Baptism

Question – Can you prove that Romans 6:1-4 is talking about water baptism?


Romans 6:1-4 – 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 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.

MORE THAN ONE BAPTISM

There is more than one baptism mentioned in the New Testament. There is a baptism of fire in Matthew 3:11. So many have taken this out of its context. Verse 10 talks of the fire as a punishment from God. Verse 12 does also. This baptism of fire in verse 11 refers to the eternal punishment God will give to those who do not obey him.
This same passage (Matthew 3:11) talks about Jesus baptizing some in or with the Holy Spirit. This is a promise, not a command. No one was ever commanded to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. And no one was ever commanded to baptize anyone else with the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the only administrator of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
What baptism was commanded in Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, etc. If only Jesus administers the baptism of the Holy Spirit, these passages cannot be referring to that baptism, for the apostles were told to baptize people. This must be water baptism. Why? Let's look further.

ONE BAPTISM

Ephesians 4:5 says there is only 1 baptism. We have already seen that there is more than one, so how can Paul say there is only one? These 7 ones were for all. They form the basic, foundational platform for the unity of all believers. There is only one body for us all to be in, the church. There is only one Spirit to reveal the word to all men. There is only one hope we are striving for, the hope of heaven. There is only one Lord, for he is Lord of all and no other is needed. There is only one faith, one system of doctrine, and all are accountable to it. There obviously can be only one God, and all are responsible to him.
Likewise there is only one baptism for all men, commanded to all, every nation (Mt 28:18-20) every creature (Mark 16:15-16). What baptism was it? The same author, in the same letter, to the same recipients, just a few verses later (Ephesians 5:26) shows that this baptism is water baptism.
Peter says baptism saves us like Noah and his family were saved by water. 1 Peter 3:20-21 – 20 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. 21 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: So what baptism saves? Water baptism.

ROMANS 6:1-4

Paul is the author of Romans 6:1-4. With the words 'us' and 'we' Paul includes his own baptismal experience in the discussion. Whatever the Romans had experienced he also experienced. He retells his own story in Acts 22. Whatever baptism Paul received was to wash away his sins (verse 16). It was part of the experience of 'calling on the name of the Lord' (verse 16, and see Romans 10:13). It was not Holy Spirit baptism, for he had to 'arise' to receive it. Why would you have to get up to be baptized with the Spirit?
Furthermore, water baptism fits perfectly with the picture painted in Roamns 6. Baptism (immersion) is a burial in water. In that water we are born again (John 3:5). Hence we begin newness of life (Romans 6:4). Romans 6:17-18 shows that it is by obedience to this doctrine that one is made free from sin.

Family Bulletin Board

Remember in prayer and with cards, phone calls, or visits those who have chronic illnesses: Jamie Farmer, Delsie Bishop, Lola Mae Hamlett, Ella Brumitt, Louise Hunt, Reva Brewer, Savannah Green, and Elizabeth Fowler.

EYG MEETINGS: March 11 and 25 from 6:45 to 8:00pm.

WEDDING RECEPTION - You are invited to reception for Laveal & Lonnzo Reed. It will be here, at the building, next Sunday (the 16th), at 4:30pm. They have requested NO gifts, please.

FRANCIS FERREN’s son, Ron Sturgeon, has requested that we call before visiting his mother. His phone number is: 926-9563

DELSIE BISHOP is in Lakeland Memorial Hospital. She fell and injured her leg. Her room number is 3180.

SIGN-UP SHEETS - Please check the bulletin board by the stairway. There are still empty spaces on the sign-up sheets.