WEBVTT
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Is baptism required
for salvation?
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Or is it just a
legalistic ritual?
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Who should do the baptizing?
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And what's the purpose
of baptism in
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the first place?
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These are just a few of
the many questions
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surrounding baptism.
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Some see it as a required
step to salvation;
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others as blatant legalism.
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Some say anyone can
baptize, others
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understand that only ordained
ministers should.
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Some baptize infants,
while others say no,
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candidates must be adults.
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Is there a way to sort through the confusion?
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Can you understand the topic
of baptism and the
00:39.139 --> 00:40.874
real meaning behind it?
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The answer is yes.
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And today, on Tomorrow's World, we're going to dive
00:44.677 --> 00:47.781
into this subject and find
out what the Bible says
00:47.847 --> 00:49.682
about this important topic.
00:49.749 --> 00:52.285
We need to know how to
separate mere
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tradition from the truth.
00:53.887 --> 00:56.823
So, be sure to get a pen and
paper, because later
00:56.890 --> 00:59.092
in the program I'll give you
an opportunity to request
00:59.159 --> 01:02.061
a free copy of this
study guide,
01:02.128 --> 01:04.063
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
01:04.130 --> 01:07.434
So, join us today on
Tomorrow's World as we ask
01:07.500 --> 01:10.470
and answer "Four Questions
About Baptism."
01:10.537 --> 01:11.971
I'll be right back.
01:12.038 --> 01:18.244
♪
01:18.311 --> 01:20.914
Welcome to Tomorrow's World, where we help you
01:20.980 --> 01:22.882
make sense of your world
through the pages
01:22.949 --> 01:24.217
of the Bible.
01:24.284 --> 01:26.986
From time to time, we get
questions from viewers on
01:27.053 --> 01:28.254
doctrinal issues.
01:28.321 --> 01:31.124
Few Bible topics cause as
much difference of
01:31.191 --> 01:32.792
opinion as baptism.
01:32.859 --> 01:35.395
And yet, baptism is a fundamental doctrine
01:35.462 --> 01:37.197
for New Testament Christians.
01:37.263 --> 01:42.001
As the author of Hebrews
noted, in Hebrews 6:1-2...
01:42.068 --> 01:44.737
"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the
01:44.804 --> 01:48.174
elementary principles of
Christ, let us go on to
01:48.241 --> 01:51.044
perfection, not laying again
the foundation of
01:51.110 --> 01:54.681
repentance from dead works
and of faith toward God,
01:54.747 --> 01:57.650
of the doctrine of baptisms,
of laying on of
01:57.717 --> 02:00.520
hands, of resurrection of
the dead, and
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of eternal judgment."
02:02.722 --> 02:05.158
So, baptism is important.
02:05.225 --> 02:06.826
But what exactly do
we mean, when we
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speak of baptism?
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That leads us to the
first question
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we'll examine today:
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Number one,
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What is the purpose of baptism?
02:15.034 --> 02:17.270
To answer this question,
we must first
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understand the real meaning of
the word "baptize."
02:19.973 --> 02:23.009
The English word "baptize" is
really only an anglicized
02:23.076 --> 02:25.445
form of the Greek
word "baptizo."
02:25.512 --> 02:28.548
And "baptizo" means "to dip,
or to sink."
02:28.615 --> 02:31.384
This is the Greek word
referring to baptism
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in the New Testament.
02:33.019 --> 02:37.023
So, in other words, at its very basic foundation, "baptize"
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means to submerge in and
under water.
02:40.159 --> 02:42.996
Now that might come as a surprise to you if you
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grew up in a church
that baptized by
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sprinkling or pouring.
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Now we'll see the significance
of this as we go along.
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First, let's look at a
literal example of how
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baptism was done in
the New Testament.
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Notice the example of
Philip and the Ethiopian
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eunuch, beginning
in Acts 8:36...
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"Now as they went down
the road, they
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came to some water.
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And the eunuch said,
'See, here is water.
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What hinders me from
being baptized?"
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Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your
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heart, you may.' And he
answered and said,
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'I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God.'
03:19.232 --> 03:21.834
So he commanded the chariot
to stand still.
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And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the
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water, and he baptized him."
03:27.540 --> 03:31.110
Notice, both Philip and the eunuch went down into
03:31.177 --> 03:31.411
the water.
03:31.477 --> 03:32.845
That's immersion.
03:32.912 --> 03:35.248
Going on, in verse 39,
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"Now when they came up out
of the water, the Spirit
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of the Lord caught Philip
away, so that the eunuch
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saw him no more..."
03:42.221 --> 03:45.191
So, they went down into the water, and then came
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up out of the water.
03:47.126 --> 03:50.363
It's plain this is talking
about full immersion.
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Now, why does this matter?
