OceanSide church of Christ

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (7)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Most questions are asked for informational purposes, but not all of them.

1.     Questions can be asked for testing purposes.

2.     Questions can guide a questioner along an avenue of research.

3.     Rhetorical questions make a point and usually the answer is implied.

4.     Some questions are loaded questions, such as, “Have you stopped beating your wife?”

 

B.    On the first Sunday night of the month, we have our Q&A lesson.

1.     We usually try to answer two or three of your questions.

2.     Tonight, we want to answer a question that concluded last Sunday evening’s lesson concerning John’s Baptism.

 

C.    Stated:  Did those who received John’s baptism have to be baptized again with the Lord’s baptism?

1.     Answer #1:  No, if they were baptized with John’s baptism before the Lord’s baptism became operative.

2.     Answer #2:  Yes, if they were baptized with John’s baptism after the Lord’s baptism became operative.

 

I.               TWO CASE STUDIES IN JOHN’S BAPTISM

 

A.    Apollos

1.     We are introduced to Apollos in Acts 18:24.

 

And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.

 

2.     Apollos, however, knew only the baptism of John according to Acts 18:25.

3.     Two Christians, Aquila and Priscilla, heard him speak.  Acts 18:26 tells us how they responded to his message.

 

And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue:  whom when Aquila and Pricilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.

 

4.     NOTE:  He knew only the baptism of John.  The text, however, does not indicate that Apollos was baptized with the Lord’s baptism.

 

B.    The men at Ephesus.

1.     In Acts 19:1, Paul came to the city of Ephesus and found certain disciples.

2.     Acts 19:2

 

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?  And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

3.     The reason they had not heard about the Holy Ghost is because they only knew and had been baptized with John’s baptism (Acts 19:3).

4.     Paul explained to them about John’s baptism (Acts 19:4).

5.     The reaction of the man (Acts 19:5).

 

When they heard this, there were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

6.     QUESTION:  Why were these men baptized with the Lord’s baptism when it does not appear that Apollos had to be?

 

C.    The understanding:  John’s baptism was valid until the cross of Calvary.  After the cross, the Lord’s baptism was the authorized baptism.

1.     Apollos was baptized with John’s baptism prior to the cross.  He did not have to be immersed again.

2.     The men of Ephesus were baptized with John’s baptism after the cross of Calvary.  They needed to be baptized with the Lord’s baptism, therefore.

 

II.            THE VALIDITY OF JOHN’S BAPTISM.

 

A.    First, John’s baptism was definitely “for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4).

 

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

 

1.     If the sincere people who yielded to John’s baptism did not receive pardon, then John’s message was deceptive.

2.     If they did receive pardon, why would they seek it again on the day of Pentecost?

3.     Listen to Zaharias’ words of prophecy following the birth of his son, John (Luke 1:76-77).

 

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest:  for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins.

 

B.    Second, the mission of John was to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17).

1.     Question:  Did John accomplish his mission?  Did he “make ready” and “prepare” a people for the Lord?

2.     Question:  If after Pentecost the people immersed by John were required to do exactly what others not immersed by John’s baptism what was the difference between being “ready and prepared” and “unprepared and not ready”?

 

C.    John’s message and his baptism were independent from the Law of Moses.

1.     Luke 16:16

 

The law and the prophets were until John:  since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

 

a.     John’s message was distinct from the Mosaic Law.

b.     He preached the kingdom and prepared individuals to enter into it.

2.     Jesus discussed this more in Matthew 21:28-32.

a.     Background

1)    The publicans and harlots received John’s baptism (Luke 3:12; 7:29).

 

And all the people heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with John’s baptism.

 

2)    The Pharisees and lawyers rejected John’s baptism (Luke 7:30).

 

But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.

 

b.     The parable (Matt. 21:28-32).

1)    A man with two sons (Matt. 21:28-30).

a)     One obeyed his father’s command (Matt. 21:28).

b)    One disobeyed his father’s command (Matt. 21:29-30).

2)    Jesus’ question and the Jews’ answer (Matt. 21:31a).

 

Whether of them twain did the will of the father?  They say unto him, The first.

 

3)    Jesus application centers upon the acceptance and rejection of John’s baptism (Matt. 21:31b-33).

 

Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.  For John came unto you in the way of right-eousness, and ye believed him not:  but the publicans and harlots believed him:  and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

 

a)     The publicans and harlots received John’s baptism.

b)    Jesus said:  “…the publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.”

c)     John’s baptism gave them access into the kingdom of God when it was established on the day of Pentecost.

 

D.    Those who obeyed the gospel of Christ on the day of Pentecost were “added” to others.

1.     Acts 2:41

 

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

 

2.     Added

a.   Strong (4369):  to place additionally, that is, lay beside

b.   Thayer:  to put to, to add, i.e., to join to, …to another company

                        3.  To whom were those obedient Jews added?

                             a.    Some say they were added to the apostles?

                                    1)  The 12 were not baptized again.

2)  Some say this was because they had been baptized with

     the Holy Spirit.  However, Holy Spirit baptism was not for the    

     remission of sins.

                             b.    They were added to those who had received John’s baptism.

1)    Their sins had been remitted.

2)    They were ready and prepared to enter into the kingdom the day it was established.

 

E.    Biblical typology

1.     Defined:  Many people, things, and events of the Old Testament were shadows of things to come.  We see in them a pattern of things to come in the New Testament.

2.     Example

a.     Solomon, who built the temple, was a type of Jesus who build the church (II Sam. 7:12-13; Matt. 16:18; I Cor. 3:16-17).

b.     David who prepared material prior to the building of the temple was a type of John the Baptist (I Chron. 22:2-5; Luke 1:17).

 

…I will therefore now make preparation for it.  So David prepared abundantly before his death.

 

c.     When Solomon built the temple, David’s material did not need to be reworked, but was placed directly into the temple (I King. 6:7).  In like manner, John’s material did not require reworking on Pentecost.  The prepared stones were added to the temple, the church, when it was established.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    John’s baptism was a valid baptism, preparing men and women for the kingdom of God, prior to the cross of Calvary.  Those who received it before the cross did not have to be baptized again with the Lord’s baptism (Apollos).

 

B.    When the Lord’s baptism became operative, it replaced John’s baptism.  Those who were baptized with John’s baptism after Jesus’ baptism was effective had to be baptized again with the Lord’s baptism (the men of Ephesus).

 

C.    This is not a salvation issue.  Today, the Lord’s baptism is the effective baptism (Eph. 4:5).  All must submit to it in order to receive the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).