A Bible
Study On
Baptism
II Timothy 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Virtually every religious denomination in existence teaches some form of baptism as part of their doctrine, and the different teachings of this subject are very broad. First, let’s set some ground rules before we start. Before we do anything else, we must determine what our final authority is going to be for all matter of faith and practice. Is it the seminary that we graduated from? Is it the professor at the Christian college? Is it the Hebrew and the Greek language? Is it our denomination? Is it the pastor? The answer to all the questions above is, our final authority must be the Word of God (KJB). Nothing else matters. When your denomination goes against the Word of God, then we disregard what our denomination says and stick with the Bible. When the seminary teaches things contrary to the Bible, we disregard what they say and stand with the Word of God.
With that said, look at Revelation 22:18: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: To say the least, these are some strong words against anyone who adds to the Bible: ‘God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book’;
Have you set down and read the plagues contained within this book?
Revelation 22.19: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Again, these are strong words to those who subtract from the word of God. Look at verse 19: God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and take his part out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Baptism and eight variations of the word are mentioned one hundred fifteen times in the Bible. All of these occurrences are in the New Testament. There is more than one kind of baptism. Hebrews 6:1-2 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. In the word of God I find about seven different baptisms. Now I know what you may be thinking. Ephesians 4:4-6 says: “There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, and in you all.
Paul tells us that there is one Lord, but as you already know there are many lords. Paul tells us there is one Spirit, but as you already know there are many spirits. I hope by now you are getting the picture. We will come back to this verse to explain what the one baptism of Ephesians 4 is all about.
At this point, we need to lay aside everything we have been taught about this subject and let the Bible speak for itself. Every time you see the word baptism in the Bible, it does not mean water. Likewise, every time you see the word water in the Bible, it does not mean baptism. Let me give you an example:
John 3:3-5: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Now anybody who will take this, just because it says “water”, and add “ baptism” to it is doing the same thing that Revelation 22:18,19 tells us not to do. Remember, our final authority for all matters for faith and practice is the Word of God. We don’t have to know Greek to understand what the Bible says. Context always defines the meaning of any word or verse. If you want to know what the word “water” means in the verse, then keep reading. Jesus goes on and explains verse 5 in the next verses: That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The “water” of verse 5 is explained in verse 6 by telling us that the water is being “born of the flesh”. Now the question is: why would anybody want to add baptism to these verses and make water baptism necessary for the new birth? Anyone who would add “baptism”, to get somebody baptized, and say it’s a requirement to be born again, is adding to the word of God. And we have some strong language in Revelation 22 to anyone who adds to the word of God.
Now the first baptism we find in the Bible is found in I Cor. 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
Here we see a baptism in the Old Testament. It is what is called the baptism unto Moses. Notice, when the children of Israel was crossing the Red Sea, they were covered overhead by a cloud and surrounded by water on both sides. Remember, they walked across on dry ground which means, they were baptized and no one got wet. We can safely say, according to this passage, that baptism does not always mean water.
The second baptism mentioned in the Bible is found in Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
Here we see a baptism that is for the nation of Israel. It was a baptism of repentance, to draw Israel back to her original faith. It was to prepare the nation of Israel to receive her Messiah.
Look at John 1:30-31 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
According to Matt. 3:1-2, John the Baptist preached the gospel of the Kingdom not the gospel of the grace of God. Some say John the Baptist started the Baptist church when in fact, John preached a different gospel than we do today and his baptism is different than why we Baptist baptize today. John’s baptism was not a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection because Jesus hadn’t even died yet. Matthew 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to be baptized? The reason Jesus was baptized was a ceremonial washing necessary to become the High Priest. Exo. 29:4-9 Exo. 40: 12-15
Aaron, the first High Priest was washed with water, before the Tabernacle, to symbolize a cleansing and setting apart for God’s service. Aaron’s baptism was followed by an anointing with oil. Jesus was “anointed with oil” after His baptism, the Holy Spirit of God descended, like a dove, and lighted upon Him.
