Introduction:
A. The topic of Baptisms has been a controversial subject with many misunderstandings. Therefore it is important to study them for 4 reasons.

1. To stay away from heresy.

Baptism of the dead.  Paul referred to the baptism of the dead in his argument for the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:29.  He did not endorse this practice but used the reasoning behind the practice to support the doctrine of the resurrection.  The baptism of the dead is practiced by a number of cults, one of which is Mormonism. This practice is heresy, as there is nothing that can be done to help the dead into salvation.  Hebrews 9:27 says "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,"

Salvation based on water baptism.  Some teach that salvation is not granted until a person is water baptized.  This is based on Mark 16:16  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  However, the requirement for salvation is a regenerated spirit and a faithful walk with Him.  Mark 16:16 is dealing with the issue of obedience, obedience is a critical element of our salvation, but we are not saved by obedience but by the blood of Jesus.  Every believer is obligated to become baptized, but if they are unable like the thief who died next to Jesus, their salvation is secure.

2. To understand our Christian brothers.

Baptism into a particular church.  Some churches require individuals who want membership into their church to be baptized into their congregation.  There is no Biblical support for this requirement, however, it is not worth a doctrinal fight.  We do not practice this requirement, water baptism performed prior to coming here is sufficient.

Some churches do not teach the baptism of the Holy Spirit, this will be dealt with at a later time.

3. To appropriate God's power.

The power of God expressed in a believer's life is a function of their relationship to Him and their faith.  The topic baptisms has much to do with relationship and faith.

4. To develop an understanding of God's principles, thus gaining wisdom.

B. The Bible teaches of four different Baptisms.

1. Baptism of John.
John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. -- Mark 1:4 (NKJV)
2. Christian Baptism.
"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, -- Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)
3. Baptism of suffering, or fire.
"I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! "Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. "For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three. "Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." 
-- Luke 12:49-53 (NKJV)
4. Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
"for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." -- Acts 1:5 (NKJV)

I. Definition of the word Baptism.
A. Greek word 'baptiző', a strong term with no English translation, the word immersion is closest.

1. To cover entirely with fluid.
2. To dip; to dip something in a fluid and take out.
3. To cause something to be dipped.

A towel in water, soaked, and permeated is a good picture of it's meaning.  Protestant Christianity, in particular Evangelical, teach that baptism is by immersion and not sprinkling.  John the Baptist practiced immersion, Jesus was immersed when He submitted to baptism.  I'm of the opinion that immersion should be practiced if it is at all possible.  In a rare occasion due to an adverse circumstance, sprinkling is acceptable.

B. Term only found in the New Testament, however the theme is definitely Old Testament.

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, -- 1 Corinthians 10:1 (NKJV)

Paul here is referring to the Israelites coming out of Egypt in the Exodus.

Note: Baptism is always connected with deliverance!

II. John's Baptism. Matthew 3:1-12
A. Marked the introduction into a new age.

1. John's ministry was the link between the dispensation of the Law (The Old Testament or Covenant.) and the dispensation of the Gospel (The New Testament or Covenant.)
"The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. -- Luke 16:16 (NKJV)

2. John's ministry was to prepare the hearts of Israel for the coming of Messiah.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the LORD; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. -- Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. -- John 1:14 (NKJV)

B. John made two requirements of the people.

1. Repentance with public confession. (The early Church practiced this.)
"Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, -- Matthew 3:8 (NKJV)

2. Water baptism only when evidence of repentance was seen.
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. -- Luke 3:7,8 (NKJV)

C. The message of John.

1. Repent. Jesus preached the same message.
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." -- Matthew 4:17 (NKJV)

Hearts must be prepared to receive the Gospel.  The true nature of sin, it's destruction and vileness along with it's consequence must be taught.  If man can not see that he is in any trouble, why would he see the need for a savior?

2. Messiah is coming!
At long last. The Messiah was predicted back in Genesis.  The nation of Israel had, and still has today, a great expectation for the coming of Messiah.  Because of this, to be a barren woman in Israel was a reproach.

Emphasis was on the future.
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. -- Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)

Messiah is greater than John.

D. Nature of John's baptism.
Not a proselyte baptism.

Proselyte baptism means :

1. A change in creed.
2. Salvation came in membership of a nation.

Rahab hid the spies that came into Jericho; Joshua 2.  She believed that God was giving the land to the Israelites and thus protected them.  Once the city was taken she became a member of the nation of Israel by changing her creed, the God whom she worshipped, and baptism.

E. The Christian Baptism grew out of John's.
The physical baptism of Christ was by John through immersion. His motive was 'to fulfill all righteousness'

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. -- Matthew 3:15 (NKJV)
Jesus identified with man through 'obedience.'

Method was immersion.
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.  -- Matthew 3:16 (NKJV)

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

The formula.
"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, -- Matthew 28:19 (NKJV)

A Christian is baptized by the authority of Jesus and in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

III. Significance of Christian Baptism. Roman 6
The significance of the Christian baptism is the union and identification with Christ.  We identify and are united with His death, burial, and resurrection.  This union provides the basis of complete deliverance from the power of sin.

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. -- Romans 6:4 (NKJV)

Two things that God does for the believer.

A. Breaks the power of indwelling sin through death.
Principle: If we have received God's grace in water baptism, we are dead to sin.

. . . How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? -- Romans 6:2 (NKJV)
We who died.  In water baptism we identify with Jesus' death, thus we are dead to sin.

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. -- Romans 6:6 (NKJV)
Our old man, sinful nature, was crucified.  We are no longer the slaves to sin.

B. This death frees man from sin's power.

For he who has died has been freed from sin. -- Romans 6:7 (NKJV)
Sin no longer has power over the believer, he is free in Jesus Christ!

