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Fact Checking the Bible: Baptism

July 19, 2020   /   Troy Spradlin   /   Margaret Street Church of Christ

It seems many are concerned about “Fact Checking” these days. When it comes to religious matters, Christians should be skilled fact-checkers, according to 1 Thessalonians 5:21.

I. HOW TO ACCURATELY FACT CHECK

A. The following suggestions apply to both secular and religious topics:

1. Read past the

2. Who is the ?

3. Look out for questionable .

4. Beware of ““!

5. Check published.

6. Check published it.

7. Check if .

8. Look at the .

9. before you !

B. Additional methods required for “Fact-Checking” the Bible:

1. Look at

2. Look at

3. Have !

Scripture References: Acts 16:30-33, 17:11; 1 Cor 1:17, 9:1-3, 15:6; Matt 4:6, 22:29; 2 Peter 3:15-16; John 20:29, 21:22-24; Revelation 12:3,9; Matt 24:15; Luke 19:43-44, 21:20; Deut 29:29

NOTES:

II. SCRUTINIZING FAKE “HEADLINES”

A. If someone says, “Baptism is a work, and the Bible says that we are saved by the grace of God and not human works,” then we need to fact check it by considering:

1. Man is saved by the grace of God, but that does NOT mean that man is saved by the grace of God . Passages such as Hebrews 5:9 and 2 Thessalonians 1:8 teach that eternal salvation is only for those “”.

2. According to passages like: Matt 7:21; Luke 6:46; Acts 2:37, 9:6, 16:30, and Hebrews 5:9, we CANNOT be saved by !

3. James 2:20-24 makes it clear that works of faith = . That’s when we’re saved! When we

B. If someone says, “What about the thief on the cross? He was saved without being baptized, therefore, baptism is not really essential for us to be saved either!”, then we need to fact check it by considering:

1. Is it possible that the thief had ? Absolutely. See Matt 3:5-6; Luke 3:7; John 4:1; Acts 13:23-35

2. The when Jesus saved the thief! The hadn’t even started yet! , as we know it, was not in existence! Consider Hebrews 9:15-17; Romans 6:3

3. The Son of God had the while on earth! Mark 2:5; Luke 7:48

NOTES:

III. FACT CHECKING: BAPTISM

A. Here are the basic facts about baptism that are found in the Bible.

1. Baptism is . John 3:23; Acts 8:38
2. The purpose of baptism is . Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 22:16
3. Baptism is for . Acts 8:37, 16:31; Romans 10:13-17
4. Baptism is part of . Acts 8:35; Romans 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Romans 6:1-4; Gal 3:27; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4

B. The evidence is more than sufficient to conclude that .

NOTES:

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