Tag: baptism

Sermon Idea: God uses godly confrontation by ordinary saints to help us know the way of God more accurately, so we might better follow Jesus. 

Introduction: There is a painting by the German artist Matthias Grünewald that depicts the crucifixion in a startling, but memorable way. Christ is presented in a rather unpleasant manner. Hanging on the cross, his weak and frail body is distorted, marked by wounds, lesions, and blood. His mouth is open in exasperation. 

The painting’s best-known feature, however, is the character pointing intentionally at Jesus Christ. His finger is disproportionate, long, and noticeable. Your eyes can’t help but be drawn to it and, by necessity, to the one whom the finger points. 

The odd finger, which belongs to John the Baptist, adds to the painting’s powerful image. John the Baptist was already dead by the time of the crucifixion, so the artist paints him in a way that recalls his life and ministry. Anyone with a decent knowledge of the Bible can take one look at that finger and hear the words, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”

Pointing to Jesus Christ was John the Baptist’s ministry. He was a prophet whose God-given mission was to prepare the way of the Messiah. He did this by preaching the Kingdom of God and administering a baptism of repentance. As such, John’s ministry was temporary and terminated with the coming of Jesus Christ. 

John the Baptist knew this better than anyone else, as he often taught that with the coming of Christ, he must decrease, so Jesus can increase. 

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Mt 3:11)

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 3:30)

Even though John the Baptist was clear as to the nature of his ministry and centered it repeatedly on the person and work of Jesus Christ, these early days of the church have moved at such a rapid pace that some people are confused as to the details and implications of John’s ministry as it relates to the coming of the Messiah. 

Our text this morning recounts this confusion with two related but different narratives. By placing them side by side, we are meant to compare and contrast them. We have two accounts of deficient understanding of what it means to follow Jesus, one more serious than the other. The first concerns confusion over the nature of baptism, and the second concerns the fulfillment of John’s ministry, the coming of Jesus, and the necessity of the Holy Spirit. The former is a discipleship issue, the latter is an evangelism and salvation issue. 

There is certainly a difference between these two accounts, but here is what is similar—they both include godly acts of confrontation that correct deficient understanding, leading to an accurate knowledge of the ways of God. 

God uses godly confrontation by ordinary saints to help us know the way of God more accurately, so we might better follow Jesus. 

Beloved, until we enter into glory, we will need help from time to time as to what it means to follow Jesus Christ. None of us has a perfect understanding of the Word of God, nor have we adequately worked out all its implications. We all need help in understanding what it means to faithfully follow Jesus.

One of the means that God uses to strengthen our walks with him and correct our own deficient thoughts about the Christian life is good friends who simply understand things better than we do. 

If you isolate yourself from others, especially the church, and if you adopt a posture against any and all forms of correction, you are resisting the very means that God intends to use for your good. 

Let’s take these accounts one at a time to see that God uses godly confrontation to help us know the way of God more accurately and help others know what it means to follow Jesus. 

I.) God uses godly confrontation to help us know the way of God more accurately (Acts 18:24-28) 

We are first introduced to a man named Apollos. He was a Jew and a native of Alexandria, a great city renowned for its scholarship and famous library. We learn from 1 Corinthians that Apollos faithfully ministered the gospel in Corinth. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6, I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 

The early picture we get of Apollos isn’t negative, but it is deficient in an important matter. Notice how glowingly Luke speaks of Apollos before informing us of his misunderstanding.

He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. 25 He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John. (Ac 18:24–25)

This is the description of a Christian believer. He has been instructed in the Scriptures and has been accurately preaching Jesus as the Messiah in fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. His fervency of spirit can either refer to the boldness of his teaching or being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The latter seems to be in view. Apollos is an accurate teacher of Jesus Christ, becasue he has the Spirit of God. 

It is good to remind ourselves that growth in the Christian life does not end when we gain experience, acquire a position, or achieve accolades. The need to grow persists until glory. Apollos was an eloquent and competent man, but even he had a deficiency—he knew only the baptism of John. 

