Foundation Institute Center for Biblical Education

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1 Foundation Institute Center for Biblical Education Fundamental Beliefs Church of God, a Worldwide Association Water Baptism Handouts/Study Material 2012 Church of God, a Worldwide Association

2 Summary of Fundamental Belief Water Baptism Church of God, a Worldwide Association Water baptism by immersion after repentance pictures the forgiveness of sin, the burial of the old man and the beginning of a new life in Christ. Through prayer and the laying on of hands following baptism, repentant believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and become part of the spiritual Body of Jesus Christ. By yielding to and being led by the Holy Spirit, those who have repented and been baptized experience a true change in life, attitude and way of thinking. Scriptural support: John 3:23; Acts 2:38; 8:14-17; 19:5-6; Ephesians 4:22-24; 1 Corinthians 12:13. Summary: Baptism is introduced in the New Testament as a baptism of repentance, tied to the concept of forgiveness of sins (Matthew 3:1 6; Mark 1:4 5). John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ (Matthew 3:13 17), not because He needed to repent or be forgiven, but as an example for His disciples of all ages. Baptize comes from the Greek word baptizo, which means to immerse. If we strictly adhere to the definition, then, the only biblical form of baptism is a complete immersion in water. Those who baptized in the New Testament used locations where there was a certain amount of water. John the Baptist chose a particular location in the Jordan River for his baptizing (John 3:23). Baptism is immensely important for Christians. The ceremony of baptism brings to mind Christ s death, burial and resurrection. The baptism itself forces a believer to consider his or her own symbolic death and resurrection from the watery grave to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3 6; Colossians 2:12 13). Also inherent in the symbolism is the promise of the believer s future resurrection into the kingdom of God. Each forgiven sinner emerges from the waters of baptism to live a new life in Christ, free from the death penalty incurred by sin. The waters of baptism symbolically wash away the sins. In this regard, baptism is an acknowledgment of the believer s intent to yield and submit his or her life to God and His way (Ephesians 4:20 24). Baptism, which is commanded, must be preceded by belief and repentance (Acts 2:37 38; Mark 16:16). The symbolic meaning of baptism itself shows a willingness to bury the old sinful life (Romans 6:11). Our acknowledgment of sin and the need for Jesus Christ to save us from its consequences is of major importance. Repentance is always characterized by a change of heart and action and is based on personal faith in, and a total commitment to, Jesus Christ and God the Father (Luke 14:25 33; Colossians 2:12). Because of this understanding we believe that baptism should only be entered into by someone who is mature enough to fully grasp and appreciate the lifelong commitment required. The Bible gives no indication that baptism is appropriate for children; therefore we do not practice infant baptism in the Church of God. After the baptism a separate ceremony of prayer and laying on of hands takes place. This is part of the process, by which we receive the gift of God s Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14 18). It is through the Holy Spirit that Christ lives in the Christian (John 14:16 17, 23; Galatians 2:20). Through this Page 1

3 Summary of Fundamental Belief Water Baptism Church of God, a Worldwide Association process, the believer is placed into the spiritual Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12 13), which produces rejoicing in heaven (Luke 15:7). In the commission that Jesus Christ gave His disciples there is authority to baptize believers (Matthew 28:18 20). Those who have come to repentance through the calling of God the Father (John 6:44), and who have been forgiven and granted repentance, are baptized, following the example and instruction of Jesus Christ and with the laying on of hands they receive the Holy Spirit. Page 2

