Proverbs 20:12
The hearing ear and the seeing eye, the LORD has made both of them.

3 things that everyone water baptized should understand:

1. Water Baptism is not just an empty form, or ritual, or ceremony.

Baptism is more than a symbol, more than a form, more than a ritual.

Colossians 2:9-14
9 For in Him (Jesus) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

vs 9-	all the fullness of Deity: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit
vs 10-	in Him you have been made complete: it's in Jesus that we can be made complete (or full)
vs 11-	also: verses 9 and 10 aren't all
vs 12-	having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God - we are buried with Jesus in our baptism … through our faith in the "working (or operation) of God"

2. Baptism is a funeral service for the old man (old nature)

Romans 6:6
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (KJV)

The old man is our old spiritual nature.

Romans 6:1-14
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace.

What does baptism mean? Well here are the Greek words used and their definitions:

baptizo (bap-tid'-zo);

KJV-- Baptist, baptize, wash.

baptisma (bap'-tis-mah);

from 907; immersion, baptism (technically or figuratively):

KJV-- baptism.

baptisma-

1) immersion, submersion

a) used of calamities and afflictions with which one is quite overwhelmed

b) used of John's baptism, that purification rite by which men upon confessing their sins were bound to spiritual reformation, obtained the pardon of their past sins and became qualified for the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom soon to be set up. This was valid Christian baptism, since this was the only baptism which the apostles received and it is not recorded anywhere that they were ever re-baptized after Pentecost.

c) used of Christian baptism; a rite of immersion in water as commanded by Christ, by which one after confessing his sins and professing his faith in Christ, having been born again by the Holy Spirit unto a new life, identifies publicly with the fellowship of Christ and the ekklesia. In Rom. 6:3 Paul states we are "baptized unto death" meaning that we are not only dead to our former ways, but they are buried. To return to them is as unthinkable for a Christian as for one to dig up a dead corpse! In Muslim countries a new believer has little trouble with Muslims until he is publicly baptized. It is then, that the Muslims know that he means business, and then the persecution starts. See also the discussion of the subject of baptism under 0907.

3. What formula should we be baptized in? What words should be used?

Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in (into) the name (notice that it is singular, i.e. one name) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

What did names mean in the bible times? Names indicated character, a purpose. In this case an essence of God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.

Numbers 6:22-27
22 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 23 "Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, 'Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: 24 The LORD bless you, and keep you; 25 The LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.' 27 "So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them."

Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

This next verse also shows that baptism is not a sign that you have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Also it shows that you should be baptized in the name the Lord Jesus:

Acts 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

Acts 19:5
And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Where the apostles confused? They were lead and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the new testament for the God Head. The name Jesus means "Jehovah Saves". The purpose of God the Father is to save, the purpose of God the Son is to save, the purpose of the Holy Spirit is to save. So the name of God the Father is Jesus, the name of God the Son is Jesus, and the name of the Holy Spirit is Jesus.

God gave His Son, His name:

John 17:11-12
11 "And I am no more in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to Thee. Holy Father, keep them in Thy name, the name which Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, even as We are. 12 "While I was with them, I was keeping them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

2 Timothy 2:19
Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness."

Baptized into the name of Jesus:

• You are placed into the very name of God
• You are branded, stamped with God's name (the opposite of the sign of the beast)
• You are Jesus' man
• No more of the world for me

4. Water Baptism is Connected with Sanctification (the crucifixion of the old nature)

1. repent
2. be baptized
3. receive the Holy Spirit

You can be born again prior to water baptism, but water baptism is connected with sanctification not justification.

Should a person be re-baptized?
You should be baptized once by immersion following your salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:29
Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?

You need 3 scriptures to build a doctrine

2 Corinthians 13:1
This is the third time I am coming to you. Every fact is to be confirmed by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Baptized into what? Baptized into one body. (the body of Christ). So if you are saved then you are baptized into the body of Christ.

5. Baptismal regeneration is not taught by the new testament.

Luke 23:39-43
39 And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 "And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

That thief only had one thing going for him, his faith in Jesus Christ. You could say that that thief had the greatest faith of any man in the bible. Here he is hanging on the cross and he has enough faith to believe that the guy hanging next to him can help him. That's not natural. That couldn't have agreed with his natural mind. He knew that Jesus next to him was more than a man and he was going to live again and come into a kingdom. He had no good works, no water baptism, no church membership. He had one thing going for him, Jesus. And that's the only hope he had. "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."

Acts 10:43-48
43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins." 44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45 And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. 46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47 "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?" 48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

They had the Holy Spirit (they were saved) before they were water baptized.

Summary:

Baptism isn't a symbol of being saved
Baptism is for sanctification as a commandment of Jesus.

sanctify (sàngk´te-fì´) verb, transitive
sanctified, sanctifying, sanctifies
1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate.
2. To make holy; purify.
3. To give religious sanction to, as with an oath or a vow: sanctify a marriage.
4. To give social or moral sanction to.
5. To make productive of holiness or spiritual blessing.