1. Great Doctrines

2. Lesson 9

3. Lesson Text—Romans 6:1-4 Romans 6:1-5 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4. Lesson Text—Romans 6:1-4 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up 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 planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

5. Lesson Text—Romans 6:5-7 Romans 6:6-7 6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

6. Lesson Text—Ephesians 5:25-27 Ephesians 5:25-27 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

7. Focus Verse—Acts 2:38 Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

8. Focus Thought The Lord commanded water baptism in the name of Jesus and it is essential. As the Lord was buried in a tomb, so we are buried with Him in water baptism.

9. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Introduction Many marketed consumables on store shelves boast, “Just Add Water!” What a simple recipe and what promise of instant results! Interestingly, God also chose to use the same physical ingredient— water—as part of the redemptive plan. When God established the New Testament church, as part of the salvation plan He began a procedure that includes the most available element on our planet.

10. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Redemption includes many spiritual and unseen components, but it also calls for the use of the common element of water when the believer is baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Since it is a vital part of the plan of redemption, we should be aware of the implications and importance of water baptism.

11. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism The Necessity of Water Baptism In the back of many recipe books, a person can find a list of substitutes. Sometimes a person may be able to substitute margarine for butter, oil instead of Crisco, or non-dairy whipped topping instead of old-fashioned heavy whipping cream.

12. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Substitutes may be allowable in some cooking, but there is never a substitute for the requirements of atonement, including the “washing of water” accomplished through water baptism in Jesus’ name.

13. A. Commanded by Jesus Jesus reinforced the essentiality of water baptism in Mark 16:16, saying, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” There is no salvation without water baptism. Obviously, water is not the only element of our salvation, but it is a vital part. Some individuals wrongly argue that salvation only requires belief. However, Jesus equally linked belief and water baptism as two of the essential components of salvation.

14. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism According to Christ, belief alone is insufficient for redemption. On the other hand, if a person does not believe, not even water baptism in Jesus’ name will save him. The Lord taught the importance of water baptism for individual conversion, but He also commanded the practice as a key element of world evangelism: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them... ” (Matthew 28:19).

15. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism While teaching and making disciples begins the process through faith, Jesus clearly demonstrated in the same passage the vital role of baptism. The risen Lord commanded that we baptize new believers. The Lord Jesus also demonstrated the importance of water baptism by His own participation in the rite. Regarding His baptism, Jesus told the wilderness prophet John, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).

16. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Jesus commanded mankind to be baptized, and He illustrated its importance by allowing John the Baptizer to plunge Him into the Jordan River. He had no personal sins for which he needed to repent or be baptized, but He wanted to personally demonstrate the vital nature of water baptism.

17. B. Practiced by the Church To know Jesus Christ commanded baptism should be evidence enough for any believer to willingly and obediently submit to baptism, but the Scriptures provide more evidence than only the words of Jesus. The clear evidence of baptism’s importance emerges when one studies the words and practices of the apostolic church.

18. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism At the conclusion of Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost, he instructed the people to be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins. The hearers who “gladly received his word were baptized” and three thousand souls responded “the same day” (Acts 2:41). The Scriptures show the essentiality of water baptism, but they also reveal the urgency of the act.

19. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism After Paul and Silas ministered to the Macedonian prison keeper, the man arose “and was baptized... straightway [immediately]” (Acts 16:33). He did not wait even until the following day. It would seem that if baptism were unimportant there would have been no hurry for him and his household to be baptized. The directive for baptism carries the same urgency as repentance and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of savation” (II Corinthians 6:2).

20. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism In Samaria, Philip did not first give his converts a twenty-one week course on interpreting the Tabernacle plan; rather, he baptized them as they repented and turned toward Christ: “When they believed... they were baptized” (Acts 8:12). Later, this young evangelist shared the gospel with a soul riding in a chariot, hurrying across the desert. The Ethiopian official understood that baptism was not optional for salvation, and he knew no substitute existed for baptism.

21. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Even in the desert enough water existed for him to say, “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?” (Acts 8:36). He simply obeyed the command of God to be baptized in Jesus’ name. After God miraculously filled the people with His Spirit while Peter was preaching in the house of Cornelius, Peter commanded the new believers to be baptized in the name of Jesus (Acts 10:48).

22. Acts 10:48 “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days” (Acts 10:48).

23. C. Involved a Divine Purpose When God instituted the new birth, He included the command of water baptism for the remission of sins. Interestingly, it was not the first time He included the use of water in a plan to save mankind. When the earth was flooded in the days of Noah, God used water not only to judge the world, but also to save the righteous. Peter stated, “Eight souls were saved by water” (I Peter 3:20).

