Baptismisalsoasymbol. Itpicturesthesalvationexperienceofthepersonbeingbaptizedandhisawarenessofownership.HenowisunderthemanagementofatriuneGod;GodtheFather,GodtheSon,andGodtheHolySpirit.BaptismidentifiesuswithatriuneGod. ItsaysthatyouareaTrinitarian.Jesuscommandsustobebaptizedafteroursalvationexperience.

GodtheFather-ApprovedSalvation-TheSourceJames1:17,1John4:14,John14:26GodtheSon-AchievedSalvation-TheChannelIPeter3:18,John14:6, Isaiah53:6,Romans6:3-6John5:21,15:6GodtheHolySpirit -AppliedSalvation-TheAgent1Corinthians12:13,Titus3:5,John3:5

Questions:1.What isanordinance?2.Whatdoesbaptismsymbolize?3.WhoarethethreepersonsofGodmentionedinbaptism?4.Whydowedip/immerseyouforwardthreetimes?

BAPTISMISTOFOLLOWCONVERSION

Sincebaptismisasymbol, it followsthat itshouldalwaysoccurafterthesalvationexperience.EveryNewTestamentpassageshowsthatbaptismfollowedconversion.

Noticethefollowingpassages:"...thosewhohadreceivedHisWordwerebaptized."Acts2:41"...thosewhohadreceivedtheHolySpirit...heorderedthembaptized."Acts10:47-48"...heartsopentotheLordandtheentirehouseholdwasbaptized."Acts16:14,15"...whentheyheardandbelieved,theywerebaptized."Acts18:8

BAPTISMISONLYFORGENUINEBELIEVERS

ReligioniscommonplaceandmanypeoplehaveheadknowledgeoftheworkofChrist.Sincebaptismisasymbol, it followsthat itshouldalwaysoccurafterthesalvationexperience.EveryNewTestamentpassageshowsthatbaptismfollowedconversion.wever,onlytrueheartacceptanceofChristresults insalvation. InActs8:13,wehaverecordedthat"Simonhimselfbelieved"andwas"baptized."However, itwasonlyanunderstandingofthefacts,notapersonaltrust intheLord.Thus,hetriedtobuythepoweroftheSpirit,andPetertoldSimonhewouldperish(v.20);hadnopart inthisteaching(v.21);hisheartwasnotrightbeforeGod(v.22);andhewas inthebondageofsin(v.23).Simonwasbaptized,butnotreallybornagain.

Onedearsaintsaidthatatherfirstbaptismshe,"wentdownintothewateradryunbelieverandcameupawetunbeliever!"ShethenrelatedhowshelatertrustedinChristandwasbaptizedagainafterherconversion.

Questions:1.Whoshouldbebaptizedandwhen?2.Whatmustapersondobeforetheycanbebaptized?3. Ifyouwerebaptizedbeforeyouweresaved,whatshouldyoudo?

BAPTISMISATESTIMONYTOOTHERS

Baptismgivestestimonyoffaith inChristtothebaptizerandanyotherswatchingtheservice.Thedegreeofprivacyorpublicity inActs isnotstressed,yetthere isnoattempttobaptize insecrecy.Acts2:41seemsto indicateacrowd.Acts8:38seemstoshowonlyafew.Obviously,there

THE MEANING OF BAPTISMManybelieversask,"Justwhat isbaptism,anyway?""Whyhavesuchapractice?""What isthepurposebehinditall?"

Thesearesignificantbasicquestions.TheBiblegivesanswers!

