BAPTISM THROUGH THE AGES
1 Peter
3: 18 – 22
Introduction:
1.
Some have asked,
“Where is baptism within the Old Testament?” Usually, their question is an
attempt to discredit the New Testament’s commanded act of obedience. The fact
is, this question has a biblical answer that surprises many, even long time
Bible students!
2.
No less than two
specific occasions mentioned in the New Testament relate a direct correlation
of baptism: often, the New Testament passage will specifically use the word
baptism in its dealing with the Old Testament event.
3.
Romans
15:4 carries great weight of
important reality when we recognize these facts! Though “BAPTISM” as a word is NOT mentioned in the Old Testament, it does not negate
the reality of its existence, nor purpose!
A. Genesis 6 – Describe God’s punishment pronounced and
Noah’s obedience.
1.
Gen. 6: 5 – 7 And GOD saw that
the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And
it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at
his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom
I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the
creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth
me that I have made them.
2.
Gen 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the
LORD.
a.
What granted
Noah grace? If it is TOTALLY unmerited favor, why did God not grant it to more
than Noah and his family?
b.
Gen. 6:18 –
22 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons,
and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee. And of every living thing of all
flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into
the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every
creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come
unto thee, to keep them alive.And take thou
unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt
gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Thus did Noah; according to
all that God commanded him, so did he.
c.
Ezekiel 14:20
Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor
daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
d.
Hebrews
11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not
seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared
an ark to the saving of
his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the
righteousness which is by faith.
e.
2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person,
a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
B.
Note the baptism
1.
The same water
that SAVED the righteous DESTROYED the wicked.
2.
“But the
righteous were not “buried” in the baptism.” No, but DEATH separated the two –
Notice Peter’s inspired statement:
3.
1
Peter 3: 18 – 21 -- For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in
prison; which sometime were disobedient, when
once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that
is, eight souls
were saved by
water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward
God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
A. Exodus 14: 10 – 22
1.
vs. 13 – Stand
still and see the salvation of the Lord.
2.
vs. 15 – 16 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto
me? speak unto the children of
3.
vs. 21 – 22 And
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back
by a strong east wind all
that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were
divided. And the children of
4.
vs. 26 – 30 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch
out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come
again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen. And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and
the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians
fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in
the midst of the sea. And the waters
returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and
all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not
so much as one of them. But the children of
5.
The same water
that SAVED God’s children DESTROYED God’s enemies.
B.
1 Corinthians 10: 1- 4
1.
Moreover,
brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
2.
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3.
And
did all eat the same spiritual
meat;
4.
And did all
drink the same spiritual drink:
for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ.
A. MarK 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness,
and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
B.
How Jesus described
John and his work.
1.
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they
which are gorgeously apparelled, and live
delicately, are in kings' courts.
2.
Luk 7:26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a
prophet.
3.
Luk 7:27 This is he,
of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall
prepare thy way before thee.
4.
Luk 7:28 For I say unto you, Among
those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the
Baptist: but he that is least in the
5.
Jesus proved the
origin of John’s baptism –Matthew 21: 23 - 27
C. His work was under the Old Testament
1.
(Paul, in
discussing with Jews in Antioch of Pisidia concerning
Jesus) -- Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised
unto
2.
Act 19:1 -
4 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper
coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have
ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy
Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto
what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him
which should come after
him, that is, on
Christ Jesus.
A. Commanded by Jesus
1.
Matthew 28:19 –
20
2.
Mark 16:16
B.
Proven plan of
salvation from Pentecost onward
1.
Acts 2:38
2.
Acts 10:48
(Cornelius) And he
commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
3.
Every case of conversation within the book of Acts INCLUDES
baptism IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, FOR
REMISSION OF SINS!
C. Romans 6: 1- 6; Colossians 2:14 show it is a BURIAL, IMMERSION in water.
D. Examine again 1 Peter 3: 18 – 22
1. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
2. 1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
3. 1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
4. 1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
5. 1Pe 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
Conclusion:
Throughout the ages, BAPTISM was used by the mighty hand of God to SAVE His obedient ones and DESTROY His enemies. Salvation NEVER came BEFORE they obeyed the commandments --- IT ALWAYS CAME AFTER! Note again the equation of Mark 16: 16 --- BELIEVE + BAPTISM = SALVATION