Bible Baptism vs. Denominational Baptism

Baptism and Modern Denominationalism All modern denominations except for a few practice baptism (Christian Scientists and Quakers do not) Many religious people, therefore, have submitted to baptism at some time in their life What, if anything, is to be done with all these baptisms? Are all baptisms accepted by God? Must one re-submit to Bible baptism? Some may be ignorant on the subject of baptism and we handle that the way Paul did (Acts 19:1-9)

Denominationalism Baptism: Take Your Pick Should we be sprinkled as an infant like Catholics, Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians? Should we be baptized after we are saved like Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses? Should we be baptized in the Holy Ghost like Pentecostals?

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong authority: councils, creeds The right authority (Jesus): Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor. 1:13-15 The wrong person: infants, those already saved by faith only, the dead The right person (penitent believers): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-38; 9:18 The wrong confession: creeds, sinner’s prayer The right confession (Jesus Christ): Acts 8:37 The wrong action: sprinkling, pouring The right action (immersion): Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12

Baptism: The Right Authority “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Mt. 28:19) “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. “For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 8:16)

Baptism: The Right Authority “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days” (Acts 10:48) “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5) “Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? … Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name” (1 Cor. 1;13,15)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong authority: councils, creeds The right authority (Jesus): Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor. 1:13-15 The wrong person: infants, those already saved by faith only, the dead The right person (penitent believers): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-38; 9:18 The wrong confession: creeds, sinner’s prayer The right confession (Jesus Christ): Acts 8:37 The wrong action: sprinkling, pouring The right action (immersion): Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12

Baptism: The Right Person “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15-16) “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you…” (Acts 2:37-38)

Baptism: The Right Person “And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do … And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink … And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth … And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized” (Acts 9:6,9,11,18)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong authority: councils, creeds The right authority (Jesus): Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor. 1:13-15 The wrong person: infants, those already saved by faith only, the dead The right person (penitent believers): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-38; 9:18 The wrong confession: creeds, sinner’s prayer The right confession (Jesus Christ): Acts 8:37 The wrong action: sprinkling, pouring The right action (immersion): Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12

Baptism: The Right Confession “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:36-38)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong authority: councils, creeds The right authority (Jesus): Matthew 28:18-19; Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5; 1 Cor. 1:13-15 The wrong person: infants, those already saved by faith only, the dead The right person (penitent believers): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:37-38; 9:18 The wrong confession: creeds, sinner’s prayer The right confession (Jesus Christ): Acts 8:37 The wrong action: sprinkling, pouring The right action (immersion): Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12

Baptism: The Right Action “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:38) “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4) “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Col. 2:12)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong element: Holy Ghost (Pentecostal) The right element (water): Acts 8:36,38; 10:47 The wrong purpose: join a church, “outward sign of an inward grace” The right purpose (remission of sins): Acts 2:28; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21 The wrong order: belief – salvation – baptism baptism – salvation - belief The right order (hearing, belief, baptism): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 16:14-15,32-33; 18:8; 19:3-5 The wrong allegiance: denominational name, etc. The right allegiance (Jesus Christ): Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27

Baptism: The Right Element “And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? … And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him” (Acts 8:36,38) “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” (Acts 10:47)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong element: Holy Ghost (Pentecostal) The right element (water): Acts 8:36,38; 10:47 The wrong purpose: join a church, “outward sign of an inward grace” The right purpose (remission of sins): Acts 2:28; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21 The wrong order: belief – salvation – baptism baptism – salvation - belief The right order (hearing, belief, baptism): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 16:14-15,32-33; 18:8; 19:3-5 The wrong allegiance: denominational name, etc. The right allegiance (Jesus Christ): Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27

Baptism: The Right Purpose “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38) “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16) “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong element: Holy Ghost (Pentecostal) The right element (water): Acts 8:36,38; 10:47 The wrong purpose: join a church, “outward sign of an inward grace” The right purpose (remission of sins): Acts 2:28; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21 The wrong order: belief – salvation – baptism? baptism – salvation – belief? The right order (hearing, belief, baptism): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 16:14-15,32-33; 18:8; 19:3-5 The wrong allegiance: denominational name, etc. The right allegiance (Jesus Christ): Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27

Baptism: The Right Order “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mk. 16:15-16) “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41)

Baptism: The Right Order “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:12-13)

Baptism: The Right Order “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us” (Acts 16:14-15)

Baptism: The Right Order “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway” (Acts 16:32-33) “And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8)

Baptism: The Right Order “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:3-5)

What Is Wrong With Denominational Baptism? Bible Baptism The wrong element: Holy Ghost (Pentecostal) The right element (water): Acts 8:36,38; 10:47 The wrong purpose: join a church, “outward sign of an inward grace” The right purpose (remission of sins): Acts 2:28; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21 The wrong order: belief – salvation – baptism baptism – salvation - belief The right order (hearing, belief, baptism): Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 16:14-15,32-33; 18:8; 19:3-5 The wrong allegiance: denominational name, etc. The right allegiance (Jesus Christ): Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27

Baptism: The Right Allegiance “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3) “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13) “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:26-27)

Bible Baptism vs. Denominational Baptism You cannot be taught wrong and baptized right (Rom. 6:3-4,17) You cannot be baptized wrong and worship right (Acts 2:38,41-42,46) You cannot worship wrong and live right (Jn. 4:23-24) You cannot live wrong and die right (Rev. 14:4,5,13) Therefore, you cannot be baptized wrong and die right!

Bible Baptism vs. Denominational Baptism Don’t try to make your denominational baptism a Bible baptism after the fact Have you submitted to the “one baptism” of Bible baptism (Ephesians 4:5)? Yes, you can take your pick, but why not choose what the Lord has commanded!