How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

It appears from this section of Scripture that the Corinthian church services were scenes of chaos.  From the statement concerning every one of you having something to contribute, to the limitations on the number of speakers, and Paul’s exhortation to let everything be done decently and in order, scenes of chaos are apparent.  In such an atmosphere, edification of the church body was practically impossible.*

If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

The rules for speaking in tongues are laid down by the apostle Paul.  Only two should speak, at the most three, and those should speak by course or one at a time.  It should be known ahead of time whether or not there is an interpreter.  If there is no interpreter, then those two or three who would speak in tongues should remain silent in the church.

Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.  If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

The office of the prophet appears to have faded from the early church with the completion of the canon of Scripture.  The office of the prophet was given to forth tell the truth of God and to declare  God’s plans for the future.  Once the canon of Scripture came to completion, the office of prophet faded away and the gift of teaching the completed revelation came to the forefront.**

The rules for the prophet as set out by the apostle Paul were similar to the rules for speaking in tongues.  At the most two or three were to speak and one at a time.  The others were to judge.  If one of the others received a revelation, the first was to remain quiet.  In this orderly manner all would be edified.

And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. 

  The participants should be in complete control of their faculties at all times.  There should be no involuntary speaking or acting out.  Letting go or giving up control of one’s faculties is a dangerous practice and can lead to behavior not condoned by Scripture nor authored by the Holy Spirit.*

Living by faith is not a leap in the dark.  Faith is a firm persuasion or conviction based upon hearing the Word of God.***  Giving control of oneself over to emotional experiences or opening oneself up to what could possibly be demonic influence is not living by faith or walking in the Spirit.*  God is not the author of confusion.

As in all churches of the saints, let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

The phrase as in all churches of the saints is printed in the KJV as part of the previous verse.  It actually fits better as the opening to the following verse.**  The chapter and verse breaks were added to the translations later to facilitate the reading and studying of the Scriptures and are not to be considered unchangeable.

The context of I Corinthians 14 is dealing with speaking in tongues and their proper place in the church.  The command for women to keep silence in the churches is in this context.  The apostle Paul’s instruction is that women are not to speak in tongues.

God puts the responsibility for spiritual leadership squarely upon the shoulders of Christian men.  It is a shame for women to speak in tongues because it is a reflection upon the absence of male spiritual leadership within the church.

When it comes to spiritual leadership, men are lazy.  If women take up the responsibility that God has placed on the men, they are enabling their men to shirk their responsibility to God.  King Saul took upon himself a responsibility that God had assigned to the priesthood and God judged him for it.

Asking the husband at home, as Paul states it, enables the husband to exercise his God given responsibilities.  It is not a poor reflection on women for them to ask their husbands about spiritual things.  It is honoring to God and enables the husband to grow into the spiritual leader God intended him to be.

What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.  

The apostle Paul, who founded and nourished the Corinthian church from its beginning, now challenges the Corinthians sarcastically.**  Did the Word of God originate with you?  Are you the only recipient of His revelation?  Following this rebuke he follows up with a strong assertion of his apostolic authority by challenging those who think themselves to be spiritual to acknowledge that his instructions are the commandments of the Lord.

The leaders of tongues speaking churches today must also acknowledge Paul’s apostolic authority and the text of his letter to the Corinthians as instructions from God.  To believe that the sign gifts are for today is one thing, but to refuse to order worship that involves these “gifts” according to the rules set forth in Paul’s letter is to identify themselves with the Corinthian church and against the commandments of the Lord.

But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Don’t argue, just state the facts.  If that man or woman refuses to acknowledge the truth, let them alone.

Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

To desire the greatest gift is to desire the gift of prophecy.

God’s judgment would not fall upon Israel until 70 AD when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.  The apostle Paul is writing in 55 AD, so the sign gifts still had purpose and meaning to Israel and the unbelieving Jew.  This is why Paul stated in 55 AD, the time of this writing, and forbid not to speak with tongues.  In 70 AD the nation was judged and dispersed, and the sign gifts ceased.

