Why Do We Worship God With Baptism?

[th1b.taylor]

Recently I have seen a number of articles on the Christian Forums I frequent asking, “What is the Big deal with baptism?” In the Memorial Sunday Morning Service my pastor did such a great job of explaining that the holiday was not about the survivors of the wars and exactly what the Ordinance of Baptism means. Admittedly using his sermon as my background material, I'd like to share.

Let's begin with verses copied fron the WEB.
Matt. 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In these verses we see that Jesus felt it to be necessary. God/Jesus, the only sinless being to ever walk on the Earth being Baptized, just seems wrong to most of the world. So let's go to why would God feel that it needed to be done;
1. God in the flesh of a man was on the Earth to pay the penalty for sin in the stead of every human that had ever lived, was living and would live but before He would submit to the death on the cross He needed to establish a pattern for all mankind to follow. We are baptized because we follow God!
2. Now, if you turn in your Bible to Matthew 28:19-20 you will see that when the LORD left us here that He commanded that we baptize folks. From this, in the light of the event in Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus was setting an example and not just that we need to be baptized but that like John, His human cousin, we were to Baptize!

Now let's talk for a moment. From what I have said here it is easy to run off in a couple of directions. First of all, do not run out into the street and grab the first passer-by, drag them into the bath-room and plunge them into the bathtub, submerging them in the name of God. First of all you just committed a string of crimes, not the least of which is Kid-napping! When we study the whole Bible we learn that there are a few things that must take place before the Baptism, not the least of which is the feeling of needing and wanting to follow Jesus.

There is another point that needs to be addressed also, the cleansing of sin! Jesus was not baptized for the cleansing of His soul. Neither, when we go under that water are our sins magically washed away. If you have not taken Jesus as #1 your Savior and #2 your Master, all you do in that Baptistry is to get wet for the pleasure of a lot of people. If you are baptized because you feel compelled to do it, pressured or because all your friends have done it, same result, all you did was to get wet! Twenty-five days before I was baptized I was overcome by the Holy Spirit and I did a great deal of repenting, led by the presence and urging of the Holy Spirit.

Now the final point of this post;
3. It Speaks of unity.

Please read Eph. 4:15-16. In our Baptist Church Family you are welcome on any day of the week but you are not allowed to become a member of the Family there until you are baptized.

 

[Jae]

I'm not sure if I really want to know the answer to this but I'll ask anyway ... what about the baptism of babies ... are you saying that is meaningless?

 

[th1b.taylor]

I'm not sure if I really want to know the answer to this but I'll ask anyway ... what about the baptism of babies ... are you saying that is meaningless?

Just the fact that you have asked tells me that you don relly want the true answer but I´ll not allow that to hinder my telling the truth.

No! I am not saying that it is totally meaningless... you got that little fella or lass all wet! And that is all you´ve done. The child does not know it is a sinner yet (Rom. 3:23) and not only do they not know that, they are unable to repent at that age.

 

[goodshepard55]

True about getting the baby wet and they do not know they are born into a sinful world....but if the parent went to the trouble of a baptism...most of the ones I know mentor their children in the way of God..and explain as they get older they need to accept Him as their Lord and Savior...the problem comes in when they think they have been baptized and are a christian because their parents told them..so they are safe...gotta tell them they need to accept Jesus for themselves....my nieces have been raised in the Catholic Church and have accepted Jesus as their Savior....They have had their Holy Communion and I must say it was so Holy Spirit filled, I was awed at the passion of the church for Jesus...

 

[banjo71]

I don't think we worship God with baptism, rather we testify of a good conscience toward God in understanding Jesus' finished work on the cross to save us.

 

[Selene]

Recently I have seen a number of articles on the Christian Forums I frequent asking, “What is the Big deal with baptism?” In the Memorial Sunday Morning Service my pastor did such a great job of explaining that the holiday was not about the survivors of the wars and exactly what the Ordinance of Baptism means. Admittedly using his sermon as my background material, I'd like to share.

Let's begin with verses copied fron the WEB.
Matt. 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15 But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16 Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him.
17 Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

In these verses we see that Jesus felt it to be necessary. God/Jesus, the only sinless being to ever walk on the Earth being Baptized, just seems wrong to most of the world. So let's go to why would God feel that it needed to be done;
1. God in the flesh of a man was on the Earth to pay the penalty for sin in the stead of every human that had ever lived, was living and would live but before He would submit to the death on the cross He needed to establish a pattern for all mankind to follow. We are baptized because we follow God!
2. Now, if you turn in your Bible to Matthew 28:19-20 you will see that when the LORD left us here that He commanded that we baptize folks. From this, in the light of the event in Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus was setting an example and not just that we need to be baptized but that like John, His human cousin, we were to Baptize!

Now let's talk for a moment. From what I have said here it is easy to run off in a couple of directions. First of all, do not run out into the street and grab the first passer-by, drag them into the bath-room and plunge them into the bathtub, submerging them in the name of God. First of all you just committed a string of crimes, not the least of which is Kid-napping! When we study the whole Bible we learn that there are a few things that must take place before the Baptism, not the least of which is the feeling of needing and wanting to follow Jesus.

There is another point that needs to be addressed also, the cleansing of sin! Jesus was not baptized for the cleansing of His soul. Neither, when we go under that water are our sins magically washed away. If you have not taken Jesus as #1 your Savior and #2 your Master, all you do in that Baptistry is to get wet for the pleasure of a lot of people. If you are baptized because you feel compelled to do it, pressured or because all your friends have done it, same result, all you did was to get wet! Twenty-five days before I was baptized I was overcome by the Holy Spirit and I did a great deal of repenting, led by the presence and urging of the Holy Spirit.