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Well, there is great significance in
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baptism by immersion.
03:55.602 --> 03:57.070
What is that significance?
03:57.136 --> 04:01.074
At its very core, baptism
is symbolic of death.
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Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 6:3...
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"Or do you not know that
as many of us as were
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baptized into Christ Jesus
were baptized
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into His death?"
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When we go down under
the water, we
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are figuratively dying.
04:18.191 --> 04:20.360
We are to let the old
man--or the
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old woman--die.
04:22.128 --> 04:24.931
We are to let go of our past sins, our habits, our
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ways of thinking, and our ways of doing things.
04:27.700 --> 04:31.604
We are then to be raised up out of the water ready
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to learn a new way.
04:33.239 --> 04:35.708
Going on in Romans 6:4...
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"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism
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into death, that just as Christ was raised from the
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dead by the glory of the
Father, even so we also
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should walk in newness of life."
04:47.820 --> 04:50.556
So, what does baptism teach us?
04:50.623 --> 04:53.126
Well, it's about dying
to the self.
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That's what we must do when
we're baptized.
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Die to the self.
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Notice what Paul wrote
in Galatians 2:20.
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I'll read it in the
King James Version...
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"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
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yet not I, but Christ
liveth in me: and
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the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the
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faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave
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himself for me."
05:17.884 --> 05:20.353
If we're seeking baptism,
it means we want to be
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forgiven of our sins.
05:21.688 --> 05:22.755
And that's true.
05:22.822 --> 05:24.490
But it's much more as well.
05:24.557 --> 05:27.093
It means we want to change
our life.
05:27.160 --> 05:28.628
We want to be different.
05:28.695 --> 05:30.797
And by the power of the
sacrifice of our
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Savior, Jesus Christ, and by
the receiving of the Holy
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Spirit, we can be different.
05:36.436 --> 05:39.639
This is why Jesus instructed His apostles to
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baptize by immersion.
05:41.541 --> 05:44.444
Because immersion can remind
us we are to be
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crucified with Christ
and dead to our past.
05:47.547 --> 05:50.650
Now baptism alone--just going
through the act--doesn't
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mean we're conquered and surrendered to God.
05:53.553 --> 05:56.422
But if we let the mode of baptism teach us about
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the purpose of baptism,
it can change our life.
05:59.726 --> 06:02.995
And that leads us to our next
question--is the doctrine
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of baptism just an outward show?
06:05.565 --> 06:07.266
Is it mere legalism?
06:07.333 --> 06:09.035
We'll address that in a moment.
06:09.102 --> 06:11.337
But before that, let me give
you an opportunity to
06:11.404 --> 06:14.207
request our free study guide we're offering today,
06:14.273 --> 06:17.643
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
06:17.710 --> 06:20.747
Written by the late evangelist Roderick C. Meredith,
06:20.813 --> 06:24.050
it addresses such topics as
"Why We Need Baptism,"
06:24.117 --> 06:26.986
"Believe What Jesus Actually Taught," and
06:27.053 --> 06:29.388
"The Symbolism of Baptism."
06:29.455 --> 06:32.525
Baptism isn't just an
empty ritual, but an
06:32.592 --> 06:36.996
important act that has profound implications for your life.
06:37.063 --> 06:38.531
You need this information.
06:38.598 --> 06:41.200
So call, write or order
online today.
06:41.267 --> 06:42.535
Order now.
06:42.602 --> 06:43.636
♪
06:43.703 --> 06:50.109
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Or go to...
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will help you understand
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07:01.187 --> 07:04.157
straight from the
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07:04.223 --> 07:06.926
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and modern culture will
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♪
07:43.663 --> 07:44.764
Welcome back.
07:44.831 --> 07:46.365
In today's program, we're
answering common questions
07:46.432 --> 07:48.000
about baptism.
07:48.067 --> 07:50.136
In the last segment, we addressed the purpose of
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baptism--that it symbolizes the Christian dying to his past,
07:54.440 --> 07:57.376
being covered by the blood of Christ, and being raised
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to a new life, dedicated to God.
07:59.979 --> 08:03.382
But some will ask, is baptism really just a sort of
08:03.449 --> 08:06.385
ritualistic "jumping
through a hoop," so to
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speak, that's not really
necessary for salvation?
08:10.089 --> 08:11.090
Well, let's address that.
08:11.157 --> 08:12.792
Number 2,
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Is the doctrine of
baptism just a
08:15.328 --> 08:17.196
legalistic ritual?
08:17.263 --> 08:20.600
Some see any action a
Christian must do in
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obedience to God as legalistic.
08:22.835 --> 08:26.305
Any act you must do, that is required for salvation,
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is somehow "earning salvation."
08:28.741 --> 08:32.044
So, is baptism a
"legalistic" ritual?