It seems that in Apollos’ gospel preaching, he had not understood how, with the coming of Jesus as the Christ, baptism is now to be administered in the name of Jesus and represents union with his death, burial, and resurrection. He was rightly preaching Jesus, but still calling people to the baptism of repentance, which he learned from the ministry of John the Baptist. 

Apollos was preaching boldly in the synagogue, but some faithful disciples of Jesus, friends of Paul, recognized his deficient view of baptism. Once they realize this note, what do they do in verse 26? 

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately (Ac 18:26)

Priscilla and Aquila were not afraid to confront Apollos, but notice that they did it in a godly manner. They don’t make a scene or call him out in public. They take him aside. They use discretion and privately instruct Apollos in the way of God more accurately.  

We rightly make much of God reserving the office of elder to qualified men in passages like 1 Timothy 2, but women are such a gift to the church. The account of Priscilla instructing Apollos, along with her husband Aquila, is given to us as a positive example. Godly women can and should be an edifying presence in the church. Apollos learns from both of them, not just Aquila. 

The text gives every indication that Apollos listened humbly, received their correction, and responded appropriately. I don’t think verses 27-28 make sense otherwise. 

27 And when he wished to cross to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, 28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus. (Ac 18:27–28)

Godly men and women humble themselves and receive correction. I don’t mean they are to be people pleasers who fear man and have no conviction. I do not mean that there will never be a time when someone’s admonishment is misguided or inappropriate. 

What I do mean is that godly people have an awareness that they are still being sanctified, that they have not arrived, and so are not surprised to learn that they may be deficient in a particular area of faith and practice. Godly saints receive correction from godly friends who are seeking our good. 

Throughout Proverbs, we are reminded of the importance of hearing instruction. It is the fool who despises instruction and correction. 

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Pr 12:1)

A fool despises his father’s instruction, but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. (Pr 15:5)

Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence. (Pr 15:32)

How easy it would have been for Apollos to become defensive. How easy it would have been for him to take personally what was meant for his good. How easy it would have been to say, “We’ve always done it this way.” 

Instead of reacting, he received correction and then responded in obedience. 

What best describes you? Are you a reactor or a reviecer? Do you defend and deflect? Do you receive, repent, and change?

We all have years of experience that inform what we believe to be right, but all of our experiences must be submitted to the authority of Scripture. It is the Bible, not our experience, that is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17)

It is good for us to have patience with those who’ve had a deficient view of life and doctrine. It is not loving to expect people to see the truth and change their minds overnight. That is why pastors are warned to go slow, be patient, and not do the right thing in the wrong way. That’s absolutely true. 

As true as it is, there is a corollary truth. When the teaching has been clear and shown to be right, delayed obedience is disobedience.  Apollos knew that what Priscilla and Aquila said was right, and so he did not delay his obedience. 

God worked through ordinary saints like Priscilla and Aquila to help Apollos know the way of God more accurately. He may use you in the exact same way for someone else, or he may use someone else in the exact same way for you. 

God uses godly confrontation by ordinary saints to help us know the way of God more accurately, so we might better follow Jesus.

II.) God uses goldy confrontation to help others know what it means to follow Jesus (Acts 19:1-7) 

In verse 19, the narrative shifts attention from Apollos to Paul.

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. (Ac 19:1)

I know it is tempting to read the words “disciples” and assume that Luke is referring to disciples of Jesus, but the context makes it clear these are disciples of John the Baptist (Cf. Luke 5:33, 7:18). That is important for understanding this passage rightly. That said, they are also misguided and confused disciples of John the Baptist. They don’t seem to know what John’s ministry was about, nor that it’s been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. That is evident from their response when asked about the Holy Spirit. 

2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Ac 19:2–5)

Unlike Apollos, these disciples of John are described in order to indicate that they are not believers. They do not have the indwelling of the Spirit and have not understood the fulfillment of John’s ministry in Jesus Christ. Paul connects the dots for them to show that their understanding of the faith is deficient, and God uses that confrontation to bring them to saving faith. They are the baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the only recorded case of rebaptism in the entire New Testament.

Baptism is a one-time initiation oath into the new covenant community. They were rebaptized because they lacked the Holy Spirit and thus were not true disciples of Jesus Christ. John’s baptism, apart from saving faith in Jesus and the indwelling of the Spirit, is not sufficient. Apollos did need to be rebaptized because his baptism was accompanied by sincere faith and the presence of the Holy Spirit. 

