Baptism
WHAT IS BAPTISM - AND HOW IMPORTANT IS IT?
In the New Testament, being a Christian, being baptized, belonging to the new-covenant people of God, and being a member of a local church were linked together. If you tried to pull one of those out (not a Christian, or not baptized, or not in the new-covenant people, or not a member of local church), it would have made no sense. They belonged together.
A CELEBRATION OF BAPTISM
Following in the footsteps of John the Baptist and in obedience to their Lord's command, the apostles call the nation of Israel to repent and to signify that repentance through baptism. And the promise that they hold out is not merely for this generation, but for their children also. It is for everyone who hears and responds to the call of God.
Thoughts on Baptism
The transition from death to life, from darkness to light, from hopelessness to hopefulness, from slavery in sin to slavery to God is not merely a matter of ideas or emotions. It includes the whole person, and therefore the New Testament calls not only for faith in the heart but also confession on the lips. "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe...
THE NEW BIRTH - REGENERATION - PART TWO
The necessity of the new birth grows out of the incapacity of the natural man to "see" or "enter into" the kingdom of God. However gifted, moral, or refined, the natural man is absolutely blind to spiritual truth, and impotent to enter the kingdom; for he can neither obey, understand, nor please God.
THE NEW BIRTH - REGENERATION - PART ONE
Being born again is essential before one is able to even 'see' the kingdom of God. In other words, we must have sight, the ability to see, before we can actually see. It is important to remember that seeing does not give us sight but we see only because we have sight. The gift of spiritual sight is given to us in regeneration and we see, or believe...
Go And Make Disciples, Baptizing Them...
Baptism is a requirement for church membership at most Christian churches. The reason for this is that the New Testament makes baptism a requirement part of becoming a Christian. Jesus said, "Make disciples, baptizing them."
What Is Baptism And Does It Save?
The greatest problem in the world, the greatest problem in your life and mine, is that we are cut off from God. We have no right to approach him. We are alienated from him. You see this behind the words of Peter when he says that the aim of Christ's suffering was "that he might bring us to God."
Water Baptism
I often ran into students who believed that in order to go to heaven you had to be baptized. One of the passages they cited was Mark 16:15-16. And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."
Buried And Raised In Baptism Through Faith
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
A Celebration Of Baptism
John the Baptist, had been preparing the people of Israel by calling them to repent, turn to God in faith and obedience and be baptized. What did the baptism of John mean?