The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
	Born of Water and the Spirit
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Let us pray together before beginning this lesson:

Our Father, Your word has revealed great things until now, and we know that You still have many important things to teach us. May You reveal them during the next lessons that, through the power of the Holy Spirit working within us, we put them into practice. May these teachings help us better reflect Your image in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
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2 Kings 5:1	Comments
Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance to Syria. He was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper.	Let us begin our lesson with this Old Testament story relating the experience of Naaman the Syrian, a leprous man in search of healing.

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2 Kings 5:9,10	Comments
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, «Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.»	Having heard about Elisha the prophet, Naaman decided to visit him to be healed of his leprosy. Elisha did not deign to meet him. Nevertheless, he let him know the way to be healed: washing himself seven times in the Jordan river.

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2 Kings 5:11,12	Comments
But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, «Behold, I thought, “He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.” Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?» So he turned and went away in a rage.	Not expecting such a method of healing, Naaman, furious, was getting ready to leave without following the instructions of Elisha.

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2 Kings 5:13,14	Comments
And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, «My father, if the prophet had bid you do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather then, when he said to you, “Wash, and be clean”?» Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like to the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.	The waters of the Jordan had no miraculous properties. What really healed Naaman was only his obedience to Elisha’s instructions.

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1 Peter 2:21	Comments
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.	Just as Naaman was asked to dip in the Jordan, God also asks us to show in a concrete way that we take a stand for Him. What does God ask us to do? Let’s turn our eyes towards our Savior Jesus Christ, our example in all things.
1 John 2:6
He that said he stays in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked.

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Matthew 3:13-15	Comments
Then comes Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him, saying, «I have need to be baptized of You, and come You to me?» And Jesus answering said to him, «Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness.»	Jesus was not a sinner, so He did not need to be baptized: this is why John the Baptist opposed His baptism. But Jesus wanted to leave us an example, so that we «fulfill all righteousness.»

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John 3:22	Comments
Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judaea; and there He tarried with them, and baptized.	Jesus taught His disciples the importance of baptism. Just before leaving for heaven, He commanded them to baptize each new convert.
Matthew 28:19,20
[Jesus said,] «Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you.»

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Romans 6:3,4	Comments
Know you 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.	What does baptism mean? It is a gesture symbolizing our desire to die with Jesus, leaving behind us the «old man», that is, our former life of sin, and thereafter walking in newness of life.

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Romans 6:5,6	Comments
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that from now on we should not serve sin.	Baptism symbolizes the replacement of the old man by the new man.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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Colossians 2:12	Comments
(...) buried with [Christ] in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised Him from the dead.	Let us remember: baptism symbolizes our death to sin (death of the «old man») with Jesus Christ, followed by our new birth in Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:11
Likewise reckon you also yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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1 Peter 3:20,21	Comments
The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism does also now save us.	The apostle Peter uses the Flood account to make us understand the meaning of baptism: in answer to God’s call, Noah and his family «were saved by water.» Just as for Naaman the leper, water saved nobody: it is God who, through water, saved those eight souls from death.

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1 Peter 3:21	Comments
The like figure whereunto even baptism does 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.	Just as Noah answered God’s call by a concrete deed, entering into the ark, we must also answer God’s call by a concrete deed: our baptism. This is «the answer of a good conscience toward God», the public demonstration of our faith in Jesus Christ.

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Ephesians 5:25,26	Comments
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.	Baptism is, in a sense, the marriage of the believer with his Savior Jesus Christ. Such a union must be entered into publicly!
Matthew 10:32
[Jesus said,] «Whoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.»

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Ephesians 4:5

Comments

[There is] one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

Now, how must baptism be administered? Some people say that it is necessary to immerse the candidate, to cover him completely with water. Others claim that a simple sprinkling of water is sufficient to baptize. The method of baptism may be considered as a minor point by some people, but let’s make no mistake about it: the Word of God attaches great importance to this point. According to the Bible, there is only one real baptism, one way of baptizing: what is it?

