Foundations For Christian Living - Lesson Two Discipler's Notes

The Lessons (continued)

Lesson Two - You and Your Baptism and
Church Membership Discipler's Notes

How to Identify with Christ and Join a Bible-Believing Church

The word baptize means to dip, to immerse, to place under, or to put underwater and completely cover. Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a testimony to others in the church that you have already been saved and that you now intend to live your life surrendered to Christ. Both baptism and faithful church attendance are important steps of obedience for the Christian.

The Importance of Baptism

1 Do you have to be baptized in order to be saved? (Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-9) No, we are saved through faith in Christ alone.

2 Through what are we redeemed? (Ephesians 1:7)
We are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

3 Did the apostle Paul view baptism as apart of the gospel? (I Corinthians 1:13-17; 15:1-4) No he clearly states that baptism is distinct from the gospel.

4 Who commanded Christians to be baptized? (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus Christ commanded believers to be baptized.

5 If baptism is a command from the Lord, what would you call a refusal to be baptized? (James 4:17) Refusing to obey the command would be sin.

6 Acts records the beginning of the church. In the following verses note who was baptized and what preceded their baptism. Do you notice a pattern?

Acts 2:41 About three thousand were baptized following Peter's preaching and their repentance.

Acts 8:12 Samaritan men and women were baptized after believing Philip's preaching.

Acts 8:36-38 An Ethiopian eunuch was baptized after Philip's explanation of Isaiah 53 and the eunuch's profession of faith in Christ.

Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius and those gathered in his home were baptized after they put their faith in Christ following Peter's message.

Acts 16:30-34 The Philippian jailer and his family who had just been saved were baptized after Paul and Silas explained God's Word.

7 In the same passages listed above, does it appear that these people were baptized according to the biblical definition of baptism given at the beginning of this lesson? Explain.
Yes, each passage points to baptism by immersion (a somewhat redundant phrase). The eunuch spotted enough water (evidently in oasis) in which to be baptized. He did not merely reach for a canteen!

8 According to the above Scriptures, have you been scripturally baptized?
(Give your own experience here. Do not attempt to teach this lesson if you have not been obedient in this important step!) Review last week's memory verse, I John 5:13.

Baptize is a transliterated word from the Greek word baptizo. The word is properly translated, immerse, or place under.

Some people use the following two verses to teach "baptismal regeneration" (i.e., you must be baptized in order to be saved):

1) Acts 2:38 -The key is to understand the word for, the Greek preposition which can mean for the purpose of or because of. Here it obviously means because of the remission of sins. This interpretation agrees with all other Scripture on salvation and baptism.
2) 1 Peter 3:21 - Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It does not wash away sins, but assures us that as a Christian we have been obedient to God.

Only believers were baptized (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:37-38; 10:44-48; 16:31-33). Baptism publicly identified
them with Christ. Today we are baptized to show our identification with Christ and His church.

Deliberate disobedience will stop spiritual growth.

We refer to this as the mode of baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not agree with the biblical definition or -the biblical examples of baptism. The arguments for other modes of baptism just do not hold water!

Encourage your disciple to come forward in the next church service to present himself for baptism.The eternal security of a believer

The Importance of Church Membership

9 What should immediately follow salvation and baptism? (Acts 2:41)
Church membership should follow.

10 List the activities of the early church. (Acts 2:42)
They were faithful to the apostle's doctrine.
They were faithful in their fellowship.
They were faithful in observing the Lord's table.
They were faithful in prayer.

11 Why should you be careful about the type of church you join? (Galatians 1:6-9; 11 Timothy 4:3-4)
Churches that do not preach the gospel arc cursed and lead people astray.

12 How often do you think the Lord would have you attend church? (Hebrews 10:25)
I should attend the regular services of my church, especially on the Lord's Day.

