 |
|
|
 |
 |
 Presentation # 15 - Water- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost Tuesday 25, May 2010
Title: Water- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Topic: Baptism
Introduction:
I. Why Baptism?
Jesus final words for us:-
Matthew 28: 19-20 It was an established symbol of Jesus Christ cleaning in our lives.
Revelation 1:5-6 II. First recording of Baptism in scripture.
John the Baptist baptizing Jews and gentiles
Matthew 3:1-3
Matthew 3:11-12
Scripture mentions baptism 80 times! III. Jesus obviously considered baptism essential
Mark 16:16 John 3:4-6 It is like marriage. It is outwards expression and demonstration of a relationship between Man and God.
IV. Jesus Baptism an example.
Jesus led by example. Even though He needed not to baptize, because, He did not sin. Jesus still saw to needed to show us the importance of Baptism, therefore He did it Himself.
Mark 1:9-11
Matthew 3:13-17
V. The History of Baptism
Church definitions:
Encyclopedia Britannica: "The word is derived from the Greek baptize, a frequentive form of baptize, to dip, or wash, which is the term used in the New Testament when the sacrament is described . . . The usual mode of performing the ceremony was by immersion . . . The Council of Ravenna in 1311, was the first council of the (Roman Catholic) church which legalized baptism by sprinkling, by leaving it to the choice of the officiating minister."
Catholic Dictionary (by Wm. E. Addis, 1934): "Baptism . . . In apostolic times the body of the baptized person was immersed, for St. Paul looks on this immersion as typifying burial with Christ, and speaks of baptism as a bath . . . for even St. Thomas in the 13th century, speaks of baptism by immersion as the common practice of his time."
Roman Catholic Ecclesiastical Dictionary (by Rev. John Thein, 1900): "Baptism . . . The word baptism is a Greek word which signifies ablution or immersion. This was the manner of baptizing in the primitive church”
The Catholic Encyclopedia: "Baptism . . . The word baptism derived from the Greek word means to wash or to immerse. It signifies, therefore, that laying is the essential idea of the sacrament . . . The most ancient form usually employed was unquestionably immersion. In the Latin (Catholic) church, immersion seems to have prevailed until the twelfth century."
Church History:
Council of Nice, A.D. 325: "He who is baptized descends indeed, obnoxious to sins, and held with the corruptions of slavery; but he ascends free from the slavery of sins, a son of God, heir-yea, co-heir-with Christ, having put on Christ, as it is written, 'As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ'."
Fourth Council of Toledo, A.D. 633: "For shunning the schism (trine immersion) or the use of an heretical practice, we observe a single immersion in baptism . . . For the immersion in the waters is a descent, as it were into the grave; and, again, the emersion from the waters is a resurrection."
Council of Worms, A.D. 868: "While some priests baptized with three immersions, and others with one, a schism was raised, endangering the unity of the church "
Council of Tribur, A.D. 895: "Trine immersion is an imitation of the three days burial, and the rising again out of the water is an image of Christ rising from the grave."
The Synod of Cologne, A.D. 1280: "He who baptizes, when he immerses the candidate in water, shall neither add to the words, or take away from them, or change them."
Council of Ravenna, A.D. 1311: "Baptism is to be administered by tribe immersion or aspersion." (Sprinkling)
http://charlesdailey.net/baptism.html
Therefore for the first 1300 years, baptism was by emersion.
All ancient churches have baptisteries:
St. John of Latern – the oldest church in Rome – has a baptistery behind it.
But when and why the change from immersion to sprinkling:
When?- Council of Ravenna, A.D. 1311: "Baptism is to be administered by tribe immersion or aspersion." (Sprinkling)
Why? Introduction of Pouring or Sprinkling.