08:32.111 --> 08:34.747
As in the previous answer,
there's much more to
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baptism than just
a physical act.
08:37.049 --> 08:39.785
It has profound spiritual meaning for the Christian,
08:39.852 --> 08:43.689
if we're truly repenting and surrendering to God.
08:43.756 --> 08:45.224
Consider something else.
08:45.291 --> 08:46.993
There's a growing number
of people today in
08:47.059 --> 08:50.229
mainstream Christianity who
say anything we must
08:50.296 --> 08:52.965
do to be saved is "legalism."
08:53.032 --> 08:56.736
But if that's true, if a person doesn't have to keep any
08:56.802 --> 08:59.872
commands of God, then he can live a life of lying,
08:59.939 --> 09:02.275
cheating, stealing, and
even murdering
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and still be saved.
09:03.743 --> 09:05.978
But that's not what the
Apostle John wrote in
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1 John 3:15...
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"Whoever hates his brother
is a murderer, and you
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know that no murderer
has eternal life
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abiding in him."
09:16.055 --> 09:18.357
It's not legalism to obey
the commandments.
09:18.424 --> 09:19.959
It's simply doing
what God says.
09:20.026 --> 09:22.194
And God will not give
eternal life to
09:22.261 --> 09:24.664
anyone who doesn't do
what He says.
09:24.730 --> 09:27.833
Belief in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is
09:27.900 --> 09:31.203
absolutely vital to becoming
a true Christian.
09:31.270 --> 09:34.740
We must have faith in His
sacrifice for our sins.
09:34.807 --> 09:38.377
And we must develop a deep
and profound appreciation
09:38.444 --> 09:39.779
for what He did for us.
09:39.845 --> 09:43.149
We must have belief in Him
and call on His name in
09:43.215 --> 09:46.686
faith if we want to receive salvation from sins.
09:46.752 --> 09:51.490
As Paul wrote in Romans chapter 10, verses 9 and 13...
09:51.557 --> 09:55.027
"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe
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in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead,
09:57.630 --> 09:58.798
you will be saved...
09:58.864 --> 10:03.336
Whoever calls on the name of
the LORD shall be saved...."
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So, where does baptism fit in?
10:05.338 --> 10:08.574
Well, we must put all the Scriptures together.
10:08.641 --> 10:11.010
We don't just build a
fundamental doctrine
10:11.077 --> 10:14.280
around one or two Scriptures, and leave the rest out.
10:14.347 --> 10:17.049
So, is baptism, along with
faith and belief,
10:17.116 --> 10:19.051
necessary for salvation?
10:19.118 --> 10:20.853
That's a good question.
10:20.920 --> 10:23.756
Let's let the greatest authority on that subject
10:23.823 --> 10:25.791
answer the question Himself.
10:25.858 --> 10:28.761
That is, of course, Jesus
Christ our Savior.
10:28.828 --> 10:34.467
And notice what He's recorded
saying in Mark 16:15-16...
10:34.533 --> 10:38.004
And He said to them,
"Go into all the world
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and preach the gospel
to every creature.
10:40.473 --> 10:45.711
He who believes and is baptized [notice this,] will be saved;
10:45.778 --> 10:49.515
but he who does not believe
will be condemned."
10:49.582 --> 10:51.117
What did Christ say?
10:51.183 --> 10:54.053
"He who believes and is
baptized will be saved."
10:54.120 --> 10:58.090
Now baptism by itself is not
a magical, mystical method
10:58.157 --> 11:01.193
of obtaining eternal life
by its very act.
11:01.260 --> 11:04.096
No--nothing could be further
from the truth.
11:04.163 --> 11:07.166
On the other hand, baptism
is a requirement for
11:07.233 --> 11:09.602
salvation--according
to our Savior.
11:09.668 --> 11:13.072
But for it to be effective
in that sense, it must be
11:13.139 --> 11:16.809
accompanied by faith and
trust and belief in the
11:16.876 --> 11:20.012
sacrifice of Jesus Christ
for our sins.
11:20.079 --> 11:22.715
And it must be accompanied
by a deep appreciation
11:22.782 --> 11:26.252
for His role as our personal
Savior, and a commitment
11:26.318 --> 11:28.487
to obey Him in everything.
11:28.554 --> 11:31.791
So, no.... Baptism is
not some meaningless
11:31.857 --> 11:33.759
legalistic ritual.
11:33.826 --> 11:37.463
It's an outward expression
of an inward conviction.
11:37.530 --> 11:40.032
In other words, we
believe in and call on
11:40.099 --> 11:41.567
the name of Christ.
11:41.634 --> 11:44.437
We confess our sins and we
repent of them.
11:44.503 --> 11:46.672
That means, we stop
sinning and we go
11:46.739 --> 11:47.606
the other way.
