Salvation By Baptism Part 1
Fundamentals 2021 • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Over the last year we have been studying through the theme “Fundamentals” with 1 Peter 2:2 as our theme text.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
Over the last several weeks we have been studying the “sub-theme” God’s Plan of Salvation.
So far we have examined…
Grace is what saves but access to God’s gift, i.e. Jesus, is “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God’s plan of salvation i.e., through faith, is how we access grace.
We must “Study God’s Word” to be saved (Romans 10:17).
We must “Believe in God, Put our trust or faith in God, and be faithful to God to be saved (Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6).
We must “Repent or give our life over to God & Count The Cost” in order to be saved (Acts 17:30; Acts 3:19).
Two weeks ago, before I got sick again, we studied how one must “Confess Jesus As Lord” and what that means (Matthew 10:32-33).
That brings us to our lesson which is a topic of controversy to say the least.
That is “Salvation By Baptism.”
Because there is so much controversy over this subject we are going to examine, over the next few weeks, the biblical role baptism has and the controversy surrounding it.
So with that in mind let’s begin with examining our first lesson on “Baptism.”
Defining Baptism
Defining Baptism
The Definition Has Changed.
The Definition Has Changed.
Over the years the definition of what baptism is has changed significantly from it’s first use by the original pens of God’s word to today.
Today baptism is defined as…
“a ceremonial immersion in water, or application of water, as an initiatory rite or sacrament of the Christian church.” 1
a Christian sacrament marked by ritual use of water and admitting the recipient to the Christian community
“"a religious ceremony in which water is used as a symbol of cleansing from sin. Churches today baptize by sprinkling or pouring or immersing a person, in water. Baptism is a sign that our sins are washed away and that Jesus has taken us to be his own. 2
In the Greek lexicons we find this…
Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words Baptism, Baptist, Baptize
consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence
Lexham Theological Wordbook (βάπτισμα)
immersion. Refers to the act of being immersed in liquid, usually water.
a word peculiar to N. T. and eccl. writ., immersion, submersion
Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon 908 βάπτισμα
immersion, submersion
Summary
Summary
The word baptism simply put means nothing more or less than “immersion.”
Next week we will look at “why” some have striving to change the definition but for now this should significantly demonstrate the meaning of the word.
So then, what does the bible actual say concerning baptism and salvation?
Is baptism “optional” or “required” for one to have their sins removed.
In other words can one be saved without being baptized or immersed?
With those questions in mind let’s look at our next point.
Baptism And The Bible
Baptism And The Bible
The Reformation Movement.
The Reformation Movement.
It was during the Reformation Movement that the idea seems to spring up that baptism should not be a required part of God’s Plan of Salvation.
Up to this movement Catholics and even “anti-baptist” as they were sometimes called, all taught baptism as a required act to be saved.
With the Reformation Movement there came a “revolution” of sorts against the act of baptism.
Martin Luther, the so called father of the Reformation, would write this eventually…
“I, Doctor Martin Luther, unworthy herald of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, confess this article, that faith alone without works justifies before God.” 3
Hints, the “faith only” doctrine gets it’s beginning which would lead Luther and others away from baptism’s necessity.
On the “Stand to Reason: Clear-Thinking Christianity” we can find this stated…
“As far as I know, there is no place in Scripture that actually says that salvation occurs at baptism.”
Baptism In Scripture.
Baptism In Scripture.
The reality is one must actually refuse to see clearly the word of God on this subject to “reject” baptism as required by God for salvation.
Before Jesus’ ascension into heaven wherein he would sit at the right hand of God he told his disciples this…
Mark 16:16 (ESV)
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
When the Jewish people asked Peter what was needed for salvation (Acts 2:37), Peter responded with…
Acts 2:38 (ESV)
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
When Paul was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus Jesus didn’t say Paul was saved simply by believing in him now and having faith or trust in Jesus.
Notice Jesus told Paul, he needed to hear from one to know what was required for salvation.
Acts 9:5–6 (ESV)
5 And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”
Paul’s obedience to God demonstrates two facts. (1) Paul prayed for three days and three nights without being saved. (2) Paul wasn’t saved until he was baptised.
Acts 9:9–12 (ESV)
9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”
Acts 22:16 (NKJV)
16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
The apostle Peter in explaining the use of water in immersion for salvation said this…
1 Peter 3:20–21 (ESV)
20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Conclusion
Conclusion
Next week we will look more closely at the “arguments against” baptism and determine if they are doctrinally sound or not.
As you examine your salvation, did you properly obey “God’s not man’s plan of salvation?”
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
Endnotes
Endnotes
Dictionary.com “https://www.dictionary.com/browse/baptism”
The NIV84 Dictionary-Concordance pg. 957
A History of the Baptism Apostasy “https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1540-a-history-of-the-baptism-apostasy”