Jan 7-13-07 Baptism, Repentance

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

John 3:1 MSG There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a

prominent leader among the Jews. 2 Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one

could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't

in on it."

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

3 Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to--to God's

kingdom." 4 “How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be

born again.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

What are you saying with this 'born-from-above' talk?" 5 Jesus said,

"You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation--the 'wind hovering over the water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life--it's not possible to enter

God's kingdom.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

It is not possible unless you’re baptized!

John 3:5 CEV Jesus answered: I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by

the Spirit.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

The same word is used in:Ephesians 5:26 CEV He made the

church holy by the power of his word, and he made it pure by washing it

with water.Ephesians 5:26 MSG Christ’s love makes the church whole. His words

evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best

out of her,

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Titus 3:5 MSG he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had

nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it

new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Jesus here says that baptism is an ordinance of his religion.

Mark 16:16 MSG Whoever believes and is baptized is saved; whoever

refuses to believe is damned.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

It is clear from these places, and from the example of the apostles

Acts 2:38 MSG Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be

baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven. Receive the gift of the

Holy Spirit.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 2:41 MSG That day about three thousand took him at his word, were

baptized and were signed up.Acts 8:12 MSG But when Philip came to town announcing the news of God's kingdom and proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ, they forgot Simon and were baptized, becoming believers

right and left!

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

13 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. From that moment he was like Philip's shadow, so

fascinated with all the God-signs and miracles that he wouldn't

leave Philip's side.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 8:36 MSG As they continued down the road, they came to a stream

of water. The eunuch said, "Here's water. Why can't I be baptized?" 37 (OMITTED TEXT) 38 He ordered the chariot to stop. They both went

down to the water, and Philip baptized him on the spot.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 9:18 MSG No sooner were the words out of his mouth than

something like scales fell from Saul's eyes--he could see again! He got to his feet, was baptized,

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 10:47 MSG “Do I hear any objections to baptizing these friends

with water? They've received the Holy Spirit exactly as we did." 48 Hearing no objections, he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay on for a

few days.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 16:15 MSG After she was baptized, along with everyone in her

household, she said in a surge of hospitality, "If you're confident that

I'm in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests." We hesitated, but she

wouldn't take no for an answer.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 16:33 MSG They never did get to bed that night. The jailer made them feel at home, dressed their

wounds, and then--he couldn't wait till morning!--was baptized, he and

everyone in his family.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 18:8 MSG But Paul's efforts with the Jews weren't a total loss,

for Crispus, the meeting-place president, put his trust in the

Master. His entire family believed with him. In the course of listening to Paul, a great many Corinthians

believed and were baptized.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Acts 22:16 MSG So what are you waiting for? Get up and get

yourself baptized, scrubbed clean of those sins and personally

acquainted with God.'

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Galatians 3:27 MSG Your baptism in Christ was not just washing you

up for a fresh start. It also involved dressing you in an adult faith wardrobe--Christ's life, the

fulfillment of God's original promise.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Romans 6:4 MSG When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are

raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

Colossians 2:12 MSG If it's an initiation ritual you're after, you've

already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going

under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising

you from the dead as he did Christ.

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

1 Peter 3:19 MSG He went and proclaimed God's salvation to

earlier generations who ended up in the prison of judgment

Baptism, You Must Be Born Again!!

This ordinance is binding on all who professed to love the Lord Jesus. It is the duty of everyone not only to love the Saviour, but to make an acknowledgment of that love by being baptized, and by devoting

himself thus to his service.

You must Repent

Acts 8:9 MSG Previous to Philip's arrival, a certain Simon had

practiced magic in the city, posing as a famous man and dazzling all the Samaritans with his wizardry.

10 He had them all, from little children to old men, eating out of

his hand.

You must Repent

They all thought he had supernatural powers, and called him "the Great Wizard." 11 He had been around a

long time and everyone was more or less in awe of him. 12 But when Philip came to town announcing the news of God's kingdom and proclaiming the

name of Jesus Christ, they forgot Simon and were baptized, becoming

believers right and left!

You must Repent

13 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. From that moment he was like

Philip's shadow, so fascinated with all the God-signs and miracles that he wouldn't leave Philip's side. 14 When the apostles

in Jerusalem received the report that Samaria had accepted God's Message,

they sent Peter and John down 15 to pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit.

You must Repent

16 Up to this point they had only been baptized in the name of the

Master Jesus; the Holy Spirit hadn't yet fallen on them. 17 Then

the apostles laid their hands on them and they did receive the Holy

Spirit.

You must Repent

18 When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited, 19 and said, "Sell me your secret! Show me

how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!"

You must Repent

20 Peter said, "To hell with your money! And you along with it.

Why, that's unthinkable--trying to buy God's gift! 21 You’ll never be

part of what God is doing by striking bargains and offering

bribes.

You must Repent

22 Change your ways--and now! Ask the Master to forgive you for trying to use God to make money. 23 I can see this is an old habit with you; you reek

with money-lust." 24 “Oh!" said Simon, "pray for me! Pray to the

Master that nothing like that will ever happen to me!"

You must Repent

But, lest Nicodemus should suppose that this was all that was meant,

water baptism, he added that it was necessary that he should "be born

of the Spirit" also. This was predicted of the Saviour, that he should "baptize with the Holy

Ghost and with fire,"

You must Repent

Matthew 3:11 MSG “I'm baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama--compared to him I'm a

mere stagehand--will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within

you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.

You must Repent

By this is clearly intended that the heart must be changed. This great change is in the Scripture ascribed

uniformly to the Holy Spirit,

You must Repent

Titus 3:5 MSG he saved us from all that. It was all his doing; we had

nothing to do with it. He gave us a good bath, and we came out of it

new people, washed inside and out by the Holy Spirit.

You must Repent

1 Thessalonians 1:6 MSG and determined to live that way

yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!--taking the trouble with

the joy, the joy with the trouble.

You must Repent

Romans 5:5 MSG In alert expectancy such as this, we're

never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary--we can't round

up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours

into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

You must Repent

it's not possible to enter - This is the way, the appropriate way, of entering into the kingdom of the Messiah here and hereafter. He cannot enter into the true church here, or into heaven in the world to come, except in connection

with a change of heart, and by the proper expression of that change in

the ordinances appointed by the Saviour. (Barnes)

You must Repent

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus does

not reply directly to the question of Nicodemus, but proceeds to give a more explicit statement concerning the new birth. One must be born of

water and of the Spirit.

You must Repent

Whatever this may mean, it will be admitted by all (1) that no one is a

member of the kingdom of God until he is born again; (2) that the Savior declares the impossibility

of one entering who is not born of water and of the Spirit.

You must Repent

All agree that the birth of the Spirit refers to the inward, or spiritual change that takes place, and all

candid authorities agree that born of water refers to baptism.

You must Repent

So Alford, Wesley, Abbott, Whitby, Olshausen, Tholuck, Prof. Wm. Milligan, the Episcopal Prayer

Book, the Westminister Confession, the M. E. Discipline, and M. E. Doctrinal Tracts, and

also the writers of the early Church all declare.

You must Repent

Alford says: "All attempts to get rid of this have sprung from doctrinal prejudices."

Abbott says: "We are to understand Christ as he expected his auditor to understand him. John the Baptist baptized both Jew and Gentile as a sign of purification by repentance from past sins. Nicodemus

would then have certainly understood by the expression, 'born of water,' a reference

to this rite of baptism." (Peoples New Testament Notes)