Elijah's Return
- 1 Kings 17, 18 Elijah’s example points forward to both Jesus’ time and the end of time.
- Matthew 17:10–13 Jesus identifies Elijah with John the Baptist.
- Matthew 3:1, 2, 11 John the Baptist’s role was preaching repentance and baptizing.
- Malachi 4:5, 6 The message of Elijah was preached by John the Baptist and will return at the end of time before the “Day of the Lord.” (See also Luke 1:17.)
- Matthew 28:18–20 Christ’s commission—Go, teach and baptize all nations.
- Mark 16:16 Here Jesus teaches that he who “believes the gospel and is baptized shall be saved.”
- Romans 6:3–6 Baptism is symbolic of a death to sin, with the burial of sins, guilt, and old life, followed by a resurrection to a new life. We become a new creature— following Jesus.
- 1 Peter 2:21 The Christian is to “follow the steps” of his Lord by following His example.
- Acts 2:37, 38 Before baptism, there must first be repentance of sin (Proverbs 28:13).
- Ephesians 4:4, 5 There is only one true method of Bible baptism.
- Matthew 3:13–17 Jesus was baptized by immersion (gently lowered beneath the water, and brought up again) to fulfill all righteousness.
- John 3:23 John baptized where there was much water—showing us that true baptism requires a lot of water (because of the immersion principle).
- Acts 8:36–38 Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch by immersion after he taught him.
- 2 Thess. 2:10 It’s not enough just to be taught. We must also love the truth!
- Romans 6:11 When baptized, we are “dead to sin.”
- John 1:12, 13 When baptized and born again, we receive spiritual power to do God's will.
- Acts 19:1–5 Rebaptism is our privilege if we have been baptized in a way contrary to the Bible method, or if we have learned more truth and desire to show our love and loyalty to follow Jesus into all truth.
- 2 Cor. 11:2 Baptism is like a wedding: We pledge to belong to Christ and love Him in sickness, health, rich or poor, and forsake all others. We will grow and make mistakes, but with Jesus, we grow together.
- Acts 22:16 We will make mistakes as we grow as a Christian. However, we desire to remain in a committed relationship with Jesus.
