To Sprinkle or Immerse? What Is the Proper Mode of Baptism?

His infant baptism, biblical, or should baptism only be by immersion.

That's just one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with pastor Adria Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook or Instagram account and you can email us with your question at questions@corechristianity.com first up today let's go to Pat, who's calling in from Wichita I Pat, welcome to core Christianity packet to hear from you what your question well I know the word that go in the Latin was translated in the King James version or baptized. It was actually not translated, but transliterated because there weren't that many letters. So instead of using a dip and embarrassed. I just left it so people can figure it out and found II know that background but anyway my question is, do people actually baptized baby are immersed them legally.

I don't know what company baptized eight thank you so much for that question a couple of things of the word, but it's not that the Latin word you're thinking of the Greek word. The Greek word Bob Pizzo which can refer to immersion it can refer to different things, actually was used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament for some of the ceremonial washings.

It's used in acts chapters 1 and two when when Jesus talked about baptizing in the Holy Spirit and what did that end up looking like it looked like acts chapter 2, verse 33, the Holy Spirit being poured out. You think if you think of someone pouring water on someone else. He is Jesus poured out the spirit of God from heaven upon his church and so that word Bob did so as hazard, but a broader we might say semantic range doesn't necessarily just need to mean to immersed in water. You can also have it used in the context of pouring out or even sprinkling we see it used in that way to describe some of the Old Testament, writes in the book of Hebrews and so that's just justices in terms of understanding the word Bob pizza but but the broader question here Pat seems like thinking through baptism, in general, and and why might some Christian traditions choose to baptize babies.

Now I know that this is a very controversial question that there are some Christian to say no way you can't be baptized until you've expressed faith in Jesus Christ and you made a public profession that kind of thing and there are others they know the children of believers can be baptized. No point to a number of passages that I think of Paul in first Corinthians chapter 7 where he talks about the children of believers being holy, that is a part of the worshiping community. Now let me let me just say by letting part of it that the in the answer to your question has to do with what is baptism, first and foremost, is it first and foremost something that I do or that you do as an individual or is it a sign of something that God has done and is doing baptism, I would say is not first and foremost, something that that you do Pat or that I do now in one sentiment that there's an element there of proclaiming our faith and and and whatnot. But first and foremost, what baptism is, is a sign of the gospel, a sign of the washing away of sins, we come before the Lord, helpless in need of his grace, and in need of his mercy and God gives us this sign this visit visible pledge. This promise of his grace and of his mercy and and throughout the Bible in the Old Testament and in the New Testament God had this promise for his people that he wanted to be a God to them and to their children now under the old covenant, the way in which that that ended up playing out was with the sign of the sacrament of circumcision which was given to the children of believers. In particular, the male children of believers as of the question is does the sign of God's covenant.

Now under the new covenant belong to believers and their children as well.

Like I said Pat there's a lot of controversy around this question my position which I submit to you with all humility is that yeah the children of believers can be baptized, not because they are undoubtedly saved or regenerated, or however you want to put it but because of God's promise and pledge to his people that he says I want to be a God to you and to your children, Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost is the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are far off, and so those are some of the reasons why some believers baptize their children.

The children of of believers why some Christian traditions do that and so I appreciate your question Pat and hopefully that that unraveled this a little bit for you. Thank you. This is core Christianity with pastor Adria Sanchez and here's the number to call if you have a question for us.

It's 1-833-843-2673. That's 833.

The core let's go to Winnie from St. Louis, Missouri when he welcome to core Christianity hi there Highway 19 on.

I am born again and I know that I wasn't a Christian and I was a really good Catholic.

I never had anything and saving faith is when simply you turn around and believe that and payment Holy Spirit has to be a part of that and he was of course contacting me of my hand and on in my pride. I want to accept the gospel because it bothered me that anything that I did try to be good, matter and the reason I will rarely think like Other people that had anything to do with what will you help me write our faith in our prayers are more important, some act and I think it letting the waters one let me just say thank you so much for giving us a call in and for your question. And the last thing we would ever want to do on this broadcast is muddy the waters of the gospel.

We said over and over and over again. The gospel is what God is accomplished for us in Jesus Christ. It's not what we do. You can't do the gospel. You can't live the gospel. You can't be the gospel.

Jesus can and did and we receive that by grace through faith alone. And like you, Winnie.

