Study on Baptism

1. What Baptism Does Not Do
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves
you—not the removal of dirt from the
flesh, but an appeal to God for a good
conscience—through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 3:21).

2. Why Study
• Some may place too much emphasis on it.
• Some may think that baptism does it all.
• What does baptism do?
– Washes away sins (Acts 22:16)
– Puts one in Christ (Gal. 3:27; 2 Tim. 2:10)
– Saves (1 Pet. 3:21)
– Gives new life (Rom. 6:4)

3. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not put off the filth of the flesh.
– Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—
not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an
appeal to God for a good conscience—through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 3:21).
• Does not change the heart.
– And made no distinction between us and them,
purifying their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9).

4. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not take away desire to sin.
– For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to
salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the
world produces death.
– Jesus tempted to sin after his baptism (Matt. 4).
• Does not negate any other command of God.
– Then those who gladly received his word were
baptized; and that day about three thousand souls
were added to them. And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the
breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2:41-42).

5. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not assure salvation for the future.
– “Baptism now saves us…” (1 Pet. 3:21)
– Salvation: Past, Present, Future
• He who believes and is baptized will be saved (Mk. 16:16).
• Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).
• To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not
fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the
power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time (1 Pet. 1:4-5).
• Observing “all things” assures present & future salvation (Matt.
28:19).

6. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not assure salvation for the future.
– We must add to our faith…
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control
perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly
kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are
yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is
shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was
cleansed from his old sins.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and
election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for
so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:5-
11).

7. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not make you a member of a local church
– And the Lord added to the church daily those who were
being saved (Acts 2:47).
– And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join
the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did
not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took
him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared
to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that
He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly
at Damascus in the name of Jesus. So he was with them
at Jerusalem, coming in and going out (Acts 9:26-28).

8. What Baptism Does Not Do
• Does not remove persecution, affliction,
sickness, or death.
– Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus
will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12).
– Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-60).
– Trophimus became ill (2 Tim. 4:20).
– Paul had a thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7).

9. What Baptism Does
• Washes away sins (Acts 22:16)
• Puts one in Christ (Gal. 3:27; 2 Tim. 2:10)
• Saves (1 Pet. 3:21)
• Gives new life (Rom. 6:4)
• Baptism IS a condition of salvation (Acts 2:38)
– No promise of heaven without it.
– Obey command, then press on to maturity.