Hanover Baptist Church

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BAPTISM

Acts 8.36

             I.  WHAT DOES BAPTISM MEAN?

                            1.  Baptism is a transliteration. It is a Greek word adapted to an English form.

                            2.  Baptism literally means "immerse, dip, bury, submerge"

          II.  HOW BAPTISM IS DESCRIBED

                            1.  There is water. Act 8.36 See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

                            2.  There is much water.  Joh 3.23 John also was baptizing ... because there was much water there.

                            3.  There is a going down into the water. Act 8.38 They went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

                            4.  There is a burial. Rom 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death.

                            5.  There is a coming up out of the water. Mat 3.16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.  Act 8.39 And when they were come up out of the water.

        III.  WHY IS BAPTISM IMPORTANT?

                            1.  Water baptism is the first public act of a believer in his confession of faith in Christ.

                            2.  Water baptism is the believer's first step of obedience to the Lordship of Christ.

                            3.  Water baptism is the means by which believers are added to the local church.

                            4.  Water baptism pictures Christ's death, burial, and resurrection and our identification with Him.

                            5.  Water baptism is important because Christ commanded it!

         IV.  WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?

                            1.  No babies should be baptized.

                            2.  Only believers should be baptized:

§ Act 2.41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized. 

§ Act 8.12 But when they believed...they were baptized.

                            3.  The proper Biblical order is always: first saved, then baptized!

           V.  WHO SHOULD DO THE BAPTIZING?

                            1.  The local church is the Biblical authority by which the work of the Lord is administered.

                            2.  “The entrance into public discipleship must properly be authorized by the same authority that holds the right to remove individuals by discipline.”

         VI.  WHAT DOES BAPTISM SYMBOLIZE?

                            1.  Baptism symbolizes death

§ Jesus' death is remembered.

§ The death of the old man with Christ is symbolized.

§ The believer’s physical death is prophesied.

                            2.  Baptism symbolizes burial

§ Jesus' burial is remembered.

§ The burial of the old man with Christ is symbolized.

§ The believer’s physical burial is prophesied.

                            3.  Baptism symbolizes resurrection

§ Jesus' resurrection is remembered.

§ The resurrection with a new nature in Christ is symbolized.

§ The believer’s physical resurrection is prophesied.

       VII.  WHAT BAPTISM IS NOT

                            1.  Baptism is not salvation.

                            2.  Baptism is not a part of salvation.

                            3.  Baptism is not a proof of salvation.