WE BELIEVE that baptism, by single immersion, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is enjoined upon all who have repented and have believed in Christ as Saviour and Lord, and that it is symbolic of our identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection - Matt. 28:19,20; Acts. 10:47,28; 2:38,39; Rom. 6:4,5; Col. 2:12; Mark 16:16.

Introduction

An ordinance is an outward sign of an inward work. The word ordinance literally means "something commanded and enforced by the proper authority”. We believe that Jesus established two ordinances for us to observe (ie) Water Baptism and the Lord's Supper. This lesson will cover Water Baptism, the next lesson will cover the Lord's Supper.

Definition:

1. Baptism =(Greek) Baptizo = to immerse. It consists of the processes of submersion and emergence.
2. “It was used among the Greeks to signify the dying of a garment, or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another, etc." (W. E. Vine).
3. Baptism can best be interpreted as being immersed in water. Sprinkling, wetting, splashing does not fully convey the meaning of baptism.

I. IT IS A COMMAND OF CHRIST.

1. Matt 28:19, "Jesus commanded His disciples to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

2. John 14:23, "If anyone loves me. He will keep My Words."

3. John 14:24, "He who does not love Me does not keep My words".

4. Mark 16:16 Jesus said, "He who believes and is baptised will be saved."

II. THE MEANING OF CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.

1. A sign of the death of our old nature.
Romans 6:3,6, "Do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death? ... knowing this that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin."

2. A sign of our new birth.
Romans 6:4, "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

3. A sign of identification with the death of Christ.
Romans 6:3, "Do you not know that as many of us as were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death?"

4. A sign of identification with the resurrection of Christ
Romans 6:5, "For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection."

5. A sign of belonging to Jesus Christ.
a. In the Old Testament circumcision of the flesh was the sign of separation unto God.
b. In the New Testament baptism has taken over from Old Testament circumcision and is a sign that we belong to God. Col 2:11-1

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