I was brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, maybe a little bit more nominally we we were very good Catholics. I wasn't as good of a Catholic as as it sounds like you were and I didn't come to it. A saving understanding of the gospel until later in in my life, but it sounds to me like the question here is what about these these ordinances. The signs that Jesus gave us to meet Jesus is the one who commanded us to baptize Matthew chapter 28 go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the signing of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, or you think of the other ordinance that Jesus gave in Matthew 26 the Lord's supper. This sort of perpetual ordinance for the life of the church for all time. These are things that Jesus commands us to do as believers and so that's not muddying the waters or are taking away from the gospel, actually. And this is what so beautiful about it. Baptism and the Lord's supper, or both visible pictures of the gospel, the washing away of our sins. The body and the blood of Jesus that was given for us as we these things that he calls us to do to participate in what they ultimately do as they fix our eyes on the grace of Christ. Now I recognize that it in a lot of churches they have explained that well and and when I was in the Catholic Church. I didn't have that explained that well to mean it sounds like you did neither. But these these rituals. The signs that Jesus gave to the church. That's what we do them.

They fix our eyes on his grace, and so they don't take away from the grace of Christ and and like I said God for bid God for bid. The last thing I ever want to do as a minister of the gospel we ever want to do on this program is take away from the grace and the glory of Jesus Christ.

Your you're absolutely right. It's only by faith in Jesus Christ that we have salvation that we embrace the gospel but these other things are our signs pictures that visibly exhibit to us the grace of Jesus in powerful ways and so that's why we participate in them in and talk about them and not to because it's in the word of God when he and so does that make sense in terms of not trying to muddy the waters but they look. These are things that we do because Jesus gave them to us and ultimately they fix our eyes on the gospel you're listening to core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and today we have something very special to offer you, especially if you are a new listener to core Christianity. It's called our core kit.

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Well Kim, first let me just say to you, yes, yes God forgives us even when we fall.

The 10th time and this week the 10th time in the same day when we go to him when you go to him, Kim, and you confess your sins to him.

He does forgive you know that doesn't mean it's okay for us to continue in a pattern of unrepentant sin, but sometimes that's repentance looks like. It looks like falling and getting up again falling and getting up again, saying, Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner and he does have mercy on us. He does have mercy on you. I think of what Jesus himself said unit, there's that that parable in Matthew chapter 18 that Peter came up to Jesus and said to him, verse 21 Lord, how often will my brother sin against me and I forgive him as many as seven times in a peer thought right there Kim that he was being really generous help God. How many times Jesus should I should I forgive my brother when he sins against up to seven times rapid that seems over the top generous and then listen to what Jesus said to him I do not say to you seven times, but 77 times.

Think about that if if God calls us as his children to forgive each other 70×7.

That is that is continually right. I don't think he means you know, just 49 times are good that kind of a thing or 490 times no means over and over again if God calls us to that will Kim. The Lord is so much more gracious than we are point when we go to him, even after you falling you don't like I said for the 10th time and in in the same day the Lord is merciful, he forgives you when you come to him in faith. And sometimes this this really is the battle that we face as Christians. Kim Paul talked about this in Romans chapter 7 of the things that I want to do.

I don't do the things that II don't want to do those of the things that I find myself doing wretched man that I am he said who will deliver me from this body of death thanks be to God through Jesus Christ for soap. Kim, I just want you to know that you're not beyond the grace of God that even if you you struggle with the same sin over and over again that you you are and can be abandoned by the Lord. The fact of the matter is the Christian life is a fight and there are certain sins that that you know were were daily fighting against dad and it seems like we don't have a lot of victory at times, but at the end of the day, our confidence is not your confidence is not in your own righteousness.

It's in what Jesus has done and in knowing that you are accepted as a child of God through his work, not your faithful obedience. Kim Kim, I'm I'm guessing that you have a Bible, can I just encourage you one passage of Scripture that I think you should meditate on is reminiscent yet. Romans chapter 6 Romans really six through eight and that right there I think is is really key and let me tell you why is Paul in Romans six through eight is talking essentially about what it looks like to live as those who have been justified and are dereferenced to you.

Romans chapter 7, where Paul talks about that battle with the flesh the battle.

It sounds to me like your you're very well aware of right but but there he also emphasizes Kim and this is what you need to understand the new identity that you have in Jesus Christ right resting in the fact that by faith, your sins are forgiven, we say, but I still struggle I still do the things that I don't want to do at times about exactly what Paul said in the very next chapter in chapter 7, but that shouldn't cause you to question your new identity in Jesus and I think it's really important that you rest and that that you recognize that because if you're questioning whether or not your you're even a daughter of God. You even belong to him. It's gonna be really hard to pursue him. The devil wants to convince us.

He wants to convince you that your beyond the grace of God that you send, you know one too many times that the Lord is through with you, while the Lord is not through with you, Kim continue to press into.

Fix your eyes on Jesus.

And when you fall when you sin, to look to him to put your confidence, your trust in his blood, not in your perfection and to receive his grace and want one more first.

That'll give you so meditate on Romans six through eight but to adjust that promise that we have in first John chapter 1.