The third baptism in the word of God is found in Matthew 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Here we find Jesus talking to James and John’s mother and she is asking about her sons being able to sit with him in the kingdom.
Jesus asks them were they able to drink of the cup and be baptized with the baptism he is facing. The Lord is on his way to the cross and His ministry is almost over. There is only one thing he could be referring to. He was referring to His death on Calvary’s cross. A baptism of suffering with no water involved at all in this passage. The Lamb of God goes to the cross and God the Father pours out his wrath on his own Son to pay for the sins of the whole world. He calls it a baptism. In Matthew 20, James and Peter say they are able to experience that baptism. James and Peter are both martyred.
Look at Romans 6:3: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Dear friend, there is no water any where near Romans chapter 6. You’ve got a spiritual baptism here where by the Holy Spirit of God identifies you with the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. For a person to add “water” when it is a spirit baptism is adding to the word of God. That is forbidden from the word of God, for God has said, that the plagues will be added to the person who does.
Romans 6:4: 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.
There has never been a water baptism that has put away the old man and never will. When a person is put under the water, he goes in a live person physically, and comes up a live person physically. But in a spiritual realm, when he trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, he is dead and then he is made alive by the power of the Holy Ghost of God, identified with the death, burial and resurrection, of Jesus Christ.
Now I know what the brethren say. They say the water in the baptistery puts you into Christ and the Church when you go down into the water. Well, when the brethren go against what the Bible says, we disregard what they say and stick with the Book. There has never been a preacher or a baptistery that could put a sinner into Christ or wash his sins away.
Next we find in Acts 2 another baptism that is very important to rightly divide. Acts 2:38 is a crowd favorite. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Time will not permit for us to go into detail of this passage, but I do want you to notice some important facts about Acts 2.
1. Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come…..
This was a Jewish feast day that the Nation of Israel was to observe.
2. Acts 2:14 But peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Notice who he is talking to in the verse. Jews.
Peter’s sermon comes from Joel 2 where the context says he is preaching about the Second Coming. Acts 2:19-20 compares with Matthew 24:29 7 Rev. 6:12-17. Don’t take my word for it, look it up.
3. Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel……
4. Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
“What shall we do” refers to the nation as a whole and they are asking what would bring about a national salvation for them. Compare that with Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Here is a Gentile asking what he must do to be saved. Individual salvation. Notice what Paul told him to do in verse 31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
I wonder why Paul did not tell him the same thing as Peter told the nation of Israel to do in Acts 2? There is more that can be said, but we will save that for another time.
Lastly, look at one more baptism. It is found in
I Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit (notice it did not say “by one preacher”) are we all baptized into one body, Now how are you baptized into one body? You are baptized into one body, by one Spirit. This is a Spirit baptism where by you are identified with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and identified with the body of Jesus Christ. This verse says, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Now if you still have a question of what kind of baptism this is, then let’s turn to a parallel verse to clear this up. Let’s turn to Galatians 3:26 through verse 28: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Is that clear? Verse 27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Friends, the doctrine that says that you are baptized into Christ by being water baptized is heresy. It is not right and it is not according to scripture. You may ask, “How do you know that?” Alright, don’t take the verse out of context. Let the context define whether this is water baptism or spiritual baptism. Let the context define it. Verse 28: There, (now you see this word “there”? Now what does the verse before it say?) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. This “there” is referring to “in Christ”. How do you know??? Continue on with verse 28:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. As a preacher, I have baptized a lot of people in my ministry. Every woman I have ever baptized went down into the water a female and came up a female. Every man I have ever baptized went down into the water a man and came up a man. Therefore, the baptism that puts you into Christ is not water. It is the Holy Spirit of God that puts you into His body at the very moment you trust Christ.
The bible says this baptism places you into the body of Christ: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. When God Almighty saves you, at that moment, God identifies you with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You are now neither Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female; you’re one in Christ by the spiritual baptism.