13 What two offices of leadership were given to the local church? (I Timothy 3:1, 8)
The pastor
The deacons

14 For what purpose were the evangelists and pastor/teachers given to the local church? (Ephesians 4:11-12) Evangelists and pastors are leadership gifts given to men to mature other Christians for ministry.

15 What should be your attitude toward the leadership in the local church? (I Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17)
We should appreciate them, esteem them highly in love, obey them and submit to them

16 What is the main ministry of the members of a local church? (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20) The main purpose of the members of a local church is to reach the world with the gospel.

17 How should church members relate to one another? (Philippians 2:2-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22)
Church members should relate to one another in humility and godly love.

MEMORIZE
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.

What will you do as a result of what you have learned from God's Word?
(James 1:22-25)

The same day there were added..." Joining with other believers naturally followed salvation and baptism.

Note the simple outline of the church's activities in Acts 2:42. You might want to discuss Baptist Distinctives at this point.

Breaking of bread is the Lord's Supper. Discuss this briefly from I Corinthians 11:23-34. It is done to remember Christ and His sacrifice and to look forward to His return. It does not give any special grace, nor do the bread and juice actually become Christ's body and blood.

You may need to point out that the terms bishop, elder, and pastor are all used interchangeably (Acts 20:17, 2S).

Ephesians 4:12 could read: "For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of the ministry." Every Christian is to be maturing (growing in the Lord) and ministering (going for the Lord).

God uses church leaders to guide His flock. Disobedience places one outside of this God-ordained protection.

Briefly discuss soulwinning.

Stress the importance of faithful church attendance for spiritual growth. Is your disciple enrolled in Sunday School yet?

Examples of love can be found in Acts 2:45 and Ephesians 4:29. To edify means to build up. I Corinthians 13 describes genuine love. If your disciple is living in some sin that would require church discipline after he/she becomes a member (e.g., fornication, adultery, drunkenness), now is the time to deal with this. If you feel that you cannot handle the situation, seek help from the pastoral staff or the deacons.

Give the disciple Lesson 3. Make an appointment for your next session.
Complete a Progress Report and submit it to the church office.