24. I Peter 3:20-21 “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 3:20-21).

25. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Noah and those who accompanied him floated up and away from the destruction across this vast planet. In similar fashion, baptism “doth also now save us” (I Peter 3:21). Like the ark provided a means of salvation for Noah, so Jesus Christ is our source of rescue from the destruction of the evil one. Water also served as the main ingredient used in the redemption of God’s people from the slavery in Egypt. Chased by Pharaoh to the waters of the Red Sea, the Israelites’ only escape path was through the waterway.

26. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism God miraculously rolled back the waters of the sea, and Moses led the Israelites across on dry ground. Paul called this great escape a baptism in I Corinthians 10:2. God saved them from the hand of Pharaoh’s warriors and with the same waters of the sea He destroyed their pursuing enemy. Through Moses, God saved the people of Israel from temporal harm, but Jesus Christ saves us from eternal damnation. The requirement and use of water in the plan of salvation has to do with spiritual, not external cleansing.

27. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Peter stated, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 3:21). This is an inward washing away of sins causing “the answer of a good conscience toward God” (I Peter 3:21). The purity of the actual water used for baptism and the location do not matter. What matters is our obedience to the injunction to be buried in water in the name of Jesus Christ.

28. II. The Symbol and ode of Water Baptism The Symbol and Mode of Water Baptism It is insufficient only to know water baptism is necessary for salvation; one also must know how to execute baptism biblically to effect the spiritual work of Jesus Christ.

29. A. The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Our faith in Jesus Christ is effective through the power of the gospel. Paul told the believers at Corinth, “I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you.... by which also ye are saved” (I Corinthians 15:1-2). If the gospel saves a person—“rescues” a soul from perdition—then one needs to know, embrace, and obey the gospel to be saved.

30. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Fortunately, Paul went on to explain the gospel of Christ, “how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ constitute the message of the gospel. We must obey the gospel or face eternal damnation (II Thessalonians 1:8).

31. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism In Massachusetts, the Boston Tunnel passes from one part of the metropolis, under the cold waters of Boston Harbor, and comes out on the east side of the city. Just as this tunnel provides the pathway for travelers to commute from one part of the city to another, so the gospel is our only channel of escape from the curse of sin and death on humanity. Those who refuse to obey the Scriptures and do not respond to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ face an eternity held hostage in the devil’s doom.

32. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism We respond to the gospel by obeying the plan revealed by Peter on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:38. 1. Repentance—Death. Death constitutes the normal and natural conclusion of a life. In order to leave behind our former lifestyle of sin, we have to die to the old nature (Romans 6:6), preparing us to transition into the full, real, and abundant life Jesus Christ desires for us to enjoy.

33. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism As Jesus Christ died out to the will of the flesh and died on the cross for the sins of mankind, so believers are to die to their selfish will and life of sin. The efficacy of Christ’s death makes it possible for us to follow His example through spiritual death to our will so that we may prepare to experience new life through Christ. Through repentance we can be free from sin’s bondage and have real life (Hebrews 2:14-15). The follower of Christ associates with His death on the cross by dying to his life of sin. He repents of his sins and turns away from the old lifestyle.

34. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism 2. Water Baptism—Burial. It is normal to bury one who has died. So it was that Jesus Christ was buried following His death on the cross. He was placed into an unused tomb, a stone was rolled across the doorway, and the tomb was sealed. Thankfully, Jesus was not destined to remain in the tomb for long; after three days and nights He arose! To associate with the burial of Jesus Christ, the believer is to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.

35. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Since the believer has died to his sins, he is to be buried with Christ in baptism. Those who have “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24) must bury that body of sin. For “we are buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). By entering the watery grave, one not only aligns himself with Christ in His burial, but he also buries the dead life of sin he once lived. Nobody should be buried alive. Burial with Christ is effective only for those who have died with Him.

36. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism A person bent on sin, or one who enters a baptistery just to appease friends or family, should first die (repentance from the old lifestyle) so he can truly live. Baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). This means baptism permanently erases sins just as a conventional burial disposes of a person’s remains. When the minister buries a man or woman in the waters of Jesus Name baptism, that individual’s old nature stays buried.

37. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism What comes back up? A new creature: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27). 3. Holy Ghost—Resurrection. Finally, we should associate with the Master in His resurrection so that “like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

38. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism In this verse, the proof leaps out to confirm that the analogy of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection does not hedge in mere symbolism and metaphor—the gospel message powerfully transforms a creature of death into a person of righteousness. Receiving the Holy Ghost completes this makeover (although this experience may sometimes precede baptism; see Acts 10:47).

39. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Obeying the Scriptures by associating ourselves with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection serves as an escape route from the doom and destruction destined upon this earth and its lost population. It provides us with the promise of eternity with Jesus Christ through the Resurrection.

40. B. Baptize from Baptizo Many people have confused the original plan and mode of baptism by trying to substitute their own human ideas. A couple of centuries after Christ, some well-meaning individuals began to baptize infants by sprinkling them with water. Such a practice denies that repentance must precede baptism. An infant is unaware of his sin and subsequently cannot confess his sins or turn from the old nature.

41. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Therefore, prior to one’s ability to understand God’s Word, believe on Jesus Christ, and renounce a lifestyle of sin, baptism remains ineffectual. To know whether such a practice is acceptable, one must turn to the Word of God. The Greek word baptizo means “to immerse, submerge; to make overwhelmed (i.e. fully wet); used only (in the N. T.) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism” (Strong’s Concordance).

42. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Sprinkling is unbiblical and unacceptable; we must be submerged in water in the name of Jesus Christ in order to take on the nature of Christ. God commands baptism, not sprinkling.

43. C. Mode—Total Immersion In addition to the very definition of the word baptizo, every foreshadowing of baptism in the Scriptures further confirms the concept of immersion. God purged the earth of wickedness in Noah’s day with water. A few splashes of rain would not suffice to cleanse the earth. A boat cannot float on just the effects of a little thundershower. When God purged the earth, He sent enough water to cover even the tallest mountain (Genesis 7:19-20).

44. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Likewise, we need enough water to cover the entire person. What about the symbolism of the Israelites crossing through the Red Sea, their “baptism in the sea”? Did the walls of water have to be over their heads? Some have suggested that they waded through in ankle- deep waters, however if this were the case, Pharaoh’s armies would never have drowned. On the contrary, there was enough water to drown the entire Egyptian contingency pursuing the Israelites.

45. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Finally, when a dead body receives its proper burial, in no way could one satisfy cultural expectations or civil laws by merely sprinkling a handful of dirt over the corpse. Just as a physical burial includes submersion in dirt, so water baptism requires immersion in water.

46. III. The Name to Use in Water Baptism The Name to Use in Water Baptism Throughout the Old Testament, God gave dozens of names by which humanity could describe and address Him. Yet in all of this, He reserved a special name that He would only reveal centuries later. He revealed Himself to Moses as hayah, or “I AM.” Thereafter He came to be called “He is” or YHWH (Jehovah).

47. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Thus, when the fullness of time had come for God to manifest Himself upon the earth as the Redeemer, He revealed His complete name: Jehovah-Savior, which in the Hebrew tongue is “Yeshua.” In the English language, Yeshua translates to “Jesus.”

48. A. The Only Name Given The prophet Isaiah must have looked forward with hopeful expectancy to the day when he would learn God’s name. Perhaps as he penned the words of Isaiah 9:6 he thought the moment was about to come for its revelation. However, the words he penned by the Spirit only revealed characteristics of the Lord, not His actual name. So Isaiah, like others, continued to wait for the revelation.

49. Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

50. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Yet God did present a great prophecy through Isaiah who may not have realized the secret, even after he inscribed the beautiful passage in Isaiah 12. This passage indicates that God had turned from His anger and had given His comfort. The second verse says, “Behold, God is my salvation,” which is significant. The original Hebrew language reveals that the word Isaiah used, which is translated into the English word “salvation,” was the word Yeshua!

51. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism In other words, the prophet’s writings declared that “Behold, God is my salvation [Yeshua, or Jesus]; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation [Jesus]. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation [Jesus]. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted” (Isaiah 12:2-4).

52. B. One Singular Name After His resurrection, Jesus commanded His followers to “go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19). It is important for us to understand what Jesus was telling His disciples and to obey His commandment. The titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are not names, but they are descriptions of the one true God.

53. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Jesus clearly stated that baptism is to be in “the name,” not in “the names” or multiple titles or descriptions of God. The only way to obey His command is to baptize in the singular “name” that identifies with all three titles: Jesus!

