- How did the church (universal) get to where it is today on this matter of baptism?
- [Brief survey of church history]
- Note: Church history is informative, but it is not authoritative. Only Scripture is authoritative.
- What was the ‘baptism of John’?
- A baptism of repentance (c.f. Matthew 3:6, 11 / Acts 19:4)
- Why was Jesus baptized?
- In solidarity with mankind (c.f. Hebrews 2:10-18)
- What is the ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’?
- What it meant – Mk 1:8 / Acts 1:5 / expansion of church (Acts 2, 8, 10, 19)
- What it wrongly came to mean – hysterical laughter, angelic languages, slain in the Spirit etc.
- What it still means – Ezekiel 36:27 / Ephesians 1:13
- What about the mode of baptism?
- Baptizo – immerse / plunge
- Acts 8:38 (down into water) / Matthew 3:16 (up out of water)
- Imagery of death & burial better served by immersion
- To baptize someone into someone’s name is to show that they belong to that Person; they are followers of that Person, under that Person’s authority.
- Why did Jesus say “to them belongs the Kingdom” of children?
- This is not dealing with baptism.
- He means children are welcome in the Kingdom; that God has a particular interest in them.
- Jesus further qualifies by saying “ Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Lk 18:17). To become like a child is to come bringing nothing, and needing everything.