George Beasley-Murray explains it this way in his class work, Baptism in the New Testament, “…where submission to Messiah Jesus is accompanied by the possession of the Spirit, Johannine baptism needs not supplementing; where both are lacking, baptism in the name of Jesus must be administered.” 

Upon being baptized, Paul lays his hands on them, and they experience the presence of the Spirit in a way similar to that at Pentecost, the Samaritans, and the Gentiles. Speaking in tongues and prophesying are not normative experiences of the Christian life. 

What I want us to think about is how God might use us to help people better understand what it means to follow Jesus. What was missing from these disciples’ understanding of how to be right with God was the person and work of Jesus Christ! 

You may not realize it, but many people profess faith in God generally yet lack true saving faith in Christ. It is not malicious and definitely not obvious to them, so I don’t want you to hear this as disdain or disparagement in any way. 

You need to understand that there will be a lot of people who want church culture, but don’t understand what it means to repent and trust Christ, to take up their cross and follow him, to submit their lives to his Lordship. 

In love, we must take every opportunity to confront the “just getting back in church” people with the true gospel of Jesus Christ. We need to confront the be good, do good gospel—a vision of Christianity that consists in nothing but don’t smoke, drink, cuss, or date girls that do— with the true gospel of Jesus that rests not on our imperfect obedience but on the perfect obedience of Jesus on our behalf, on his sufficient death, and in his glorious resurrection. 

Too many people think that the Christian life is getting back in church, doing the best you can to be a good person, and voting the right way. What is missing from that picture is the centrality of Jesus Christ! We need to make so much of Jesus at Waldo Baptist that it is impossible not to come to terms, one way or the other, with the death on the cross, the resurrection, and the ascended Lordship. 

God uses godly confrontation by ordinary saints to help us know the way of God more accurately, so we might better follow Jesus.

Sermon Idea: Baptism is a means of grace through which God builds up his church by his promised presence. 

Introduction: Do you remember your baptism? Do you remember who baptized you, where you were, and what church affirmed your baptism? Did you have family and friends present? Did denounce one way of life and profess faith in Christ Jesus, submitting to a new way of life. 

Better yet, how now do you reflect on your baptism? What meaning, significance, and benefit does it still have for your Christian life? Baptism is a one-time act for the Christian, but its meaning, significance, and benefit define the entirety of the Christian life. This is because baptism is a means of grace through which God builds up his church by his promised presence. 

I hope to encourage you this morning by reminding you of all that your baptism signifies. I pray that doing so will strengthen your ability to walk in the newness of life. 

Two great errors in our thinking about Christian baptism make discussing it as a means of grace potentially difficult. Some overestimate baptism’s role in salvation and others underestimate its importance in and for the church. 

The error of overestimating baptism’s role in salvation is that some see that act of baptism as salvific in and of itself. Allow me to say, at the outset, we deny that without hesitation. The act of water baptism itself is not necessary as a work for salvation. We are saved by God’s grace alone in Christ alone through Faith alone. 

⁴² And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Lk 23:42–43)

Of course, this is an extreme example. So we need not fall into the opposite error, the one more prevalent in Baptist circles, of underestimating the importance of baptism in and for the church. There is a temptation to think that because baptism is not necessary for salvation, it is not necessary. This is the temptation to think that baptism really means little and that it is simply the first act of obedience to Jesus as his disciple. 

Understanding baptism as a means of grace helps us avoid both of these errors by seeing it as ordained by Jesus Christ for our good to build up the church by his promised presence. I began by reading Matthew 28:18-20. Let’s look again and see both of these truths—that baptism is ordained by the Lord Jesus and accompanied by his promised presence. 

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt 28:19–20)

Along with baptism being instituted by the Lord Jesus, in which he promises his presence, notice that baptism is first something that happens to believers and second only what believers do. What do I mean by that? 

We don’t baptize ourselves; we are baptized, and God puts his name on us in baptism. Isn’t that incredible? God, in his grace, gives us a new identity defined by his own name. We are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. 

