Part 28 (2/2)

”Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Matt. 3:15.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE FORD OF JORDAN

”John also was baptizing in aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there.” John 3:23.]

BAPTISM

THE MEMORIAL OF THE RESURRECTION

Baptism is the divinely appointed memorial of the resurrection of Christ. The great fact of the gospel is that ”Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3, 4), to be our great High Priest and Saviour.

Baptism is a profession of faith in the Saviour, who went into the grave for us, and rose again to life. It is the great object-lesson to teach the truth that the sinner must die to sin and the world, and have a resurrection by the power of divine grace to a new life of obedience.

The ordinance is the sign of an actual experience, the means by which the believer confesses the work of grace in the soul.

The Scriptures teach the essential conditions necessary to baptism:

”Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Mark 16:15, 16.

”What doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Acts 8:36, 37.

”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” Acts 2:38.

Thus it is seen that instruction in the gospel, belief in Christ, and repentance are conditions to precede baptism.

Baptism for Believers

The experience of which baptism is the sign is thus stated:

”We are buried 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.” Rom. 6:4.

”As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

Gal. 3:27.

”Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of G.o.d, who hath raised Him from the dead.”

Col. 2:12.

In this ordinance, commanded of G.o.d, the believer is following the example of Christ, who, when baptized by John in Jordan, said, ”Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”

”Thus through the emblematic grave The glorious suffering Saviour trod; Thou art our Pattern, through the wave We follow Thee, blest Son of G.o.d.”

The Form of Baptism

The Scriptural form of baptism is shown in these texts:

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