Rebaptism

I. Introduction:

II. Text: Acts 19:1-5

III. Background

A. As Paul traveled through Ephesus, he found 12 men who were disciples but only knew John’s baptism.

B. They were likely taught by Apollos, or someone who learned from him.

C. Acts 18:24-28

D. Apollos taught in Ephesus and knew only John’s baptism. Aquila and Pricilla taught Apollos the way more accurately and from that time he began to boldly preach Jesus as the Christ

E. Like Apollos, they had to be taught the way of God accurately.

IV. John’s Baptism

A. John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the people for Jesus’ coming.

B. As John preached repentance he baptized them for repentance unto the remission of sins.

C. Luke 3:2-8 – Account of John’s work. Mark 11:28-33 – John’s baptism was authorized by God.

D. John’s baptism was not to continue perpetually, John 3:22-30

E. John fulfilled his work in preparing the way of Jesus and his baptism was no longer necessary.

V. The Ephesian converts

A. The Ephesian men had not received the Holy Spirit.

B. These men claimed to be disciples but when Paul realized they did not have the Holy Spirit, he questioned their baptism.

C. In this early stage of the church, when people were baptized, the apostles laid their hands on them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

D. Paul does this after they are baptized into Jesus, Acts 19:5-6. Peter does this in Samaria, Acts 8:5-8; 12-13; 14-18 (apostles role) The Spirit would give them gifts for the edification of the church, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.

E. We do not have the Holy Spirit in this manner today:

F. We have the complete revealed word of God, they had to have the gifts of the Spirit for they only had the revelation in part, 1 Corinthians 13:8-11. We have no apostles to lay hands on people to give them the gifts (Remember Acts 8:14-18, Philip couldn’t do it, only the apostles).

G. Since they did not have the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Paul questioned their baptism.

H. The baptism of John was insufficient for the Ephesian men.

I. Paul did not console them and say, “Well, at least you were baptized for something.” Paul recognized their obedience was incomplete. Jesus taught them the rest of John’s message: Jesus is the Christ. The men believed and were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Though they were baptized into John’s baptism, and John prepared the way for Jesus, they still had to be baptized into Jesus.

VI. Lessons

A. We may not have know the “way more accurately” about our baptism.

B. Some denominations teach that sprinkling or pouring is baptism.

C. In the New Testament, baptism is immersion. Strongs: “to make whelmed (that is, fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism. Acts 8 shows immersion and emergence John 3:23 “much water” was needed Romans 6 describes it as a burial

D. Some denominations baptize infants.

E. The great commission is given to those who can believe, Mark 16:16. Acts 2:41 – Those who gladly received the word were baptized

F. What about the households of Lydia, Crispus, the jailer?

G. We are not told whether there were infants or small children in their households. Some households even in this assembly are comprised of accountable adults and young people. If you were baptized as an infant, you did not believe, you had nothing of which to repent, and could not talk, much less confess Jesus.

H. Some denominations will baptize, immerse, but not for the remission of sins.

I. They teach that it is a sign that one has been saved. It is a symbolic act of Christ’s death and resurrection but is not directly related to one’s salvation.

J. The New Testament teaches that baptism precedes the remission of sins.

K. Acts 22:16 – Paul’s baptism Acts 2:38 – Be baptized for the remission of sins.1 Peter 3:21 – Baptism now saves us

L. The power is not in the water, but submission to the command of God.

M. We are washed in the blood of Jesus when we are washed in water. Andrew Fuller (eminent Baptist theologian of the early 19 th century): “Sin is washed away in baptism in the same sense as Christ’s flesh is eaten, and his blood drank, in the Lord’s supper: the sign, when rightly used, leads to the thing signified.” Even John Calvin, the father of Calvinism—the basis upon which many reject the necessity of baptism—acknowledged that baptism was necessary for remission of sins: “The first object, therefore, for which it is appointed by the Lord, is to be a sign and evidence of our purification, or (better to explain my meaning) it is a kind of sealed instrument by which he assures us that all our sins are so deleted, covered, and effaced, that they will never come into his sight, never be mentioned, never imputed. For it is his will that all who have believed be baptised for the remission of sins. Hence those who have thought that baptism is nothing else than the badge and mark by which we profess our religion before men, in the same way as soldiers attest their profession by bearing the insignia of their commander, have not attended to what was the principal thing in baptism; and this is, that we are to receive it in connection with the promise, “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved” (Mark 16:16).”

N. Knowing the way more accurately:

O. If we had water sprinkled or poured on us, we know the way more accurately and realize that we must be immersed. If we were taught that baptism was not essential and believe that we can be saved without it, the Bible teaches us the way more accurately and we can be baptized for the remission of sins.

P. If we were baptized as a symbol of salvation or to join a religious group, the Bible teaches us the way more accurately that we are required to be baptized for the remission of our sins and to be joined to Christ, not a denomination.

Q. Our intent in baptism should have been to be baptized “for the remission of sins.” If we were baptized thinking that our sins were already forgiven, we were not baptized for this reason. If we have any doubt, we should be baptized for the remission of sins based on what the word of God, not the word of man teaches us.