Of course, baptism is a believer’s act—I don’t want to downplay that at all. It is a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus. It is the first act of obedience as a disciple of Jesus Christ, but it’s vital to note that our act, by necessity, comes second. We are baptized because God has saved us in Christ, so God’s purpose is primary in baptism.

So although baptism in and of itself does not save, it is necessary because it was instituted by the Lord Jesus. It’s how we are incorporated into Christ and his church, receiving the promise of his presence.  

If we are to appreciate and understand baptism as a means of grace, we need to understand that baptism is a sign. We see covenant signs given to God’s people throughout the Bible. After the flood, Noah is given the rainbow, renewing the covenant at creation. Abraham is given circumcision as a sign of belonging to the covenant community. Moses is given the Sabbath as a sign on Mt. Sinai. The sign of the new covenant is baptism. It signifies something, says something, or preaches something. 

We call baptism a sign because it is a visible word from the Lord that communicates and assures us of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To remind ourselves of this and reflect on what baptism signifies, I want to read three confessional definitions of baptism. Each of these comes from historic Baptist confessions of faith, albeit from different streams. Listen to the consistency in how these confessions refer to baptism as a sign of the real benefits we have in Christ. 

Baptism is an ordinance of the new testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, or dipped, a sign of our entrance into the covenant of grace, and ingrafting into Christ, in his death and resurrection, and our living, or rising to new life. – The Orthodox Creed 28

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life. Second London Baptist Confession of Faith 29.1 

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus, obligatory upon every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of his fellowship with the death and resurrection of Christ, of remission of sins, and of giving himself up to God, to live and walk in newness of life. It is prerequisite to church fellowship, and to participation in the Lord’s Supper. – Abstract of Principles XV

In all of these statements, the sign is the professing believer’s immersion into water, which signifies life in Christ and all its benefits. 

It is a sign not only for the baptized but also for the church affirming the profession of faith in baptism. This point is really important for us because it makes every baptism an opportunity to be built up again by the grace of God. 

J. Ryan Davidson says it this way, “…as someone is lowered into the water  and raised to walk symbolically, in newness of life, each of us has the ability to reflect on our own baptism. Our baptism then becomes a sign again and again and again that the Lord uses to nurture us in our faith. It is a means of grace.”

At Hermon, I encouraged the congregation not to view baptisms as passive participants. After explaining the meaning of baptism, I would encourage the congregation to do three things. They all start with “R,” because I just can’t help myself.

1. Rejoice 

⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ ¹⁰ Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Lk 15:8–10)

2. Remember 

3. Respond 

• Repent and believe the gospel. 
• Reflect and return to faithful obedience.

For the remainder of our time together, I want to reflect specifically on five realities that baptism signifies. Every time we baptize, God proclaims visibly glorious truths about who we are in Christ. To do this well, we have to examine several texts.

 As we do this, it will be helpful to know that the New Testament often uses baptism to express all that is involved in conversion. We use language this way frequently, though often in less significant manners. Two examples provided by one writer are phrases like “all hands on deck,” where “hands” refers to sailors, and “Check out my wheels,” when asking someone to appreciate your car. 

I.) Baptism proclaims union with Christ 

This is the most fundamental sign of baptism that grounds all the others. In salvation, we are gloriously united to Christ by the Spirit so that what is true of him becomes true of us. This is because God considers us to have died with Christ and to have been raised with Christ. From this union, we receive glorious benefits. Being united with Christ, the Son of God, we are adopted as sons and daughters of God. Being united to Christ, who is righteous, leads to God seeing us righteous in Christ. Being united with Christ, who is holy, leads to God sanctifying us and setting us apart as holy. 

Baptism signifies this union because the believer is visibly immersed in the water, symbolizing being buried with Christ, and then is brought back up to symbolize being raised with Christ. Listen to Romans 6:1-4.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ² By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³ Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Ro 6:1–4)

When a new believer is baptized, it is visible assurance that God really does consider their old self to be crucified with Christ. They can rest assured that God really has raised them to new life. This means that in baptism God grants you a new identity that is defined by the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

For all those viewing the baptism, the proclamation of our union with Christ reminds them that they have been buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life. They are reminded that their identity is defined by Christ. 

