6/10/07 – 23LAW “Baptism” - Part 2
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Hello!  This is Richard Vaughn

Today’s message is “Baptism” - Part 2

Before we begin, let us seek God’s guidance, “Heavenly Father, as we continue to study this most important subject regarding baptism, I pray that You bless those listening today with the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we pray for wisdom, knowledge and understanding so that we may live in the center of Your revealed will, as we ask in Jesus Name, Amen.”
Right now, I continue to keep my pledge, to cry aloud and spare not, to lift up my voice like a trumpet and to show God’s people where they are transgressing God’s law.
Today we will conclude our study on baptism and the who, what, where, when, why and how of baptism. We will continue this lesson in a question and answer format, and I will start today’s study with question #11:

11.	 Q. How long does it take to prepare for baptism? Answer: That depends on the person. Some grasp things more quickly than others, but in most cases, preparation can be made in short order. Here are some Bible examples: A. Ethiopian treasurer – Acts 8:26-39 – Baptized the same day he heard truth. B. Philippian jailer and his family – Acts 16:23-34. Baptized the same night they heard truth. C. Saul of Tarsus – Acts 9:1-18 – Baptized three days after Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus. D. Cornelius – Acts 10:1-48 – Baptized same day he heard truth. Conclusion: At conversion, God forgives and forgets our past; God miraculously transforms us into spiritual beings; God adopts us as His own sons and daughters. Certainly no truly converted person would want to delay baptism, which in effect publicly pays tribute to Jesus for working all these miracles in our lives.
12.	 Q. How does God feel about the baptism of a converted person? Answer: He said at His Son’s baptism, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. So, today God is well pleased when a person is baptized by immersion in harmony with His command. Those who love the Lord will always strive to please Him. 1 John 3:22 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1 “Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” Have you been baptized according to God’s command?

13.	Q. Can a person experience true baptism without becoming a member of God’s church? Answer: NO! God clearly outlines this. Notice the steps: A. All are called into one body. Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” B. The church is the body. Colossians 1:18 “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” C. We enter that body through baptism. 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” D. God’s converted people are added to the church. Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Baptism is the official entry into God’s church. Being baptized without joining God’s church is unbiblical.

14.	Q. What are FOUR things that baptism does not do? Answer: A. First, baptism itself does not change the heart of a man; it is a symbol of the change that has already taken place. However, a man might be baptized without faith, without repentance and without a new heart. He might have been immersed after the example of Jesus, but he would simply come up a wet sinner, still without faith. Baptism cannot make a new person and it cannot change or regenerate anyone. It is the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that changes the heart at conversion. B. Second, baptism does not necessarily make a person feel better. Some people are disappointed because they do not feel different after baptism. Salvation is a matter not of feeling, but of faith and obedience. C. Third, baptism does not remove temptations. In fact the devil increases his attacks on a person who has committed their life to Jesus. Jesus is the helper of every believer for He says in Hebrews 13:5 “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Scripture promises that no temptation will come without a way of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” D. Fourth, baptism does not guarantee salvation. It is not a rite of magic. Salvation comes only as a free gift from Jesus Christ when one experiences the new birth. Baptism is a symbol of true conversion, and unless conversion precedes baptism, the ceremony is meaningless.

15.	Q. Is it ever proper to be baptized more than once? Answer: Yes and Acts 19:1-5 shows that the Bible endorses rebaptism in certain cases. “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
 
16.	Q. Should infants be baptized? Answer: No one should ever be baptized unless, (1) he knows the truth of God; (2) he believes it; (3) he has truly repented; (4) he has experienced conversion. No baby should ever be baptized as that completely disregards God’s commands regarding baptism. Misguided men in the church brought in the heresy that unless infants were baptized, if they died they would be tormented in hell fire, which defames God as an unjust tyrant who would destroy innocent infants.

17.	Q. Isn’t baptism a matter of personal opinion? Answer: Yes. But not your opinion or mine. It’s Christ’s opinion of us that matters. Christ says that baptism is important to Him. John 3:5 “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” To refuse baptism is to refuse the direct counsel of God. Luke 7:29,30 “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”

18.	Q. How old should one be to qualify for baptism? Answer: Old enough to understand the difference between wrong-doing and right-doing, and to make an intelligent decision to surrender to Christ and follow Him. Some are ready for baptism earlier than others.

19.	Q. Can baptism in and of itself save you? Answer: NO! But refusing to baptism can cause one to be lost, because it means disobedience. Salvation is connected to obedience. Hebrews 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”

20.	Q. Isn’t baptism of the Holy Spirit all that is necessary? Answer: NO! The Bible shows that water baptism is necessary even when the baptism of the Holy Spirit has preceded it. Acts 10:44-48.

21.	Q. Shouldn’t we be baptized in Jesus’ name only? Answer: In Matthew 28:19 we are told to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. These are Jesus’ very own words which makes them sacred.

22.	Q. If there is one sin I do not wish to surrender, should I be baptized? Answer: NO! Obviously the old life of sin is not dead. It would be criminal for a funeral director to bury a person that is not dead and equally serious for a minister to baptize one whose old sinful life is not dead.

23.	Q. Can you explain Galatians 3:27? “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Answer: Here God compares baptism to marriage. The person who is baptized thus publicly acknowledges that he has taken Christ’s name (Christian), just as a bride publicly announces the taking of her husband’s name at the time of the wedding. In baptism, as with marriage, several rules apply: A. It should never be entered into unless true love rules supreme. B. It should never be entered into unless the candidate has determined to be faithful through thick and thin. C. It should be approached with full understanding. D. It should not be unduly delayed.

Well time is up for this week. Next week we will study thean important subject I have titled “The Arm of Flesh” - Part 1, and we will find the real truths in God’s Word on this very important subject.
If you would like to worship with seventh day Sabbath-keepers, come to the Victory Seventh Day Adventist Church in South Hill at 117 W. Danville Street, in the old Citizens Bank building, just a couple doors from the library.
Until next week, Jesus said in John 5:39, “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me”. Come Lord Jesus.