BAPTISM WHAT DOES IT DO?

SCRIPTURE LESSON ACTS 2: 38

THIS CHAPTER CLOSES THE SECTION DEALING WITH MEAT OFFERED TO IDOLS. PAUL HAS CITED THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST IN CHAP. 8, THEN HE USES HIS OWN EXAMPLE CHAP. 9, AND NOW POINTS TO ISRAEL’S PAST HISTORY HERE IN CHAPTER 10.

WE WANT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THIS PAST HISTORY TO MAKE SURE THAT GOD IS DEALING WITH US THE SAME WAY THAT HE DEALT WITH ISRAEL

I THINK WHAT PAUL HAD IN MIND WAS TO SHOW THESE PEOPLE THAT OVERCONFIDENCE IN YOUR SELF DOES NOT MAKE YOU A CHILD OF GOD

 MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH AT CORINTH, THESE CHRISTIANS  WHO THOUGHT THEY HAD SUCH WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE DID NOT UNDERSTAND HOW THE LORD WORKS WITH US AND IN OUR LIVES

THEY THOUGHT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BEWARE OF TEMPTATION OR SIN BECAUSE THEY WERE SO HOLY.

HE WARNS THEM IN V. 12 AND USES A BIT OF “HOLY SARCASM” AS HE CALLS THEM “WISE MEN” IN V. 15.

WHILE THE CHRISTIANS HAS THE LIBERTY TO EAT AND DRINK, HE MUST BEWARE OF AT LEAST THREE DANGERS.

FIRST, HE WARNED THAT PRIVILEGES WERE NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS (VV. 1–4)

SECOND WARNING: GOOD BEGINNINGS DO NOT GUARANTEE GOOD ENDINGS (VV. 5–12).

THIRD WARNING WAS THAT GOD CAN ENABLE US TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION IF WE HEED HIS WORD (VV. 13–22).

PAUL APPEALS TO THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ISRAELITES IN THE WILDERNESS IN CONFIRMATION OF HIS STATEMENT CONCERNING HIMSELF IN 9:26F.

AND AS A POWERFUL WARNING TO THE CORINTHIANS WHO MAY BE TEMPTED TO FLIRT WITH THE IDOLATROUS PRACTICES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS.

IT IS REAL, NOT AN IMAGINARY PERIL WHEN YOU PLAY WITH THE DEVIL.

UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, WHEN YOU ARE NOT A BAPTIZED MEMBER OF THE LORD’S CHURCH, YOU ARE FLIRTING WITH THE DEVIL

THREE POINTS AND THE LESSON IS YOURS

POINT, WHY IS BAPTISM NECESSARY

POINT  TWO, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM?

POINT THREE, IF I HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH?

POINT, WHY IS BAPTISM NECESSARY     

^KJG ROMANS 6:3  KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?

IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS—“SANCTIFICATION” IS EXPLAINED AND WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PAUL IS TALKING ABOUT

CHAPS. 6–8. THESE THREE CHAPTERS BELONG TOGETHER AND SHOULD BE STUDIED TOGETHER, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT PAUL IS TRYING TO TELL US. 

READ ALL THREE CHAPTERS CAREFULLY.

NOTICE THAT CHAPTER 6 DEALS WITH THE BELIEVER BEING DEAD TO SIN; CHAPTER 7, WITH THE BELIEVER BEING DEAD TO THE LAW; AND CHAPTER 8, WITH THE BELIEVER ALIVE IN THE  SPIRIT.

ALL THREE CHAPTERS ARE AN EXPLANATION OF HOW A CHILD OF GOD BECOMES A STRONG SPIRITUAL PERSON.

CHAPTER 6 TELLS US HOW SIN NO LONGER REIGNS OVER US (6:12); CHAPTER 7 EXPLAINS HOW THE LAW NO LONGER REIGNS OVER US (7:1); AND CHAPTER 8 EXPLAINS HOW THE INDWELLING SPIRIT GIVES US LIFE AND LIBERTY AND THE POWER TO FACE ALL OF OUR EVERYDAY SITUATIONS.

