BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM

MATTHEW 28:16-20

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

Many cults and isms use what they call “baptism” and it means a host of different things to them. But right now, I am not concerned with what they think it means. I want us to look at what baptism means to Bible-believing Christians.

 

I. BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM IS A COMMAND [MATTHEW 28]

1. A Command from the Lord Jesus Christ [Mt. 28:18-20]

2. A Command is an Obligation Not an Option [Mt. 28:18-20]

3. A Command Declined is Sin [Mt. 3:13-15, 1 John 5:17, Jm. 4:17]

- Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

- All unrighteousness is sin:

- Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

 

II. BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM IS A CONFESSION [ROMANS 6]

1. A Confession Salvation is Solely the Work of Christ [Rm. 6:1-4, 23]

2. A Confession that One Has Believed the Gospel [Rm. 6:4-5, 1:16, 10:9-13]

3. A Confession that One Intends to Live for Christ [Rm. 6:6-18ff]

 

III. BELIEVERS’ BAPTISM IS A CONNECTION

1. A Connection to New Testament Christianity [Rm. 6:3-4, Mt. 28]

2. A Connection to Current Faithful Believers [Acts 8:36-37]

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? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

3. A Connection to a Local Body of Believers [1 Cor. 1:1-2, 9-17; 1 Tm. 3:14-15]

- Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

- God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided ? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

- These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.