Baptismisasymbol.Jesusknewthatsymbolswouldhelpusunderstandandrememberspiritualtruths,soHegaveordinances justbeforehisdeath.Anordinanceisaphysicalactthatsymbolizesaspiritualreality.Baptismisanordinance thatsymbolizessalvation.Baptismcanbecomparedtothecandlelightserviceperformedinmanyweddingstoday.Afterthebrideandgroomarepronouncedhusbandandwife,theyeachtakeoneoftheoutsidecandlesandlightthecentercandle.Theyextinguishtheirseparatecandles.Theyaresymbolizingtwolivesunitedintoone.

isalwaysat leastonetowitnessthetestimony-thebaptizer. InthebookofActs,thewitnessesofbaptismalserviceswereusuallyChristians.Baptismis forthechurchfamily. Itshowstheexcitementofnewbrothersandsisters inChrist.Baptismisnotprimarilyanannouncementofone'ssalvationtotheunsavedworld,butrathertotheBodyofChrist

BAPTISMISASTEPINOBEDIENCETOCHRIST

Whenabeliever isbaptized,he isobeyingHisLord.Thebeliever issaying inaction,"IwilldowhatevertheLordasks-evengetting immersedinwater."BaptismisabeginningoftheLordshipofJesusChrist."Bebaptized," inActs22:16isapermissivemiddletense intheGreek languagemeaning,"allowyourselftobebaptized."Becauseofthe importanceofthebaptismaltestimony(bothtothebelieverandthechurch),baptismwasalwaysencouragedimmediatelyuponconversioninActs.Evidentlythefullteachingconcerningthemeaningandsignificancewasdoneaftertheexperience.

Theprinciplefortoday isthatweshouldnotbeconcernedthatonebeingbaptizedknowsallthedoctrineonbaptismbeforehecanbebaptized.Somebasicteaching is important,butmuchoftheunderstandingwill followtheexperience.Thiscanbecomparedtosalvation.Oneusuallytrusts inChrist,knowingonlythefundamentals,thenlaterdiscoversmorefullythewonderfuldoctrine(teaching)ofsalvation.Obedience,notcompleteunderstanding, iswhatmattersmosttoGod.

Questions:1.Whoisbaptismfor?Baptismshowstheexcitementofwhom?2.Whenapersonisbaptized,whomaretheyobeying?3.Whenshouldyoubebaptized?4.GodisnotsomuchconcernedwithourtotalunderstandingasHeiswithour...?

WHODOESTHEBAPTIZING?

Theemphasis isnotonthepersonwhoisdoingthebaptizing,butonthepersonbeingbaptized.Thebaptizermustbeabeliever. It isalwaysanhonorforeverypastortobaptizepeoplewhoare inhiscare,howevertheBibleneversayshe istheonlyoneinthechurchwhocandothebaptizing.Perhapsa lovingfather,amentor,oreventheonewhohadtheopportunityto leadthepersonbeingbaptizedtotheLordmightwanttoplayapartinthebaptism.Thepastoralstaff isopentothepossibleoptionsthatmightariseaswelookateachindividualbeingbaptized.

Question: 1.Whomaydothebaptizing?

WHATIFIHAVEBEENBAPTIZEDSOMEOTHERWAY?

It isneverthe intentiontounderminethesignificantstepsabelievertakes infollowingandobeyingtheLord.Theword,"Baptism," istheword,"Baptidzo," intheoriginal language.Thiswordmeansto"immerse"andquitepossiblymeansamultipleaction,aswell.Wewanttobeastruetothetextaspossible,thereforewepractice immersionhere.Concerningthreetimesforward,onemust lookatthegrammerofthetext.Thecommandistobaptizeandisevidencedinthreeactions. If I tellmysontopickuphistoys,thecommandisto,"Pickuphistoys." If Iaddthewordstomycommand,"Pickupyourtoys 'inthe livingroom,'and'inthebasement,'and'inyourbedroom,'"andheonlypicksuphistoys inoneoftherooms,hashecompletelyobeyed?

Weencourageallbelievers involvedinGatewayChurchtobetriuneimmersed. Itwillbeapositiveandgreatexperienceinyour lifeandinthe lifeoftheChurchfamily.ThebodyofChristfunctionsbest inunity.EverypartneratGatewayChurchisencouragedtobebaptizedby immersionaftertheirsalvationexperience.

Question: 1. If Ihavebeenbaptizedbysomeothermode,whatshouldIdo?

NOWTHATI'MREADY-WHATSHOULDIDO?

Ifyou'vereadoverthe informationinthisbrochureanddesiretofollowChrist inbaptism,signupatGTWY.lifeandcompletethepre-baptismworksheet.