THE CHRISTIAN FACES TWO PROBLEMS:

(1) HOW CAN I ACHIEVE VICTORY OVER THE OLD NATURE (THE FLESH, THE BODY OF SIN)?

(2) HOW CAN I LIVE TO PLEASE GOD WITH THIS FLESH BODY? CHAPTER 6 ANSWERS THE FIRST QUESTION: WE GET VICTORY OVER THE OLD NATURE BY REALIZING THAT WE HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.

BUT THE SECOND QUESTION IS MORE COMPLEX; HOW CAN I PLEASE GOD WHEN EVERYTHING I DO—EVEN THE “GOOD THINGS”—IS TAINTED BY THE OLD NATURE?

SIN IS NOT SIMPLY AN OUTWARD ACTION; IT ALSO INVOLVES INWARD ATTITUDES AND DISPOSITIONS.

CHAPTER 7 ANSWERS THIS PROBLEM (ALONG WITH CHAPTER 8) BY SHOWING THAT THE CHRISTIAN IS DEAD TO THE LAW AND THAT THE SPIRIT FULFILLS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW IN US (8:4).

THE SECRET OF VICTORY OVER THE FLESH IS FOUND IN OUR OBEYING THOSE THREE INSTRUCTIONS:

KNOW, RECKON, AND YIELD. NOTICE HOW OFTEN PAUL USES THE WORD “KNOW” IN THIS CHAPTER (VV. 3, 6, 9, 16).

SATAN WANTS TO KEEP US IN THE DARK WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPIRITUAL TRUTHS WE SHOULD KNOW

THIS IS WHY MANY CHRISTIANS ARE LIVING BENEATH THEIR PRIVILEGED STATION THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE BECOME A PART OF.

GOD’S GRACE SHOULD NOW ABOUNDS WHERE SIN USE TO BE WHEN YOU BECOME A CHILD OF GOD

PAUL SHOWS, THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE TRUE CHRISTIAN IS DEAD TO SIN.

THIS IS THE WONDERFUL TRUTH OF OUR IDENTIFICATION WITH CHRIST.

NOT ONLY DID CHRIST DIE FOR US, BUT WE DIED WITH HIM. WHEN WE ARE BAPTIZED US INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST

WE WERE BURIED WITH HIM AND RAISED TO NEWNESS OF LIFE.

WATER BAPTISM IS THE ONLY OPERATION THAT GOD USES TO PUT A PERSON IN HIS CHURCH

ANY PERSON THAT WILL NOT BE BAPTIZED CANNOT BE A CHILD OF GOD

IS BAPTISM NECESSARY, YOU DECIDE, AND AS YOU DECIDE, ASK YOURSELF THIS QUESTION, DO I WANT TO BE IN THE LORD’S CHURCH, IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THE DOOR IS BAPTISM.

BACK TO ROMANS 6:3 KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?

^KJG MARK 16:16 HE THAT BELIEVETH AND IS BAPTIZED SHALL BE SAVED; BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED.

WATCH WHAT WATER BAPTISM SHOWS

CHRIST IS PUTTING US IN HIS CHURCH AS MEMBERS OF HIS BODY.

THIS OPERATION IS DONE BY WATER BAPTISM AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THIS PROCESS. WHEN CHRIST DIED, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN SUBSTITUTED FOR HIM, NOTHING

WE DIE WITH HIM IN WATER BAPTISM, WHAT CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR BAPTISM NOTHING.

WHEN HE WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD, WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN SUBSTITUTED FOR THAT PROCESS, NOTHING.

WE ARE RAISED FROM THE WATER OF BAPTISM JUST LIKE JESUS CHRIST, AND NOTHING CAN BE SUBSTITUTED FOR THAT PROCESS.

THE NEWNESS OF LIFE WITH HIM WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM, ONLY FROM A CHANGED LIFE AND WATER BAPTISM. THIS IS OUR NEW POSITION IN CHRIST. CHRIST NOT ONLY DIED FOR SIN, BUT HE ALSO DIED UNTO SIN (6:10).