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Lesson Two - You and Your Baptism and Church Membership	Discipler's Notes
How to Identify with Christ and Join a Bible-Believing Church The word baptize means to dip, to immerse, to place under, or to put underwater and completely cover. Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is a testimony to others in the church that you have already been saved and that you now intend to live your life surrendered to Christ. Both baptism and faithful church attendance are important steps of obedience for the Christian. The Importance of Baptism 1 Do you have to be baptized in order to be saved? (Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-9) No, we are saved through faith in Christ alone. 2 Through what are we redeemed? (Ephesians 1:7) We are redeemed through the blood of Christ. 3 Did the apostle Paul view baptism as apart of the gospel? (I Corinthians 1:13-17; 15:1-4) No he clearly states that baptism is distinct from the gospel. 4 Who commanded Christians to be baptized? (Matthew 28:18-20) Jesus Christ commanded believers to be baptized. 5 If baptism is a command from the Lord, what would you call a refusal to be baptized? (James 4:17) Refusing to obey the command would be sin. 6 Acts records the beginning of the church. In the following verses note who was baptized and what preceded their baptism. Do you notice a pattern? Acts 2:41 About three thousand were baptized following Peter's preaching and their repentance. Acts 8:12 Samaritan men and women were baptized after believing Philip's preaching. Acts 8:36-38 An Ethiopian eunuch was baptized after Philip's explanation of Isaiah 53 and the eunuch's profession of faith in Christ. Acts 10:44-48 Cornelius and those gathered in his home were baptized after they put their faith in Christ following Peter's message. Acts 16:30-34 The Philippian jailer and his family who had just been saved were baptized after Paul and Silas explained God's Word. 7 In the same passages listed above, does it appear that these people were baptized according to the biblical definition of baptism given at the beginning of this lesson? Explain. Yes, each passage points to baptism by immersion (a somewhat redundant phrase). The eunuch spotted enough water (evidently in oasis) in which to be baptized. He did not merely reach for a canteen! 8 According to the above Scriptures, have you been scripturally baptized? (Give your own experience here. Do not attempt to teach this lesson if you have not been obedient in this important step!)	Review last week's memory verse, I John 5:13. Baptize is a transliterated word from the Greek word baptizo. The word is properly translated, immerse, or place under. Some people use the following two verses to teach "baptismal regeneration" (i.e., you must be baptized in order to be saved): 1) Acts 2:38 -The key is to understand the word for, the Greek preposition which can mean for the purpose of or because of. Here it obviously means because of the remission of sins. This interpretation agrees with all other Scripture on salvation and baptism. 2) 1 Peter 3:21 - Baptism is symbolic of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It does not wash away sins, but assures us that as a Christian we have been obedient to God. Only believers were baptized (Acts 2:41; 8:12; 8:37-38; 10:44-48; 16:31-33). Baptism publicly identified them with Christ. Today we are baptized to show our identification with Christ and His church. Deliberate disobedience will stop spiritual growth. We refer to this as the mode of baptism. Sprinkling and pouring do not agree with the biblical definition or -the biblical examples of baptism. The arguments for other modes of baptism just do not hold water! Encourage your disciple to come forward in the next church service to present himself for baptism.The eternal security of a believer
The Importance of Church Membership 9 What should immediately follow salvation and baptism? (Acts 2:41) Church membership should follow. 10 List the activities of the early church. (Acts 2:42) They were faithful to the apostle's doctrine. They were faithful in their fellowship. They were faithful in observing the Lord's table. They were faithful in prayer. 11 Why should you be careful about the type of church you join? (Galatians 1:6-9; 11 Timothy 4:3-4) Churches that do not preach the gospel arc cursed and lead people astray. 12 How often do you think the Lord would have you attend church? (Hebrews 10:25) I should attend the regular services of my church, especially on the Lord's Day. 13 What two offices of leadership were given to the local church? (I Timothy 3:1, 8) The pastor The deacons 14 For what purpose were the evangelists and pastor/teachers given to the local church? (Ephesians 4:11-12) Evangelists and pastors are leadership gifts given to men to mature other Christians for ministry. 15 What should be your attitude toward the leadership in the local church? (I Thessalonians 5:12-13; Hebrews 13:17) We should appreciate them, esteem them highly in love, obey them and submit to them 16 What is the main ministry of the members of a local church? (Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20) The main purpose of the members of a local church is to reach the world with the gospel. 17 How should church members relate to one another? (Philippians 2:2-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22) Church members should relate to one another in humility and godly love. MEMORIZE 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. What will you do as a result of what you have learned from God's Word? (James 1:22-25)	The same day there were added..." Joining with other believers naturally followed salvation and baptism. Note the simple outline of the church's activities in Acts 2:42. You might want to discuss Baptist Distinctives at this point. Breaking of bread is the Lord's Supper. Discuss this briefly from I Corinthians 11:23-34. It is done to remember Christ and His sacrifice and to look forward to His return. It does not give any special grace, nor do the bread and juice actually become Christ's body and blood. You may need to point out that the terms bishop, elder, and pastor are all used interchangeably (Acts 20:17, 2S). Ephesians 4:12 could read: "For the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of the ministry." Every Christian is to be maturing (growing in the Lord) and ministering (going for the Lord). God uses church leaders to guide His flock. Disobedience places one outside of this God-ordained protection. Briefly discuss soulwinning. Stress the importance of faithful church attendance for spiritual growth. Is your disciple enrolled in Sunday School yet? Examples of love can be found in Acts 2:45 and Ephesians 4:29. To edify means to build up. I Corinthians 13 describes genuine love. If your disciple is living in some sin that would require church discipline after he/she becomes a member (e.g., fornication, adultery, drunkenness), now is the time to deal with this. If you feel that you cannot handle the situation, seek help from the pastoral staff or the deacons.