THE MEANING OF BAPTISM IS BURIAL

BAPTISM MEANS BURIAL

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INTRODUCTION:
DEFINITION: The word Baptism is derived from the Latin word “Baptizo” which means “to burry” or “to burry in water”. This word was applied to the concept of Baptism which was begun by John the Baptist, who was the forerunner for the ministry of Jesus Christ. And to confirm John in this idea Jesus submitted himself to John to be baptized. And when John asked him saying “are you coming to me, I have need to be baptized by you”. Jesus answered and said “suffer it to be so now, for it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” Matt. 3:15. And with this statement John allowed him and also baptized him. This was to show that in the Church of Christ, baptism is one of the Doctrines of the church.

BAPTISM IN DETAILS:
The actual meaning of baptism is burial. When John the Baptist was doing it, he did not do it in the house or go into the church to perform baptism. He went to the River Jordan where he was baptizing people, also where Jesus met him. The practice of baptism at the river indicated that it was where baptism should be performed. Else they had houses from where this concept should have been performed. Or they should have taken waters in a basin or in cups and performed it in their houses or at the Temple then, because by that time, the Church of Christ have not been established. No baptism was performed in the house of anyone, neither were children baptized in the scriptures. The Apostle Peter said “no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation” 2Pet. 1:20. This means that no man should interpret the scriptures the way he likes, no. The Bible must be explained the way it was meant to be interpreted.

John the Baptist was dipping people into the river Jordan. He was not sprinkling water on people no. In other words, he was burying them and raising them at the same time. And the people who were baptized in the river were adults who were qualified for it. No child was baptized by John or any Apostle or disciple of Christ. One wonders where those who are baptizing infants got their idea. Or do we say that they have their own God apart from our own God? If yes, they should have their own heaven also. Later this practice of baptism became one of the Doctrines of the church. It was performed by Apostle Peter to the family of Cornelius Acts 10. At this time the Church had been inaugurated in Jerusalem.

And it was taught by Saint Paul to the Romans Rom. 6:3-5, as well as to the Church at Colossi 2:12. All these baptisms were not done in the Churches neither in their houses. It is not performed on an individual who have not declared his obituary to the people. What I mean here? Earlier I said that baptism is burial. With this concept one would actually declare that he is dead to sin to the people by his or her actions openly. It is a public declaration that you are dead to sin.

LET’S READ FROM PAUL TO THE ROMANS:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know you not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we buried with him by baptism into his death; that as like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” Rom.6:1-4 Kjv.

What did Paul here? He was of the view that when we are baptized, we are buried by baptized into the death of Jesus Christ. No one who was buried was sprinkled with sand, no. Burial involves dipping the dead into the ground and such one shall be covered completely that no part of that person is seen again. This is the way burial takes place. So in baptism, we dip such person into the waters and he or she is covered completely before we raise him or her up again. But likened that dipping into the waters as into the grave. Also the raising of that person likened to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then we may ask “where do those who do the negative get their idea? And Peter said “no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation”. Many Churches will have query to answer to God, why they changed God’s pattern of Doctrine on baptism.

WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?
At a time people were bringing their children to Jesus that he might touch them. But the disciples refused that these children might come to the Lord. When Jesus observed it he said “suffer the children to come to me, for of such belong the kingdom of God”. He continued saying “if you will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, you shall not enter therein, and he took them in his hands and blessed them” Mark. 10:13-16. Jesus blessed them, he did not baptize them. But today people use their own idea to baptize children for the kingdom. They also argue saying “what if they die young”? Jesus had already said “of such belong the kingdom of God”. It then means that if they die while young, they are going straight into the kingdom of God, period. This practice in effect is called “unbelief”. Yes, because they do not understand what Jesus said nor believe it. He is the head of the Church, so when we disobey him in any way, it is nothing but unbelief.

It is therefore ridiculous for a man and his wife, in fact the whole denomination to disbelieve the Lord, while thinking that they doing God a service. No part of the Bible contains infant Baptism. It was not among the doctrines of the church. And whenever men and women begins to do their own will, God leaves them alone, so that they might continue in their own method. Else no one or group have the right to change the principles of God’s ordinance and go free. Prophet Daniel said the horn (Antichrist) shall think to change times and law” Dan.7:25. It is only the Beast that shall relax after altering God’s laws and be happy.

Paul queried “how shall we that are dead to sin live therein”? Rom. 6. If you see a dead man or woman, if you show him millions of Dollars, it means nothing to him. Show him a naked woman or a naked man, it means nothing to him or to her, why? Because he is dead and these things does not move him or her any more. This is what Paul meant. No one that is dead lives to enjoy these things again. And no one is buried while part of that is seen, it must be totally covered with sand. Likewise baptism takes the same form. Wherever baptism took place in the Bible, it was the same practice of Burial.

SEE SOME EXAMPLES:
Let’s see some examples, to the Church at Clo.2:12, it was burial recommended. In Rom. 6:1-6 it was burial recommended by Apostle Paul himself. In Acts. 8 Evangelist Philip baptized the Ethiopia Eunuch in the water, not with sprinkling of water. In Acts. 10 Apostle Peter baptized Cornelius and his house. Here, they asked “since Apostle Peter baptized the house of Cornelius, was there no child in his house”?

The answer to this question is very clear. In my house as at now, at the time of writing this blog, I have no infant in my house. What if Cornelius was of my type with no infant”? Again, the bible recorded that while Peter was yet speaking, the Holy Ghost fell upon all the members of his house, and they (all) spoke with tongues” Acts.10. What this meant was that as Peter was speaking, they all opened their hearts to the Lord Jesus, and yielded their hearts and received the ministration of speaking of tongues from the Holy Spirit into their hearts.

This was a great evidence to Peter that these people have been saved by the Lord as they were. On another day Peter used what happened in the house of Cornelius to testify in support to Apostle Paul in Jerusalem Acts.15. Paul at a time encountered people who taught the church that except the gentiles go according to the law of Moses, they would not be saved. Paul refused that teaching and went to the capital of the church at Jerusalem, and Peter supported him.

What Peter said in support was that God showed by example at the house of Cornelius that he has accepted the gentiles as his people by granting them the Holy Ghost Acts. 10. With these evidences, we conclude that baptism means nothing but burial. If you have any question yet, contact me directly at the email address below. Tell us what you feel and what experience you have gained, this will help us to know how to serve you better. thank you for your visit.