THAT IS, HE BROKE THE POWER OF SIN AND PUT IT OUT OF COMMISSION (DESTROYED) THE OLD NATURE (6:6).

THE OLD NATURE IS STILL THERE, THIS WE KNOW; BUT IT HAS BEEN ROBBED OF ITS POWER BY THE CROSS OF CHRIST, BECAUSE WE DIED WITH CHRIST TO ALL THAT BELONGS TO THE OLD LIFE.

POINT  TWO, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF BAPTISM?

^KJG ACTS 2:38  THEN PETER SAID UNTO THEM, REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.

 ⁴¹  THEN THEY THAT GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTIZED: AND THE SAME DAY THERE WERE ADDED UNTO THEM ABOUT THREE THOUSAND SOULS.

^KJG ACTS 8:12 BUT WHEN THEY BELIEVED PHILIP PREACHING THE THINGS CONCERNING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, THEY WERE BAPTIZED, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

 ¹³  THEN SIMON HIMSELF BELIEVED ALSO: AND WHEN HE WAS BAPTIZED, HE CONTINUED WITH PHILIP, AND WONDERED, BEHOLDING THE MIRACLES AND SIGNS WHICH WERE DONE.

^KJG ACTS 8:36 AND AS THEY WENT ON THEIR WAY, THEY CAME UNTO A CERTAIN WATER: AND THE EUNUCH SAID, SEE, HERE IS WATER; WHAT DOTH HINDER ME TO BE BAPTIZED?

 ³⁸ AND HE COMMANDED THE CHARIOT TO STAND STILL: AND THEY WENT DOWN BOTH INTO THE WATER, BOTH PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH; AND HE BAPTIZED HIM.

^KJG ACTS 9:18 AND IMMEDIATELY THERE FELL FROM HIS EYES AS IT HAD BEEN SCALES: AND HE RECEIVED SIGHT FORTHWITH, AND AROSE, AND WAS BAPTIZED.

^KJG ACTS 10:47  CAN ANY MAN FORBID WATER, THAT THESE SHOULD NOT BE BAPTIZED, WHICH HAVE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST AS WELL AS WE?

 ⁴⁸ AND HE COMMANDED THEM TO BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. THEN PRAYED THEY HIM TO TARRY CERTAIN DAYS.

^KJG ACTS 16:15 ¹ AND WHEN SHE WAS BAPTIZED, AND HER HOUSEHOLD, SHE BESOUGHT US, SAYING, IF YE HAVE JUDGED ME TO BE FAITHFUL TO THE LORD, COME INTO MY HOUSE, AND ABIDE THERE. AND SHE CONSTRAINED US.

^KJG ACTS 16:33  AND HE TOOK THEM THE SAME HOUR OF THE NIGHT, AND WASHED THEIR STRIPES; AND WAS BAPTIZED, HE AND ALL HIS, STRAIGHTWAY.

^KJG ACTS 18:8 AND CRISPUS, THE CHIEF RULER OF THE SYNAGOGUE, BELIEVED ON THE LORD WITH ALL HIS HOUSE; AND MANY OF THE CORINTHIANS HEARING BELIEVED, AND WERE BAPTIZED.

^KJG ACTS 19:3 ¹ AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, UNTO ² WHAT THEN WERE YE BAPTIZED? AND THEY SAID, UNTO ³ JOHN'S BAPTISM.

 ⁴ THEN SAID PAUL, JOHN VERILY BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE, SAYING UNTO THE PEOPLE, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE ON HIM WHICH SHOULD COME AFTER HIM, THAT IS, ON CHRIST JESUS.

 ⁵ WHEN THEY HEARD THIS, THEY WERE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS.

^KJG ACTS 22:16 AND NOW WHY TARRIEST THOU? ARISE, AND BE BAPTIZED, AND WASH AWAY THY SINS, CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD.

^KJG 1 CORINTHIANS 10:2 ¹ AND WERE ALL ² BAPTIZED UNTO ³ MOSES IN THE CLOUD AND IN THE SEA;

LOOK AT HOW THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE SAVED, AND HOW THE LORD SAVED THEM.

