Scripture Reading: Titus 3:1-7

Part 5

Water Baptism:

Objections to its Necessity

Intro.

1. Have discussed baptism’s authority, method, recipients & design.

2. Despite the weight of clear Bible passages many objections are offered to necessity of water baptism for salvation.

3. Every objection eliminates the force of truth by contradicting God’s word – Gal.1:8-9; 2 Cor. 11:4; Jude 3.

I. “YOU BELIEVE IN BAPTISMAL REGENERATION.”

A. This is the Charge of “Earning” Salvation.

1. cf. Letter from Dr. Victor B. Nelson, Ex. Assistant of Billy Graham Evangelistic Assoc. on Eph. 2:8-9 & Tit. 3:5-6.

2. Charge would make the water have the cleansing power, & the Christian earning/meriting his salvation.

B. Truth: Baptism is the Means by which God’s Mercy Saves Man – Titus 3:4-7.

1. A part of God’s kind love, mercy & grace!

a. Eph. 5:25-27 – Jesus cleanses us by water & word (Jno. 3:5; Heb. 10:22)

b. Acts 22:16 – God says it washes away sins (Rom. 6:3 – By Christ’s blood).

c. Eph. 2:8-9 – Obedient faith does not equal “earning salvation” (Lk. 17:10; Acts 10:34; Jas. 2:24).

II. “PAUL WAS SENT ‘NOT TO BAPTIZE, BUT TO PREACH’” – 1 Cor. 1:17.

A. Point of Emphasis was Preaching the Gospel, Not who Does the Baptizing.

1. Matt. 28:19 – Teach, baptize, teach.

2. Did Paul “disobey” (he baptized people, 1 Cor. 1:14, 16, 15).

3. Paul’s point: To avoid divisions, he was glad he didn’t baptize more – 1:11-13.

4. “Not...but” construction puts emphasis on the 2^nd part without negating the first – cf. Jno. 12:44; 1 Pet. 3:3-4.

III. “IN ACTS 2:38, BAPTISM IS ‘BECAUSE OF’ REMISSION OF SINS.”

A. Translations Reject this Meaning. (Not in 30 versions)

B. Context Rejects this Meaning.

1. 2:37 – Object of their question was to remove their guilt of sin.

2. 2:38 – Object of Peter’s answer was to save them.

3. Problem is not eis (for), problem is with baptism & what it is “for!”

C. Definition of eis Rejects this Meaning.

1. “Preposition governing the accusative & denoting entrance into, or direction & limit; into, to, towards, for, among” (Thayer, 183).

2. Coordinate conjunction connects two verbs of equal rank (repent & be baptized) – in order to have remission of sins.

3. Other instances of eis: Matt. 26:28; Acts 3:19; 11:18; Rom. 10:10; Heb. 10:39; 2 Cor. 7:10.

-Illustration of the futile attempt to mistranslate eis in Acts 2:38:

[OBGL: “For” (as used in #Ac 2:38 “for the forgiveness...”) could have two meanings. If you saw a poster saying “Jesse James wanted for robbery”, “for” could mean Jesse is wanted so he can commit a robbery, or is wanted because he has committed a robbery. The later sense is the correct one. So too in this passage, the word “for” signifies an action in the past. Otherwise, it would violate the entire tenor of the NT teaching on salvation by grace and not by works.]

IV. “RESTRICTS OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SAVED.”

A. The Man in the Desert (North Pole, etc.).

1. Acts 8:26, 36 – In a desert, yet obligated & able to be baptized.

2. Tries to construct a dilemma to clear commandment.

3. What about other opportunities which are rejected – 2 Cor. 6:2.

4. Man must yield to God’s commands, not negate them for convenience, etc.

V. “MARK 16:9-20 IS NOT INSPIRED MATERIAL.”

(“Not written by Mark, therefore, can’t use 16:16 to establish necessity of baptism.”)

A. Believers turn Skeptic to Discredit Water Baptism.

1. External evidence: Though not in Vatican & Sinaitic MSS, in almost all others; Quoted in 2^nd & 3^rd centuries; In all ancient translations (extant before Vatican & Sinaitic MSS).

2. Accident most likely destroyed last leaf of Vatican & Sinaitic MSS.

3. Still: Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21…

Conclusion

Why fight against God? Acts 5:39