C. Four things the believer must do.

1. Must accept this death as fact not feeling.
      a. This death was the believer's death.
      b. We are not able to die, but told that we are dead.
      c. Thus we do not put ourselves to death.

2. Reckon it to be so, consider yourself dead.
Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. -- Romans 6:11 (NKJV)
      a. God reckons it to be now, we are to agree with God!
      b. Order of the Christian experience:

The Christian or Believer's experience is not to be based on feelings.  Feeling are always changing, but God is not.  If we look at an old style train, with the engine, coal car, and eventually the caboose, we can draw a clear illustration of what this experience is.  The engine we will call the Word of God, the coal car, faith, and the caboose, feelings.  Feelings always are at the end of things.  Now, what would happen if we let the caboose power the train?  The train would simply roll to the lowest point.  This is what will happen to the Believer who depends on feelings, he will end up in the valley unable to get out.  If we put our faith in the Word of God, putting coal into the boiler of the engine as it were, we will have power in our lives.  The train will move forward through the valley's and mountains.  Eventually the caboose comes along, and so it is with feeling, when we put our faith in the Word of God our feelings will eventually come along.

3. Yield, or present ourselves.
      a. Present ourselves alive to God.
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. 
-- Romans 6:13 (NKJV)
      b. Offer ourselves as a sacrifice once and for all.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. -- Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

4. Walk in continual obedience.
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? 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. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 
-- Romans 6:16-18 (NKJV)
a. Can not serve two masters, must be obedient to the truth.
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. -- Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)

D. Imparts divine life through the resurrection.
Principle: If we have been buried with Him in death, we shall also have resurrection life. "A degree principle."  In other words to the degree that we obey and identify with Christ's death is the degree that we will experience freedom from sin and the resurrection life.  It is like the playground teder-toder, the more one side goes down the more the other side goes up.

1. Newness of life.
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. -- Romans 6:4 (NKJV)

2. In the likeness of His resurrection.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 
-- Romans 6:5 (NKJV)

3. We shall also live with Him.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 
-- Romans 6:8 (NKJV)

4. We shall be saved by His life.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. -- Romans 5:10 (NKJV)

5. Resurrection life out of death.

6. Divine life means God kind of life. Refers to character.
who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. -- 1 Peter 2:24 (NKJV)

7. Baptism speaks of resurrection life.
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. -- Romans 6:4 (NKJV)

IV. Baptism of Suffering, or Fire.

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. -- Matthew 3:11 (NKJV)

But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." 
-- Matthew 20:22 (NKJV)

"But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! -- Luke 12:50 (NKJV)

Two elements of the Baptism of Suffering, or Fire.

A. Purging, Cleansing, and Extending Faith.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 
-- 1 Peter 1:3-7 (NKJV)

Difficult times purifies the faith of the Believer.  It is through these times that the inner man becomes strong and determined.  When something is easy, anyone can do it, when it is hard it develops depth of character.  Like the athlete, he trains hard to be developed.  Our faith is developed in a similar by the baptism of fire.

1. Fire burns off chaff.  All the unneeded things.

2. The early Church experienced the baptism of fire.
As you may know the Roman theaters were used to torture the early Christians.  They were gored, beheaded and eaten alive by wild beasts.  This is how the fish symbol came into being.  It was a secret way of identifying who were Christians.
For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, -- Philippians 1:29 (NKJV)

B. Jesus type of suffering. Isaiah 53

The Jesus type of suffering is not for wrong doing.  This suffering we disserve. It is suffering for doing right, because someone has sinned against us.  The Jesus type of suffering is suffering because of sin.  Jesus became sin (2 Corinthians 5:21), this was His greatest suffering and why He prayed so hard in the garden.

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." -- Matthew 26:39 (NKJV)

1. Sharing His sufferings.
but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 
-- 1 Peter 4:13 (NKJV)

2. Suffering to extend the Kingdom of God.
and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 
-- Romans 8:17 (NKJV)

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, -- Colossians 1:24 (NKJV)

When we suffer persecution for following Jesus, we extend the kingdom of God by out strong wittiness.  When the apostle James was beheaded, his jailer followed him because of his witness.

V. Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

A. There are seven passages where Baptism and Holy Spirit are found together.

1. Matthew 3:11
2. Mark 1:8
3. Luke 3:16
4. John 1:33
5. Acts 1:5
6. Acts 11:16
7. 1 Corinthians 12:38

B. Evidence that Christ is alive!

Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. -- 1 Corinthians 14:22 (NKJV)

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. 
-- Ephesians 1:13,14 (NKJV)
When Joseph was in Egypt, he sent the wagons of Egypt to Jacob his father because his father couldn't believe that Joseph was alive.  The Holy Spirit, and His baptism is sure proof that Jesus is alive!

C. Arguments used to deny the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for today.

1. That which is perfect has come, the Bible.
But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. -- 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NKJV)
As I mentioned earlier there are some churches who do not teach the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Some will teach out of the above verse that because we have the Bible (That which is perfect.) we no longer have the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  However the scripture says  "But when . . . . then.. ."  It is speaking of the future that has not yet come.  The perfect is when we are with Jesus not now!

2. Only for the early Church.
Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 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. "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." -- Acts 2:37-39 (NKJV)
But the scripture says to as many as the Lord will call!  If you are studying this, you are one of whom the Lord has called!

D. Purpose of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

1. Power to be His witness.
"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." -- Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

2. Edification for all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: -- 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)

 

Doctrine Of Baptisms Quiz Part I Doctrine Of Baptisms Quiz Part II Doctrine Of Baptisms Quiz Part III Doctrine Of Baptisms Quiz Part IV