Perhaps after reading this series on speaking in tongues, you are still convinced in your own mind that a gift of speaking in tongues is still for today.  Please be reminded that as Christians we are obligated to obey Scripture.  God never leads anyone to practice anything contrary to His Word.

If your church and church leaders still practice a gift of speaking in tongues, the rules that the apostle Paul laid out in I Corinthians 14 must be followed.  If the rules from Scripture are ignored or pushed aside, you have no assurance that what you are practicing is from the Lord.

                              Let all things be done decently and in order. 

I Corinthians 14:26-40

……let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…..

For a more complete study of this topic, please read: *The Corinthian Catastrophe by George E. Gardner; copyright 1974 by Kregel Publications.

**The MacArthur Study Bible, Copyright 1997 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson.  Study notes on I Corinthians 12, 13, &14

***Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of  Old and New Testament Words by Unger & White.  Copyright 1984, 1996  Thomas Nelson, Inc

I Corinthians 14:1-25

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

The apostle Paul is putting spiritual gifts into proper perspective.  Once again, he reminds the Corinthians that the spiritual gifts without charity (love) profit nothing.  Love should motivate the gift, therefore follow after charity.  Paul prioritizes the gift of prophesy which is the declaration of the truth of God’s Word and the forth telling of the will of God according to the Scriptures.

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Paul is comparing the end result of the gift of tongues versus end result of the gift of prophesying.  Speaking in an unknown* tongue edifies only the speaker but prophesying edifies the whole church body.  Love focuses not on edifying self, but on edifying others.

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

Please be reminded that this is being written by the apostle Paul about 55 AD.  The judgment coming in 70 AD had not yet fallen, so the sign gifts still had purpose and meaning to the nation of Israel and the unbelieving Jew.  Paul is not forbidding the gift of tongues, but he prefers rather that ye prophesied by stating greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues.  Why?…..that the church (the body of believers) may be edified!

Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known* what is piped or harped?  For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound,* who shall prepare himself to the battle?

So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known* what is spoken?  for ye shall speak into the air.

There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.  Therefore if I know not the meaning* of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown* tongue pray that he may interpret.  For if I pray in an unknown* tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding* is unfruitful.

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding* also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding* also.  Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?  For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

*Paul’s instruction through these verses is obvious, speaking with understanding (prophesying) edifies the body.  Speaking in a tongue edifies only the speaker.  The Corinthians were only interested in edifying themselves.  The Corinthians were exercising their gifts without exercising love.

I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown* tongue.  Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

The apostle Paul is not a stranger to speaking in tongues.  He states simply that he has exercised this gift more than all the Corinthian church.  Once again he supplies the proper perspective by stating he would rather speak five words with my understanding,……..than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

In the law it is written, “With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.”  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

God spoke to Israel through the prophets.  When Israel chose not to listen to His prophets God spoke a message of judgment to them through their enemies (with men of other tongues).  The sign gifts which include speaking in tongues as defined in Acts 2, are for the unbelieving Jew.

To sum it all up Paul simply states that the sign gift of speaking in tongues is for the unbelieving, while the gift of prophecy is for believers.

If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

Once again, in the two paragraphs above the apostle Paul compares the gifts.  Are you able to distinguish the difference?  Which is the greater gift?  Which gift should be desired, the gift of speaking in tongues or the gift of prophesying?  Which gift edifies the body of Christ, the church?  What is it that is not understandable concerning Paul’s comparisons?  Do we have a higher regard for Scripture or for experience?  Will we allow experience to trump the clear teaching of Scripture?

Note:  The scripture quotations in this article are from the KJV.  You will notice that in the KJV, the word unknown is italicized.  That means it was inserted by the translators but it is not in the original text.  If this is not explained or known by the preacher or the reader of Scripture, those individuals may make a case for a heavenly language that the  charismatic church of our day practices.  Whether one believes this way or not, Paul’s teaching on the gift of tongues versus the gift of prophesy still stands.

