Baptism

Answers to Common Questions

De: Guy M. Richard

Narrado por: Michael Beck

When Jesus commanded his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, he instructed them to baptize those disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Since baptism is a central part of life in the church, why has it been controversial and divisive among so many Christians?

In Baptism: Answers to Common Questions, Dr. Guy M. Richard tackles the key questions people have about baptism: What does it mean? Is it necessary for salvation? Who should be baptized, and how should we baptize them? As he searches the Scriptures, Dr. Richard helps us think through what the Bible teaches about baptism and encourages us to deal graciously with our brothers and sisters in Christ even when we disagree.

©2019 Guy M. Richard (P)2020 Reformation Trust

Fascinating explanation of the Presbyterian beliefs on infante water baptism.

As the pastor of a spirit filled church I found this book very interesting. I appreciate the author’s studios approach to explaining the Presbyterian view on water baptism. I greatly respect this pastoral commitment to present his beliefs on infant baptism. I found the way he presents the Presbyterian Christian views on water baptism from scripture to be very helpful in understanding their conclusions about this important subject.

Interestingly enough this book not only helped me understand more why many churches sprinkle infants with water but actually reinforced what I belive about the need for all new believers to be water baptized. My humble take on this is that if a child with Christian parents had them sprinkled with water as a sign of their dedication to the Lord this is by no means a bad thing and in many ways beautiful. Even still I believe the the New and the Old Testament are in harmony with that fact that Jesus fulfilling the Old and establishing the new commands all his followers to be baptized in water as a public profession of their faith in him and so that they are in fact baptized into his body as believers who have been “born again” of the spirit and passed from death to life! Believers in this regard are born twice (see John 3) and therefore we are all children twice. We are born of flesh and then when we belive we are reborn of the Spirit. We start out as spiritual infants in the faith and as we grow as disciples of the Lord Jesus we mature into spiritual adults over time. At the second birth (one that is a result of the work of God’s Spirit when we believe) it is clear Jesus taught all who place their faith in him should take the step of obedience and be water baptized.
I really enjoyed this audio book and hold the author in high regard as a man who loves Jesus and wants to truly help pastor the people God has entrusted to him into spiritual maturity.

If you have not been baptized in water and you have recently given your life to Jesus Christ see below. Jesus directed all those who put their faith in him to be water baptized. It is an outward act that points to the inward work of Gods Spirit taking you from dead in your and to alive in Jesus Christ!

Matthew 28:18-20 NLT - Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15-16 NLT - And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned..

Romans 6:1-7 NLT - Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? 3 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.

Acts 2:36-39 NLT - 36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

Very helpful from baptist perspective

I read this being new to reformed theology and being convicted by the dispensational hermeneutics I was raised with. Seeing the Bible with the lens of the covenants has brought me to seeking answers to baptism and having a new born baby who just arrived. This was a fantastic book to see the other view, the historic view ;) great resource. Must read for baptists who think the debate might rest on a verse or two. No, we must look wider at the whole Bible. Thank you.