Bible Study: Baptism
The following is a handout I typed for the Newman Bible Study. Feel free to use as you see fit.
Biblical Data:
Acts 2:37-42 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Discussion: What is the context? Peter just preached the first sermon, the crucifixion of Christ. How did the people who heard the sermon react? They were cut to the heart. They wanted to know what the next step was. What was Peter’s answer? Repent and be baptized. Why do we do that? So that our sins may be forgiven. Who is this for? Everyone. Can anyone be excluded? No. What did the knew converts do regularly afterwards? Devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and the breaking of bread. What are some of the effects of baptism? Forgiveness of sins, yes, but what else?
Biblical Data:
Colossians 1:11-14 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Galatians 4:3-9 So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again?
Discussion: What are some of the effects of baptism? It transferred us into the Kingdom of God. It had us share in His inheritance. We are adopted. We become part of the family of God. What were we before? We were under the power of darkness. We were enslaved. Have you ever had an argument with your family and then made up? What was that like? Were you ever accepted into someone else’s group or family? What was that like? How does this compare to being included into the family of God? Being part of the family, is this something you want to leave? See 1 Corinthians 1:1-22
Biblical Data:
Romans 10:9 ...if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 19:1-3 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
Discussion: Have you ever come across a Christian who said baptism wasn’t necessary? What was that like? When a Protestant tells you all you need to do is confess and believe in your heart, the Bible also understands that you cannot separate the two. Paul asked the disciples about the Holy Spirit when they believed. When the disciples said no, he then asked about their baptism. Baptism and belief are inseparable for Paul.
Biblical Data:
Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Romans 6:3-4 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Discussion: When a Protestant tells you that the thief on the cross proves Baptism isn’t necessary for salvation, remind him that baptism wasn’t instituted yet. Romans 6 says that baptism is our participation in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Since Jesus had not died, been buried, or resurrected when the thief died, there was no baptism for him, or for anyone, yet. So this isn’t a good reason to deny baptism.
Other Bible Verses of Interest:
John 3:1-9, Acts 8:34-39, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Matthew 28:16-20
What Does The Bible Say About: Baptism
Acts 2:37-42 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.” And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
Discussion: What is the context? Peter just preached the first sermon, the crucifixion of Christ. How did the people who heard the sermon react? They were cut to the heart. They wanted to know what the next step was. What was Peter’s answer? Repent and be baptized. Why do we do that? So that our sins may be forgiven. Who is this for? Everyone. Can anyone be excluded? No. What did the knew converts do regularly afterwards? Devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and the breaking of bread. What are some of the effects of baptism? Forgiveness of sins, yes, but what else?
Biblical Data:
Colossians 1:11-14 May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Galatians 4:3-9 So with us; while we were minors, we were enslaved to the elemental spirits of the world. But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. And because you are children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God. Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to beings that by nature are not gods. Now, however, that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits? How can you want to be enslaved to them again?
Discussion: What are some of the effects of baptism? It transferred us into the Kingdom of God. It had us share in His inheritance. We are adopted. We become part of the family of God. What were we before? We were under the power of darkness. We were enslaved. Have you ever had an argument with your family and then made up? What was that like? Were you ever accepted into someone else’s group or family? What was that like? How does this compare to being included into the family of God? Being part of the family, is this something you want to leave? See 1 Corinthians 1:1-22
Biblical Data:
Romans 10:9 ...if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Acts 19:1-3 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?”
Discussion: Have you ever come across a Christian who said baptism wasn’t necessary? What was that like? When a Protestant tells you all you need to do is confess and believe in your heart, the Bible also understands that you cannot separate the two. Paul asked the disciples about the Holy Spirit when they believed. When the disciples said no, he then asked about their baptism. Baptism and belief are inseparable for Paul.
Biblical Data:
Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Romans 6:3-4 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Discussion: When a Protestant tells you that the thief on the cross proves Baptism isn’t necessary for salvation, remind him that baptism wasn’t instituted yet. Romans 6 says that baptism is our participation in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Since Jesus had not died, been buried, or resurrected when the thief died, there was no baptism for him, or for anyone, yet. So this isn’t a good reason to deny baptism.
Other Bible Verses of Interest:
John 3:1-9, Acts 8:34-39, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Matthew 28:16-20
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