11:47.673 --> 11:48.641
We change.
11:48.707 --> 11:52.244
And then in faith, we're
obedient to Jesus as our
11:52.311 --> 11:56.048
Lord and Master, conforming every part of our life
11:56.115 --> 11:57.716
to Him and His will.
11:57.783 --> 12:00.853
So, we need belief
and baptism.
12:00.920 --> 12:02.254
It's not one or the other.
12:02.321 --> 12:03.656
It's both.
12:03.722 --> 12:06.692
In addition, we need to deeply repent of our sins.
12:06.759 --> 12:09.595
And then we need the laying
on of hands to
12:09.662 --> 12:11.197
receive the Holy Spirit.
12:11.263 --> 12:13.999
We find that explained
in Acts 2.
12:14.066 --> 12:16.402
This chapter shows that Peter gave a sermon on the
12:16.469 --> 12:19.505
Day of Pentecost, telling the crowd they were guilty
12:19.572 --> 12:21.273
of the death of the Messiah.
12:21.340 --> 12:24.643
Notice their response
in Acts 2:37...
12:24.710 --> 12:28.314
"Now when they heard this,
they were cut to the heart,
12:28.380 --> 12:30.783
and said to Peter and the
rest of the apostles,
12:30.850 --> 12:33.686
'Men and brethren,
what shall we do?'"
12:33.752 --> 12:35.955
That should be our
response as well.
12:36.021 --> 12:38.824
When we realize we are personally responsible
12:38.891 --> 12:41.794
for the death of our Savior,
we should be cut to the heart,
12:41.861 --> 12:43.062
as it said.
12:43.129 --> 12:44.797
We should be deeply moved.
12:44.864 --> 12:47.266
And we should be ready to
listen and learn about
12:47.333 --> 12:49.168
what God wants us to do.
12:49.235 --> 12:51.437
They had that humble attitude.
12:51.504 --> 12:55.674
Notice what Peter's response
was in Acts 2:38...
12:55.741 --> 12:58.611
"Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every
12:58.677 --> 13:02.448
one of you be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for
13:02.515 --> 13:05.718
the remission of sins; and
you shall receive the gift
13:05.784 --> 13:07.553
of the Holy Spirit.'"
13:07.620 --> 13:10.489
You believe in your Savior,
you confess with your mouth
13:10.556 --> 13:14.260
that He is your Lord and Master, and then you act in faith.
13:14.326 --> 13:18.063
You repent, you're baptized
by immersion, and in faith
13:18.130 --> 13:22.301
you receive the Holy Spirit
by the laying on of hands.
13:22.368 --> 13:25.237
Baptism is a result
of belief and faith.
13:25.304 --> 13:28.974
It's an outward expression
of an inner conviction.
13:29.041 --> 13:32.178
So, who should baptize?
13:32.244 --> 13:35.481
Can just anyone, or does one need to be authorized?
13:35.548 --> 13:37.650
We'll answer that question
when we return.
13:37.716 --> 13:40.286
But first I want to offer you our free study guide,
13:40.352 --> 13:43.422
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
13:43.489 --> 13:46.258
And it does have meaning--
profound meaning.
13:46.325 --> 13:49.028
In this booklet you'll learn "The Keys to Changing
13:49.094 --> 13:51.564
Your Life," and you'll be
able to answer the question,
13:51.630 --> 13:53.399
"What is Repentance?"
13:53.465 --> 13:55.701
These are not trivial issues.
13:55.768 --> 13:58.204
They're foundational to
your life and mine.
13:58.270 --> 14:00.472
So, don't forget, request
your free copy of
14:00.539 --> 14:03.142
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
14:03.209 --> 14:06.979
Order online, call, or write
to us--order today.
14:07.046 --> 14:07.846
♪
14:07.913 --> 14:14.220
For today's free
offer call...
14:14.286 --> 14:19.758
Or go to...
14:19.825 --> 14:22.494
This clear and
straight-forward resource
14:22.561 --> 14:25.397
will help you understand
this vital truth--
14:25.464 --> 14:28.000
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
14:28.067 --> 14:30.970
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
14:31.036 --> 14:33.639
receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
14:33.706 --> 14:35.207
World magazine.
14:35.274 --> 14:38.744
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
14:38.811 --> 14:41.614
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
14:41.680 --> 14:45.284
your world from a
biblical perspective.
14:45.351 --> 14:48.254
Call today and join
millions around the world
14:48.320 --> 14:50.789
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
14:50.856 --> 14:56.762
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
14:56.829 --> 14:57.896
Call now!
14:57.963 --> 15:01.667
Or go to...
15:01.734 --> 15:06.872
♪
15:06.939 --> 15:09.475
In the first two segments
of this program, we've
15:09.541 --> 15:12.278
discussed the significance of baptism; and, we showed
15:12.344 --> 15:15.080
it's much more than a
mechanical ritual.