There are some that believe the apostle Paul is addressing an unknown heavenly language in the text above as well as known languages.  They make a distinction between tongue singular (an unknown heavenly language) and tongues plural (the known languages).   Whether you interpret this way or not, Paul’s teaching on the gift of tongues versus the gift of prophesy still stands.  In this case it will be with an exclamation point because Paul teaches that a gift which includes understanding is edifying for all.

It should also be noted that there was a practice of speaking in a tongue or heavenly gibberish in the pagan temples of worship during  New Testament times.  Given the influence that a culture can have upon religion, it should not be ruled out that this practice could have been transferred to the Corinthian church along with all the other cultural practices that shackled them spiritually.

  The purpose for Jesus’ teaching, preaching and healing was so that unbelieving Israel would know He came from God, that He was and is their promised Messiah.  His healing ministry restored those with congenital defects.  Often those that were healed by His disciples had no clue about what was to happen.  Jesus’ healing ministry with His disciples was so thorough it is probable there was no disease, defect, infirmity or demon possession left in the land of Israel.**

For a more complete study of this topic please read The Corinthian Catastrophe by George E. Gardner; copyright 1974 by Kregel Publications.

*Understanding is the key for edifying the body of Christ which is the church.

**This final statement is opinion only and cannot be proven from the text of Scripture.

To be continued in Part VI, as the apostle Paul lay down the rules for speaking in tongues in I Corinthians 14:26-40.

…….let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…..

 

My Christian mother taught me from an early age to love and respect the Jews.  My Saviour, Messiah Jesus, is a Jew. 

While living in the Midwestern United States limits my exposure to the Jewish community, I am in constant gratefulness to the faithful remnant for the blessing that I receive daily as I study the Old and New Testament Scriptures.  The New Testament is filled with passages from the Old Testament which testify of the Messiah and God’s purpose for His children.

God saw fit to establish Israel as a peculiar people and a nation through which He would reveal Himself.  Israel became an apostate* nation by departing from His Word and living in disobedience to God, not unlike what today’s professing Christian church has done. 

The Northern Kingdom of Israel departed from God first and then later the Southern Kingdom departed.  The Jews remained religious, but their leaders turned from true worship to worshiping God their own way.  They turned from depending on God to depending on their enemies.  God responded by replacing His presence in the temple with four hundred years of silence until the time of Messiah’s birth.

God through His prophets constantly warned Israel to repent.  God was merciful each time they came back to Him, but when they rejected the Messiah Himself, God had to judge Israel.  I do not rejoice in that judgment.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

In my blog articles about speaking in tongues, I have talked much about God’s judgment upon Israel.   This is because of the Apostle Paul’s quote from Isaiah 28 in I Corinthians 14, which is a warning of coming judgment.  Understanding the context of Isaiah 28 is the only way to properly understand the gift of speaking in tongues as a sign to unbelieving Israel.  

In the Old Testament setting, when Israel heard the foreign tongue of their enemy, this was an indication that God’s judgment was near.  God’s judgment came because Israel turned to their enemies for help rather than to the God of their fathers.

The temptation for many when seeing judgment upon the nation of Israel is to focus on the Jewish people in a bad way.  Some have used God’s judgment of Israel as justification for their hatred of the Jew.  I am writing this to remind you, my fellow Gentiles, that we are the branch of the wild olive tree which has been grafted into God’s plan (See Romans 11:19-25).   The graft does not support the root, but the root the graft.

If we reject the rule of God in our hearts by rejecting God’s provision for our sin through Jesus Christ (our only hope of salvation), then we are individually rejecting His kingdom in this present church age as surely as the nation of Israel rejected the Messiah.  God’s judgment will come to the individual Gentile as surely as it came to Israel as a nation.  

Like the majority of Israel, who retained outward ceremony with an unregenerate heart, professing “Christians” will face God’s judgment along with all other unbelievers.   

The majority of the professing Christian church today is apostate.* It is apostate because of its rejection of the Bible as the churches’ sole authority for faith and practice.  The church is apostate because of its rejection of what the Bible says about itself, salvation, and Messiah Jesus.

