<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Untitled Document • Learning About Baptism From A Snake; A Captain; And A Blind Man
• It is our objective to reveal a Biblical truth frequently distorted by many groups in the religious world and outright denied by others.
• INTRODUCTION
• Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.”
• Our study for these sermons is entitled:
“A Snake, A Captain, A Blind Man, & Baptism”.
• We have examined each of the subject parts separately before establishing how in principle they are related.
• BAPTISM
• The records of the brass snake, captain, and the blind man all illustrate a principle found in the Gospel record of the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The people in these records were required to obey before they were blessed.
• The Gospel of Christ must be BELIEVED as well as OBEYED before pardon is granted.
• Jesus said in Mark 16:16 – “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
• BAPTISM
• When one BELIEVES the facts and OBEYS the commands of the gospel, then he is blessed with salvation . . . but not until then.
• The Israelites were commanded to look up at the brass snake . . .
• Naaman was commanded to dip seven times in the Jordan River . . .
• The blind man was commanded to wash the clay from his eyes in the Pool of Siloam.
• These things were commanded of them, but now what does Christ command of us today?
• BAPTISM
• Believe in Him. John 8:24 - “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
• Repent of sins. Luke 13:3 – “I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
• Confess Christ before others. Matthew 10:32-33 – “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
• Romans 10:10 – “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
• BAPTISM
• Be baptized (immersed in water) for the remission of sins.
• Acts 2:38 - “. . . Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins . . .”
• Acts 22:16 – “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
• BAPTISM
• The Savior is NOT FAITH . . .
• The Savior is NOT REPENTANCE . . .
• The Savior is NOT CONFESSION . . .
• The Savior is NOT BAPTISM . . .
• The Savior is the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Begotten Son of God.
• But the steps of faith . . . repentance . . . confession . . . and baptism . . . are steps all men must take in order to return to God.
• BAPTISM
• Baptism (immersion in water for the remission of sins) is:
• The last step or act of obedience before salvation is granted.
• It is the borderline to the kingdom of God.
• It is the last step before entrance into Christ.
• BAPTISM
• Galatians 3:27 – “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
• Before one is baptized, he is OUTSIDE of Christ . . . after one is baptized, he is IN Christ.
• Faith in God moves one to be baptized . . .
• As it moved Israel to look upon the brass snake and live.
• As it moved Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River to be cleansed of his leprosy.
• As it moved the blind man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam there in Jerusalem.
• BAPTISM
• “Is this water salvation?”
• No! This is not water salvation.
• The water in baptism has no more power in and of itself to cleanse from sin than:
• The brass snake did in healing Israel of snake bites.
• The water did in healing Naaman of the loathsome disease of leprosy.
• The clay and the water in the Pool of Siloam to cure the blind man.
• BAPTISM
• The blood of Jesus Christ is the only power to remove sin.
• Revelation 1:5 - “. . . To Him (Christ) who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.”
• Baptism is the TIME that the blood of Jesus washes away the sins of man.
• 3. The water is the PLACE where the promise of God and the obedience of man meet for it to happen.
• BAPTISM
• Romans 6:3-5 – “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.”
• BAPTISM
• Baptism is the POINT at which a person is cleansed of his sin.
• This is WHEN faith saves.
• There is no inherent good or evil in the water of baptism.
• God uses water baptism to test the faith of the individual.
• It is merely an instrument and not a power in and of itself.
• BAPTISM
• Now notice the order of healing:
• 1 Belief . . . . . . “If I am baptized into Christ I will be cleansed of all of my sins.”
• 2 Obedience . . . . . . Baptized (Immersed in water) for the remission of sins.
• 3 Cleansing . . . . . . Cleansed (forgiven) of all of past sins.
• BAPTISM
• God declares to man that his faith will save him when it moves him to repent of his sins . . . confess Jesus as the Son of God . . . and be baptized for the remission of his sins.
• God could have given us a brass snake on a pole to look upon in order to be healed of our sins today . . . but He didn’t.
• God has told man that water baptism is the TIME of salvation and not the POWER of it.
• BAPTISM
• Baptism is the TIME one enters Christ. Galatians 3;27; Romans 6:3
• Baptism is the TIME one’s sins are washed away. Acts 22:16
• Baptism is the TIME one is born again. John 3:3-5
• Baptism is the TIME one is raised to the new life. Romans 6:4
• Baptism is the TIME one is added to the kingdom of God—the church. Acts 2:42, 47
• Baptism is the TIME one is saved. Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21
• BAPTISM
• Unfortunately:
• Many like the Israelites refuse to look in the right direction.
• Many like Naaman refuse to go to the right source of water.
• Many like the blind man refuse to wash in the assigned water.
• Don’t be like these.
• BAPTISM
• To be immersed in an actual pool of blood would be undesirable by people . . . and God knew that.
• One the other hand, we cannot be cleansed without coming in contact with the blood of Christ.
• God knew that water would not be undesirable in that we enter it daily to cleanse our bodies . . . so why should one refuse to enter it once to cleanse one’s soul for all eternity.
• In the act of so being immersed, God applies cleansing blood of Christ to our souls.
• In the process, our bodies get wet . . . but our souls become cleansed of all of our sins.
• CONCLUSION
• The only thing left for ANYONE to do is simply what the Bible says.
• 1 Peter 3:21 – “There is also an antitype which now saves us -- baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
• The time is provided now to encourage you to exercise your faith in obedience to the Gospel of Christ and become a Christian.
• Will you come to Jesus now and be baptized?

By Carey Scott from an outline by Donnie S. Barnes

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