WATER BAPTISM

Bible Study

written by

Pastor Janice L. Williams

BIBLE STUDY FOR 

JUNE 10th-17th, 2009

 Scriptures printed in red are words spoken by JESUS

THE FOLLOWING BIBLE TRANSLATION WAS USED FOR THIS BIBLE STUDY:

NKJV = NEW KING JAMES VERSION 

NLT = NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

 IN THE NAME OF

THE FATHER,

THE SON, &

THE HOLY SPIRIT

WE BELIEVE that Water Baptism and The Lord's Supper [also called Holy Communion, or called Eucharist by some followers of Jesus], are two ordinances of the church to be observed until the time of Christ's return. They are not a means of salvation but are channels of God's sanctifying grace and blessing to the faithful in Christ Jesus.

For this week's Bible Study we will be discussing WATER BAPTISM.

WORD DEFINITION: 

bap·tize - perform ceremony of baptism: to sprinkle somebody with or immerse somebody in water as a sign that the person has been accepted into the Christian faith. 

Jesus was and is the perfect example for all He preached and taught.  He allowed Himself to be baptized, demonstrating to us that this is a rightous act that is pleasing to God the Heavenly Father. 

John the Baptist says in:

• Matthew 3:11 NKJV - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

•  Matthew 3:13 thru 17 NKJV * 13/ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.  14/ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You," and You are coming to me?"  15/ But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then He allowed him.  16/ When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him."  17/ And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."  

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The following scripture is speaking of one of the times Jesus visited His disciples after His death and resurrection and gave them instructions:   

• Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV - 18/ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,  "All  authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19/ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20/ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

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Water Baptism is symbolic of death to the nature of the flesh:

• being drowned by going down in the water.

And symbolic of accepting new life with the resurrected Christ Jesus:

• coming up out of the water in the newness of life
• committed to live spiritually, with the spiritual nature of God that Jesus imparts to those who believe in His life, death and resurrection, and receive Him as Lord & Savior. 

1 Peter 3:21 NLT - and this is a picture of baptism, which now saves you by the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection.  Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal to God from a clean conscience.

Romans 6:3-11 NLT - 3/ Or have you forgotten that when we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him?  4/ For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism.  And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  5/ Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was.  6/ Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.  We are no longer slaves to sin.  7/ For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.  8/And since we died with Christ, we know we will also share his new life.  9/ We are sure of this because Christ rose from the dead, and he will never die again.   Death no longer has any power over him.  10/ He died once to defeat sin, and now he lives for the glory of God. 11/ So you should consider yourselves dead to sin and able to live for the glory of God through Christ Jesus. 

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PLEASE CHECK BACK WITH US

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 17TH-24TH, 2009 

FOR THE NEXT WEEK  BIBLE STUDY

JESUS LOVES YOU!!!