BAPTISM DEFENDED

Is baptism just a Jewish ritual?...or is it meant for Gentile Christians too?

           

Here is the directive the Lord Jesus gave to His disciples about all nations:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”  
Matthew 28:19-20

            

            Did the Lord expect new believers to accept baptism?

“He who believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”            Mark 16:16

            

             Peter upheld this directive…and didn’t leave the children out!

“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. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”  Acts 2:38-39
 

            …and so did Paul…

“…he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptised.”     Acts 9:18

Okay, they were Jews – what about Gentiles like the Ethiopian treasurer and Cornelius the centurion?

“See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?...they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”                      Acts 8:36-

“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?                                             
And he [Peter] commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord…”                           Acts 10:47-48

            What did Paul teach on baptism?

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live longer therein?  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 should also walk in newness of life.  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”             Romans 6:1-5

 

            Now for household baptism of Gentiles - in Philippi, Macedonia…          
“And when she [Lydia] was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there….”        Acts 16:15

            …even the town jailer – and his family!                                                                   

“ And he [the jailer] took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.”    Acts 16:33 

           

Clearly the Lord Jesus instructed that Christians with Gentile background, who believe on Him, should be baptised.

NEXT:             What about the kids?