Tertullian (ca 180) tells us "there is no difference whether a man is baptized in the sea or in a pool, in a river or in a fountain, in a lake or a canal; nor is there any difference between those whom John baptized in the Jordan and those whom Peter baptized in the Tiber.(12)
With the introduction of sprinkling water on the candidate instead of immersion as a matter of convenience, the one sprinkled was regarded as a second class citizen of the Kingdom of God: "In the case of illness, one was baptized by pouring. This was the case of Novatus, but one could not then, as a matter of principle become a priest."(13) The very early "Didache" indicates the practice was regarded as a possible alternative of last resort in case of the scarcity of water [quoted above].
The status of sprinkling baptism gradually became the preferred form. One Catholic historian gives the following development:
The abbot Corlet sets forth the history thus . . . : "In the Orient in the first centuries, baptism was administered by means of a total submersion in the rivers and probably in the baptistries, and not excluding an immersion mixed with infusion (pouring), which has been preserved to the present day in almost all cases in the oriental region. In the Occident, from the fourth to the eighth century, there was a partial immersion in the baptisteries. . . . From the eighth to the ninth, vertical and complete immersion of children in fonts. During this period, and in the whole course of the Middle Ages, various procedures were used for the baptism of adults, when it was not possible to submerge in the bottom of the fonts; from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, horizontal and complete immersion in fonts. In the thirteenth and fourteenth, sometimes partial immersion accompanied by infusion, rarely infusion alone. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, infusion alone was employed, and immersion was preserved until our time in the Mozarabic and Ambrosian rites; to be noted also the reestablishing of immersion in some religious sects. . . . Nevertheless, in the Latin Church ...along with baptism by immersion, there were employed, if only in exceptional cases, as in case of baptizing a sick or dying person, infusion or sprinkling, which was called baptism of the sick (baptimnus clinicomcm ). If indeed, in the Latin Church, immersion prevailed until the sixteenth century, infusion and sprinkling were adopted from the thirteenth century. The form in use today is infusion."(14)
http://www.boap.org/LDS/Apostasy.pt2.htm
The Early Church waged war against the Anabaptist (re-baptizers) /Mennonite in the 16th. to the early 17th. Century. The Anabaptist decided to practice baptism by immersion and spoke out against the church concerning infant baptism. This was not the conventional practice of the Christian church at the time. Sprinkling was now the accepted form and it was a part of the Sacrament of the Church. The Anabaptist was labeled heretics and were persecuted and tortured for their belief.
“The Anabaptist view of baptism is one of its outstanding features. In their view, baptism was reserved for repentant believers who were aware that their sins had been forgiven, not unknowing infants. In this view they withstood both the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformers. According to the Schleitheim Confession (1527):
"Baptism shall be given to all those who have learned repentance and amendment of life, and who believe truly that their sins are taken away by Christ, and to all those who walk in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and wish to be buried with Him in death, so that they may be resurrected with Him and to all those who with this significance request it (baptism) of us and demand it for themselves. This excludes all infant baptism, the highest and chief abomination of the Pope. In this you have the foundation and testimony of the apostles. Matt. 28, Mark 16, Acts 2, 8, 16, 19."
The Dordrecht Confession (1632) states,
"Concerning baptism we confess that all penitent believers, who, through faith, regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, are made one with God, and are written in heaven, must, upon such Scriptural confession of faith, and renewing of life, be baptized with water, in the most worthy name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, according to the command of Christ, and the teaching, example, and practice of the apostles, to the burying of their sins, and thus be incorporated into the communion of the saints; henceforth to learn to observe all things which the Son of God has taught, left, and commanded His disciples."
The concept of believers' baptism drew the main attention of 16th century Continental Anabaptists, but the mode was also an issue. The majority appear to have taught and practiced baptism by pouring, while a minority practiced baptism by immersion. The writings of Menno Simons seem at times to promote immersion as the proper mode, but his practice was by pouring. Bernhard Rothmann argued for immersion in his Bekentnisse, and Pilgram Marpeck copied this idea into his Vermanung, but weakened the position by accepting pouring or sprinkling as an alternate mode. The mode of baptism was debated by the Hutterites and the Polish Brethren around the turn of the 17th century, and the arguments for immersion by Polish leader Christoph Ostorodt were incorporated into the Racovian Confession of Faith in 1604. Servetus made a strong case for immersion. The Mennonites, Swiss Brethren, South German Anabaptists, and Hutterites were not as concerned about mode, and, while not rejecting immersion, probably found pouring much more practical.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theology_of_Anabaptism
Baptism of infants:
Introduction of Original Sin and Infant Baptism.
