Baptist Distinctive's (7)

Baptist Distinctive's   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  41:40
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Two Church Ordinance’s

The first thing we need to do is define three words:
Symbol or Symbolic: A visible representation of a truth
Rite: A symbol employed with regularity and sacred intent
Ordinance: A symbolic rite which sets forth the central truths of the Christian faith, which is universal and a perpetual obligation.

I. Believers Baptism

A. What Baptism is Not.

Before we can really look at what believers baptism is, we must first understand what it is not.
Some denominations believe that there are two baptisms.
Baptism by Immersion and Baptism by fire (Spirit)
We can very easily refute this claim by going to Pauls writings especially where Paul writes
in Eph. 4:5
Ephesians 4:5 KJV 1900
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Now those that believe in two want to always refer to Jesus Christ’s statement that “Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized”
They will say, Jesus had no need to be baptized in believers baptism.
They will say something like, what came down upon Him after He came up? A dove and this was a sign of the Spirit.
Then they want to go to Paul’s writings and tell you that Paul baptized with the Spirit.(Acts 19:1-12)
As you can see Paul was speaking to the Jews.
They had only been baptized with the baptism of John.
They had been saved so Paul baptized them and they recieved the Holy Ghost because the Jews needed a what? Sign.
The Spirit is a in dwelling and baptism is an outward expression of an inward change.

B. What is Baptism?

It comes after salvation and has nothing to do with being converted ie. born again.
It is a public testimony (external) of what took place in you (internal)
The Command
Jesus said, go forth and preach the gospel and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and The Holy Ghost.
The Views
The first view, this is what we hold to, is..
Submersion
The Greek word for to be baptized is used some 32 times.
to be baptized means:
to be baptized (state) v. — to be or become momentarily immersed in water as a cleansing, ceremonial, and initiatory rite.
Matthew 3:16 KJV 1900
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Acts 8:38 KJV 1900
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.
The second view that is held is
Sprinkling
(this view is normally used in relation to infant baptism)
Many denominations believe that this is taught in scripture, but there is no indication anywhere in the NT to back this claim.
It is believed that this teaching was misinterpreted from OT scripture to be a ceremonial circumcision.
the Greek word for sprinkling is “rantizo” which is never used in the NT for the ordinance of Believers Baptism
Again there is no indication of this to be the case.
The only text that would even get close to suggesting it is Mk.10:13-16; 1Cor. 7:14.
The text out of Mark is simply telling us to have faith as a child
The text from first Cor. is telling us that a godly mother or father can have an impact on the children. They have the best opportunity to lead them to Christ.
So, There is nothing in scripture that can be interrupted to mean that babies are to be sprinkled with water.
Therefore this is a false doctrine that was a tradition that has now been put as doctrine of some denominations.

C. Why we do it

The Command
Simple put, Christ told us to do it (Mat.28:19) and the apostles did it in obedience to Christ (Acts 2:41), therefore we should do it.
The Views
There are two views that are typically held within denominations today.
The first is...
Believers Baptism
This is what we hold to.
Baptism is Salvation
Some denominations hold to the thought that baptism is salvation.
They like to use 1Peter 3:21
1 Peter 3:21 KJV 1900
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth 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:
Peter writes the surprising words, “baptism now saves you.”
On first glance, this statement seems to support a sacramental view of baptism where saving grace is automatically conferred through baptism.
In order to understand Peter’s statement, however, we must carefully attend to the context.
Peter immediately explains the statement that “baptism saves.”
Peter comments that the mere removal of dirt from the body does not bring salvation, demonstrating that the water itself does not save.
It does not save mechanically or externally as if there are magical properties in the water.
Baptism is only “saving” if there is first an appeal to God for “a good conscience” (forgiveness) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (faith)
The waters themselves do not cleanse, as is the case when a bath removes dirt from the body.

D. When we should Baptize

It is clear from scripture that believers baptism is to be done after placing your faith in Jesus Christ alone!
Jesus told the apostles to preach the gospel then baptize.
Ethiopian Eunuch asked “what hinder me from being baptized?” Phillip told him, “If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest.”
Paul was baptized by Ananias after salvation
The Jews in Samaria believed then were baptized
So the first ordinance is Believers Baptism.
The Second ordinance is...

II. Lord’s Supper

1Cor. 11:17-24

What is The Lord’s Supper?

