Baptism Romans 6_1_11

Text: Romans 6:1-11

Title: Baptism, a spiritual experience.

Intro: The story is told about the baptism of King Aengus (High king of Ireland) by St. Patrick in the middle of the fifth century. Sometime during the ceremony, St. Patrick leaned on his sharp-pointed staff and inadvertently stabbed the king's foot. After the baptism was over, St. Patrick looked down at all the blood, realized what he had done, and begged the king's forgiveness.

Why did you suffer this pain in silence, the Saint wanted to know. The king replied, "I thought it was part of the ritual."

Baptism is important, it was commanded by Jesus. Jesus Himself was baptized to fulfill all righteousness but baptism does not save!

NB) Baptism is a ceremonial display of faith. It is an outward symbol of an inward experience!

Eph. 2:8-9 (By grace through faith)…… Salvation is an act of God’s grace by one coming to faith in Jesus through the Gospel message.

The word “know” is repeated three times (1,6, and 9), this indicates that Paul wanted us to understand a basic truth.

The believer’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Paul uses baptism to illustrate this identification.

Just as we are identified with Adam in sin and condemnation,through faith we are now identified with Christ in righteousness and justification

Salvation (Justification = legal term) is not only a legal matter between you and God (Acquitted of your sin and your sentence was passed onto Jesus) but it is a living relationship with Jesus. What has happened to Him has happened to me.

When He died, I died, When He arose, I arose in Him.

CPS: In its simplest form, baptism is a public identification with Jesus; it pictures the death of Jesus for the sins of the world, His burial, and His triumphant resurrection.

Baptism is symbolic of experiencing Death with Christ Jesus (dead with Christ) Vs.3

Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Ro 6:3.

Two thousand years ago Jesus offered Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world at a place called Calvary. Nailed to a Roman cross, Jesus suffered the consequence of every sin the world has, have, and will commit.

Baptized = fully wet. It is used in two ways here

1) literal = to be immersed under water: In Greek, the word is used to describe the sinking of a ship that is, “immersed” or totally under water.

2) figurative meaning—to be identified with.

When one comes to saving faith, in an instant, the old self dies. The person you once were (the sinner) no longer exist. Paul would say in 2 Cor. 5:17 – the old has passed away!

The old you…. has been nailed to cross of Jesus and suffered symbolically the penalty of sin. As Jesus literally suffered the penalty of sin for you!

Illustration: A story was told of Dr. R.G. Lee, the first time he went to the holy land, they came to the place called Calvary, and the guide was giving a lecture, and he asked, How many of you have ever been here before? Dr. Lee lifted his hand. And the man said, when were you here? Dr. lee said, two thousand years ago. You see, when Jesus died for me, I died with Him.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Gal. 2:20

_______ - When you stand in front of this congregation in the baptistry you are publicly saying to those around you, “I have been to cavalry!” “I have died in Christ Jesus.”

I identify with Jesus and His death by faith in the Gospel message.

Baptism is symbolic of experiencing Burial with Christ Jesus (buried with Christ) Vs. 4a

Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death (Vs.4a)

After Jesus was crucified, He was placed in a borrowed tomb, there His lifeless body stayed from Friday evening until Sunday morning.

Why is this important? Jesus’ burial is a part of the Gospel. Jesus not only died for you, he was also buried.

Paul presents the Gospel and its importance as he says:

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Cor. 15:3-4

Not only is the death of Jesus a part of the gospel, the burial of Jesus is part of the gospel.

Why is it important that Paul says, not only have we died with Jesus but also,we have been buried with Jesus?

Nb) Jesus carried our sins into the grave!

Adrian Rodgers calls it, the grave of God’s forgetfulness

The Bible clearly teaches that, through faith God will not remember your sins… will not hold your sins against you.

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.Is. 43:35

saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.Jer. 31:34

_______ – When you are immersed under the water, you are participating in the burial of Jesus.

As you go under the water, you symbolically enter into a watery grave, where the old you is buried along with your sin, and God promises to never recall your sin again.

Your sin is enclosed in the tomb of God’s forgetfulness.

TRNS: Your faith is… in the Gospel of Jesus, who died for you, was buried for you, and who rose again for you.

Baptism is symbolic of experiencing Resurrection with Christ Jesus (Alive with Christ) Vs. 4-5

The Gospel says, Jesus died for the sins of the world on Calvary’s cross,

Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb where He laid until the third day.

BUT, Jesus had a life that the grave could not keep, He carried my sins into the grave and left them there!

The Gospel teaches that Jesus did not stay in that borrowed tomb…. Jesus didn’t stay dead. He arose from the dead…… living and victorious.

Two thousand years ago, Jesus died for me! Jesus was buried along with my sin, Jesus arose from the dead for me!

By faith in the Gospel we identify ourselves with Jesus’ resurrection. When Jesus arose from the grave, I arose with Him!

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.Ga 2:20.

By faith it is no longer I who lives, I have been crucified and buried, it is now the resurrected Lord who lives in me.

I have been resurrected to walk in a newness of life!

______ – when you emerge from the baptistry water, you are making a statement, that you have participated in Jesus’s resurrection.

Paul would say –

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.2 Co 5:17.

Paul would go onto to say: “Now all these things are from God,”2 Co 5:18a

Application: Baptism does not save you, God saves you by His grace through faith in the Gospel.

The Gospel says that Christ died for us, was buried for us, and was resurrected for us.

Through baptism you are making an outward expression of faith in the Gospel…. the power of God unto salvation.

You identify with Christ having partaken in what the Gospel accomplishes.

It is the death of your old self, the burying of your old self, and the resurrection of your new self.

Because of this faith you have the title deed to God’s promise….. eternal life.