B i b l e   S t u d y

Lesson: Baptism

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SCRIPTURE READING: Romans 6:1-23

GOLDEN TEXT:  Acts 2:38

1. Did the apostle Peter, on Pentecost, tell the Jews of his day to repent? (Acts 2:38.) Did Peter continue to preach repentance? (Acts 3:19.)

Note: What is repentance? Repent means "to turn from sin" and to "change one’s mind."

2. What is sin? (1 John 3:4, James 4:17, Romans 14:23, 1 John 5:16-17.)

Note: The Bible gives four definitions of sin. Basically it is "missing the mark." Sin is the lawlessness, transgression of God’s Law, knowing to do good and not doing it, whatever is not of faith is sin and all unrighteousness is sin.

3. Are we to turn from sin? (John 8:1-11.) What did Jesus tell the woman to do? (Verse 11.) What is the end result of sin? (Romans 6:23, John 3:16, Ezekiel 18:4,20.)

Note: The end result of sin is eternal death.

4. Did the apostle Peter, on Pentecost, tell the Jews of his day to be baptized? (Acts 2:38.) Why were they to be baptized? (Same verse.)

5. Was Jesus baptized? (Matthew 3:13-17.) Did Jesus set an example that we are to follow? ( 1 Peter 2:21.) Is baptism one of the foundational doctrines of the New Testament Church? (Hebrews 6:1-2.)

Note: If we follow Jesus’ example then we should realize that we need to repent and be baptized.

6. Did Jesus baptize many people? (John 4:1-2.) How many people did Jesus personally baptize? (Same verses.)

Note: Jesus baptized more disciples than John the Baptist, but He did not physically baptize anyone. His disciples did the physically part of getting into the water and performing the actual act of baptism. His disciples baptized for Him, in His name, by His authority, which is the same as Jesus doing the baptism.

7. Did Jesus command baptism? (Matthew 28:18-20.)

8. We have already seen where the apostle Peter commanded baptism in Acts 2:38. How many people were baptized on God’s annual Sabbath of Pentecost when the New Testament Church was founded? (Acts 2:41.)

9. Did Philip preach Christ in the city of Samaria? (Acts 8:5.) Did he baptize both men and women? (Acts 8:12-16.)

10. God sent the apostle Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Who was this first Gentile and what was his profession? (Acts 10:1-2.) Did Peter baptize this group of Gentiles? (Acts 10:44-48.)

11. Does baptism require water? (Acts 10:47.) Did John the Baptist baptize people where there was a lot of water? (John 3:23.)

Note: The word "baptize" is not an English word, but is a Greek word. The translators of the Bible left this Greek word untranslated. In the Greek the word is "baptizo" and the definition of this word is "immerse" or "to dip."

12. Did Philip baptize the Eunuch where there was a lot of water? (Acts 8:26-39.)

Note: Notice that in verses 38-39, that both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water for the eunuch to be baptized and then they both came up out of the water. Now why would Philip have to go down into the water with the eunuch unless he was going to "dip" or "plunge" the eunuch down under the water by "immersion."

This story of Philip and the eunuch is a beautiful story of evangelism and preaching the gospel. God used Philip to make a disciple of the Ethiopian eunuch, preach Jesus to him and then he was baptized, thus fulfilling the commission of Matthew 28:18-20.

13. Did the apostle Paul give a good definition of baptism in Colossians 2:12?

Note: Only baptism by "immersion" can symbolically picture this burial, and then you are raised up out of the water which pictures a type of resurrection.

14. Are we buried with Jesus in baptism? (Romans 6:3-7.) Are we no longer "slaves to sin" but have we been "freed from sin?" (Same verses.)

Note: Symbolically, baptism pictures the death and burial of Jesus and the death and burial of "our old man", the old way of living in sin and being influenced by our dirty rotten human nature. Coming up out of the water pictures Jesus’ resurrection and our resurrection as a new creature who "should walk in newness of life."

15. Are we baptized into Jesus? (Romans 6:3.) Are we also to baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?" (Matthew 28:19.) Are we baptized into the body of Christ? (1 Corinthians 12:12-27.)

