A sermon on baptism: Does God require baptism?
1. By in large most of the religious world sees little benefit in the practice of baptism.
2. Many would claim it has no bearing on where a person spends eternity.
3. Stated another way, a common view is that baptism is not essential for salvation.
4. One of the interesting things about this view is what it implies.
5. A religious group may claim that baptism is needed to “join their church.”
6. It is a “church requirement.”
7. They then turn right around and say God does not require it to go to heaven.
8. If it is not required for heaven, why require it for some other reason?
9. What does the Bible say about the benefits of baptism?
10. First, the Bible says baptism “saves us” – 1 Pet. 3:21.
11. God’s word says there was a flood. 1 Pet. 3:20-21 – READ
12. Peter said “baptism saves us.” There are only two possible explanations for this text.
13. Peter meant what he said (baptism saves us) or Peter got it wrong.
14. Was the apostle tell the truth or did he not tell the truth?
15. If we do not believe Peter, maybe we will believe the Lord.
16. What did Jesus say in Mk. 16:16?
17. Did the Lord mean what He said or did He not?
18. If a person refuses to believe, they will not be baptized.
19. Thus, Jesus said those disbelievers will be “condemned” at the end of Mk. 16:16.
20. Benefit # 1 of baptism is salvation.
21. Benefit # 2 is found in the book of Acts, Acts 22:16.
22. When a person is baptized, their sins are washed away. Acts 22:16 – READ
23. The apostle Paul picked up on this same theme in Rom. 6:1-4.
24. Paul specifically said a person is “buried through baptism.”
25. This is a “washing with water” (Eph. 5:26).
26. Why be “buried” (immersed) with water baptism?
27. It is for the reason stated in Acts 22:16 – it “washes away sin.”
28. Some have claimed that such a teaching means there is power in the water.
29. There is no power in the water. The only power is in Christ and His sacrifice.
30. We need to contact the benefits of Jesus blood; we need to access the benefits of His death.
31. We get access to the cleansing blood of Jesus by imitating the Lord’s death and burial.
32. When we have repented and been immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins, we are washed.
33. This is why Rom. 6:4 reads as it does – READ
34. Baptism saves us and baptism washes away sin.
35. In addition to these two benefits, there is a third. Baptism puts us “into Christ.”
36. Paul made this point in Rom. 6:3.
37. He also made this point when writing to the Galatians (3:27).
38. Is it really that important to be “in Christ”? 2 Tim. 2:10 says “salvation is in Christ.”
39. If we are not in Christ, we are not in the place of salvation.
40. Eph. 1:3 makes the point even more vivid. “Every spiritual blessing” is in Christ.
41. Before baptism, we have no spiritual blessing.
42. Point # 4 is that baptism stands between us and church membership.
43. Until a person is correctly baptized, Jesus will not add a person to His church.
44. The door to His church is essentially closed until a person obeys the terms given by the Lord.
45. A person cannot be a Christian without being baptized for the forgiveness.
46. Until a person is correctly baptized, he or she is not saved.
47. Without baptism, a person retains every single one of their sins.
48. With baptism, every wrong a person has committed is instantly wiped away by God.
49. Without baptism a person is outside of Jesus Christ, man’s only savior.
50. One cannot be part of Christ’s church without baptism. Baptism divides saved from lost (1 Pet. 3)
Find the truth about God and become a New Testament Christian. Find out more about New Testament Christianity by running some Internet searches for “church of Christ” and “churches of Christ.” You may also want to visit http://www.abiblecommentary.com for Bible study information.
Remember, in order to be saved and enjoy all God’s blessings (not the least of which is salvation), a person must have faith (Jn. 8:24), be willing to repent (Lk. 13:3), and after confessing Christ as Lord, the final step is water baptism (Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Pet. 3:20-21). Bible baptism is by immersion only (“burial,” Rom. 6:4), and once it is done, heaven puts that person “into Christ” (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). After proper baptism a person has their sins forgiven (Acts 2:38).