Chap7&8.pdf

7 BAPTISM It youve attended a church long enough, you may have seen baptized. But what does this practice mean? How important is it? Why do people decide to be baptized? lnthis lesson, you will discover that baptism is a significant step in every believer's life. Let's explore its impor...

7 BAPTISM It youve attended a church long enough, you may have seen baptized. But what does this practice mean? How important is it? Why do people decide to be baptized? lnthis lesson, you will discover that baptism is a significant step in every believer's life. Let's explore its importance and meaning. Baptism isn't that important, is it? BAPTISM IS IMPORTANT Read Luke 3:21, 22, According to these verses, before Christ ever began His public ministry, what did He do? In Acts 10:47-48, what did Peter immediately say needed to be done for the new believers? By their example and teaching, did Christ and Peter seem to think that baptism was unimportant? DYes No Whyshould we be baptized? THEPURPOSE OF BAPTISM The Bible clearly teaches the importance of baptism, but what is its purpose? Baptism Does Not Save Us We are redeemed only by the grace of God, so baptism is not necessary for our salvation, which is a free gift. Read Acts 10:44-48 carefully. Did the people believe and receive the Holy Spirit-that is, they were saved-before orafter they were baptized? Read Acts 8:35-38. What response did the eunuch have to Philip's teaching? 52  Did the eunuch believe before or after his baptism? Then what is baptis1m? Baptism Is a Picture In Christ's day, people were baptized to publicly demonstrate their repentance or their relationship with a group or teacher. When they were ready to be baptized, someone would usually help immersethem briefly in a body of water. For Christians, baptism became a way to picture our salvation through God. When a person is baptized, he normally goes through three positions that represent Christ's work. Note the following steps: Standing in the water, symbolizing Christ's death Placedunder the water, symbolizing Christ's burial Coming up out of the water, symbolizing Christ's resurrection Thus, baptism pictures three things that happen to the believer now that he is in Christ. 1. He is dead with Christ. How do Galatians 2:20 and Colossians 3:3 explain this statement? 2. He is buried with Christ. Read Romans 6:3-4.What does it mean to be buried with Christ? 3. He is a newcreature in Christ, raised with Himto walk in newness of life. Note Romans 6:4-5 and Colossians 3:1. What must we, as resurrected people, do now? 53  Second Peter 1:3-5 speaks of anew life. What kind is it? Second Corinthians 5:17 states that if any person is in Christ He is a new The old is gone, and we've been made new. Read Colossians 3:1-17. What are some things that should be gone from the believer's life (vv. 5-9)? What are some new things that a believer will begin to see in their lifeas they grow in Christ (vv. 10-17)? Oncea new believer understands the importance and meaning of baptism, he should speak with his pastor or church leader about publicly identifying with Christ in this way. It is aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity to confess before others what God has done for us. Complete This Section Without Looking Back at the Lesson 1. Name two people in the Bible who demonstrated the importance of baptism. 2. How does the salvation story of the Ethiopian treasurer show that aperson is not saved by baptism? 3. Name three positions of baptism and what each can picture of Christ's work. 54  4. What three things does baptism picture about the believer's life? Verses toMemorize Romans 6:3-4 55  8 THE BELIEVER AND THE CHURCH Another vital part of your spiritual growth is your church. Christ never intended His followers to journey through life alone, so He Created the church to train, comfort, encourage, and challenge fellowship with believers also gives us opportunities serve and reflect God's grace to others. THE IMPORTANCEOF THE CHURCH Some believers try to serve God outside of the local church. They feel the church has failed, that they can worship God better by gathering in small Bible study groups. They may mean well, but they are not following the teaching of Christ concerning the church. Christ Instituted the Church as God's Way to Carry out God's Work Read Matthew 16:18 and Acts 20:28. Whobuilds the church? To whom does the church belong? What did He pay for it? Willthe church fail? Yes ONo His Church Will Not Fail Note again Matthew 16:18. Evil will oppose God's church, and some of that evil willmasquerade as a church. People claiming tobe Christian will nevertheless teach doctrine that contradicts Christ. These so-called believers will lie, hurt, and abuse, destroying the belief of others and perverting the simple truth of the gospel. But Christ's church wilremain. If you find yourself in a church that preaches, teaches, or allows such evil, seek out a fellowship of believers that holds true to theWord, preaches the gospel, and reflects the grace of God. Christ has promised to sustain these believers until His return. 