The world teaches that three methods of baptism are acceptable to God, or even that baptism is not important at all, but God's Word teaches and demonstrates only one method. The method by which we do anything is important. What is not of God, must then be of men. We must be united in obedience to the teachings of Christ. His word is the foundation for our unity. Let us discard all things that are not found in His Word and accept only what the Bible assures us is true.
1. Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance."
A. Who is the baptizer in this case? (John)
B. Where was he baptizing? (In Jordan)
C. Why would he choose the Jordan river?
2. Matthew 3:16 "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:"
A. According to Matthew, where was Jesus baptized?
B. Why do we assume that he was immersed in the river?
C. Approximately how old was he at this time?
D. Why were the people being baptized? (v 8 & 11)
E. Why was Jesus baptized? (v 15)
3. Mark 1:5 "And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins."
A. Where does Mark say Jesus was baptized?
B. Why in the Jordan river?
C. What does he call baptism in verse 4? "Baptism of repentance"
D. For what reason? "For the remission of sins."
4. John 1:26 & 31 "John answered them, saying, I baptize with water:"
A. What medium did the apostle John say, John the baptist was using in his baptisms?
5. John 3:23 "And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there:"
A. Why had he chosen Aenon as a place for baptisms?"
6. Acts 8:36 39 "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out out of the water,"
A. This is the clearest example of baptism in the entire New Testament.
B. Who is the evangelist in this case?
C. Who is the writer of the record?
D. Who was the candidate for baptism?
E. Why would this man not have been able to become a Jewish proselite?
F. What did Philip preach to him? (Jesus)
G. What had to be included under the title "Jesus" (baptism) Why?
H. What one condition did Philip give for him to be baptized? (v 37)
I. Why do we know he immersed the Ethiopian?
7. Acts 10:47 "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
A. Who does Luke say was the evangelist here? (v 45) Peter.
B. Acts 1:5 records Jesus' promise of the Holy Ghost baptism.
C. Who received the Holy Ghost at that time? "They" v 4, (The apostles).
D. What was the occasion? (Pentecost)
E. Who were the people who were baptized that day? (Jews)
F. Who received the Holy Spirit miraculously that day? (The Apostles) Note the "they" of Acts 1:26 (definitely referring to the apostles for they were selecting Matthias to replace Judas as an apostle.) The "they" in Acts 2:1 (the next verse), and the "them" v 3 and the "they" in v -4. These all refer to the apostles, who spoke and were understood by the various people there present.The apostles were "Galileans" v 7 for whom Peter spoke in verse 4.
G. Moving back to our text: On this occasion, who are the people whom God showed were also to be baptized? v 45 (Gentiles)
H. Why would they not be acceptable to Jews?
I. How did God show they were acceptable? (Repeated Vision) (By the Holy Spirit).
8. Romans 6:1 6 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
A. How can baptism be described as being "buried with him"?
B. How can it show his being "raised up from the dead"?
C. How can it be said that "we also should walk in newness of life"?
D. In verse 5 it says "we have been planted together in the likeness of his death" How?
9. Colossians 2:12 "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead."
A. This is the same terminology as Romans 6:1.
10. Titus 3:5 "Not by the works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"
A. Can we be saved by doing good works?
B. From whom does the plan of salvation come? Why?
C. How is baptism a "washing of regeneration"?
D. How is it a "renewing of the Holy Ghost"?
11. See: (Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:36 39; Romans 6:1 6)
A. Can sprinkling of water satisfy all the above scriptures as a method of baptism?
12. Can immersion in water satisfy the same scriptures?
13. (Ephesians 4:5) Read this text, then answer. How many baptisms are there?
14. (Acts 2:41) According to this text, which comes first, belief or baptism?
15. (Acts 2:41 & Matthew 18:3) If belief comes before baptism, can an infant be baptized? Does an infant need baptism? Why or why not?
16. Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
17. Have you personally been baptized by immersion in water for the remission of sins as shown in the New Testament? Nothing else can properly be called "baptism", as the Greek word (baptizo) which is transliterated as "baptize" means "to dip in water".
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