What’s the point of Baptism?

What’s the point of Baptism?

Dave Riddle - 5/21/2023

Key Passage: Romans 6:3-11

John the Baptister 

  • Jewish ritual purification based on laws from Leviticus.

    • John took it a step further. He required people to repent. Turn from sin. Turn towards God.

Jesus makes a local phenomenon a global one

  • Matthew 28:19

    • An imperative to make, baptize, and teach disciples.

Why Immersion?

  • The grammar says so

    • baptizo (Greek: βαπτίζω) - to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of sunken vessels); to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe.

      • Clarity from a recipe for Pickles

  • It’s consistent with what we see in the New Testament.

Baptism is…

An Identifier

  • It is open identification with Jesus and his death

    • Romans 6:3

Impactful

  • A picture of the impact of Jesus’ transformative work in our loves.

    • Romans 6:6-8

Sufficient

  • Baptism displays the sufficiency of Jesus’ Sacrifice

    • Romans 6:9-10

    • 1 Peter 3:18

A Reminder

  • It reminds each believer of the call to follow Jesus.

    • Romans 6:11

    • Galatians 2:20