If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

That is a promise. Kim from the word of God. When you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive you. Kim are you are you part of a Bible believing church and in between tractor Baker last week. Okay well let me just encourage you thereto. It really is important for you to be a part of a worshiping community where you're hearing the word of God were other believers are going to be able to come alongside of you and encourage you in your walk with the Lord. I think a lot of times, especially when workers were struggling with sin. It's so easy to be isolated and it's if they are isolated in the darkness alone with our sin that we can feel just yell really depressed and they could really have a negative effect on our walk with the Lord simply because we don't have the encouragement that were were supposed to be getting from the body of Christ. So I think that needs to be a priority for you Kim. You need to prioritize getting plugged into a solid Bible teaching church where you're going to get fellowship and encouragement and where others are going to point you to this grace of Jesus through his word and so what encourage you in that way and before before you get off let me just let me just pray for you because I know I know the battle just like you know it and and we need those persons let me pray for you okay father, thank you for Kim and thank you Lord that she wants to walk with you, Lord.

Thank you that she is in the fight against her sin. Lord, we noted that it is a real battle God that your word says that we are called to put to death the sinful deeds of the body, but that we don't do it in our own strength, but by the grace of your Holy Spirit, and so I pray that you would fill Kim with your Holy Spirit Lord so that she by your spirit would walk with you father. Would you please give her a sense of your great love for her no matter how many times she's failed Lord of the blood of Jesus which cleanses all of her sin and Lord, that she would be confident in the fact that she is one forgiven and to your daughter God. Would you be with her.

Would you bless her, would you encourage her today, would you help her to get plugged in it to a good church Lord where she can be encouraged and aware others or can it be able to to invest in her and she can use the gifts that you've given to her as well.

Lord, for the good of the body of Christ be with Kim.

We pray in Jesus name, amen.

I meant I'm so glad you encouraged him to find a fellowship where she can find that encouragement because boy that is such a big part of our Christian life, not to try to be a Lone Ranger Christian. But to really be plugged into a local body were we can receive the kind of encouragement and accountability as well. This is this is core Christianity with pastor Pedro Sanchez and here's an email question came in by the way, if you want to email us. Our address is questions at core, Christianity.com Donna says I read an article where a minister said Christians have no need to fear the things of this world. I know I do not have a strong heart and that I believe that is due to my abusive upbringing on the traumatic events that I suffered the damage me to the point where I do worry when bad news comes, but it seems automatic and uncontrollable, and where I worry and I prayed for help to be stronger and my faith to be healed, so am I being deceived into thinking that I'm a believer when I'm not because I do fear things in this world know you're not being deceived because you have fear and then what a difficult situation to be in. You know you you you think that because you're afraid of the things that are happening around us are suffering in the world that maybe you're not really a Christian. Well let me just tell you, fear is totally natural, even the fear of death. We know that death is that great and terrible enemy that Jesus came to conquer and that he has conquered it, and that in him we have eternal life. And yet I think it's it's true that even we as believers can struggle with fear and that doesn't mean that we aren't Christians. Christianity is not for the strong, it's for the week. We might say and and Paul actually made this absolutely absolutely clear. He talked about a struggle he had in second Corinthians chapter 12 is as I must go on boasting, though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

I know a man in Christ. Paul said in 14 years ago was caught up to the third heaven, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows and I know that this man was cut up into paradise, whether in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows and he heard what cannot be told what man cannot utter on behalf of this man. I will boast but on my own behalf, I will not boast, except of my weakness, though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool for I would be speaking the truth but I refrain from it so that no one may think of me more then he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations of thorn was given to me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me to keep me from becoming conceited.

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me but he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness. See even the apostle Paul felt overwhelmed at points in his life with weakness and and again that weakness that we all feel deep down in our bones that struggle that we have at times fear doesn't mean that were not Christians. But what we supposed to do with that.

Will we go to the Lord and you know what the Lord says to us, my strength is perfected in your weakness. When I am weak, then I am strong. Paul goes on to say, and I think for each and every one of us that's that's what were called to we go to the Lord in those moments of weakness in those moments of fear and we say God be merciful to me, Lord help me because I am afraid, and so I pray that the Lord comforts you that he gives you confidence in his word and ultimately that that you recognize that you don't have to question your salvation.

Whether or not your child of God. Just because you have these very natural fears instead take those fears and concerns to the Lord in prayer and and let the Lord comfort you and he will come for you. Let the Lord comfort you and trusting him know Israel I'm reminded of that passage in Philippians where Paul no commands us not to be anxious, but to take everything to the Lord through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, and the peace of Christ then will you know help us through the fearful, anxious times, you know what I love about that verse you just brought a pause is at that verse you just brought up from Paul, Bill, is that the peace of Christ. Paul says surpasses all understanding. And so, in other words, it doesn't come from us understanding our situation as perfectly as we might know the peace of Christ surpasses all understanding. We have confidence because of what God has done for us in his son Jesus and because of that we can have a even in the midst of great difficulty that we were not always in the be afraid at times know, but we have Jesus, thanks for list core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us at core, Christianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833 when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this program and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together