58 THE NEEDS OF THE CHURCH Christ sustains His church, and He often uses His followers to do so. The church runs on love, grace, and generosity, and those needs prcsent opportunitics for service. Everything we are and everything we have belongs to God, and He has made us stewards--that is, managers--of His property. How wenanage His gifts to us willreflect our gratitude to Hinm. We can worship Him not just in song and praise, but in giving and in service. Read 1Peter 4:8-11. According to verse 8, what is our first responsibility toward other believers? What is one way we can do this (vs. 9)? All this is possible because of a gift given to us by God. According tO verse 10, of what are we to be good stewards? According to verse 11, what is our goal in all this? God asks us to reach out to others in love, for the praise of His glory. This love can take many forms. In 1Corinthians 12, Christ's church is compared to a body-one body, with many members (vs. 12). According toverses 25-26, how should we care for others? Sympathy, time, and care are often more dilficult to give than money. 59  Do Ihave to help with the churchs finances, too? Godasks us to give back according to what we have. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-4. In this passage, Paul describes how some believers took up acollection for anothergroup in dire need. How did these believers give (vs. 3)? In the Bible we find the tithe as a standard of giving. Normally applied to material possessions,it refers to ten percent of what we earn by our work. In Genesis 14:18-20, we see Abrabam offering to God the first tithe recorded in the Bible. Jacob, Abraham's grandson, continued the practice (Gen. 28:20-22); God included it in Israelite law (Lev. 27:30); and Jesus affirmed it (Matt. 23:23), while warning against hypocrisy. True, sacrificial giving requires more than a little cash or even a hefty check-it means actively identifying needs in the church body and acting on them in love, not for personal credit, but for God's glory. He has given us so much.How can we not share His goodness with others? THE NECESSITY OF THE CHURCH Christians Need Fellowship When youre at school or work, you're probably with many people who do not know the Lord. These are great opportunities to reflect God's light to them, but we all desperately need a time of fellowship with those who can encourage us, challenge us, and teach us about the things of the Lord. According to Hebrews 10:24-25, how does God intend for the church--that is, the gathering of believers- help us? What should we do in church? 60 Christians Need toBe Taught the Word The early Christians stayed together daily, continuing in the Apostles' doctrine (Acts 2:42). That means they were learning the Word as the Apostles taught them. Acts 6 shows us that the Apostles, who helped lead the first churches, had two major responsibilities-to pray and to teach the Word of God. These duties required time and concentration, and for this reason deacons-that is, ministers or servants-were selected. According to Acts 6:1-4, were the first deacons chosen to do? Most good churches have a Sunday school or other classroom teaching sessions, as well as services that include preaching. You might also have prayer meetings, small group Bible studies, outreach ministries, and more. No two churches will have the same types of services, organizational structure, or ministries, but whatever your church offers, take the time to meet people, get involved, and show love. Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ. Let God show you His grace through them, and let Him use you to show grace right back. Be encouraged, be challenged, and be faithful. Love as Christ loves you. Complete This Section Without Looking Back at the Lesson 1. What institution has Christ built up as His channel for ministry? 2. Should we reject the idea of churches since some churches teach falsehood or fail to display Christlike character? OYes No 3. If your church does not teach the truth, what should you do? 4. What is a steward? 5. What does tithe mean? 61  6. Name two ways that believers need the church. 7. Write down afew ways that you believe youcould start serving in your church. Verses to Memorize Hebrews 10:25 1Peter 4:10 62