# Baptism question



## BG (Jan 19, 2019)

How did the first recipients of water baptism know that what they were doing was right?


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## Dachaser (Jan 19, 2019)

BG said:


> How did the first recipients of water baptism know that what they were doing was right?


They were following what God had told them to do.


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## BG (Jan 19, 2019)

Where in the Old Testament did God tell them what to do?


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## Jack K (Jan 19, 2019)

Do you mean the disciples of John? They were following the command of God given through his prophet, John.

Do you mean the three thousand in Jerusalem? They were following the command of God given through Christ's apostle, Peter, and following the example of Christ himself.

Are you thinking of other baptisms that had become popular in the late inter-testamental period? Maybe they weren't necessarily right.



BG said:


> Where in the Old Testament did God tell them what to do?



There are many places where the Old Testament points ahead to baptism, in the types of ceremonial washings, in some events of salvation, and in the words of the prophets (such as in Ezekiel 36:25, to quote one of the more obvious), so that baptism can readily be seen as consistent with the Old Testament Scriptures. But in the end, it was the New Testament prophets/apostles and Christ himself who make it clear.

Remember that the special revelation of God is not limited to written Scriptures. In the days before the canon was closed, the word spoken through God's prophets was authoritative.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Scott Bushey (Jan 19, 2019)

Historically speaking, they were following JtB's lead on the matter; 'Repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins'. As well, we have the great commission:

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, _even_ unto the end of the world. Amen.

_The Holy Bible: King James Version_, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 28:16–20.

Jesus Himself submitted to water baptism.


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## Scott Bushey (Jan 19, 2019)

A little history on immersion baths in the OT:

http://www.semperreformanda.com/2017/11/immersion-baths-were-typical-for-jews-in-christs-day/


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