Baptism: Buried With Christ, Raised To New Life

By Charles Poncelow

We have little record of the teaching of Jesus during those forty days between his resurrection and return to heaven. He appeared to many people and offered convincing proof that he was alive again, but the New Testament writers were not moved to record much of what he said. One exception is what has come be known as the Great Commission. From atop a mountain in Galilee, Jesus declared his supreme and absolute authority and instructed his disciples to reproduce themselves across the earth. “Go, and make disciples of all nations,” he told them, “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
This short Bible study takes the reader through the New Testament in search of a simple understanding of that first step in disciple-making, baptism. Asked only to be an honest and careful reader of Scripture and guided by a few questions, the participant in this study will find clarity in what the Bible actually says, free of doctrinal disputes, theological puzzles or philosophical arguments.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles Poncelow
• Release date: Mar 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310940934

Book preview

Baptism

Buried with Christ, raised to new life

A brief Bible study

by Charles Poncelow

Copyright 2014 Charles Poncelow

Smashwords Edition

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quoted within this study is from the World English Bible (WEB).

The World English Bible is in the Public Domain.

Introduction

This study consists of a simple collection of Scripture verses, brief comments and a few questions. Do not be dismayed by the lack of theological words or of sophisticated and complicated philosophical arguments. The goal of this little study is to have you look at what the Scripture actually says, rather than at what you think it says, or wish it said, or have been taught that it says. It is constructed upon the theory that the truth of the Bible is open to all who seek it and that the word of God is not beyond the understanding of those to whom it was written. You may find that some of the questions accompanying the text seem too simple or merely ask you to restate the verse. It’s okay – we often want to make the Word more difficult than it is.

You may experience some frustration in this study because it does not seek to answer some of the why? questions. The purpose of this exercise is merely to discover the teaching and practice of the apostles and the early church with regard to baptism. A right understanding of baptism is neither the beginning nor the end of our understanding of God's plan to bring us to salvation. Such an understanding involves a lifetime of prayer and study. It takes us deep into grace and faith; into the meaning of sacrifice, the power of redemption and the fellowship of suffering. A grasp of baptism was considered milk for first century Christians, but we need milk before we get our teeth into the meat.

Of course, all of the verses in these studies are snatched from context. They are printed for your convenience, but you should conduct this study with your own Bible open and, in every case, establish the context