Top 10 Questions about Baptism

Last Sunday morning, I shared my annual sermon on the Lord’s Supper.  As I was preparing to preach that sermon, I thought it might a good idea to preach a similar sermon on Baptism since we consider them as the two ordinances we practice at Emory Baptist Church.

 

However, if the Lord is willing, we will be back in Luke next Sunday.  Our text will be Luke 8:16-17.

 

Like we looked at the top ten questions about the Lord’s Supper last Sunday, I want to look at the top ten questions today about Baptism, and I’m going to use the term Christian Baptism.  I think it will be obvious why soon enough.

 

 

1. Is Christian Baptism required for salvation?

 

I pray that you understand that obviously here at Emory Baptist Church, we believe the answer to this is a resounding no. 

 

If baptism was required for salvation, how could Jesus say what He said to the thief on the cross?

 

Luke 23:43, 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

 

If baptism was required for salvation, why would Paul say what he said to the Corinthian Church?

 

1 Corinthians 1:17, 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

 

Therefore, and again, of course, we don’t believe that baptism is required for salvation. 

 

As I said last week, we believe that any individual and every individual is only saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9, 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

 

 

2. Is Christian Baptism essential to obedience and right standing with the Lord Jesus?

 

Again, I think the answer to this question is obvious because of our very name.  For 100 plus years, this church has chosen to identify as a Baptist church.  Therefore, we think very highly of the act of baptism

 

So yes, we believe that every follower of Christ should be baptized. Why? 

 

Matthew 3:13-17, 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”  15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.  16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

 

Jesus was baptized, and this pleased God His Father.  Therefore, we can conclude that every follower of Christ should be baptized as well.

 

Not to do so would be disobedience.  Therefore, if you are waiting for some reason, wait no longer. 

 

Your delayed obedience is disobedience.   Choose obedience instead of disobedience today!

 

 

3. Who should be baptized?

 

At Emory Baptist Church, we believe any and every individual who has trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior should be baptized.  After all, we have chosen to have Baptist in our church name.

 

That includes any Catholic, any Lutheran, any Presbyterian, any Episcopalian, any Methodist or otherwise.

 

We believe that every Christian should be baptized.

 

 

4. How should every Christian be baptized?

 

The New Testament pattern and example of baptism is immersion.

 

However, let me explain how it is redundant to say baptism by immersion. 

 

In the New Testament, and using biblical language, there is a word for sprinkling.  There is a word for pouring. 

 

However, the word for immersion is baptize.  Therefore, when we say baptize, we are NOT talking about any other method except immersion. 

 

Allow me to illustrate.  If you are lover of Dr. Pepper, you recognize your favorite soft drink by its name and the color of the can and the color of the drink. 

 

If someone handed you a Dr. Thunder and told you to enjoy the Dr. Pepper you were just handed, you would think there’s no way. 

 

However, the name is similar, and the color of the can is the same, and the color of the drink is the same.

 

At Emory Baptist Church, we don’t believe sprinkling is baptism.  We believe sprinkling is sprinkling. 

 

So what are some reasons for baptism by immersion? 

 

First, Jesus was immersed.  If we want to follow His example, that example is immersion. 

 

Second, we believe that baptism should be the decision of the saved individual and not the decision of well-meaning family members including parents.

 

Third, every baptism in the New Testament is by immersion. There are no examples of sprinkling or pouring in the New Testament. 

 

Fourth and finally, an immersed body is the best picture of the death and burial of Jesus Christ and the old self.

 

Only then can an individual be a picture of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and being raised to new life.

 

 

5. What have church fathers said about immersion?

 

When I say church fathers, I’m talking about human founders of mainline denominations.

 

• Martin Luther (Father of the Lutheran Church), “I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed as the word (Bible) implies and the mystery signifies.” (Luther’s Essay, “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church”)
• John Calvin (Father of the Presbyterian Church), "The word 'baptize' signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church." (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4:15:19)
• John Wesley (Father of the Methodist Church), “Buried with Him, alludes to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church.” (Wesley’s Explanatory Notes on the New Testament, Romans 6:4)

 

 

6. When should a new believer be baptized?

 

Again, we look to God’s Word, and the New Testament pattern is as soon as possible.

 

Acts 16:14-15, 14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. 15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” So she persuaded us.

 

Acts 16:33, 33 And he (Paul) took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.

 

Therefore, if you haven’t been baptized this morning, you are in one of three situations.

 

First, you may not have ever believed in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior because you have never been convicted that you are lost without Him.  If that is true of you, I invite you to be saved today and baptized ASAP.

 

Second, you may know that you are lost and you may know how to be saved but you haven’t acted on it.  Gamble with your eternity no more!  Be saved today and baptized ASAP.

 

Third, you may be saved and not baptized.  Remember, your delayed obedience is disobedience.  Make that commitment today and be baptized ASAP.

 

 

7. Do I become a member of EBC once I am baptized?

 

Remember, we believe that baptism is a church ordinance.  Therefore, yes, you become a member of Emory Baptist Church if we baptize you.

 

However, I do want to be fair and mention one exception.  The Ethiopian Eunuch was baptized by Phillip in Acts 8, and there doesn’t seem to be a local church involved.

 

However, this is the exception and not the rule.

 

 

8. What if I was baptized as a child or youth but wasn't saved until later?

 

That is a great question, and one that deserves an honest answer.

 

At Emory Baptist Church, not only do we want to be faithful to the New Testament example of immersion, but we also want to be faithful to the New Testament sequence of events.

 

The New Testament pattern is always believing first and baptism second.  Therefore, if you have not been baptized since you were saved, we would invite you be baptized after salvation in what we often call believer's baptism.

 

 

9. What if I was sprinkled as an infant?

 

Again, that is a great question, and one that deserves an honest answer. 

 

Since our final authority is God’s Word, we look again to the New Testament.  The New Testament pattern is immersion after salvation.

 

That’s why in order to join EBC, an individual must be immersed after salvation.

 

That’s also why salvation and baptized by immersion is implied when we take the Lord’s Supper.

 

 

10. When does EBC baptize?

 

EBC baptizes at the beginning of our Sunday AM and Sunday PM worship services.

 

However, we will baptize at the most convenient time for person being baptized.