The Way: Water Baptism

Isaiah 35:8 
And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 


John 14:6 
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 


Acts 24:14 
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 


1 John 5:7-8 
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 


1 Corinthians 15:1-4 
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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: 


Acts 2:38 
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.


Romans 6:6-7 
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. 


Matthew 28:19 
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 


Mark 16:15-16 
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 


Luke 24:47-49 
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 


John 20:23 
Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

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Acts 2:38 
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

IMMERSION (Greek “baptizo”) vs. SPRINKLING (Greek “rantizo”) 
MUCH WATER - John 3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. 
INTO THE WATER - Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 
OUT OF THE WATER - Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. 
BURIED IN WATER - Romans 6:4 Therefore 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. 
PLANTED IN WATER - Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 


“Name of Jesus Christ” vs. “Name of the Father, Son & Holy Ghost” 
JEWS - Acts 2:38 ... be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins 
SAMARITANS - Acts 8:16 ... they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus 

GENTILES - Acts 10:48 ... he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord 
REBAPTISM OF EPHESIANS - Acts 19:5 ... they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus 
PETER TAUGHT - Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 
PAUL TAUGHT - Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

What about Matthew 28:19? 
1. NO ONE is being baptized in this verse. 
2. NAME is singular. These three titles don’t have any authority; 
they just describe the one name. 
3. Matthew didn’t write this until AD 62. EVERY baptism for 30 
years had been in Jesus’ name. 
4. The Apostles didn’t just REPEAT Jesus’ command; they 
OBEYED Jesus’ command. 
There are no delayed baptisms in the New Testament. 
Acts 2:41 - “the same day” 
Acts 16:33 - “the same hour” 

Acts 9:18 - “immediately” 
Acts 10:48 - “he commanded them to be baptized” 
Acts 22:16 - “why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I AM BAPTIZED? 
My sins are washed away or “remitted” 
Acts 22:16 
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. 
My conscience is cleansed from past guilt 
1 Peter 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: 
I put on the only saving name, Jesus Christ 
Galatians 3:27 
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 
I apply the burial of Christ to my life 
Romans 6:3-4


Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore 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. 
I am legally brought into God’s covenant 
Colossians 2:11-12 
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 
I am “born of the water” to portray my new life 
John 3:5 
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
BLOOD, WATER, SPIRIT ... THERE IS JUST ONE WAY! 
Remember how REPENTANCE means “destroy the house”? Well, you could say that BAPTISM means “drown the army”! Paul compares our baptism to Israel crossing the Red Sea, while Pharaoh’s army drowned. 
1 Corinthians 10:1-2
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; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; ​