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Subject #1
Baptism
is merely a bodily act and concerns not the heart.
Romans
6: 17: "But God be thanked, that ye
were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you."
Baptism
is merely a "church ordinance," hence in the church's name.
Acts 10:
48: "And he commanded them to be baptized
in the name of the Lord."
We
are not buried in baptism.
Colossians
2: 12: "Buried with him in baptism."
Our
bodies are not washed in baptism.
Hebrews
10: 22: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water."
There
is no resurrection in baptism.
Romans
6: 4: "Therefore we are burled 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."
There
is no need for going down into the water for baptism.
Acts
8: 38: "And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and
he baptized him."
Much
water is not required for baptism--a
little
amount will do.
John
3: 23: "And John also was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, because there was much water there."
There
are many baptisms (sprinkling, pour ing, immersion);
take your choice.
Ephesians
4: 5: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."
He
that believes and is saved may be baptized if he chooses.
Mark
16:16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
Being
previously made free from sin at the mourners' bench, you obeyed "that form of
doctrine" as an evidence you were already servants of
righteousness.
Romans
6:17, 18: "But God be thanked, that
ye were the servants of sin, but ye have
from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness."
The
unsaved man has no right to be baptized.
Acts
2:38: "Repent, and be baptized every
one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of tins."
.
We
get into the Lord's body first; we are bap tized afterward.
1
Corinthians 12:13: By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body."
Baptism
does not put us into Christ.
Romans
6:3: "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death?"
In
baptism we do not put on Christ. We did that before and without baptism.
Galatians
3:27: "For as many of you as have beet baptized into Christ have put on
Christ."
Baptism
does not put us into the name Christ.
Matthew
28:19. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in
("into"--Revised Version) the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost."
Baptism
does not put us into the body (church) of Christ.
1
Corinthians 12:13: "By* one Spirit are we all baptized into one body."
We
are made free from sin before we obey this "form of doctrine."
Romans
6:17, 18: "Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered
you. Being then made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness."
No
one ever rejected the counsel of God by failing to be baptized.
Luke
7:30: "But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against them
selves, being not baptized of him."
"For the remission of sins" in Acts 2:38
means "because your sins are already remitted."
Matthew
26:28: "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins."
OBSERVE
Jesus shed His blood in order to
remit sins, not because they were already remitted.
Baptism
does not save us.
1
Peter 3:21: "Baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of
the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection
of Jesus Christ."
‘Water" in John 3:5 does not mean water,
but Spirit.
Then
it would make Jesus say: "Except a man be born of the
Spirit and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom
of Cod."
In
baptism we are washed WITH the Spirit.
Ephesians
5:25, 26: "Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might
sanc tify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word."
Philip baptized the men, women, and babies in Samaria.
Acts 8:12: "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the
name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."
Infants,
though they cannot believe, ought to be baptized.
Mark.
16:16: "He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved."
In
baptism infants can come to God without believing.
Hebrews
11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he
that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
subject #2 - SPRINKLING
FOR BAPTISM
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SPRINKLING has no emblem of Christ's
burial. Romans 6:4.
SPRINKLING has no suggestion of
your buried past. Romans 6:5.
SPRINKLING has no New Testament
command to obey. Acts 10:48.
SPRINKLING has no New Testament
precedent to imitate. Acts 8:38-39.
SPRINKLING has no divine example to
follow.
SPRINKLING has no promise of
remission for the past.
SPRINKLING has no assurance of hope
for the future.
SPRINKLING has no divine origin for
its existence.
SPRINKLING
HAS 0 N L Y THE CREEDS AND TRADITIONS OF MEN FOR ITS AUTHORITY!
AN INFANT IS SPRINKLED
WITHOUT desire.
WITHOUT faith.
WITHOUT repentance.
WITHOUT confession.
WITHOUT love.
WITHOUT expectation.
WITHOUT divine authority.
WITHOUT inspired example.
WITHOUT consent.
TO SPRINKLE AN INFANT
PRESUMPTION on the part of the
preacher is practiced.
FORCE on the part of the parents is
enlisted.
REBELLION on the part of the babe Is provoked.
DISOBEDIENCE on the part of all who
have part in this "forced dedication" is practiced.
Subject #3 - SEVEN OBJECTIONS TO
DENOMINATIONAL "BAPTISM"
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1. It has the wrong authority.
Jesus never commanded men to be
baptized into any denomination. Galatians 3:27.
2. It has the wrong subject.
It is the penitent believer who is
to be baptized, not the man who thinks he is already saved.
3. It has the wrong confession. Men
must confess Christ, not "feelings," if they would qualify for scriptural
baptism. Acts 8:37.
4. It has the wrong purpose.
It baptizes to get into a denomination
instead of the church of the Lord; it baptizes "because of" remission of sins
instead of "for the remission of sins. Acts 2: 38-47.
5. It has the wrong allegiance.
Sectarian "baptism" bind, men to
wear a denominational name; to obey and endorse a denominational creed,
organization and progrkm.
6. It has the wrong order.
Its order is: Repentance, faith,
salvation, baptism. The Bible order is:
Faith,
repentance, confession, baptism, salvation. Acts 2: 36, 38, 41; 8:37; 18:8.
7. It has the wrong emphasis. It
attracts people to denominational names, creeds and programs instead of
attracting them to the Christ, his will and his kingdom.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER
He who opposes baptism "for [in order to] the remission
of sins" (Acts 2:38) has much in common with:
1. The atheists, who think baptism ridiculous and foolish.
2. The Pharisees, who rejected the counsel of God.
3. The sinners, who refuse to vow allegiance to heaven.
4. The sectarians, who make it merely a "church ordinance."
5. The hypocrites, who use it for a show.
6. The universalists, who ignore it
entirely.
7. The agnostics, who just do not understand it.