Let’s consider Colossians 2:11: which says, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands (notice these 3 words) ‘made without hands’ (then this circumcision is made without hands) in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (That’s a colon there, so let’s continue)
Colossians 2:12: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, (notice not of a man putting you in water.!) who hath raised him from the dead. The moment you trusted Christ he brought about a work in your life, in the fact that He placed you into the body of Christ, identified with the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It goes on to say in verse 13: And you, being dead in your sins. Every person who goes down into this baptismal pool is alive spiritually or at least is supposed to be if they’re saved, but my friends they don’t go into this baptismal pool spiritually dead, and become alive spiritually in the water.
Now some say that when you obey the baptism, the blood makes contact when you go down into the water. Would you give me chapter and verse on this please? You show me in the scriptures where it says that when you go into the baptismal pool, that the blood is applied, and that person is saved by the blood in connecting with water baptism making obedience of water baptism a means where by a person gets the benefit of the blood. The benefit of the blood is brought about by faith and by faith alone. Now I’ve baptized many people and I’ve never seen any blood. In verse 11 He’s talking about a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; (That did not take place when you got baptized. That took place when you got saved, before you were baptized and if it didn’t, you’re still lost and on your way to hell.)
Now, let’s turn to l Peter 3:21. I recently received a letter from a man who left out the first words in this verse. The next day I saw a tract from another denomination at the hospital, and on the front, it said; Baptism doth also now save! They left out the first part of the verse. The first 3 words say what? The like figure.
What is a like figure? What would be a good example
of’the like figure’?
Let’s say a couple have a picture of a pig in their kitchen hanging on their wall. And in the morning when the husband wakes up, he gets a craving for some pork, and he ask his wife to cook up some bacon and sausage for breakfast. He says ‘I believe right here on the wall is some pork’, but his wife says, no that’s ‘a like figure’, but he argues with her and says, ‘no right here in this frame is some pork, the whole hog, the whole thing’ He takes it down off the wall, cuts it up, and puts it in a skillet. Will he ever get any pork out of that like figure? No he will not. Neither will you get salvation out of the like figure, because the like figure is pointing to the real salvation, just like the picture on the wall is pointing to the pasture to where you can get the real pork. The water baptism is a figure, or picture of the thing that happens at the cross and has become a part of you, to a degree that you have actually experienced what Jesus Christ did at the cross. (If you got saved) The like figure is a diagram, of what it represents. You could say you’re going to ride home in a like figure of a car, and you could do whatever you want to do, but you’re not going to get home in a like figure. You could have a like figure of your house or a house you’re going to build (blue prints) but you’re still going to freeze to death this winter being outside looking at a picture. You could have a like figure of a woman you’re going to marry, you can take her picture out of your wallet at a restaurant, and set that picture up on the table and when the waitress comes up, you can say I’m going to order a meal for me and my fiancée. They will look at you a little strange, and they will say to you, you dummy, you ought to know that’s only a like figure!
There are scores of people all around us that haven’t seen it yet. They do not know the difference in a like figure and the real thing. And the way they are deceived is that they believe the preacher and they don’t believe the word of God. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:21: 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,) The parentheses are there to show what it is not for, so when we read it without the parentheses, we’ll find out what the like figure is for: The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us.... by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: you see what we did? If you look at it, that’s what it says. You see the like figure points to what saved you and that is the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Now there are many other verses, however, these are the main verses.
An old time preacher once said, “Christ and something else is not Christ”. Trusting Christ and something else is not trusting Christ. When I get into an airplane, most of the time I never see the pilot, but I trust in a man I’ve never seen to get me to my destination. That’s faith. If you want to go to heaven, you must trust Christ and believe he can get you to your destination. We are to trust Christ and him alone.
West Tennessee Bible Institute
Instructor: Jeremy Ballinger
P.O. Box 3274
Jackson, TN 38303-3274
(731) 662-4171