15:15.147 --> 15:17.583
It's actually a fundamental
step in expressing our faith
15:17.650 --> 15:21.387
in the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ for our sins.
15:21.453 --> 15:23.422
Another question that
sometimes comes up is,
15:23.489 --> 15:24.556
Number 3,
15:24.623 --> 15:26.925
Who should baptize?
15:26.992 --> 15:29.828
There's a lot of confusion
about this question.
15:29.895 --> 15:32.798
Some think anyone who
wants to can baptize.
15:32.865 --> 15:35.801
Some even believe they
can baptize themselves.
15:35.868 --> 15:39.004
But, instead of just using
our own imagination,
15:39.071 --> 15:41.240
let's look at the Bible itself.
15:41.307 --> 15:43.442
Let's look to it for guidance.
15:43.509 --> 15:46.545
When Jesus commanded His
disciples to preach the Gospel,
15:46.612 --> 15:50.049
He also sent them to heal
the sick, cast out demons,
15:50.115 --> 15:52.051
and baptize.
15:52.117 --> 15:54.753
But not just anyone was
authorized to do so.
15:54.820 --> 15:57.489
We find this explained
in the Book of Acts.
15:57.556 --> 16:00.959
Philip was a deacon, ordained
in Acts chapter 6.
16:01.026 --> 16:05.264
And in Acts chapter 8, he went to Samaria and preached Christ.
16:05.331 --> 16:08.067
He baptized many people,
including Simon the sorcerer,
16:08.133 --> 16:12.237
who at the time appeared to be sincere and repentant.
16:12.304 --> 16:15.140
But notice, only the apostles had the authority to lay
16:15.207 --> 16:18.077
hands on them to receive
the Holy Spirit.
16:18.143 --> 16:23.015
We pick up the story
in Acts 8:14-17...
16:23.082 --> 16:25.951
"Now when the apostles who
were at Jerusalem heard
16:26.018 --> 16:29.288
that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent
16:29.355 --> 16:31.724
Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down,
16:31.790 --> 16:35.828
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16:35.894 --> 16:38.630
For as yet He had fallen
upon none of them.
16:38.697 --> 16:42.701
They had only been baptized
in the name of the Lord Jesus.
16:42.768 --> 16:45.437
Then they laid hands on them, and they received
16:45.504 --> 16:46.805
the Holy Spirit."
16:46.872 --> 16:49.908
It was only when the apostles laid hands on them, in
16:49.975 --> 16:53.045
prayer, that these people received the Holy Spirit.
16:53.112 --> 16:55.080
That's how you receive it.
16:55.147 --> 16:57.149
Not just by believing
in your heart.
16:57.216 --> 17:00.119
You repent of your sins,
in obedience to Jesus
17:00.185 --> 17:03.489
Christ, you ask for His forgiveness in faith,
17:03.555 --> 17:06.759
and then you must be baptized
for the remission of sins.
17:06.825 --> 17:09.361
And then you have hands
laid on you, for the
17:09.428 --> 17:11.330
receiving of the Holy Spirit.
17:11.397 --> 17:14.266
Simon the sorcerer recognized this very clearly.
17:14.333 --> 17:16.635
And so, he offered them
money to have this
17:16.702 --> 17:18.003
authority as well.
17:18.070 --> 17:20.205
Of course, the apostles refused.
17:20.272 --> 17:23.275
So, who should baptize?
17:23.342 --> 17:26.678
Only those who have been duly ordained into the ministry
17:26.745 --> 17:28.313
of Jesus Christ.
17:28.380 --> 17:31.517
Of course, on the question of, "Can I baptize myself?"
17:31.583 --> 17:33.385
The answer is clearly no.
17:33.452 --> 17:37.222
There's no record of anyone in Scripture baptizing themselves.
17:37.289 --> 17:39.324
And baptizing yourself would
go against the principle
17:39.391 --> 17:42.127
that it takes someone who
has already given over
17:42.194 --> 17:45.731
their life to God themselves, and been ordained into
17:45.798 --> 17:47.433
the ministry, to baptize.
17:47.499 --> 17:51.103
It'd be a contradiction to say someone would be authorized
17:51.170 --> 17:52.738
to baptize themselves.
17:52.805 --> 17:56.975
It's purely the fruit of
human imagination, not
17:57.042 --> 18:00.412
following the instruction
given us by Jesus Christ.
18:00.479 --> 18:02.915
And that brings us to
perhaps the most important
18:02.981 --> 18:03.849
question of all.
18:03.916 --> 18:05.217
That is, Number 4,
18:05.284 --> 18:09.121
Why should you be baptized
in the first place?
