IT IS BY FULL IMMERSION
❑ The word BAPTISM comes from the Greek 'baptizo', which means to immerse, dip or plunge.
❑ The two baptisms described in the Bible are by full immersion. (Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 8:30-39)
IT IS AFTER SALVATION
❑ Water baptism should come after we are "born again" (John 3:3). There is not a single example in the Bible of baptism before someone receives salvation through Jesus Christ. The New Testament model is to believe and then be baptized (Acts 2:38-41).
❑ Being baptized does not make us a Christian. We become Christians when we repent of our sin, receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and are born again (Matthew 4:17; Romans 10:9).
❑ Infant baptism is not practiced in the Bible and can mislead people to equate salvation with baptism. We are not baptized in water for salvation. We are baptized in water because of salvation.
IT IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE
❑ Jesus was baptized to set the example (Matthew 3:13-16).
❑ Jesus commanded us to be baptized (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16).
❑ Water baptism is like the seal to an envelope. After salvation, water baptism seals our confession of faith and fulfills all righteousness, as Jesus said (Matthew 3:15).
Being baptized in water does not make us a Christian. We become Christians when we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. (Luke. 24:47; John 1:12)
IT IS DECLARATION
❑ Just as Christ died, was buried, and was raised to new life; we too, through water baptism, die, are buried, and are raised to new life. By choosing to be baptized in water, we are declaring we are dying to our old life of sin, and entering into newness of life with Jesus. We are declaring, through the physical act of water baptism, that we have repented and are turning back to God. We too die to sin, bury the old man in the waters of baptism, and are raised to new life in Him (Romans 6:1-11).
IT IS A COMMITMENT
❑ 1 Peter 3:21 says, "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. Baptism is described as a “pledge" to God for a clear conscience. This indicates a personal commitment and response to God's grace, involving a conscious decision to turn away from sin and live a life pleasing to God. The New Testament speaks of the blood of Christ cleansing our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). Through water baptism we are committing to a new way of life in Jesus.
❑ The physical act of baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation and commitment to live our lives for God, just as the wedding ceremony is a formal expression of an inward commitment of a man and woman to each other for life.
IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING
❑ Jesus taught that after water baptism we are to become disciples who make disciples. Disciple means ‘learner’. It is someone who learns to obey all that Jesus commanded and then teaches others to do the same (Matthew 28:19).
❑ The very first converts, who were baptized in water, were added to the church and devoted themselves to follow Jesus within the life of the Church (Acts 2:41-47).
❑ Jesus taught that, once we are born again, we are born into a new family (John 3:5). This new family is what Jesus instituted as His Church (Matthew 16:18; 1Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:4-5; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-16; 5:23; John 17:21-23; 1Peter 2:4-5).
❑ We should desire to follow Jesus wholeheartedly for the rest of our lives, so that we may be found ready at His return. (Matthew 24:44-51).
IT IS NOT THE ONLY BAPTISM
❑ Water baptism is an action we take, while the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism we receive. Jesus is our baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). We know we have received this baptism by the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; 8:15-17; 9:17-19; 10:44-48; 19:2-6).
❑ The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a baptism we receive after salvation (Acts 2:38). Because it is a gift, like salvation, we cannot earn it. Jesus gives it as we desire to receive it (Luke 11:13; 1Corinthians 12:31; 14:1).
❑ Every believer receives the Holy Spirit dwelling in them at salvation for guidance, help, and conviction of sin (John 14:26; 16:6-12; 20:22). The Bible refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a baptism which comes upon a person or fills up a person (Acts 1:8; 2:4). The Holy Spirit inside of us can be likened to water in a jar. At salvation, we are given this water in our inner man. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is when we receive so much of the Holy Spirit that it begins to overflow, resulting in the evidence of speaking in tongues (John 7:38-39).
❑ This beautiful gift of the Spirit is for every believer (Acts 2:4,17). These are the reasons Jesus gives believers this gift:
❑ For supernatural empowerment to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).
❑ So that each believer can edify themself (1Corinthians 14:2, 4).
❑ To edify the church accompanied with the gift of interpretation (1Corinthians 14:6-13).
❑ It is one of the ways the Spirit helps us pray when we do not know what to pray (Romans 8:26).
❑ To be filled with the Holy Spirit is a continual filling (Ephesians 5:18; Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17).
To find out when our next Water Baptism Class is please fill out the form below. After attending the class we baptize attendees as soon as the following Sunday.
❑ The word BAPTISM comes from the Greek 'baptizo', which means to immerse, dip or plunge.
