Baptism Work
Notes
Transcript
Water Baptism is Connected to Salvation, it is the Seal and Affirmation of Salvation. It is like the graduation ceremony or the wedding ceremony for the new believer. It is not however the effectual cause of salvation; this belongs to faith alone. The believer should be baptized very soon after profession of faith, as demonstrated in the book of Acts, as the seal and sign of their immersion into Christ.
Acts 2:36-38
Acts 2:36-38
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
1.
“For the forgiveness of sins” doesn’t necessarily mean that the baptism BRINGS forgiveness, it could be that it is because of forgiveness of sins
Matthew 3:11 (ESV)
“I baptize you with water for repentance...”
You aren’t unrepentant until you get under the water, you get to the water only by being repentant
Repentance Greek Word - Turning
2.
IF IT DOES MEAN THAT - It is still an assumption that this is the pattern for every salvation ever, when this doesn’t fit the biblical witness.
Forgiveness of sins in this own book without water -
To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
Saved/Forgiven By Faith
The crucial thing is faith in Christ – that’s the idea of sola fide
Baptism without faith is empty, faith without baptism is still loyalty to Christ!
Faith + Understanding = Baptism
Faith w/o Understanding = Still saved (Biblical faith)
This describes most Christians that have ever lived – didn’t have Bibles – its so clear in the text, yeah well they didn’t have one
What is terrifying is when you listen to many church of Christ talk – you would think they are more committed to baptism than to Jesus, that they trust more in their baptism than in Jesus, that when asked why they know they are going to heaven think first about their baptism.
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
We know of exceptions to baptism, there are no exceptions to faith.
Gen 15:6, Rom 4
The whole point of Romans 4 is that we are saved the same way that Abraham was - Faith.
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
Faith alone is that which is salvific – the only thing that is the effectual cause
Gal 2:15-16, 3:2,7-9, 14, 22, 24, 5:6
Eph 1:13
Rom 3:22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 4:3-5, 5:1-2, 10:9-10.
1 Jn 4:15.
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I think you will acknowledge there are exceptions to the norm that those that go to heaven are the baptized. There are some people (under new covenant) that were or are saved before or without physical water baptism.
Cornelius in Acts 10?
Apostles themselves?
Thief on the Cross? (Jesus can do what he wants. THERE IT IS)
Not to mention the millions of Christians who were baptized as babies and grew up loving the Lord their entire lives, by the way who make a robust weighty biblical argument that their baptisms are legitimate baptisms.
Ariel’s sisters
Once you give any exceptions, you can’t say Must anymore. Should is a better word.
Is there something we have that says those are the only exceptions that can exist, or can we just tell people they should be baptized and let God handle the judicial part.