18:09.188 --> 18:12.291
We've discussed the purpose of baptism, that it's not just
18:12.357 --> 18:15.527
a legalistic rite, and that it must only be done by those
18:15.594 --> 18:18.197
who are authorized to baptism.
18:18.263 --> 18:20.265
But why do we need
to be baptized
18:20.332 --> 18:21.834
in the first place?
18:21.900 --> 18:24.336
Well, all have sinned.
18:24.403 --> 18:28.207
We find that in Romans 3:23.
18:28.273 --> 18:30.175
Notice what Paul wrote...
18:30.242 --> 18:33.312
"For all have sinned
and fall short of
18:33.378 --> 18:34.913
the glory of God."
18:34.980 --> 18:38.484
We all have earned the death penalty by our sins.
18:38.550 --> 18:42.821
That's found in Romans 6:23...
18:42.888 --> 18:46.492
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God
18:46.558 --> 18:49.728
is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord."
18:49.795 --> 18:51.430
So, what do we do?
18:51.497 --> 18:53.999
Are we left hopeless,
awaiting the eternal
18:54.066 --> 18:56.034
death, never to live again?
18:56.101 --> 18:59.538
Jesus Christ came to this
earth to live a human life,
18:59.605 --> 19:02.508
and then die for the
sins of all humanity.
19:02.574 --> 19:06.378
That means He died for you,
and He died for me--and
19:06.445 --> 19:10.916
every other human being who has ever lived or will ever live.
19:10.983 --> 19:14.319
So, we have the opportunity to have our sins forgiven.
19:14.386 --> 19:17.856
But it's not a cheap grace
that we receive just by
19:17.923 --> 19:21.159
having a feeling in our heart, or by confessing the right
19:21.226 --> 19:22.895
words by our lips.
19:22.961 --> 19:26.031
No, we must have a deep, transformative change
19:26.098 --> 19:27.232
in our life.
19:27.299 --> 19:30.636
We must understand we have
broken His eternal law
19:30.702 --> 19:33.805
and because of that we've
brought on ourselves
19:33.872 --> 19:35.173
the death penalty.
19:35.240 --> 19:38.610
We must grasp that we are responsible for the
19:38.677 --> 19:42.548
death of the Savior, as those
who heard Peter's sermon
19:42.614 --> 19:44.383
on the Day of Pentecost.
19:44.449 --> 19:46.952
And then we must commit
our lives to living
19:47.019 --> 19:51.089
according to God's royal law, the law of liberty, as it
19:51.156 --> 19:54.459
says in James 2:8 and 2:12.
19:54.526 --> 19:57.563
This is not doing away
with God's law.
19:57.629 --> 20:01.066
But rather learning how to
obey God's law, and being
20:01.133 --> 20:04.903
delivered from the penalty of breaking it in the first place.
20:04.970 --> 20:09.441
And part of the process is
the act, in faith, of true
20:09.508 --> 20:11.877
Christian baptism.
20:11.944 --> 20:14.680
Let's read what Jesus told
His disciples after His
20:14.746 --> 20:18.216
resurrection, before He
ascended back to His Father.
20:18.283 --> 20:22.487
We find it in Matthew 28:18...
20:22.554 --> 20:25.023
"And Jesus came and spoke
to them, saying,
20:25.090 --> 20:29.861
'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
20:29.928 --> 20:32.698
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations,
20:32.764 --> 20:36.268
baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son
20:36.335 --> 20:38.570
and of the Holy Spirit."
20:38.637 --> 20:41.373
Jesus said we are baptized
in the name of the Father
20:41.440 --> 20:44.009
and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit.
20:44.076 --> 20:46.545
Some see a contradiction
with other passages that
20:46.612 --> 20:49.548
say we must be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ.
20:49.615 --> 20:51.416
But there's no contradiction.
20:51.483 --> 20:55.587
Yes, we are to do all things,
in our life, as a truly
20:55.654 --> 20:58.590
repented Christian, in the
name of Jesus Christ.
20:58.657 --> 21:03.996
Paul wrote this in
Colossians 3:17...
21:04.062 --> 21:08.500
"Whatever you do in word
or deed, do all in the
21:08.567 --> 21:10.335
name of the Lord Jesus."
21:10.402 --> 21:13.805
Our entire lives are to be subject to Jesus Christ
21:13.872 --> 21:16.108
as our Lord and Master.
21:16.174 --> 21:19.044
And we are to be baptized in
His name, by His authority,
21:19.111 --> 21:23.215
by those who are sent and ordained to do so.
21:23.281 --> 21:26.318
But what does it mean to be baptized "in" or "into the
21:26.385 --> 21:30.155
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit?"
21:30.222 --> 21:31.857
No, this is not a Trinity.
21:31.923 --> 21:36.528
The Holy Spirit is not a divine Person, but is the power of God.
