The Apostolic Doctrine of Water

The Apostolic Doctrine of Water Baptism

Part 1

The topic of this study is the Apostolic doctrine of water baptism.

We are not interested in what the Bible does not say, but we are interested in studying what the Bible does say on any given topic.

The will of God is revealed by the word of God, if you want to know God’s will, then you must know God’s word. And to rightly divide the word of truth, you must allow the scriptures to interpret the scriptures. 2 Peter 1:20-21, 20

There are many voices today that say they speak for God. But the things they are saying contradicts the Bible. John 3:34

With all these different voices, who are you going to believe?

There is only one voice that you must believe and that is the voice of the Spirit of God found speaking in the book we call the Bible. Psalms 103:20 & Revelation 2:7

Did God say in vain? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4

Jesus said that His words are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63

The words that Jesus gave to the apostles are the words of eternal life.

There is only one doctrine of salvation, and it was given by Jesus Christ to the apostles, and He commanded them to go into all the world and teach everyone how to get saved and how to stay saved. Matthew 28:19-20

Through the apostles of Jesus Christ, we have received the words of eternal life. John 17:8

If you’re following any person, group, or church that is not teaching the doctrine of salvation that was taught by the apostles to the first century church, then you have not received the true and faithful witness of Jesus Christ. Luke 24:45-48, John 15:26-27, Acts 5:31 -32

The apostles preached water baptism as a condition of salvation everywhere they went. They were the eyewitnesses of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Through the apostles, God has given us a divinely inspired account of all things that pertain unto eternal life and godliness in the New Covenant that through their witness, we also may have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-4, Galatians 1:8-9, John 17:14, 21, Mark 16:20

We all had to start believing somewhere, Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, or any number of the 45,000 denominations that exist worldwide today.

But it is God who has begun a good work in you, and He has a plan and a purpose in your life that will continue for all eternity. Philippians 2:13 & 15,

45,000 different interpretations of the book we call the Bible, when the Bible says there is only one faith. Ephesians 4:5

• The Bible tells us there is only one doctrine. 1 Timothy 4:16

It’s the “doctrine” (singular) not the “doctrines” (plural).

• He is the God of Truth Deuteronomy 32:4

• He desires that we become His adopted children walking in truth. 2 John 1:4

• To serve Him in Truth 1 Samuel 12:24

• To be made free by Truth John 8:32

• The Psalmist said: Psalms 15:1-2, Psalms 43:3

It’s Truth that will lead us to God. And that Truth is declared in the book we call the Bible. If you’re serious about being saved, then you must be serious about the word of God. God and His word are one, to know God is to know His word. John 1:1

There is no greater act of worship than the act of submitting oneself to the word of God, to obey is better than sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22

Jesus said in Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me…”

Jesus wants us to take His yoke willingly and put it upon ourselves, as an act of submission. It’s not forced upon us, but that we would gladly take it upon us, grateful that He would even consider us worthy to bear it.

The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptisma: (bap’-tis-mah) meaning

• immersion

• submersion

• to be overwhelmed.

The root word of baptism is baptize from the Greek word baptizo (bap-tid’-zo) meaning to dip repeatedly, to immerse; to submerge; to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water.

The first mention of baptism in the New Testament is the baptism of repentance administered by the prophet, John the Baptist, who was sent to Israel under the Old Covenant, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah. Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 1:16-17, Mark 1:4-5

The baptism of repentance was preached to prepare natural Israel to receive their God, who was manifested in the flesh, at the closing of the Old Covenant, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. And to offer Himself a sacrifice for many for the remission of sins under both Covenants. Romans 15:8, Hebrews 8:13

The baptism of repentance preached by John marked the last days of the last generation of the Old Covenant age, and by contrast, it was the dawning of the eternal age of the New Covenant, which is established upon better promises. Hebrews 8:6 & 13

Those that had an ear to hear, obeyed the call of John to repent, and their hearts were made ready to receive Him of whom John said should come after him, and through faith in Jesus Christ, they would continue on to ultimately receive the remission of their sins through the blood of His sacrifice.

Repentance comes from the remorseful heart of one that has stopped resisting the indictment of sin guilt and finally accepts the responsibility.

And with the understanding, that it is sin that separates us from God, they turn from their sin and turn to Jesus looking to be reconciled through the promise of the gospel. Psalm 51:16-17, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Repentance is where we start, but repentance is not the end, and it is not a onetime act. Repentance, along with its attitudes and works, becomes a way of life for the child of God.

The Bible tells us, that it is God’s goodness and His willingness to save us, that brings us to a place of genuine repentance. Romans 2:3-4, 2 Corinthians 7:10, 2 Peter 3:9

Mark 1:5 speaking of John the Baptist says, “there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan”

We know that all, in the literal sense, did not believe, and all were not baptized by John. What Mark 1:5 is telling us is all that did believe the words of John were baptized.

Matthew 21:25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? Luke 7:29-30

All that believed the word of God were baptized of John, and those that did not believe, chose not to be baptized.

It was faith and obedience to the command to be baptized that justified the word of God in them, and by their work of faith, they proved their faith in the righteous counsel of God’s word. Luke 7:29

And like Abraham, their faith was accounted to them for righteousness.

When John came preaching the baptism of repentance, the people first had to take the time to hear what was being said, then they had to decide whether or not to believe what they had heard, and finally by faith, they had to obey the words of John by repenting and being baptized.

A point to be made about Luke 7:29-30 is that the evidence of their faith was seen in their obedience to the command to be baptized.

And no doubt it was a command, not a suggestion.

And so likewise, the evidence of unbelief was seen in those that refused to be baptized. They all heard the same message, but faith and obedience made the difference.

It is implied that those who rejected the baptism of John, were outside the will of God. It was not enough to only believe, they had to obey and be baptized.

If God commanded all to be baptized unto repentance of sin, then is it that hard to believe that God has commanded all to be baptized for the remission of sin?

• Even Jesus gave an example of baptism. Matthew 3:13-15

John said that he had need (the necessity, or duty) to be baptized of Jesus.

Do you see the remission of your sins as a necessity for yourself?

Jesus also said in Matthew 3:15 that baptism is part of fulfilling all righteousness.

Without water baptism, the righteous will of God cannot be fulfilled in your life.

To summarize, the baptism of John was a baptism of repentance, it was not the remission or removal of sin but repentance or heartfelt sorrow of sin.

Those that were baptized by John were baptized under the Old Covenant and they all were baptized again in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins from the day of Pentecost onward under the New Covenant.