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John 3:23	Comments
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there.	The only kind of baptism taught by the Word of God is baptism by immersion: the candidate must be plunged into water to be baptized. This is why the Bible says that John needed «much water» to baptize. In fact, the verb «to baptize» comes from the Greek verb «baptizo» which means «to immerse», «to plunge into», «to submerge», as any good dictionary will confirm.

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Matthew 3:16	Comments
Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.	After His baptism, Jesus came up from the water. This verse clearly shows that He was immersed, plunged into the waters of the Jordan.

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Acts 8:36-39

Comments

As they went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said, «See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?» And Philip said, «If you believe with all your heart, you may.» And he answered and said, «I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.» And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip.

If sprinkling of water were enough, why did Philip and the eunuch go «down into the water»?

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Colossians 2:12	Comments
(...) buried with [Christ] in baptism, wherein also you are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who has raised Him from the dead.	Only one way of baptizing can be in harmony with the symbolism of burial: baptism by immersion.
Romans 6:4
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.

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Matthew 28:19,20	Comments
[Jesus said,] «Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you.»	Having said this, the next question is: are there preliminary qualifications for baptism? The Bible answers: Yes. Indeed, as we will see in the next verses, the candidate for baptism must have faith in Jesus Christ and repent of his sins. Since babies cannot fulfill these conditions, they cannot be acceptable candidates for baptism.

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Mark 1:5	Comments
And there went out to [John] all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.	As we can see, confession of sins and repentance must precede baptism.
Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, «Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.»

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
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Acts 8:36,37	Comments
The eunuch said, «See, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?» And Philip said, «If you believe with all your heart, you may.»	Also, to be eligible for baptism, the Word of God declares that it is necessary to believe in the Lord with all our heart.
Acts 18:8
And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.

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Acts 8:12	Comments
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.	The Bible mentions the baptism of «men and women», but never of babies or young children. In fact, infant baptism is a practice which began in the third century A.D., to increase the number of «believers» in the Church. Nevertheless, the Bible is clear: the only valid baptism is the baptism of a person fully aware of his decision.

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Acts 2:41,47	Comments
They that gladly received [Peter’s] word were baptized. (...) And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.	Through baptism, we enter into God’s great family: the Church. We also become laborers in His harvest, gladly working for Him.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

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1 Corinthians 12:20,27	Comments
But now are they many members, yet but one body. (...) Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.	Through baptism we become a part of the body of Christ, the Church, working according to the gifts and talents God has given us. Being His ambassadors, we represent His kingdom on this earth. What an honor it is!
2 Corinthians 5:20
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us.

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Luke 3:21,22	Comments
It came to pass that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove on Him.	Having taken a stand for God by our baptism, we can rely on the work of the Holy Spirit who will help us to perform our function as ambassadors for Christ, purifying our heart from all iniquity.
Acts 2:38
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
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John 3:5	Comments
Jesus answered, «Truly, truly, I say to you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.»	As this lesson is drawing to a close, we must understand the importance of baptism in the life of each Christian. These words from Jesus show that baptism is not an option for whoever wants to follow Him, but rather a necessity. Then, what will our decision be?
Mark 16:16
[Jesus said,] «He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.»

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
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John 13:15	Comments
[Jesus said,] «For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.»	Jesus, having never sinned, did not need to be baptized. But He was nevertheless baptized to give us an example to follow. Now we must ask ourselves, individually: «As for me, will Jesus have made this gesture for nothing? Will I follow His example by accepting baptism too, or will I go on as if He had done nothing?»

	The Moment of Truth	Lesson 8
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Acts 22:16	Comments
And now why tarry you? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.	May the Holy Spirit open our hearts and guide us, as we make this important decision concerning our baptism.

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Let us pray:

Dear Lord, As we seek Your Word to discover Your will for each one of us, very important choices are continually facing us. Today, You taught us that we must be baptized by immersion, to become a member of Your great family, Your Church. This decision is not easy, but through Your Son, You have given an example to guide us, and You grant us the power of Your Holy Spirit, so that we may have the strength to take a stand for You, and to publicly demonstrate it by our baptism. Assist us, dear Savior, as we make this crucial decision. In Jesus Christ. Amen.

