"WHAT
DO YOU TEACH ABOUT BAPTISM"?
Occasionally,
I am asked: "What do you people teach about baptism"?
I am always taken back by the question. I often wonder if the
person really wants to know where I stand on that subject, or
if they just want to see if I will get upset.
I refuse to get into a shouting match with anyone, however if
a person is sincere I am pleased to study any Bible teaching with
them. I certainly do not claim to have all the answers. I do not
believe I have every thing wrapped up in a neat package of answers.
I am always open to hear what others believe and why.
Why baptism has been such a contested question, I do not know.
it appears that if any one will seriously read the Bible, they
will see that baptism is an often discussed subject.
When Jesus was about to ascend back to heaven, He instructed His
apostles to go, teach and baptize the taught ones (Matthew 28:18-20;
Mark 16:15,16). Why should people debate what the Lord plainly
said? it seems clear to me that He said those who believed and
were baptized would be saved. That should settle the question.
When the apostles preached the first gospel sermon, they ended
by telling people "to be baptized" (Acts 2:38). The
book of Acts, which is a book that tells us what people did to
become Christians in the first century, makes it plain that they
were baptized into Christ. Paul, an apostle, makes that very plain
in Romans 6:3,4.
Why then all the confusion? Is it that folks don't want to obey
God? No, I believe that most people are sincere. Why, then the
question, concerning baptism? I am afraid that many have been
led to think that baptism is an ordinance of man. If one will
study the Bible, he will see that baptism, like repentance or
confession, is a command of Christ.
Now, what do I teach? Well, to be honest with you, I try to leave
it in the hands of God. I will not take from His word or add to
it (Revelation 22:18,19), and since he said "be baptized",
then I will do it. If He had said, "jump off a forty foot
building", then I would have done that, also. To me it is
a matter of faith. Faith must be active to avail (James 2:17).
I don't know why Christ insisted on baptism in water--but if I
am going to walk by faith--I will obey Him. That settles it in
my mind, I hope it does for you.