Now the final point of this post;
3. It Speaks of unity.

Please read Eph. 4:15-16. In our Baptist Church Family you are welcome on any day of the week but you are not allowed to become a member of the Family there until you are baptized.

In the New Testament, baptism has replaced circumcision. In the old Testament, God used circumcision as a sign to show that those circumcised are to be His chosen people. In the New Testament, the new sign showing that we are the sons and daughters of God (His family) is through baptism. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came down and a voice in Heaven was heard declaring "This is my Son, whom I am well pleased." In the same way, when a person is baptized, he/she becomes part of God's family.

Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.

In this biblical scripture, St. Paul links baptism with circumcision. The circumcision of Christ is baptism. So, baptism is not only a cleansing of sins, but also the new sign showing that we are members of God's family.

In Christ,
Selene

 

[veteran]

In the New Testament, baptism has replaced circumcision. In the old Testament, God used circumcision as a sign to show that those circumcised are to be His chosen people. In the New Testament, the new sign showing that we are the sons and daughters of God (His family) is through baptism. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came down and a voice in Heaven was heard declaring "This is my Son, whom I am well pleased." In the same way, when a person is baptized, he/she becomes part of God's family.

Colossians 2:11-12

In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.

In this biblical scripture, St. Paul links baptism with circumcision. The circumcision of Christ is baptism. So, baptism is not only a cleansing of sins, but also the new sign showing that we are members of God's family.

In Christ,
Selene

That's what I see also, that our baptism is how we openly declare we belong to Christ Jesus. I believe it is officially how He marks us as His property. Is it necessary for our Salvation? I believe so yes, in as much as when we have no circumstances that prevents us from doing it as He commanded. I also believe like Taylor says, The Holy Spirit convinced me to do it.

 

[WhiteKnuckle]

I realize you weren't meaning it this way,,,,,,


I don't think your sins are washed away with baptism.

 

[discipleHelovestoo]

purpose of water baptism: to make Jesus manifest (recognizable) to the people of Israel in that day:

John 1:29-31 KJV

(29) The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(30) This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
(31) And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. (emphasis added)

water baptism was the final ritual to end all rituals for the people of Israel in that day; to cause them to cease to justify themselves before God based on their actions

Did Jesus, our example, baptize with water?

John 4:1-2 KJV
(1) When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
(2) (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)


the baptism that Jesus commanded:

Matthew 3:11 KJV
(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:

Mark 1:8 KJV
(8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 11:16 KJVR
(16) Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

the true Christian witness to others is the selfless love of God they see in us toward each other and toward the lost. water baptism in and of itself is neither good nor evil - it's what's in the heart that counts. nothing you do (including water baptism) justifies you in any way with God - it's looking to Jesus as our substitute that saves

hey - drop those rocks!!!

GLY!!!

 

[th1b.taylor]

[quote name='One of God's Children' timestamp='1306900007' post='112726']
I don't think we worship God with baptism, rather we testify of a good conscience toward God in understanding Jesus' finished work on the cross to save us.
[/quote]

If you will take the time, fifteen minutes a day, to read the Bible from beginning to end in a year you will learn that as a saved person every single thing you do in every day of every week is to be done in a worshipful manor. It causes a lot of worldly junk to fall right out of your life. When I made my public statement of Submission it was a very worshipful event.

 

[th1b.taylor]

In the New Testament, baptism has replaced circumcision. In the old Testament, God used circumcision as a sign to show that those circumcised are to be His chosen people. In the New Testament, the new sign showing that we are the sons and daughters of God (His family) is through baptism. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit came down and a voice in Heaven was heard declaring "This is my Son, whom I am well pleased." In the same way, when a person is baptized, he/she becomes part of God's family.

Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh, but in the circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.

In this biblical scripture, St. Paul links baptism with circumcision. The circumcision of Christ is baptism. So, baptism is not only a cleansing of sins, but also the new sign showing that we are members of God's family.

In Christ,
Selene

I´m sorry Selene but Iḿ going to have to disagree. The Circumcision of the Bible (you call it the Old Testament) does not need replaced it needs to be carried out to it´s logical, Circumcision of the heart, and the Baptism is simply your public statement of submission to the will of God! http://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/CGG/ID/228/Circumcision-of-Heart.htm The link will explain.

 

[Selene]

I´m sorry Selene but Iḿ going to have to disagree. The Circumcision of the Bible (you call it the Old Testament) does not need replaced it needs to be carried out to it´s logical, Circumcision of the heart, and the Baptism is simply your public statement of submission to the will of God! http://www.bibletool...on-of-Heart.htm The link will explain.

St. Paul says that circumcision of the flesh is not needed. St. Paul was the one who linked baptism with circumcision. What he called "circumcision of Christ" is baptism.

Colossians 2:11-12 In whom also you are circumcised with circumcision not made by hand, in despoiling of the body of the flesh,(here is speaks about the circumcision of the flesh, which is circumsion of the Old Testament) but in the circumcision of Christ: [12] Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead. (The circumcision of Christ is a circumcision unlike the circumcision of the flesh. In here, St. Paul was comparing this kind of circumcision to baptism.)

My works are in black. I don't see much conflict in what I said and what the weblink you provided was saying. Circumcision of the heart does indeed mean that the person receives the Holy Spirit and cooperates with the Holy Spirit so that he/she becomes a new creature in Christ. That is what "circumcision of Christ" means. It is to become a new creature in Christ, and this is done through baptism. Baptism is a sign showing that one is a son or daughter of God. They are a part of God's family. In baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon the person just as it did on Jesus and the one baptized is declared a son or daughter of God. To become a new creature in Christ, one first must be in God's family, not outside of it.