The following is a study I've done on baptism. I welcome any comments; e-mail me at “SlickHick” on America Online or at “SlickHick@aol.com” on the Internet.
Baptism
A. What is baptism?
1. Death {Rom 6:4-5}
2. Burial {Rom 6:4; Col 2:12}
a. In water {Acts 8:36, 10:47; John 1:26, 3:23}
b. Immersion {Matt 3:16; Acts 8:38-39}
3. Resurrection {Rom 6:4-5}
4. Rebirth {John 3:3-6}
B. What is the purpose of baptism?
1. Salvation {Mark 16:16; 1 Pet 3:20-21}
2. For forgiveness of sins {Acts 2:38}
3. To wash away sins {Acts 22:16}
4. To clothe ourselves with Christ {Gal 3:26, 27}
5. To get into Christ {Rom 6:3}
6. To get into the body (church) {1 Cor 12:13}
7. To do away with the old self of sin {Rom 6:6}
8. To receive the gift of the Holy Spirit {Acts 2:38}
9. To produce a good conscience toward God {1 Pet 3:21}
10. To enter the kingdom of God {John 3:5; Col 1:13,14}
11. To become a new creation {2 Cor 5:17}
12. To live a new life {Rom 6:4}
C. Is baptism commanded?
1. Teach and baptize {Matt. 28:19,20}
2. Believe and be baptized {Mark 16:16}
3. Must be baptized of water and the Spirit {John 3:4,5}
4. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized..." {Acts 2:38}
5. Peter commands baptism {Acts 10:48}
6. Ananias commands baptism {Acts 22:16}
D. How many different kinds of baptisms are there?
1. One {Eph 4:5}
E. In whose name and by whose authority is a baptism performed?
1. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost {Matt 28:19; Act 2:38, 10:48}
F. Examples of baptism.
1. Pentecost {Acts 2:41-44}
2. Samaritans {Acts 8:12}
3. Simon {Acts 8:13}
4. Eunuch {Acts 8:35-39}
5. Saul (Paul) {Act 9:18}
6. Cornelius {Acts 10:33, 44-48}
7. Lydia {Acts 16:13-15}
8. Jailer {Acts 16:32-33}
9. Corinthians {Acts 18:8}
10. Ephesians {Acts 19:5}
G. Who should be baptized?
1. All nations {Matt 28:19}
2. Both men and women {Acts 8:12}
3. Those who are willing to repent {Acts 2:38}
4. Those who have accepted the message {Acts 2:41}
5. Those who have heard and believe {Acts 8:12, 18:8; Mark 16:15-16}
6. Those who confess Christ {Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9-10}
7. Those who believe God raised Jesus from the dead {Rom 10:9}
H. Is it urgent that you be baptized?
1. Yes {Acts 8:36-38; 16:32-33; 22:16}
Note: Although I have referenced the key scriptures, these are only meant to serve as a focus for your study. I would recommend reading the context of these scriptures to attain a better understanding of the subject.
BAPTISM SCRIPTURES (For a quick reference, below I have listed the scriptures I've referenced in this study.)
Matt. 3:16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.
Matt. 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Matt. 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Mark 16:15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.
Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
John 1:26 "I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know.
John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. "
John 3:4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
John 3:5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
John 3:6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
John 3:23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.
Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 2:44 All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
Acts 8:35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Acts 8:36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
Acts 8:37 Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
Acts 8:38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
Acts 8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 9:18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,
Acts 10:33 So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us."
Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.
Acts 10:45 The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
Acts 10:46 For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said,
Acts 10:47 "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have."
Acts 10:48 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.
Acts 16:13 On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the women who had gathered there.
Acts 16:14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message.
Acts 16:15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. "If you consider me a believer in the Lord," she said, "come and stay at my house." And she persuaded us.
Acts 16:32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
Acts 18:8 Crispus, the synagogue ruler, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized.
Acts 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Acts 22:16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
Rom. 6:3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Rom. 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Rom. 6:5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.
Rom. 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--
Rom. 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Rom. 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
1Cor. 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body --whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free --and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
2Cor. 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Gal. 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus,
Gal. 3:27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Eph. 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Col. 1:13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
Col. 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Col. 2:12 having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
1Pet. 3:20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,
1Pet. 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also --not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