Messiah Jesus speaking:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Luke 13:34

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  John 3:14-18  

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Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name………, if thou canst tell?  Proverbs 30:4

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Note:  The church is not Israel. 

God is not finished with Israel (See Romans chapters 9-11).

 *To commit apostasy is to desert, to revolt, to stand away from.

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water:  John 1:26a

I (John) indeed have baptized you with water: but he (The Messiah) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.  Mark 1:8

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he (Jesus Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:  Luke 3:16

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  I Corinthians 12:13

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.  Romans 8:9

The very moment an individual trusts Jesus Christ as his/her only hope of salvation, this individual is baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Have you received the Messiah?

 

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through His Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that man can be, Thou, God, art present there.

Isaac Watts, 1674 – 1748

For by him (Jesus Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Colossians 1:16&17

Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark.  In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.  Carl Sagan

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, Galatians 4:4

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  Matthew 1:18-23

See blog archives for article entitled, Who Is Jesus?

Just about everyone in our country will celebrate Christmas this year, but not all for the same reason.  For some it is the peak time of the year for their business.  For some it is time for a few days off; a break from work.  For some it is the time to get what you want.  Many will celebrate with lights, decorations, and seasonal music. Many will celebrate with good eating and family.  For some it is all about baby Jesus, the shepherds and wise men. The manger scene will be the focal point for many religious people.

Each of these scenes carry with them various motives for celebrating Christmas.  For some it is recreating the many fond memories of Christmas with family.  It is sentimentality.  For some it is as basic as getting stuff.  It is all about me!  For some it is all about the music of Christmas, not necessarily Christian music.  It is emotion.  For some it is the setting, a white Christmas.  It is an ideal.  For many it is about feeling good.  It is giving and helping others.

Christmas can consist of all these things, but in reality, it is a time of revelation and of sobriety.  It is a time to remember that God, our Creator, clothed Himself with humanity in order that He might redeem us from our sin by His substitutionary* death, burial and resurrection.  It took a perfect life to fulfill the demands of the law and to satisfy the justice of God.  He provided this Himself in the form of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was fully God and fully man.

Humanity somehow misses this revelation.  We cannot get past the manger scene which rests in the shadow of the cross.

*Substitute – One that takes the place of another.

 

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.                         I Corinthians 13:8-12

Charity never faileth:

Charity or biblical love, the fruit of the Spirit, is everlasting.  It will never be abolished.  Biblical love will never be rendered inactive.  The fruit of the Spirit will last throughout eternity.

but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;

Propheteia is the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God….prophecy is not necessarily, nor even primarily, fore-telling.  It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means….it is the forth telling of the will of God.  In contrast to love lasting forever, Paul states that prophecies shall fail (be rendered inactive).*  

whether there be tongues, they shall cease;

Glossolalia or tongues is the supernatural gift of speaking in another language without its having been learned. Acts 2:4-13  Pauo or cease means to stop, to make an end and is used chiefly in the middle voice in the NT, signifying to come to an end,…….a willing cessation (in contrast to the passive voice which denotes a forced cessation).*

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

Ginosko (knowledge) signifies to be taking in knowledge, to come to know, recognize, understand*….……this is the process of learning.  Vanish from katargeo means to abolish, to be done away.*  It is the same word for fail in reference to prophecy which means to be rendered inactive.*

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect (complete/entire) is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Prophecies and knowledge we have in part.  That which is in part shall be rendered inactive.  This will happen when that which is perfect is come.  What is “that which is perfect” referring to?

Some say it is Christ, but the word perfect (teleiov) is neuter, so it can’t be Him.  Some say it refers to the completion of the canon of Scripture, but we still prophesy (forth telling the will of God) and knowledge (learning) is still necessary for the believer’s spiritual growth.  That which is perfect or complete, therefore, must be referring to eternity with Christ. 