DID HE SAVE ONE, ONE WAY, THEN ANOTHER, ANOTHER WAY, OR DID ALL OF THEM DO THE SAME THING?

ALL WERE UNDER THE CLOUD THEY ALL MARCHED UNDER THE PILLAR OF CLOUD BY DAY (EX. 13:21; 14:19)

WHICH COVERED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM (NUMB. 14:14; PSA. 95:39).

THIS CLOUD WAS THE SYMBOL OF THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD WITH THE PEOPLE. I CORINTHIANS 10:2

ALL BAPTIZED UNTO MOSES IN THE CLOUD AND IN THE SEA THE PICTURE IS PLAIN ENOUGH.

THE CLOUD COVERED THE PEOPLE WHILE THE SEA ROSE IN WALLS ON EACH SIDE OF THEM AS THEY MARCHED ACROSS. THE IMMERSION WAS COMPLETE FOR ALL OF THEM IN THE SEA AROUND THEM AND THE CLOUD OVER THEM.

NOW PLEASE ANSWER ME THIS ONE QUESTION, HOW MANY OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BECAME MEMBERS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CHURCH BY DOING SOMETHING ELSE?

CHURCH THE SAME THING IS TRUE OF BAPTISM TODAY, BAPTISM IS THE DOOR OR ENTRANCE INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST.

THERE IS NO WAY YOU CAN COME INTO THIS BUILDING AND NOT USE THE DOOR OF THE BUILDING TO GET IN WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW

THE SAME THING IS TRUE OF THE CHURCH, YOU  CANNOT BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED AT THE TIME YOU BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH.

^KJG 1 CORINTHIANS 12:13 FOR BY ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ¹ ONE BODY, WHETHER WE BE JEWS OR GENTILES, WHETHER WE BE BOND OR FREE; AND HAVE BEEN ALL MADE TO ² DRINK INTO ONE SPIRIT.

^KJG GALATIANS 3:27 ¹ FOR AS MANY OF YOU AS HAVE BEEN ² BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST HAVE ³ PUT ON CHRIST. WHY IS BAPTISM NECESSARY?  TO PUT ON CHRIST!

POINT THREE, IF I HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH?

YOU NEED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION FOR YOURSELF

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD BEEN BAPTIZED AT LEAST THREE TIMES

^KJG 1 CORINTHIANS 10:2 ¹ AND WERE ALL ² BAPTIZED UNTO ³ MOSES IN THE CLOUD AND IN THE SEA;

LUKE 3:7-12 (JOHN DOING THE TALKING) THEN SAID HE TO THE MULTITUDE THAT CAME FORTH TO BE BAPTIZED OF HIM, O GENERATION OF VIPERS, WHO HATH WARNED YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME? 8BRING FORTH THEREFORE FRUITS WORTHY OF REPENTANCE, AND BEGIN NOT TO SAY WITHIN YOURSELVES, WE HAVE ABRAHAM TO OUR FATHER: FOR I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT GOD IS ABLE OF THESE STONES TO RAISE UP CHILDREN UNTO ABRAHAM. 9AND NOW ALSO THE AXE IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES: EVERY TREE THEREFORE WHICH BRINGETH NOT FORTH GOOD FRUIT IS HEWN DOWN, AND CAST INTO THE FIRE. 10AND THE PEOPLE ASKED HIM, SAYING, WHAT SHALL WE DO THEN? 11HE ANSWERETH AND SAITH UNTO THEM, HE THAT HATH TWO COATS, LET HIM IMPART TO HIM THAT HATH NONE; AND HE THAT HATH MEAT, LET HIM DO LIKEWISE. 12THEN CAME ALSO PUBLICANS TO BE BAPTIZED, AND SAID UNTO HIM, MASTER, WHAT SHALL WE DO?

^KJG ACTS 2:38  THEN PETER SAID UNTO THEM, REPENT, AND BE BAPTIZED EVERY ONE OF YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.

 ⁴¹  THEN THEY THAT GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTIZED: AND THE SAME DAY THERE WERE ADDED UNTO THEM ABOUT THREE THOUSAND SOULS.