DEPRAVITY
To
SECURITY
Building
A Secure and Stable Life
Based Upon The
Solid Rock
Reprinted by permission from the Author
Monte Leavell
Chapter 7
BUILDING UPON THE FOUNDATION
PART 3
The second ordinance the Lord gave the local church is baptism. There is much confusion about baptism in the world today. It is a defining moment in a person’s life. Baptism is important to many people partly because of the misuse and abuse of this ordinance. It is important to God because He has instructed the local church to baptize people after they get saved. Like the Lord’s Table, this ordinance is not for salvation or to merit salvation but is for people already saved. As we have already studied, baptism has no part in our salvation.
Baptism is for believers and is to be administrated thro7ugh the local church. It is a step of obedience to God. It is a step of obedience to God. The method of baptism is by immersion. This means that a person is to be placed completely under the water and then brought back up out of the water. It is a beautiful picture of what Jesus Christ did for us. When we are in the water, we are identifying with the death of our Savior. When we go under the surface of the water, we are identifying with the burial of our Savior and when we come up out of the water, we are identifying with the resurrection of our Savior. Baptism is identification with the Savior. It is a beautiful, public picture of who we now are. Read Romans 6:3-5. Again, this demonstrates the beauty of the picture God has put together of what Christ has done for us.
Baptism is a public demonstration of what has happened in our hearts. That is why it is done in the local church. That is why it is done in public. We were once dead in our sins and now we are alive in Christ. We are publicly identifying with Him and with all those who are already saved when we are baptized. This can be a stumbling block for some people. It is often a step of obedience to God which will challenge each person as to whether they are real and serious about trusting Christ as their Savior. Baptism does not save but it is a step in the growth of a believer. It will confront each Christian as to whether they want their will or are they really willing to give God everything and do what He asks of them. That is why we call it a step of obedience.
As a pastor, I had the privilege of baptizing many people. I was always impressed by the joy of the people who I a baptizing. They have such a smile and glow about them, it is amazing. I have come to the conclusion it is because they are doing exactly what God wants them to do. There is always joy doing what God wants. The step of baptism should happen early in the life of a new Christian. It will help your to understand the joy in obeying God. It will also teach us that His commandments are not hard but are for our best. If you have not been baptized yet, this is a step you should take in your local church soon.
READ – Matthew 28:19-20
The word teach has the idea of making disciples of all nations. After they are saved, they are to be baptized. Then they are to be instructed how to live the Christian life as God would have us to live. This command is for the chu7rch and is called the Great Commission. This is what the local church is to be busy doing. Baptism is after they become a disciple or as we would say, after they are saved.
READ – Acts 8:26-39
Here is an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the Scriptures in the book of Isaiah. God sent Philip to witness to him. The man was interested in what God was saying in the Bible. Philip started right where the man was reading and began to share Jesus Christ with him. As they were traveling along, they came to some water. The man asked Philip what hindered him from being baptized. Here is the condition given in verse 37. Do you believe with all your heart? The man answered that he believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He trusted Christ as his Savior right there on the road. Then both Philip and the eunuch went into the water and Philip baptized him.
The mode or method of baptism is demonstrated here. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and they both went up out of the water after the eunuch had been baptized. There are many churches that have adopted other methods of baptism but they are contrary to what God has set forth for the church. We must do what He wants and we must do it the way He wants. Methods are important to God. Baptism by immersion is a command and every believer is to be baptized after they are saved. If you are not already, talk with your pastor and set a time to take this step in your walk with God.
Men’s Ministry – Leading Men into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
To own your own copy of Depravity to Security e-mail:
Monte Leavell
Visions West Ministries
backpacker1@aol.com
Cost is approximately $5.00 per copy
To
SECURITY
Building
A Secure and Stable Life
Based Upon The
Solid Rock
Reprinted by permission from the Author
Monte Leavell
Chapter 7
BUILDING UPON THE FOUNDATION
PART 3
The second ordinance the Lord gave the local church is baptism. There is much confusion about baptism in the world today. It is a defining moment in a person’s life. Baptism is important to many people partly because of the misuse and abuse of this ordinance. It is important to God because He has instructed the local church to baptize people after they get saved. Like the Lord’s Table, this ordinance is not for salvation or to merit salvation but is for people already saved. As we have already studied, baptism has no part in our salvation.
Baptism is for believers and is to be administrated thro7ugh the local church. It is a step of obedience to God. It is a step of obedience to God. The method of baptism is by immersion. This means that a person is to be placed completely under the water and then brought back up out of the water. It is a beautiful picture of what Jesus Christ did for us. When we are in the water, we are identifying with the death of our Savior. When we go under the surface of the water, we are identifying with the burial of our Savior and when we come up out of the water, we are identifying with the resurrection of our Savior. Baptism is identification with the Savior. It is a beautiful, public picture of who we now are. Read Romans 6:3-5. Again, this demonstrates the beauty of the picture God has put together of what Christ has done for us.
Baptism is a public demonstration of what has happened in our hearts. That is why it is done in the local church. That is why it is done in public. We were once dead in our sins and now we are alive in Christ. We are publicly identifying with Him and with all those who are already saved when we are baptized. This can be a stumbling block for some people. It is often a step of obedience to God which will challenge each person as to whether they are real and serious about trusting Christ as their Savior. Baptism does not save but it is a step in the growth of a believer. It will confront each Christian as to whether they want their will or are they really willing to give God everything and do what He asks of them. That is why we call it a step of obedience.
As a pastor, I had the privilege of baptizing many people. I was always impressed by the joy of the people who I a baptizing. They have such a smile and glow about them, it is amazing. I have come to the conclusion it is because they are doing exactly what God wants them to do. There is always joy doing what God wants. The step of baptism should happen early in the life of a new Christian. It will help your to understand the joy in obeying God. It will also teach us that His commandments are not hard but are for our best. If you have not been baptized yet, this is a step you should take in your local church soon.
READ – Matthew 28:19-20
The word teach has the idea of making disciples of all nations. After they are saved, they are to be baptized. Then they are to be instructed how to live the Christian life as God would have us to live. This command is for the chu7rch and is called the Great Commission. This is what the local church is to be busy doing. Baptism is after they become a disciple or as we would say, after they are saved.
READ – Acts 8:26-39
Here is an Ethiopian eunuch who was reading the Scriptures in the book of Isaiah. God sent Philip to witness to him. The man was interested in what God was saying in the Bible. Philip started right where the man was reading and began to share Jesus Christ with him. As they were traveling along, they came to some water. The man asked Philip what hindered him from being baptized. Here is the condition given in verse 37. Do you believe with all your heart? The man answered that he believed that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He trusted Christ as his Savior right there on the road. Then both Philip and the eunuch went into the water and Philip baptized him.
The mode or method of baptism is demonstrated here. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and they both went up out of the water after the eunuch had been baptized. There are many churches that have adopted other methods of baptism but they are contrary to what God has set forth for the church. We must do what He wants and we must do it the way He wants. Methods are important to God. Baptism by immersion is a command and every believer is to be baptized after they are saved. If you are not already, talk with your pastor and set a time to take this step in your walk with God.
Men’s Ministry – Leading Men into a Growing Relationship with Jesus Christ
To own your own copy of Depravity to Security e-mail:
Monte Leavell
Visions West Ministries
backpacker1@aol.com
Cost is approximately $5.00 per copy
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