1. The Ordinances of the Church Part 1
Ecclesiology
The Ordinances of the Church
Part 1

2. The term ordinance appears in various places in the New Testament, though never ___________ applied to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The concept behind the word is that which is ___________ or decreed. (Rom. 13:1,2; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14) While the term ordinance is not used with reference to baptism or the Lord’s Supper, the principle is that these two activities were _________ by God.
Not a Sacrament
Originally the word sacrament meant anything that was made _________. Sacramentalism becomes problematic when it becomes ___________. Sacramentalists believe that ________ is received by performance of the sacrament. Hence magical properties are ________ to the ritual. There is absolutely _____ Bible basis for such a belief.
The ritualistic use of ordinance attaches unspeakable power to the liturgical churches since performance of the sacraments are to taught to be ___________ for any hope of heaven. The continuous performance of the Catholic mass is probably the greatest single element of Catholicism that _______ people to the Catholic Church. It is sad that people are dominated by a ritual at the expense of ________.

3. As important as baptism and the Lord’s Supper are, there is no connection to the ___________ of the human soul. While baptism is a requirement for membership in a Bible believing church, it does ______ provide membership in the body of Christ. Even reformed churches attach baptism with initiatory properties when they sprinkle babies in expectation of a covenantal binding of the child to __________ salvation. Any covenantal application of the ordinances is a travesty of Scripture, and ought to be ___________ out of hand.
Baptism
Baptism was instituted by the ___________ of Christ.
(Mat. 3:13-17) Further He __________ baptism. (Mat. 28:18-20)
To attempt to excuse the use of sprinkling or effusion (pouring) as acceptable substitutes is to defy ________as well as the Scriptures. For centuries, no other form of baptism was practiced by believers. The very language of Scripture demands immersion. How could our Lord Jesus come up straightway out of the water (Matthew 3:16), if He was not first down _____ the water? Why did the Ethiopian eunuch stop his chariot at the first available water if immersion was not needed? (Acts 8:36-38)

4. The Importance of Baptism
John Baptized at Aenon, because there was much water there. (John 3:23). He baptized in the river of Jordan (Mark 1:5), not _______ the river Jordan.
While baptisms occurred before the institution of Christ and the inauguration of the church (the baptism of John to repentance), the _________ application of the practice to the church and through the church serve to emphasize its importance.
The Importance of Baptism
Christ was baptized (Matt. 3:15)
The Lord approved of His disciples baptizing (John 4:1,2)
Christ commanded that people be baptized in this age (Matt. 28:19)
The early church gave an important place to baptism (Acts 2:38,41; 8:12-13, 36, 38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5)
The New Testament used the ordinance to picture or symbolize important theological truths (Rom. 6:1-10; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21)
The writer of the Hebrews terms baptism as a foundational truth (6:1-2)
- Ryrie, 488.

5. What Does Baptism Mean?
It is an act of ____________ to the command of Christ. (Matthew 28:19) It is identification with _________ in a portrayal of the gospel. Romans 6, describes the ___________ transaction whereby the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ. In using the imagery of _________ baptism to explain the work of the Holy Spirit, Paul also _________ the imagery.
That the outward participation in baptism ___________ the inward transaction of the Spirit is the meaning of Peter’s allusion to baptism. (1 Pet. 3:21) Because baptism is a public statement of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, pedo-baptism (the baptism of __________) is precluded. ________example of baptism in the New Testament was the result a personal conversion. (Acts 8:36,37; Acts 2:37,38; 2;41; 16:14,15; 16;25-34)
When should baptism follow? The examples provided indicate that new converts were baptized as _______ as practically possible. This is indeed a first step for new believers. It is their first _________ declaration of their new-found faith.

6. How should they be baptized. Obviously by immersion
How should they be baptized? Obviously by immersion! Our Lord further indicated that the public ceremony was to be pronounced in the name of the __________ – baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 18:19).
Where should people be baptized? It is not so much the location as the ______________. From Pentecost forward all baptisms were performed by and through the _________ church. Even in infant stages, each new church baptized its converts. These believers were then gathered regularly and instructed to follow the Word of God. This was certainly the practice of Paul. (Acts 14:21-23) It was the fact that baptism was a church ordinance, not a “____________ ” ordinance that explains the fact that Paul actually baptized very few people. (1 Cor. 1:14-16)