54. Transparency 3

55. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Some individuals sincerely believe they can satisfy the Lord’s command by simply repeating the passage at a baptism. However, baptism is like a legal transaction that requires specific identification for validation. If a lady were to write a check from her funds to pay for the groceries, would her check be valid if she signed it “Mother, Daughter, and Wife”? Of course not. Those three titles may describe who she is, but only her name has legal identification power with the bank.

56. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism We cannot access our financial resources by mere character descriptions; neither can we delve into all God has in store for us if we neglect the authority of His name, Jesus! 1. Father. What is the Father’s name? Jesus said, “I am come in my Father’s name” (John 5:43). The God-man was manifested to reveal the name of the Lord (John 17:6, 26; Hebrews 2:12). This name “Jesus” indicates more than His human ancestry; it also connects Him with His divine identity as the Savior!

57. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism The Scriptures declare He received His name “by inheritance” and it was a “more excellent name” (Hebrews 1:4). 2. Son. The angel commanded, “Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Every true believer must believe that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” and thus we may “have life through his name” (John 20:31).

58. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism 3. Holy Spirit. Logic reveals that God’s Spirit would not have a different name than God Himself. Speaking of the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised the coming Spirit baptism would come in His name (John 14:26). Consistently, the Scriptures reaffirm time and again that the name of the one true God is Jesus. (See Romans 8:9; II Corinthians 3:17-18.)

59. C. Fulfillment of the Great Commission On the day Jesus gave the great commission, Peter heard every word He said. So did the other ten apostles. Understanding the Lord’s meaning (not just the words), the lead apostle stepped out to address the crowds gathered in the streets of Jerusalem for Pentecost, and he proclaimed Jesus as their only hope of salvation. When the convicted audience heard him preach Jesus Christ, they asked what to do.

60. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Peter told them to obey the gospel: “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). Peter did not say baptism would be into the “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” He knew the “name” of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Jesus Christ. Had he been in error in this proclamation, one of the other disciples surely would have immediately corrected his mistake.

61. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Peter understood how to obey the command of Jesus recorded in Matthew 28:19—by using the name of Jesus. 1. Acts 8—The name used was Jesus. When Philip preached in Samaria, the locals believed and reacted to what he preached. Once they believed on “the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women” (Acts 8:12). Their newfound faith was not in Jehovah- God, for they had known Him for ages. Their newfound faith was in the Jehovah-Savior, Jesus the Messiah, God in flesh.

62. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Having this brand new faith in Jesus Christ, “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8:16). 2. Acts 10—The name used was Jesus. Another group exemplified the importance of baptism in that these people were not Jews. Some have argued that only the Jews needed water baptism in Jesus’ name, while everyone else needs baptism into the titles Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. However, the Gentiles in the house of Cornelius provided an example consistent with what Jesus had taught the apostles.

63. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism After the new believers had received the Holy Ghost, speaking with tongues, Peter stopped his sermon and “commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:48). The New International Version says, “He ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” 3. Acts 19—Believers were rebaptized and the name used was Jesus. This Jesus Name formula of baptism worked for Jews, non-Jews, and even for those who had been previously baptized by John.

64. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism In Acts 19, Paul discovered some believers in Ephesus who had been baptized only in John’s baptism (which was for repentance, not salvation). Once he instructed them regarding the whole message of the gospel—the finished work of Christ—they immediately saw their need for baptism. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).

65. D. The Only Name to Be Used in Baptism—Jesus There are no other options for water baptism than to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. God has used only one redeemer, one promise- giver, at a time: Noah, Abraham, Moses, and ultimately, Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate and eternal Redeemer. He shed His own blood for the salvation of mankind.

66. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism He gave His own name: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Every redeemed person wears the name of Jesus Christ, “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named” (Ephesians 3:15).

67. D. The Only Name to Be Used in Baptism—Jesus Conclusion Clearly, the Scriptures reveal time and again the necessity of water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Jesus Christ commanded it; the church practiced it, and it fulfills the divine purpose of the Almighty.

68. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism Water baptism in the name of Jesus is vital because it associates a believer with the gospel, which provides the only means of redemption. Simply stated, the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We receive and obey the gospel by associating ourselves with its message through repentance of sins, water baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receiving the Holy Ghost as evidenced by speaking with other tongues.

69. I. The Necessity of Water Baptism The only biblical way to perform water baptism is by immersion in water in the name of Jesus Christ. It is the only way to fulfill the commandment to baptize (meaning dip or plunge) and the only way to fulfill Jesus’ commandment in Matthew 28:19, baptizing in the name (singular) of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—Jesus!