4 FOUNDATION INSTITUTE NOTES ON BAPTISM [to dip] [to baptize], [baptizing], [baptism], [Baptist, Baptizer] The Meaning of and to dip in or under, to dye, to immerse, to sink, to drown, to bathe, wash. The NT uses only in the literal sense, e.g., to dip (Lk. 16:24), to dye (Rev. 19:13), and only in a cultic sense, mostly to baptize. Immersion or baptism ; denotes only the act, (not found outside the NT) the institution. in Mk. 7:4 are Levitical purifications and in Heb. 6:2 all kinds of lustrations. is the specific term for John s baptism (Mt. 3:7; Mk. 11:30; Lk. 7:29; Acts 1:22; 10:37), which is a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mk. 1:4); it is also a term for Christian baptism, which is connected with Christ s death in Rom. 6:4 and with the atonement in 1 Pet. 3:21, and is a basis of unity in Eph. 4:5. Christ s death is itself his in Mk. 10:38-39; Lk. 12:50. As a special term, perhaps coined in the NT, shows us that Christian baptism is regarded as new and unique. The nickname for John in Mt. 3:1; Mk. 6:25; Lk. 7:20, etc., apparently coined for him, and thus showing that his appearing as the messianic precursor was unique, a baptizer being indispensable for a baptism to which the word gives its content. (Josephus uses the term for John; the mysteries speak of baptisms by gods and priests, but rabbinic disciples at proselyte baptisms are only witnesses.) [A. OEPKE, I, ] 1 A. Nouns. BAPTISM, BAPTIST, BAPTIZE 1. (908)), baptism, consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from to dip), is used (a) of John s baptism, (b) of Christian baptism, see B. below; (c) of the overwhelming afflictions and judgments to which the Lord voluntarily submitted on the Cross, e.g., Luke 12:50; (d) of the sufferings His followers would experience, not of a vicarious character, but in fellowship with the sufferings of their Master. Some mss. have the word in Matt. 20:22, 23; it is used in Mark 10:38, 39, with this meaning. 1 Kittel, Gerhard, and Friedrich, Gerhard, Editors, The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company) Page 1

5 FOUNDATION INSTITUTE NOTES ON BAPTISM 2., (909)), as distinct from (the ordinance), is used of the ceremonial washing of articles, Mark 7:4, 8, in some texts; Heb. 9:10; once in a general sense, Heb. 6:2. See WASHING. 3. (, (910)), a baptist, is used only of John the Baptist, and only in the Synoptists, 14 times. B. Verb. (, 907), to baptize, primarily a frequentative form of to dip, was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another, etc. Plutarchus uses it of the drawing of wine by dipping the cup into the bowl (Alexis, 67) and Plato, metaphorically, of being overwhelmed with questions (Euthydemus, 277 D). It is used in the N.T. in Luke 11:38 of washing oneself (as in 2 Kings 5:14, dipped himself, Sept.); see also Isa. 21:4, lit., lawlessness overwhelms me. In the early chapters of the four Gospels and in Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:4, it is used of the rite performed by John the Baptist who called upon the people to repent that they might receive remission of sins. Those who obeyed came confessing their sins, thus acknowledging their unfitness to be in the Messiah s coming Kingdom. Distinct from this is the baptism enjoined by Christ, Matt. 28:19, a baptism to be undergone by believers, thus witnessing to their identification with Him in death, burial and resurrection, e.g., Acts 19:5; Rom. 6:3, 4; 1 Cor. 1:13-17; 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12. The phrase in Matt. 28:19, baptizing them into the Name (R.V.; cp. Acts 8:16, R.V.), would indicate that the baptized person was closely bound to, or became the property of, the one into whose Name he was baptized. In Acts 22:16 it is used in the Middle Voice, in the command given to Saul of Tarsus, arise and be baptized, the significance of the Middle Voice form being get thyself baptized. The experience of those who were in the ark at the time of the Flood was a figure or type of the facts of spiritual death, burial and resurrection, Christian baptism being an a corresponding type, a like figure, 1 Pet. 3:21. Likewise the nation of Israel was figuratively baptized when made to pass through the Red Sea under the cloud, 1 Cor. 10:2. The verb is used metaphorically also in two distinct senses: firstly, of baptism by the Holy Spirit, which took place on the day of Pentecost; secondly, of the calamity which would come upon the nation of the Jews, a baptism of the fire of Divine judgment for rejection of the will and word of God, Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:1 2 f. Att., to dip in or under water; metaph., soaked in wine, Plat.;. over head and ears in debt, Plut. 2. to baptize, N.T. 2 Vine, W. E., Vine s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell) Page 2

6 REVIEW OF FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF WATER BAPTISM 1. Is water baptism essential to salvation? Can one be saved without being baptized? What about the thief on the cross? 2. What is the proper or biblical form for baptism sprinkling, pouring, or immersion? 3. Should babies or children be baptized? Provide scriptural support for your answer. 4. What is the correct formula for baptism? What words are used at the ceremony and why? 5. Should one be baptized immediately or is there a waiting period prior to the baptism? 6. Who is authorized to baptize? Who is authorized to lay hands on someone?