The Necessity of baptism

Christian
Baptism

Read Matthew 28:1820 And Jesus came and spoke to them,

saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on
earth. 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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
These are the final orders of the Lord Jesus to His followers on
earth before He ascended to the throne in heaven. He had already
died and been raised from the dead. Note His final command:
Make disciples! Baptize disciples! Teach disciples!
A disciple is a believer who is also a learner and a follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Your willingness to be baptized shows your
desire to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and to be His disciple. Before
you take this step of obedience, those baptizing you will want to be
assured that you are genuinely saved.

Go therefore
and make disciples
of all the nations,
baptizing them
in the name
of the Father
and the Son
and the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19

Read Acts 8:36,37. Now as they went down the road, they came to
some water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What
hinders me from being baptized? Then Philip said, If you believe
with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I
believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Why is it necessary to be baptized?

What one qualification did Philip insist that the Eunuch meet
before he would baptize him?

Oak Ridge Bible Chapel

PO Box 644
Milan, IL 61264
OakRidgeBibleChapel.com

Your qualification for baptism

The practice of baptism in the church

Now it is your turn to give your personal testimony. A testimony is

your account of how you were saved, and how you know that you
have eternal life. Your testimony should include the following:

The book of Acts tells how the first Christians obeyed the
command of the Lord Jesus to be baptized. They baptized men and
women soon after they trusted the Savior. If you would like to
examine several examples of baptism in the early church, study the
verses at the bottom of the page.

How did you become saved?

When were you saved?
Show from at least one Bible passage how you know you have
eternal life.

Read the entire story of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8:2639. In

verse 36 the eunuch saw a body of water like a river or lake. Verse
38 tells how they both went down into the water. Verse 39 tells
how they came up out of the water. These verses help us to
understand how believers were baptized in the early church.
Believers were taken into the water, immersed under the water, and
brought up out of the water.
Read Romans 6:3-5. Baptism by immersion is a symbol of death,
burial, and resurrection. Christ died, was buried, and rose from the
dead. Your baptism will show in picture to others that Christ died
for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again out of the dead.

Use additional paper if necessary.

Note how the early church practiced baptism: Acts 2:4042; 8:12;
8:13; 8:3639; 9:17,18; 10:47,48; 16:14,15; 16:3034; 18:8.
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The picture of baptism by immersion

The new walk of baptized believers

Baptism is a picture or symbol of two wonderful events. The first

event is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.. Fill in
the picture below. Use the words, resurrection, burial, and death in
the proper order.

God assures every believer that he or she is secure for eternity in

Christ. Read 1 Corinthians 12:1214 and John 10:2729. What
could never happen to a person who has been placed in Christ?
If you are in Christ, you have a wonderful position; and you also
have an equally high responsibility. God now charges you to walk
like a person who has been raised to a new life. Read Romans 6:1
22, and answer the questions.

The second great event is a picture of what God the Holy Spirit did
to you the moment you believed. He baptized you into Christ and
made you a member of His body, the church. The baptism of the
Spirit does not put you into water. This baptism puts you into
Christ. You are now in the body of Christ. Read 1 Corinthians
12:13 and Romans 6:35. Your baptism is a testimony to all who
watch that you are in Christs death, in Christs burial, and in
Christs resurrection. Fill in the blanks in the picture on the
opposite page. Use the words, resurrection, burial, and death in the
proper order.
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1. From verses 1 and 2, tell why Paul says we are not to continue
in sin.
2. According to verse 3, I know I am dead to sin because I have
been baptized into Christs ...?
3. In addition to dying with Christ, what two other events
happened to the one who is joined to Christ in verse 4?
4. From verse 4, if I have been joined to Christ in his death, burial
and resurrection, how am I now com-manded to walk?
5. Verse 5 assures me that if I am joined to Christ in a similar
death, what will my future resurrection be like?
6. Because (verse 6) I have already been crucified with Christ,
what will happen to my sin prone body in the future?
7. Knowing that I am already crucified with Christ, and that the
body of sin will one day be put away; what relationship to sin
has now ended for the believer?
8. According to verse 7, why has the believer ended his
relationship to sin?
9. Read verse 10. Christ died to sin once for all (not His own sin,
but our sin). Now in resurrection, to whom does He now live?
10. Therefore (verse 11), what two facts am I to consider (or
reckon, or count) to be true for myself?
Are you willing to count yourself dead to sin, alive to God, and
walk in newness of life?

The day of your baptism.

Remember you are obeying the command of Christ to be baptized.
You are also being a testimony to those present on the day of you
baptism. Here are some practical suggestions for the day.
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Arrive early on the day of your baptism.

Bring your own towels.
Bring a change of clothing.
Place your items in the front room before the start of the
Family Bible Hour.
Wear clothing that will be modest when wet.
You will have help in the changing room also entering and
exiting the baptismal.
If you want to give a word of testimony during your baptism,
please discuss this in advance with the person officiating the
baptism.
Invite unsaved friends and relatives. It will be a great
evangelistic opportunity.