Its Ordinances

1. ORDINANCES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
1. Water Baptism
2. The Lord’s Supper
2. INTRODUCTION TO WATER BAPTISM
1. What It Is.
1. The meaning of the word
1. The word baptism along with its various forms came into the English language in the 1200s.
2. The most basic meaning of the word is to immerse.
2. The historical record
1. Baptism by immersion
1. Immersion was always performed in the earliest churches according to church historians such as Schaff, Mosheim, etc.
2. Immersion was performed in rivers and lakes, in private baths, in subterranean waters and later in man-made baptisteries
3. The sprinkling of water is spoken of by several of the early church writers (including Justin Martyr and Tertullian) as being purely heathen.
2. Baptism for believers
1. Clement of Rome (ca AD 96) said that “they are right subjects of baptism, who have passed through an examination and instruction.”
2. Clement of Alexandria (ca AD 190) said, “The baptized ought to be children in malice, but not in understanding; even such children who, as the children of God, have put off the old man with the garments of wickedness, and have put on the new man.”
3. Tertullian (ca AD 216) said that “adults were the only proper subjects of baptism, because fasting, confession of sins, prayer, profession, renouncing the devil and his works, are required from the baptized.”  And, “The soul is sanctified, not by washing, but by the answer of a good conscience—baptism is the seal of faith; which faith is begun and adorned by the faith of repentance.”
4. The Lutheran church historian, Mosheim, in speaking of the first century after Christ, states, “Whoever acknowledged Christ as the Saviour of mankind, and made a solemn profession of his confidence in him, was immediately baptized and received into the church.” And, “The sacrament of baptism . . . was performed by the immersion of the whole body in the baptismal font.”
3. The scriptural practice
1. The baptism offered of John
1. There are some distinctions between John’s baptism and our baptism today.
2. John’s message and his purpose for baptism certainly show some distinction from our message and purpose.
3. We do know, though, that the mode of John’s baptism was the same as our mode (John 3:23And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
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2. The baptism of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17 [13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. [14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? [15] And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. [16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: [17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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1. The Lord came to the Jordan to be baptized of John (Matthew 3:13Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
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2. When He was baptized He “went straightway out of the water” (Matthew 3:16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
   See All...), or as Mark said, “straightway coming up out of the water” (Mark 1:10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
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3. The Trinity approved of the baptism.
1. The Lord Jesus requested the baptism.
2. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove (Matthew 3:16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
   See All...; Mark 1:10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
   See All...; Luke 3:21-22 [21] Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, [22] And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
   See All...; John 1:32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
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3. The Father spake from heaven (Matthew 3:17And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
   See All...; Mark 1:11And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
   See All...; Luke 3:22And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
   See All...).
3. The baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-39 [26] And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. [27] And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, [28] Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. [29] Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. [30] And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? [31] And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. [32] The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: [33] In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. [34] And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? [35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. [36] And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? [37] And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. [38] 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. [39] And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
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1. The eunuch was reading Isaiah (Acts 8:28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
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2. Philip preached concerning the Lord Jesus (Acts 8:35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
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3. The eunuch desired to be baptized (Acts 8:36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
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4. The eunuch asked about the requirements (Acts 8:36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
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5. Philip gave the requirements (Acts 8:37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
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6. The eunuch confessed his faith (Acts 8:37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
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7. They “went down both into the water” (Acts 8:38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
   See All...).
8. Philip baptized the eunuch (Acts 8:38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
   See All...).
9. They came “up out of the water” (Acts 8:39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
   See All...).
2. What It Is Not.
1. It is not a means of salvation.
1. The history of baptismal regeneration
1. One of the earliest corruptions of Bible doctrine
2. A carryover from Judaism and the gospel of the kingdom
3. Men as early as Justin Martyr (ca AD 150)) were teaching baptismal regeneration.
4. Even today, every major Protestant group, as well as the Roman Catholics, teach some form of baptismal regeneration.
5. Baptismal regeneration became the basis for a number of other false doctrines.
1. Pouring and sprinkling
1. Baptism is necessary for salvation.
2. Some people, because of sickness, etc., cannot be immersed.
3. Another way must be provided or these people will be lost.
4. Infant baptism further reinforced the practice of sprinkling.
2. Infant baptism
1. Infants are born polluted by sin and therefore need remission of sins for salvation.
2. Remission of sins comes only by means of baptism.
3. Therefore, infants must be baptized so that they will go to heaven if they die before they are old enough to believe.
3. Post-baptismal sins
1. Further corruptions came about from a concern for post-baptismal sins which (it was believed) were not washed away in baptism.
2. The doctrine of penance was eventually formed to atone for the sins that were committed after baptism.
3. Later, extreme unction was added as a safeguard.
4. Purgatory finally became necessary for those who failed to do enough penance.
5. Indulgences and prayers for the dead were the results of the doctrine of purgatory.
6. In this doctrinal environment, assurance of salvation became absolutely impossible.
7. NOTE: Since all this corruption is the logical result of the doctrine of baptismal regeneration and since the Protestant churches never succeeded in ridding themselves of this belief, therefore the return of the Protestant churches to the doctrinal position of Roman Catholicism is only a matter of time.
2. The gospel according to Paul
1. Paul presented his gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 [1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. [3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; [4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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1. How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
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2. That He was buried (1 Corinthians 15:4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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3. That He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
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2. He stated that his purpose was to preach the gospel, and in the same verse he contrasted that with baptism (1 Corinthians 1:17For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
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3. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:40-43 [40] But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? [41] And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. [42] And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. [43] And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
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1. If baptism is a requirement for salvation then the Lord Jesus had no right to tell the thief that he would be with Him in paradise.
2. Some have argued that this event took place before the death of Christ on the cross and that it changed when Christ died.
3. The problem with such a statement is that the thief outlived the Lord Jesus (John 19:31-37 [31] The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. [32] Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. [33] But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: [34] But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. [35] And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. [36] For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. [37] And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
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