The forth telling of the will of God will no longer be necessary in eternity because all those in God’s presence will be redeemed and in His will.  Learning will no longer be necessary, because we will know even as we are known,   The last two verses in this passage lend themselves to this;  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

But what about tongues?  Paul says tongues shall cease in and of themselves.  When will this happen?  It will happen when the sign gifts are no longer necessary.

Remember that tongues were for a sign.  The sign gifts were the gifts of healing, miracles and tongues.  Whenever these gifts were exercised, unbelieving Jews were present.  The sign gifts were to confirm to the Jew that what he was seeing and hearing was of God.  The sign gift of speaking in tongues warned of coming judgment for the rejection of God’s rule per Paul’s instruction in      I Corinthians 14:21&22 which quotes Isaiah 28:11&12.

The Jewish religious leaders completed their rejection of the Messiah and His kingdom by turning Christ over to the Roman authorities for the death penalty.  The sign gifts would continue to warn of God’s judgment until judgment fell.  When Titus destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD there was no longer a need for the sign gifts to Israel.  

God’s revelation of Himself to mankind through a nation of peculiar people (Israel) has been suspended throughout the period of the church age.  When the believing church (which includes both regenerate Jews and Gentiles) is complete, the last soul is saved, and the church is raptured (caught up) out of this world, God will once again deal with Israel as a nation.  He will deliver Israel from their enemies and restore to the nation His kingdom as they call on Messiah Jesus for deliverance in the last days.

Pray for the peace of Israel.

Note:  This is the fourth section in a series of studies on Speaking in Tongues in this blog.  I would invite you to review the previous three studies, if you haven’t already, because they build upon each other.

For a more complete study of this topic please read The Corinthian Catastrophe by George E. Gardner; copyright 1974 by Kregel Publications.

To be continued, as the apostle Paul lay down the priorities and rules for speaking in tongues in I Corinthians 14.

*Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of  Old and New Testament Words by Unger & White.  Copyright 1984, 1996  Thomas Nelson, Inc. 

IS BAPTISM FOR ME?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.    Acts 8:37

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  Acts 2:41

Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.  Acts 16:30-33

CONCLUSION: Baptism is for believers only.

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WHY SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?   

1.  Commanded by Christ

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  Matthew 28:19

2.  Christ our example.

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  Matthew 3:13

3.  Believer shows obedience

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized:  Acts 2:41

CONCLUSION: We are baptized to obey the command of Jesus Christ.

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HOW SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?

Baptism by immersion pictures our position with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.  Romans 6:3-5 

1.  Baptism is with water.  

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water:  John 1:26

2.  Baptism is by immersion (under the water). 

 Jesus was baptized of John in Jordan.  Mark 1:9

And straightway coming up out of the water… Mark 1:10

…….they went down both into the water…..Acts 8:38

CONCLUSION: Only baptism by immersion pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

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WHEN SHOULD I BE BAPTIZED?

Following salvation.

….when they believed……..they were baptized……Acts 8:12

……and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?  And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.  Acts 8:36-37

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  Acts 2:41

See also Acts 16:25-33

CONCLUSION: Baptism follows salvation, immediately, if possible.

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WHAT IF I REFUSE TO BE BAPTIZED?

Disobedience: Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.  James 4:17

Loss of testimony: If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  John 8:31

Loss of fellowship: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.  John 15:14

Abb Thomas Ministries – Copyright 1972

Used with permission.

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Note:  Please be aware that this article deals strictly with water baptism.  The Bible teaches that all true believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit at the time that they trust in Him as their only hope of salvation.  When studying the Scriptures and encountering baptism, always think Spirit baptism first unless the context of Scripture indicates otherwise.  Those who believe in baptismal regeneration do not make a distinction between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and water baptism.  The Bible does.

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Buried in the likeness of His death, raised in the likeness of His resurrection!

And God spake all these words, saying,

1.  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2.  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

3.  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

4.  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

5.  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

6.  Thou shalt not kill.

7.  Thou shalt not commit adultery.

8.  Thou shalt not steal.

9.  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

10.  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

 Exodus 20