all filled with the Holy Spirit.”
– Later, when Peter was standing before the Sanhedrin, we read, “Then Peter,
filled with the Holy Spirit said to them...” (Acts 4:8).
Continued…

– But a little later, when Peter and the other apostles had returned to the church to
tell what had happened (Acts 4:23) they joined together in prayer.
– After they had prayed they were again filled with the Holy Spirit, a sequence of
events that Luke makes clear: “After they prayed, the place where they were
meeting was shaken.
– And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly”
(Acts 4:31 NIV).
Continued…

– Even though Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:4)
and had later been filled with the Holy Spirit before speaking to the Sanhedrin
(Acts 4:8), he was once again filled with the Holy Spirit after the group of
Christians he was meeting with had prayed.
– Therefore, it is appropriate to understand filling with the Holy Spirit not as a
onetime event but as an event that can occur over and over again in a Christian’s
life.