Note: We are NOT baptized into a particular Church or denomination. We are baptized (plunged into) the "body of Christ" - the spiritual Church.

16. In the apostle Peter’s sermon on Pentecost, after he told the Jews to repent and be baptized, did he mention a gift being involved after they were baptized? (Acts 2:38.)

Note: Notice the order that the Apostle Peter gave in Acts 2:38: first, you must repent, second, you must be baptized and then third, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is no promise that you will receive the Holy Spirit until you "repent" and are "baptized." The Thief on the cross may be a rare exception to this rule about not being baptized. In his case it was impossible for him to be baptized.

17. Should we get baptized as soon as possible after we repent? Were three thousand souls added on the day of Peter’s inspired Pentecost sermon? (Acts 2:38-41.) Was the Eunuch baptized after a short chariot ride? (Acts 8:26-39.)

In Conclusion: After we repent and are baptized, we will then receive the gift of God’s holy spirit. We then should have a desire to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to obey Him and serve Him.

"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." (John 13:17 NKJV)


For more information on "sin" and "repentance" read our articles titled:  
What is Sin?
             Repent             Repent and Be Baptized

(Pick the Link & Read it On-line)



Scriptures


Scripture Reading:  (Romans 6 NKJV) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? {2} Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? {3} Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, {6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. {7} For he who has died has been freed from sin. {8} Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, {9} knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. {10} For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. {11} Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. {12} Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. {13} And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. {14} For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. {15} What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! {16} Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? {17} But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. {18} And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. {19} I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. {20} For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. {21} What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. {22} But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. {23} For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Golden Text: (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.


1.)(Acts 3:19 NKJV) "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

(Hebrews 6:1-2 NKJV) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, {2} of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

2.) (1 John 3:4 NKJV) Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

(James 4:17 NKJV) Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

(Romans 14:23 NKJV) But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin.

(1 John 5:16-17 NKJV) If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. {17} All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

3.) (John 8:1-11 NKJV) But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. {2} Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. {3} Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, {4} they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. {5} "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?" {6} This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. {7} So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." {8} And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. {9} Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. {10} When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" {11} She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

(Romans 6:23 NKJV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(John 3:16 NKJV) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(Ezekiel 18:4 NKJV) "Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.

(Ezekiel 18:20 NKJV) "The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

4. (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

5.) (Matthew 3:13-17 NKJV) Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. {14} And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" {15} But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him. {16} When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. {17} And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

(1 Peter 2:21 NKJV) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

(Hebrews 6:1-2 NKJV) Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, {2} of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

6. (John 4:1-2 NKJV) Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John {2} (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),

7. (Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. {19} "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

8. (Acts 2:41 NKJV) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

9. (Acts 8:5 NKJV) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

(Acts 8:12-16 NKJV) But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. {13} Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. {14} Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, {15} who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. {16} For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

10. (Acts 10:1-2 NKJV) There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, {2} a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.

(Acts 10:44-48 NKJV) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. {45} And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. {46} For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, {47} "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" {48} And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

11. (Acts 10:47 NKJV) "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"

(John 3:23 NKJV) Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.

12. (Acts 8:26-39 NKJV) Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert. {27} So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, {28} was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. {29} Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot." {30} So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" {31} And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. {32} The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. {33} In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth." {34} So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?" {35} Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. {36} Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" {37} Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." {38} So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. {39} Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

(Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. {19} "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, {20} "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

13. (Colossians 2:12 NKJV) buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

14. (Romans 6:3-7 NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? {4} Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, {6} knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. {7} For he who has died has been freed from sin.

15. (Romans 6:3 NKJV) Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?

(Matthew 28:19 NKJV) "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

(1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NKJV) For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. {13} For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. {14} For in fact the body is not one member but many. {15} If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? {16} And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? {17} If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? {18} But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. {19} And if they were all one member, where would the body be? {20} But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. {21} And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." {22} No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. {23} And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, {24} but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, {25} that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another {26} And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it {27} Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

16. (Acts 2:38 NKJV) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.