 The test of Lesson 8 is waiting for you!

Source of the Pictures of this Lesson

Header Picture: Picture from the Web site: http://www.ebibleteacher.com/images/sermonview/JesusBaptism.jpg Screen 1: Picture collection «ClickArt 65,000» by Broderbund, CD #4, NATOT191.JPG. Screen 2: DOLWICK, William. In: «My Bible Friends, volume 3» (DEGERING, Etta B.), p.11. Used by permission. Copyright ©1963, 1991 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 3: In: «Egermeier’s Bible Story Book» (EGERMEIER, Elsie E.), The Warner Press, 1963, p.279. Screen 4: RUDEEN, Herbert. In: «The Bible Story, volume 5» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.82. Used by permission. Copyright ©1955, 1983 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 5: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Bible Story, volume 5» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.84. Used by permission. Copyright ©1955, 1983 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 6: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (May 1, 1988), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.10. Screen 7: In: «The Bible in Pictures for Little Eyes» (TAYLOR, Kenneth N.), Moody Press, Chicago, 1956, p.125. Screen 8: D’ANDREA, C. In: «The Bible Story, volume 10» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.87. Used by permission. Copyright ©1957, 1985 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 9: BLOCH, Carl. In: «The Living Bible Encyclopedia in Story and Pictures, volume 4», New York, H.S. Stuttman Co. Inc., 1968, p.444-b. Screen 10: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Touch of Love (The Desire of Ages)» (WHITE, Ellen G.), Family Heritage Books, 1995, p.26. Screen 11: In: «Revelation Seminars», Seminars Unlimited, 1986, lesson #16 («Le Pays du Recommencement»), p.1. Screen 12: BERRAN, Robert. In: «My Bible Friends, volume 4» (DEGERING, Etta B.), p.82. Used by permission. Copyright ©1963, 1991 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 13: BERRAN, Robert. In: «My Bible Friends, volume 4» (DEGERING, Etta B.), p.70. Used by permission. Copyright ©1963, 1991 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 14: In: «La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1988, p.323. Screen 15: Photos from the Web sites: «http://www.lcms.org/bhcm/wr/UNITY.HTML» and «http://cis.bentley.edu/students/savlon_dani/israel/day2c.html» Screen 16: Photo by FASNACHT, J.P. «The Jordan River». In: «Signes des Temps» magazine (November-December 1999), Editions Vie et Santé, p.13. Screen 17: COLEMAN, Ralph Pallen. In: «The Way, the Truth, and the Life», Philadelphia, The John C. Winston Company, 1958, p.63. Screen 18: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (April 1, 1993), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.7. Screen 19: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (July 1, 1986), Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.24. Screen 20: In: «The Volunteer Magazine», Third Quarter, 2000, p.12. Screen 21: LEE, Manning de V. In: «The Bible Story, volume 7» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.106. Used by permission. Copyright ©1956, 1984 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 22: HEASLIP, William. In: «The Bible Story, volume 10» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.82. Used by permission. Copyright ©1957, 1985 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 23: Photo from the Web site: «http://www.rourke.org/Kenneth/Simon/Christening/christening2.htm» Screen 24: In: «Canadian Adventist Messenger» magazine (Special issue - «Welcome to the Family»), SDA Church in Canada, front cover. Screen 25: In: «Adventist Review» (November 1996), p.9. Screen 26: LEE, Manning de V. In: «Uncle Arthur’s Bible Book» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.331. Used by permission. Copyright ©1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1968, 1996 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 27: CRAIR, Mel. In: «Votre Bible et Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), p.114. Used by permission. Copyright ©1959, 1987 by Review and Herald® Publishing Association, USA. All Rights Reserved. Screen 28: MANISCALCO, Joe. In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software, JM116.BMP. Screen 29: In: «The Voice of Prophecy - Bible Correspondence School» advertisement. Screen 30: Photo in: «Master Clips 500,000» by IMSI, CD #17, USA00029.JPG.

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 The test of Lesson 8 is waiting for you!