First Principles: Baptism and Laying on of hands

of the doctrine of baptisms -

As you can see, this list is following the steps we take in turning to the Lord. Repentance leads to faith, faith leads to baptism. This is the pattern throughout the New Testament, when someone believed in Christ they were baptized.

The doctrine of baptism is the teaching of baptism: Who it’s for and what it does.

Who is it for?

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized

Acts 2:38 Repent, and be baptized

Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip…they were baptized, both men and women.

Acts 8:36-38 See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest

Acts 18:8 Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

As I said before, Repentance leads to faith, faith leads to baptism. Interesting fact, there is no “sinner’s prayer” in the New Testament. Say what? How did they accept Christ? What did the invitation look like? "Jesus died and rose again, he is the Messiah. If you believe this, come and be baptized." Repent and be baptized, Believe and be baptized.¹

What does it do?

All I’m going to do is list verses from the New Testament that describe baptism:

Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Acts 2:38 Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Romans 6:3-4 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Galatians 3:26-27 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Repentance, faith, baptism. Always in that order. Whatever else you conclude about baptism, we have to admit, it seals the deal. I say, “I believe in Jesus.” The Church, acting upon the authority of the Lord, baptizes me, assuring me, “Your sins are forgiven, you are born again.” ²

Amen. But why does Paul say, “the doctrine of baptisms”? Plural. Because there are three main baptisms mentioned in the New Testament: the baptism of John, Christian baptism, and baptism in the Holy Spirit.

John’s baptism was to prepare the people for Christ; Christian baptism is a declaration that Jesus is the Promised Messiah; baptism with the Holy Spirit is the receiving of the promise of the Father. We see all three in Acts 19:1-6.

and of laying on of hands – Listen to John Wesley, “The next thing [after repentance, faith, baptism] was, to lay hands upon them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost.” This may be a shocking confession, but he was just being faithful to the Word.

We lay hands on people to impart grace. This is from the Old Testament. The priests would lay their hand on the sacrifice to place the sin of the people on it. Then we see Moses and Joshua in Numbers 27:22-23, “And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded.”

In the New Testament it is done:

+ when praying for the sick, Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe… they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover

+ when praying for people to receive the Holy Spirit, Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them

+ when imparting a spiritual gift, 1 Tim 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery

+ when ordaining elders and deacons Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them

+ commissioning someone to ministry, Acts 13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

The laying on of hands is so powerful. What a privilege! What a blessing!

NEXT: First Principles: Resurrection and Judgement

¹ I will be the first to admit this is a hasty and superficial overview of baptism in the NT. What do I mean? I mean I’m not addressing the issue of the baptism of infants and children. All the baptisms in the Book of Acts are what have been termed “missionary baptisms”, that is, people coming to the faith for the first time. But even here, we read of whole houses being baptized. See what I wrote about this here. 

Infant baptism is not discussed by the apostles, but when it first appears in the writings of the early believers, there is no discussion, no debate, no opposition; it appears as an established practice with apostolic approval. If we’re honest, we have to consider and study this.

² The NT very clearly says we are baptized into the forgiveness of sins, into Christ, into the body. It also appears to link baptism to regeneration, and many references to being washed probably refer to baptism. I’m not writing a book, so I can’t take up all these matters here.