With the gradually lessening emphasis on authoritative performance, the use of baptism radically changes from New Testament practice with the separation of repentance and blessing and the coming of the doctrine of "original sin." Peter's injunction to "repent and be baptized" implied the well established fact that baptism was applied only to believers in the Apostolic period. Augustine based the formulation of inherited sin on a passage of the Vulgate:
(Rom. 5:12) "Propterea sicut per unum hominem peccatum in hunc mendum intravit et per peccatum mors, et ita in imnes himines mors pertrasiit, in quo omnes peccaverunt."
The last phrase, in quo omnes peccaverunt, (applied to Adam) [in whom all have sinned] earlier Greek texts name as eph' O pantes emarton [because all have sinned]. Hence, Augustine's main support for the doctrine collapses with the poor translation of this passage in the Vulgate. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (I Cor. 15:20-23) mentions that Adam brings physical death upon all, but that this is removed by Christ for all without any act on the part of the individual. Nevertheless, the influence of Augustine and those who agreed with his ideas was felt strongly throughout the churches and the practice of infant baptism, a curiosity at that point (9) became the accepted practice(10) and then the rule of the church.(11)
http://www.boap.org/LDS/Apostasy.pt2.html
VI. What is biblical baptism?
Biblical baptism is by immersion. John 3:23
Matthew 3:5-6
Jesus was baptized in the river Jordon.
Matthew 3:13-17
VII. Why is biblical baptism important?
Why not substitute a more convenient church sacrament? A basic issue is will you follow Jesus or teachings of a church? To follow Jesus is important because of what baptism is. Scripture says baptism represents three things: 1) Dying to self – the old person dies, dies to selfishness and sin. Romans 6:1-4 Understand your sin, your need for Jesus, forgiveness, repent – then you should be baptized. This does not means that you sin no more. It means that you want to be entwined with the one who did not sin, and will not sin –Jesus Christ. With him in you, He can help you from not falling into sin. But even if you do, He stands ready to forgives, because you have made the decision to be His follower.
Jesus is obligated to lead us not into sin, cover us from sin, and forgive us of sin, and even help us not sin. We only need to follow Him.
2) Burying our sinful record in the watery grave – when we are buried with Christ we are forgiven and sins covered by His righteousness Acts 22:16 3) Rise to walk in new life- Just as Jesus rose from the grave we raise to a new life.
Romans 6:5-6 We become one with Jesus as his followers.
Ephesians 4:5
VIII. Four steps in baptism.
1) Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ. Mark 16:16
2) Repent- This is acknowledgement, sorrow for sin.
Acts2:37-38 Acts 3:19
3) Baptize- It is the public proclamation of our belief in Jesus.
Acts 8:37
4) Follow- The willingness to follow Jesus.
Matthew 28:19-20
IX. Water vs. Holy Spirit Baptism.
The baptism of water is important, but the baptism of water and the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ, is the baptism Christians should seek. Water alone does not do it. Simon the sorcerer was baptized by water but He did not receive the Holy Spirit in his baptism, because he did not truly repent of his old ways. He wanted to still be who he was and embrace the baptism of Christ. But we cannot achieve this. Baptism comes after conversion. A Christians must be converted or else the baptism of water is useless. We must be changed.
Simon the Sorcerer:
Acts 8:14-25
The belief and conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch-
Acts 8:26-39
One must be baptized in the name of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:4-5
John 3:5
1 Corinthians 12:13
Acts 10:47-48
Appeal:
What are you waiting for?
Arise and be baptized and was away your sins.
Acts 22:14-16
|
 |
|
 |
|
|