21:36.595 --> 21:40.632
But the Father and the Son do comprise the divine family.
21:40.699 --> 21:45.137
God is giving us the opportunity to be born into His divine
21:45.203 --> 21:47.005
family at the resurrection.
21:47.072 --> 21:48.473
Think about that.
21:48.540 --> 21:50.909
We won't be sort-of-like angels.
21:50.976 --> 21:53.245
We won't be disembodied spirits.
21:53.311 --> 21:56.114
We'll be in God's family.
21:56.181 --> 22:00.452
And that's why we need to repent of our sins, express faith in
22:00.519 --> 22:03.689
Jesus Christ, that's why we're baptized as an outward
22:03.755 --> 22:07.225
expression of our belief and obedience, because we're
22:07.292 --> 22:09.494
preparing to be in
the family of God.
22:09.561 --> 22:12.864
The Scriptures show that the Church is going to marry
22:12.931 --> 22:14.633
Christ at His return.
22:14.700 --> 22:15.901
Did you know that?
22:15.967 --> 22:19.871
We read of it in
Revelation 19:7...
22:19.938 --> 22:23.542
"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage
22:23.608 --> 22:28.280
of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
22:28.346 --> 22:31.183
And to her it was granted to
be arrayed in fine linen,
22:31.249 --> 22:35.220
clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts
22:35.287 --> 22:37.255
of the saints."
22:37.322 --> 22:40.158
We are preparing
to marry Christ.
22:40.225 --> 22:44.529
In other words, at baptism,
we enter a marriage covenant.
22:44.596 --> 22:48.166
We're committing to our Savior to be faithful, and true,
22:48.233 --> 22:51.069
and committed to Him always.
22:51.136 --> 22:55.040
And not just for a lifetime,
but for all eternity.
22:55.107 --> 22:59.044
Now, some ask, should we baptize children or even infants?
22:59.111 --> 23:02.514
But, when you understand that
a baptismal candidate is
23:02.581 --> 23:05.317
entering into a marriage covenant, this is not a
23:05.383 --> 23:07.252
decision for children.
23:07.319 --> 23:10.021
They're not yet at the point where they can fully comprehend
23:10.088 --> 23:14.092
issues such as sin, repentance and faith, to make this kind
23:14.159 --> 23:15.327
of commitment.
23:15.393 --> 23:17.996
And they haven't yet reached
the age of accountability.
23:18.063 --> 23:21.833
Even in society, we don't expect or allow children to make adult,
23:21.900 --> 23:25.804
life-long decisions until
they reach a certain age
23:25.871 --> 23:27.072
and maturity.
23:27.139 --> 23:28.907
Or at least we shouldn't.
23:28.974 --> 23:32.277
So, why be baptized
in the first place?
23:32.344 --> 23:36.414
It's the moment we enter into
a covenant with our Creator.
23:36.481 --> 23:38.717
To follow Him no matter what.
23:38.784 --> 23:43.054
Far beyond just a legalistic ritual or empty ceremony.
23:43.121 --> 23:45.991
It should not be entered
into lightly.
23:46.057 --> 23:50.428
It's covenanting with
our Creator, to be His,
23:50.495 --> 23:52.164
for all eternity.
23:52.230 --> 23:55.834
There's much more about
baptism than we can cover
23:55.901 --> 23:57.502
in this short program.
23:57.569 --> 23:59.805
And so, we want to send
you our free study
23:59.871 --> 24:01.606
guide we're offering today,
24:01.673 --> 24:04.810
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
24:04.876 --> 24:07.145
In this booklet, you'll
learn what it means to
24:07.212 --> 24:08.747
"Count the Cost."
24:08.814 --> 24:11.616
And you'll see that baptism
is not just a quick,
24:11.683 --> 24:15.887
emotional decision to make
out of a sense of guilt.
24:15.954 --> 24:18.690
Baptism isn't just
an empty ritual.
24:18.757 --> 24:22.227
But an important act that
has profound implications
24:22.294 --> 24:23.628
for your life.
24:23.695 --> 24:26.731
It's an actual "Covenant
with Your Creator."
24:26.798 --> 24:29.434
These are powerful concepts
that will affect your life,
24:29.501 --> 24:31.570
now and beyond.
24:31.636 --> 24:32.804
You need this booklet.
24:32.871 --> 24:35.106
So call, click or write today.
24:35.173 --> 24:36.274
Order now.
24:36.341 --> 24:37.409
♪
24:37.475 --> 24:43.715
For today's free
offer call...
24:43.782 --> 24:49.221
Or go to...
24:49.287 --> 24:52.224
This clear and
straight-forward resource
24:52.290 --> 24:54.759
will help you understand
this vital truth--
24:54.826 --> 24:57.729
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
24:57.796 --> 25:00.565
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
25:00.632 --> 25:03.568
receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
25:03.635 --> 25:05.070
World magazine.
