The Rules of Engagement

Baptism is one of the foundational doctrines for the Christian, (See Hebrews 6v1-2) and since the days of John the Baptist, many things have been said about baptism – some true, but many fallacies as well. I have written this book to get to the truth from a biblical perspective. It is the opening shot in a war against the false doctrines of the Devil. After all, all of the lies about anything are ultimately fathered by the Devil (John 8v44), and can ultimately lead the believer down the wrong path.

While many words could be written on the subject of baptism, and perhaps a verse quoted here and there to ‘prove’ almost any viewpoint, it is my intention to look at every single reference to baptism in the Bible, to find out what God Himself says on the matter. There are ninety-one such witnesses to baptism in the King James Version of the Bible, hence the title of the book. Along the way I will cover the following questions and more:

Who started baptism?
Do I need to be baptized to be saved?
What happened to me as an infant – isn’t that good enough?
Is baptism all I need to be saved?
Is receiving the Holy Spirit part of baptism? What does it mean?
Does baptism ever not work? Why does it work? Is it for everyone?
What needs to be included to make my baptism effective?
Is there a right way and a wrong way to be baptized?
Why does the phrase “baptized for the dead” appear in the Bible at all, in 1^st Corinthians 15v29 {witness 86 }?

Mistaken assumptions are found within the church today, especially regarding baptism and the practice of it. It is only when we are ready to discard our assumptions and the traditions of men, and more thoroughly study the Bible, that we can come to a more complete understanding of God’s will, purpose, and methods for our lives. These ninety-one verses of scripture are individual voices, each one a witness to baptism in their own way. Each of them was inspired by God Himself, building precept upon precept and line upon line, adding here a little and there a little, so that we have a complete picture of what baptism means in both the natural and spiritual, and how to make sure that we get it right. Let us not ignore the voice of God by following the traditions and assumptions of men any longer.

If any would try to prove another doctrine, I challenge them to prove it by using all of the biblical references, and not just some selectively, or by relying on the traditions of men. As Romans 3v4 says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar.”

My sincere desire is that you would allow God to truly bless you in your study of His word.

Mark J Anderson, B.Sc, 2^nd June 2004.