1. The Command

Matt. Luke and John all give an account of the passover feast in the upper room.
In Lukes gospel record, Jesus says, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”  
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”
It typifies the Body and Blood of Christ.

2. The Views

Catholic View (Transubstantiation)

The Meaning
The Roman Catholic concept of communion, or Eucharist, as they prefer, is called “transubstantiation”
Trans means “to change
substantiation means 1. evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, valid, or real; proof: 2. the act or process of establishing or proving the truth of something: 3. the act or instance of giving something material existence or concrete form:
So no matter what definition you use, putting trans in front is bad.
The idea they have is that when the priest blesses the “host” or wafer of bread (and only a priest can do this), at that particular moment the bread literally becomes the body and blood of Christ. In other words the bread is Christ!
In many Catholic churches the recipient only takes the bread because they believe that since the bread is the body of Christ then the blood is intrinsically present. You have the option to take of the wine but it is mainly the priest who drinks.
The Mistake
The entire doctrine is a mistake.
They claim that this view is scriptural, they base this on the liturgical formula(Latin: Hoc est Corpus Meum; or “This is my body”) Matt. 26:26-30.
To take this as literally meaning His body, then why did he not just offer his body to them instead of bread and wine.
In Lukes account, Christ is quoted as saying, “this do in remembrance of me.”
Matthew 26:26–30 KJV 1900
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Because this approach is Biblical nor logical, we must reject it. This brings out three errors with this view.
i. Communion is Salvific (saving)
ii. Communion is Substantive (The Savior)
iii. Communion is Sacrificial (Sacrificing Christ every time)

Lutheran View (Consubstantiation)

The Meaning
This is primarily the Lutheran View.
When Martin Luther went against the Catholic church on such issues as indulgences and Mariology, he also rejected the transubstantiation belief.
However, Consubstantiation is not far removed from the catholic view.
Con means “with
So, Luther believed instead of the bread and wine literally becoming Christ, that Christ is in it or with it.
Not sure how that is any different, but Luther thought it was.
The Mistake
This view has no scriptural support whatsoever. It also, like the catholic view, takes a symbolic act and makes it literal.
Thus we reject it.

Reformed View (Spiritual)

The Meaning
Calvin rejected both transubstantiation and consubstantiation, and adopted the view that Christ is “spiritually” present in the communion.
Calvin used the sun as an example.
He stated that while the sun stays in the sky, its warmth and light is felt and seen on the earth. So, it like fashion, the radiance of the Spirit conveys to us the communion of Christ’s flesh and blood.
The Mistake
This view believe that communion along with baptism, “seals” the covenant of Christ with us.
This minimizes the importance of realizing that the crucifixion and resurrection themselves are what “seals” His covenant with us.

Baptist View (Commemoration)

The Meaning
Classic view as some call it, which a majority of Evangelicals hold to, maintains that the elements (bread and juice) are “symbols” of the body and blood of Christ.
Some call this the “commemoration” view.
This was propagated by the Anabaptists.
This view is supported by Pauls interpretation in 1 Cor. 11:26
1 Corinthians 11:26 KJV 1900
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Because it is supported and found in scripture to be symbolic, and it is logical, we affirm and embrace this view.
The Mistake
I know what you are thinking, this is ironic that you would affirm and embrace a view then turn around and say it has mistakes.
The mistake is not in the view, but with the approach to the view.
Though the elements are symbols, they are not just symbols of something that has happened.
A common attitude is, “The Lord’s Supper is just symbolic so it does not matter if I miss it. Its not important.”
The problem with that statement is, you don’t understand the importance of how they symbolize the greatest act of love and sacrifice that has ever been carried out or will be carried out.

When should we do Lords Supper?

The Command

1. The early church practiced communion on Sunday’s Acts 20:7
Acts 20:7 KJV 1900
And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
2. Paul said, “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till He come.”
The word often in 1 Cor. 11:26 is from the greek word “hosikas” which means “many times”
3. The words “till He comes” reminds us that we are to practice communion, ever how frequently, until He comes back.

Who Can Partake?

Saved and Baptized believers.
You should not partake if you are “unworthy” .
We are in reality all unworthy to partake.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.
What Paul is trying to get across is not that you must be holy to partake, but that your attitude must be right.
This ordinance is so special that Paul says, if your heart is not right with God and man, you bring damnation upon yourself.
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