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Previous Study | Index | Next Study  Why Should I Be Baptized? Download PDF of this page. Many years ago in the land of Syria there lived a man by the name of Naaman. We are not told very much about him, but we do know that he was the commander of the Syrian army and that one day he discovered that he had leprosy. Today there is some hope for the leper, but in those days the discovery that a person had this disease meant only one thing —a slow, lingering death. Evidently Naaman was a very good man and a valuable soldier, because the king of Syria was deeply interested in his recovery. A little Hebrew maid, who was a servant in the home of Naaman, learned of her master’s plight and declared that God’s prophet, Elisha, could heal him if he went up to Samaria. Like most people who have some deadly disease, Naaman was willing to try anything. When he arrived with a request for his healing from the king of Syria, the king of Israel was concerned about this unusual request. Elisha, however, sent word that God would take care of the problem. When Naaman came to the house of Elisha, the prophet did not even meet him at the door. Elisha just sent his servant out with a message that if Naaman wanted to be healed, he merely had to go and wash seven times in the River Jordan. At first Naaman was furious and refused to do this, but after a talk with his wise servants, he obeyed and washed seven times in the Jordan. The Bible tells us the result of his trusting God and doing what he had been told: “His flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” II Kings 5:14. He was cleansed because he had faith and obeyed the instructions of God given through His prophet, Elisha. There were no healing substances in the water of that river. By dipping seven times Naaman was merely demonstrating his faith in the God of Israel. It was God who cleansed and healed him. Many of us are afflicted with a spiritual leprosy -sin. We need to be cleansed from all sin. Let us discover in God’s Word how we can be cleansed. 1. How many different forms of baptisms are recognized in the Bible? Ephesians 4:5 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2. What great commission did Christ give His church? Matthew 28:19, 20 The Bible Says: “Go ye therefore and________________________all nations, ___________________them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:__________________________________whatsoever I have commanded you.” 3. Who is first mentioned in the New Testament as practicing baptism? Matthew 3:1-6 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 4. Why did Jesus say that it was necessary for Him to be baptized by John? Matthew 3:13-15 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Note: Jesus had not sinned. He did not need baptism for Himself. In this statement He showed that He wanted to leave us a perfect example of righteous living. He was to do everything that would be expected of Christians so that they might safely follow in His steps. 5. How was Christ baptized by John? Mark 1:9, 10 The Bible Says: “And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was________________________________of John ______________________. And straightway coming__________________, He saw the heavens opened, and the________________________________.” Note: This text definitely shows that Christ was baptized by immersion, for He came up out of the water. 6. How did Peter tell the people on the Day of Pentecost that they should demonstrate their repentance? Acts 2:38 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Note: The Greek word used by the New Testament writer in this text is “baptizo,” which means to immerse, to dip under a fluid. It is a word taken from the Greek language and does not mean sprinkle or pour. When Peter said to those people, “Repent and be baptized,” they understood him to say, “Repent and be immersed.” 7. In the story of the Ethiopian treasurer, how did Phillip baptize him? Acts 8:26-39 The Bible Says: “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they _________________both Phillip and the eunuch; and__________________. And when they were_______________________the Spirit of the Lord caught away Phillip, that the eunuch saw him no more.” (Verses 38, 39). Note: Here again the details indicate that the eunuch was definitely baptized by immersion. 8. How essential is it that a person should be baptized by water and the Spirit? John 3:5 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 9. Who did Jesus say would be saved in the kingdom? Mark 16:16 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 10. What was Paul told to do when he understood the plan of salvation? Acts 22:16 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 11. By being baptized the individual shows his faith in three experiences of Jesus. What are they? Romans 6:1-6 The Bible Says: Verse 3— “Baptized into His____________________________________.” Verse 4— “Therefore we are____________________________________.” Verse 5— “We shall be also in the likeness _________________________.” Note: This is the outward way of showing our faith in our Saviour’s death, burial, and resurrection and His ability to save us from our sins. 12. What wonderful experience do we enter into when we are baptized? Galatians 3:27 The Bible Says: ________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ Our greatest need is to become one with Christ —to accept Him as our Saviour and let Him live out His life in us. God saw that it would be necessary for sinful man to have a special service or ordinance by which he could definitely break with the old life of sin and start a new life with Christ. The act of baptism is our outward Way of showing God and the world that we are determined that God will have all there is of us. We purpose to live for Him. It is a visible sign that we have commenced a new way of life with Christ as our Redeemer. The new-born Christian is now joined to Christ and ready to join His church. Just as with the bride, marriage is the ceremony by which she is joined to her husband, so by conversion and baptism a Christian is united to Christ and His church. Please feel free to indicate in the spaces below whether or not you have been baptized or desire baptism.  I have been baptized by immersion. I have never been baptized by immersion. I would like to prepare for baptism.Previous Study | Index | Next Study |