❑ The two baptisms described in the Bible are by full immersion. (Matthew 3:13-17; Acts 8:30-39)
IT IS AFTER SALVATION
❑ Water baptism should come after we are "born again" (John 3:3). There is not a single example in the Bible of baptism before someone receives salvation through Jesus Christ. The New Testament model is to believe and then be baptized (Acts 2:38-41).
❑ Being baptized does not make us a Christian. We become Christians when we repent of our sin, receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and are born again (Matthew 4:17; Romans 10:9).
❑ Infant baptism is not practiced in the Bible and can mislead people to equate salvation with baptism. We are not baptized in water for salvation. We are baptized in water because of salvation.
IT IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE
❑ Jesus was baptized to set the example (Matthew 3:13-16).
❑ Jesus commanded us to be baptized (Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15-16).
❑ Water baptism is like the seal to an envelope. After salvation, water baptism seals our confession of faith and fulfills all righteousness, as Jesus said (Matthew 3:15).
Being baptized in water does not make us a Christian. We become Christians when we repent of our sin and receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. (Luke. 24:47; John 1:12)
IT IS DECLARATION
❑ Just as Christ died, was buried, and was raised to new life; we too, through water baptism, die, are buried, and are raised to new life. By choosing to be baptized in water, we are declaring we are dying to our old life of sin, and entering into newness of life with Jesus. We are declaring, through the physical act of water baptism, that we have repented and are turning back to God. We too die to sin, bury the old man in the waters of baptism, and are raised to new life in Him (Romans 6:1-11).
IT IS A COMMITMENT
❑ 1 Peter 3:21 says, "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”. Baptism is described as a “pledge" to God for a clear conscience. This indicates a personal commitment and response to God's grace, involving a conscious decision to turn away from sin and live a life pleasing to God. The New Testament speaks of the blood of Christ cleansing our conscience from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9:14). Through water baptism we are committing to a new way of life in Jesus.
❑ The physical act of baptism is an outward expression of an inward transformation and commitment to live our lives for God, just as the wedding ceremony is a formal expression of an inward commitment of a man and woman to each other for life.
IT IS JUST THE BEGINNING
❑ Jesus taught that after water baptism we are to become disciples who make disciples. Disciple means ‘learner’. It is someone who learns to obey all that Jesus commanded and then teaches others to do the same (Matthew 28:19).
❑ The very first converts, who were baptized in water, were added to the church and devoted themselves to follow Jesus within the life of the Church (Acts 2:41-47).
❑ Jesus taught that, once we are born again, we are born into a new family (John 3:5). This new family is what Jesus instituted as His Church (Matthew 16:18; 1Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:4-5; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:11-16; 5:23; John 17:21-23; 1Peter 2:4-5).
❑ We should desire to follow Jesus wholeheartedly for the rest of our lives, so that we may be found ready at His return. (Matthew 24:44-51).
IT IS NOT THE ONLY BAPTISM
❑ Water baptism is an action we take, while the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a baptism we receive. Jesus is our baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49). We know we have received this baptism by the evidence of speaking in tongues (Acts 2:4; 8:15-17; 9:17-19; 10:44-48; 19:2-6).
❑ The baptism in the Holy Spirit is a baptism we receive after salvation (Acts 2:38). Because it is a gift, like salvation, we cannot earn it. Jesus gives it as we desire to receive it (Luke 11:13; 1Corinthians 12:31; 14:1).
❑ Every believer receives the Holy Spirit dwelling in them at salvation for guidance, help, and conviction of sin (John 14:26; 16:6-12; 20:22). The Bible refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a baptism which comes upon a person or fills up a person (Acts 1:8; 2:4). The Holy Spirit inside of us can be likened to water in a jar. At salvation, we are given this water in our inner man. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is when we receive so much of the Holy Spirit that it begins to overflow, resulting in the evidence of speaking in tongues (John 7:38-39).
❑ This beautiful gift of the Spirit is for every believer (Acts 2:4,17). These are the reasons Jesus gives believers this gift:
❑ For supernatural empowerment to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8).
❑ So that each believer can edify themself (1Corinthians 14:2, 4).
❑ To edify the church accompanied with the gift of interpretation (1Corinthians 14:6-13).
❑ It is one of the ways the Spirit helps us pray when we do not know what to pray (Romans 8:26).
❑ To be filled with the Holy Spirit is a continual filling (Ephesians 5:18; Acts 4:8, 31; 9:17).
To find out when our next Water Baptism Class is please fill out the form below. After attending the class we baptize attendees as soon as the following Sunday.