Baptism is not essential to salvation as the case of the thief on the cross teaches us. He knew the baptism of the Spirit but not the baptism of water. Still although baptism is not essential, it is not optional. We don't want to become a one-ordinance church where we just practice the Lord's Supper. We have looked at who should be baptized. Next we want to look at how we should be baptized and why.
There are three traditional modes of baptism
- immersion - pouring - sprinkling
To understand the mode to be used, we consider
1. The water used in baptism Acts 8:36 - "Here is water" Water is used in baptism
2. The word used for baptism Act 8:36 - "what does hinder me to be baptized?" The word is a transliteration of the Greek word
2a. outside the Bible It means to immerse, submerge or bathe. It is used for a ship that is baptized in the battle
2b. in the Greek OT translation The word is used to state that Naaman dipped himself in the Jordan. It is used in Isaiah 21:4 as a figure of speech (affrighted) to describe someone who is overwhelmed in the emotion of fear.
2c. in the New Testament It is used to describe the baptizing of individuals (i.e. John baptized because there was much water). But there are places where it is used figuratively. Mark 7:3 uses the word for washing cups and pots. It is also used in Gethsemane where Christ asks his disciples if they can drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism he is baptized with. The Lord is going to be immersed in an experience of suffering.
Lastly we consider why we should be baptized 1. principled obedience to Christ 2. public allegiance to Christ 3. personal benefit
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