Remembering your baptism is a means of grace because it provides assurance when we are tempted to feel guilt over forgiven sin and provides fuel and motivation for present obedience, How can we who died to sin still live in it? 

II.) Baptism proclaims cleansing from sin 

One of the glorious implications of being united with Christ is that our sins are forgiven and so we are cleansed of our sins. Baptism proclaims visibly in a powerful way, because of the use of water that washes over our whole person. Do you see how baptism by immersion into water is so fitting to signify cleansing from sin? This is why in Acts, when Paul recounts his conversion he speaks to baptism as the washing away of sin. 

 ¹⁴ And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; ¹⁵ for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ (Ac 22:13–16)

Think about how baptism signifying cleansing from sin can minister to your soul. When tempted to return to shame, remember your baptism. When tempted to return to sin, remember your baptism. Those who’ve been baptized into Christ have been washed by the Spirit of God in the name of Christ. 

¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Co 6:11)

There is no stain of sin that can stick when your washed by the Spirit and in baptism. Your baptism signifies the forgiveness of past sin, but it signifies the promise of forgiveness for present and future sin. 

III.) Baptism proclaims new life in Christ 

Baptism signifies that since we’ve died with Christ we also have been raised to new life in Christ. This life is eternal and was not earned by us, but graciously bestowed upon us through faith in Jesus Christ. 

⁴ We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. (Ro 6:4)

¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. (Col 2:11–12)

What we also need to reflect on is that since the life we have is eternal, then baptism is a means to proclaim and assure us of the resurrection from the dead. Remembering our baptism and viewing baptisms throughout our Christian life allows us to anticipate in hope that God will raise us just as he raised Christ. 

This is why I really appreciate how the Baptist Fatih & Message includes testimony to the final resurrection in its article on baptism. 

It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. 

IV.) Baptism proclaims assurance in Christ 

¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹ in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²² who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Pe 3:18–22)

This is one of the most difficult passages in the New Testament to interpret and understand. I put in a ton of work on these verses when I preached through 1 Peter. For our purpose this morning, we can focus on what Peter tells us about how baptism brings assurance. 

First, we need to carefully note that baptism saves, not in the act itself. It doesn’t save, says Peter, “as removal of dirt from the body.” 

Baptism saves 1.) as an appeal to God for a good conscience and 2.) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

What does Peter mean by appealing to God for a good conscience? Baptism is truly the Bible’s version of the sinner’s prayer. It represents how someone responds to the good news of the gospel and appeals to God. Baptism itself doesn’t accomplish anything, but because the believer has faith in Christ, it assures them of God’s promises, leading to a good conscience. Baptism points to the God who saves us in Christ, allowing the baptized individual to rest in their union with Him, cleansing from sin, newness of life, and so on. 

Remembering your baptism brings assurance because we can know that God’s promises are yes to our prayers. I am not saying that you can’t value a pivotal moment in your life when you responded to an altar call or treasure a family member leading you in prayer in response to the gospel. 

However, it is crucial to acknowledge that what the New Testament urges us to remember is our baptism for assurance and growth. Just consider all the passages we’ve already read. Remembering our baptism lies at the heart of them all, with spiritual maturity, obedience, and assurance as their goals. Baptism serves as a means of grace.

V.) Baptism proclaims incorporation into the body of Christ 

Baptism most certainly marks us out from the world and incorporates us into the body of Christ, the church. It is the means God uses to change our status in relation to the church. It is our initiation into the covenant people of God. 

One significant consequence of this is that baptism proclaims unity within the body of Christ. The church consists of individuals from various places and cultures. Although these distinctions persist, a common unity transcends them. Baptism just doesn’t communicate something about an individual’s relationship with God but with the church. 

⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Eph 4:4–6)

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (1 Co 12:12–13)

Baptism is more than just an act of obedience; it’s more than a symbol. It’s a sign and a symbol of grace through which God builds up the church. It is a visible word through which we see the proclamation of union with Christ, cleansing of sin, new life, assurance, and incorporation into the body of Christ. 

Application 

1. Repent and be baptized 

2. Remember your baptism 

3. Rest in the assurance of God’s grace signified in baptism