25:05.136 --> 25:08.406
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
25:08.473 --> 25:11.309
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
25:11.376 --> 25:14.579
your world from a
biblical perspective.
25:14.646 --> 25:18.016
Call today and join
millions around the world
25:18.083 --> 25:20.518
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
25:20.585 --> 25:26.057
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
25:26.124 --> 25:27.492
Call now!
25:27.559 --> 25:31.463
Or go to...
25:31.529 --> 25:36.401
♪
25:36.468 --> 25:39.404
In today's program, we
discussed a number of
25:39.471 --> 25:42.240
questions that often come
up in regard to baptism.
25:42.307 --> 25:46.244
Jesus commanded His servants
to preach the Gospel, to make
25:46.311 --> 25:48.813
disciples of all nations,
and to baptize.
25:48.880 --> 25:52.050
What that means is Jesus knew there would be some who would
25:52.117 --> 25:53.785
respond to their preaching.
25:53.852 --> 25:56.388
There would be some who would begin to see the need to
25:56.454 --> 25:58.056
change their life.
25:58.123 --> 26:01.660
Not in a superficial way,
not just a passing emotion.
26:01.726 --> 26:04.429
But they needed to give
their lives to God.
26:04.496 --> 26:07.332
Maybe you're at a crossroads
in your life.
26:07.399 --> 26:09.868
Maybe you're listening to
the words we're saying on
26:09.935 --> 26:12.737
Tomorrow's World, and you
recognize it matches up
26:12.804 --> 26:13.705
with Scripture.
26:13.772 --> 26:14.906
It's the truth.
26:14.973 --> 26:17.042
Maybe you've come to the point in your life, when you're
26:17.108 --> 26:20.378
tired of going your own way,
and you want to commit to
26:20.445 --> 26:21.880
living God's way.
26:21.947 --> 26:23.515
Get in touch with us.
26:23.581 --> 26:26.384
Tomorrow's World is sponsored
by the Living Church of God.
26:26.451 --> 26:29.621
And we have representatives all over the world who can help
26:29.688 --> 26:33.391
guide you through the process
of understanding what baptism
26:33.458 --> 26:34.693
is all about.
26:34.759 --> 26:38.964
Make no mistake, baptism
isn't just a quick decision.
26:39.030 --> 26:41.132
It's not a matter of
getting dunked and
26:41.199 --> 26:43.001
checking it off your list.
26:43.068 --> 26:45.937
It's not just a quick way
to "get right with God"
26:46.004 --> 26:47.839
and go merrily on our own way.
26:47.906 --> 26:52.310
Our representatives will explain that baptism is the starting
26:52.377 --> 26:54.646
point of a whole new
way of life.
26:54.713 --> 26:57.716
It's about overcoming sin, yielding to God,
26:57.782 --> 27:01.019
and committing to obey
Him in everything,
27:01.086 --> 27:02.687
in faith and belief.
27:02.754 --> 27:05.457
It's about becoming part
of the body of Christ,
27:05.523 --> 27:06.825
His Church.
27:06.891 --> 27:09.661
It's about being called by
the Father and responding
27:09.728 --> 27:11.329
to that call.
27:11.396 --> 27:14.833
As Jesus explained
in John 6:44...
27:14.899 --> 27:18.703
"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent me
27:18.770 --> 27:23.074
draws him; and I will raise
him up at the last day."
27:23.141 --> 27:27.112
We hope and pray God is opening your eyes to what baptism can
27:27.178 --> 27:29.514
mean for you in your life.
27:29.581 --> 27:31.449
Thank you for watching.
27:31.516 --> 27:33.885
And don't forget to request
your free literature today,
27:33.952 --> 27:36.488
Christian Baptism:
Its Real Meaning.
27:36.554 --> 27:39.124
It'll open your eyes to
this often misunderstood
27:39.190 --> 27:43.561
biblical practice, and
its profound importance.
27:43.628 --> 27:46.931
So be sure to join us next time,
as Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith,
27:46.998 --> 27:51.002
and I explain the Good news
of Tomorrow's World, and the
27:51.069 --> 27:55.740
truth, comfort and hope it can bring to you and your family.
27:55.807 --> 27:57.008
See you next time.
27:57.075 --> 27:57.876
♪
27:57.942 --> 28:04.482
For today's free
offer call...
28:04.549 --> 28:09.254
Or go to...
28:09.320 --> 28:11.589
Call today and join
millions around the world
28:11.656 --> 28:14.259
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
28:14.325 --> 28:18.863
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
28:18.930 --> 28:20.765
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:20.832 --> 28:21.833
Living Church of God.
28:21.900 --> 28:28.473
♪