South End
Church of Christ
4001 Taylor Blvd
Louisville, KY 40215

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10 Facts About Baptism
Aaron Erhardt

1. Baptism is immersion (Rom. 6:4) (1)

2. Baptism is commanded (Acts 10:48) (2)

3. Baptism is urgent (Acts 22:16) (3)

4. Baptism is for believers (Mk. 16:16) (4)

5. Baptism is for forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38) (5)

6. Baptism puts one into Christ (Gal. 3:27)

7. Baptism saves (1 Pet. 3:21)

8. Preaching Jesus includes baptism (Acts 8:35-36)

9. Every detailed conversion in Acts mentions baptism

10. here are certain components for scriptural baptism (6)

Footnotes:

1. Lexicons say the Greek word for baptism (baptisma) means to plunge or immerse. Hence, baptism is a “burial” in water. There is no indication that sprinkling or pouring was practiced in the early church.

2. To argue that one can be saved without baptism is tantamount to saying he can be saved without obeying divine commands.

3. 3,000 Jews were baptized in one day (Acts 2:41), the eunuch was baptized on the side of the road (Acts 8:38), and the jailor was baptized at midnight following an earthquake (Acts 16:33). These examples illustrate that baptism is not to be delayed or postponed.

4. Infants cannot believe. Therefore, they are not proper candidates for baptism.

5. Jesus shed His blood “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Yet Peter said baptism is “for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38). Hence, the blood forgives sins when one is baptized.

6. There are four components: (1) Proper mode—immersion, (2) Proper authority—name of Christ, (3) Proper purpose—forgiveness of sins, and (4) Proper subject—penitent believer.