Baptism
A study of water baptism by immersion—its prerequisites, symbolism, relationship to repentance and faith, forgiveness of sins, reception of the Holy Spirit and entry into the Body of Christ.
The ceremony of water baptism is performed by immersion for the forgiveness of sins upon true repentance and acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice. After this ceremony, and as a result, one receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands. Baptism symbolizes the renunciation of the past sinful way of life, the burial of the old man in a watery grave, and the emergence of a new spirit-led man living with Christ’s mind and following in His footsteps.
Buried With Christ — Raised to Newness of Life
Water baptism is one of the foundational doctrines of Christian belief and one of the most meaningful New Testament ceremonies. It serves as an outward demonstration of inward repentance, faith and submission to God.
John the Baptist introduced water baptism as a formal ceremony of repentance. Jesus Christ Himself was baptized by John, setting an example and giving His approval to the practice.
After Christ's death and resurrection, baptism took on deeper Christian meaning. Jesus commanded His apostles to go into all nations, preach the gospel, make disciples and baptize those who responded.
Acts 2:38 gives the basic sequence: repent, be baptized for the remission of sins and receive the Holy Spirit. The lesson therefore places baptism directly within the Salvation Process.
The primary prerequisites are repentance and faith. Repentance includes godly sorrow for past sins and a conviction to obey God. Faith includes personal belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Savior and Messiah.
This faith must be more than general theological agreement. The prospective Christian must personally accept Christ's sacrifice as payment for his or her own sins and believe the gospel message Christ preached.
Genuine belief produces action. Christ taught that entering the Kingdom requires doing the Father's will, Acts states that God gives His Spirit to those who obey Him, and James connects genuine faith with works.
Baptism also represents a serious personal commitment. It pictures a break with the old way of life and a determination to put Christ first and live according to God's way.
The biblical method is complete immersion in water. The Greek word baptizo means to immerse, plunge into or put into, and the New Testament examples consistently fit that meaning.
Immersion is especially significant because baptism symbolizes death and burial. Romans 6 connects going beneath the water with the burial of the old sinful self and emerging from the water with rising to a new way of life.
Baptism therefore pictures both Christ's death, burial and resurrection and the believer's own symbolic death, burial and resurrection. The old life is left behind, and the convert begins living with a new spiritual orientation.
Peter also compares baptism with the Flood and describes it as an appeal for a clear conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Three primary reasons for baptism emerge from the lesson: to follow Christ's example, to receive forgiveness of sins and to proceed toward receiving the Holy Spirit.
Through God's Spirit, the baptized believer becomes part of the Body of Christ. First Corinthians describes Christians as being baptized by one Spirit into one Body.
The lesson also distinguishes water baptism from baptism with the Holy Spirit and baptism with fire. John the Baptist pointed forward to Christ, who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and, for the unrepentant, with fire.
What Baptism Represents
A Break With the Old Life
Baptism outwardly demonstrates genuine repentance and a desire to turn away from sin and submit to God.
Personal Faith in Christ
The person seeking baptism must believe in Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and the gospel message He preached.
Burial in a Watery Grave
Complete immersion provides the biblical picture of death, burial and the end of the old sinful life.
Raised With Christ
Coming up out of the water symbolizes beginning a new Spirit-led life and seeking spiritual things.
Remission of Sins
Baptism follows repentance and is directly connected with forgiveness through Christ's shed blood.
Entering the Church
Through the Holy Spirit, baptized Christians are joined into one Body—the Church of God.
From Conviction to New Life
Lesson Fourteen places baptism within a sequence of spiritual steps leading from conviction and repentance to forgiveness, the Holy Spirit and a new life in Christ.
The person first hears and comes to understand the gospel message and the truth about Jesus Christ.
Faith becomes personal: Christ is accepted as Savior and His sacrifice is understood as payment for one's own sins.
Genuine repentance includes godly sorrow, acknowledgment of sin and a deep conviction to obey God.
Before baptism, the individual recognizes the seriousness of committing his or her life to following Christ.
A representative of Jesus Christ baptizes the repentant believer by complete immersion in water.
Going beneath the water symbolizes the death and burial of the old sinful way of life.
Emerging from the water symbolizes resurrection to a new way of life oriented toward God.
Following baptism, the laying on of hands is associated with receiving God's Holy Spirit.
The baptized Christian continues forward with Christ's mind, obeying God and seeking those things which are above.
Read These Scriptures in Your Own Bible
Questions
All 22 review questions are displayed in full. Complete them before opening the answer key below.
Baptism symbolizes…
- a) renunciation of the past sinful life
- b) the burial of the old man in a watery grave
- c) the emergence of a new spirit-led man living with Christ’s mind and following in His footsteps
- d) all of the above
What person in the New Testament introduced the water baptism as a ceremony?
Through the water baptism ceremony one outwardly demonstrates…
- a) his or her attitude of repentance
- b) his or her desire to submit to God
- c) both
Both Jesus and God the Father give their stamp of approval to the baptism ceremony in…
- a) Matthew 3:13-17
- b) Acts 19:11
- c) Matthew 17:8-10
- d) Luke 3:1-4
Christ commanded the apostles to go into all nations preaching the gospel and baptizing the disciples. True or False?
Who said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins?”
- a) John
- b) James
- c) Peter
- d) Jesus
Repentance includes…
- a) godly sorrow over one’s past sins
- b) a deep conviction to obey God
- c) both
One must believe that Jesus’ death was to pay for his own individual sins. The person who has this faith in Christ and His sacrifice will demonstrate this true conviction and belief by their…
- a) intellectual understanding of theology
- b) actions
- c) sincerity
Fill in the missing word of this verse: “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that ____ the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
- a) acknowledges
- b) accepts
- c) does
- d) believes
Acts 5:32 says that God gives His Holy Spirit to them that ________ Him.
- a) obey
- b) believe in
- c) desire
- d) love
In James 2:18, James speaks of showing his faith by his _________ [what?]
- a) love
- b) works
- c) sincerity
- d) understanding
One seeking baptism must have faith (belief) in…
- a) Jesus Christ, the person
- b) the message (gospel) of Jesus Christ
- c) both
One must understand that baptism symbolizes…
- a) a break with the old way of life
- b) full commitment to God
- c) determination to obey God
- d) all of the above
Once one is baptized, he or she enters the Salvation Process. If one then falls away from this process they…
- a) can repent and get a second chance or opportunity at eternal life
- b) are harshly rebuked and put back on track toward the kingdom
- c) are placed into the lake of fire.
Upon repentance and faith, one is…
- a) baptized by the pouring of water on his head by a friend or family member
- b) baptized by full immersion into the water by a person of his choosing
- c) baptized by sprinkling of water by a representative of Jesus Christ
- d) baptized by full immersion in water by a representative of Jesus Christ
The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means “sprinkle” or “pour water onto.” True or False?
The Bible reinforces that the method of baptism was by full immersion. True or False?
Baptism gives the repentant sinner…
- a) the ability to face God with clear conscience
- b) an appeal for a clear conscience
- c) both
In every true baptism is the virtue of Christ rising from the dead. True or False?
Baptism is the only way for a true Christian to enter the Body of Christ. True or False?
In Colossians 3:1 Paul states that if we be risen with Christ we should seek…
- a) physical things
- b) spiritual things or those things that are above
