Ordinances of the Church

We have discussed an overview of the church, that it belongs to Christ, submits to His Word, follows His under-shepherds, and practices membership.

Now we are discussing the ordinances of the Church, the number being two.

At this point, it is good to frame our discussion within Christian history. There have been a variety of views on the ordinances, ranging from baptismal regeneration (the teaching that baptism actually saves) to the view that baptism is merely symbolic and has no real importance.

As with baptism, so too with the Lord’s Supper. The teachings range from the elements being turned into the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation), as taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, numbers 1411 and 1413, to the use of skittles and soda.

Our own statement of faith, which we have quoted quite extensively these few weeks, records our view.

“Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. 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. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord’s Supper.

The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.” Baptist Faith & Message 2000, Article VII

You will note the emphasis on the symbolism to avoid the dangers of both baptismal regeneration and transubstantiation. You will also note the emphasis on the grace that is present in these ordinances, which helps us avoid the dangers of baptismal slides and skittles for Communion.

We, as a Church, enjoy the benefits and blessings of the Church, which include, among many other things, the observance of these blessed ordinances. We could easily use the term sacraments, although many baptist churches avoid the word and its connotations with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. However, sacrament, from the Latin sacrementum, simply means mystery.

The Ordinances of the Church are means of grace given by the Lord of the Church for growth of the Church.

I. Baptism and the Church- Matt. 28:18–20; Rom. 6:1–4; Eph. 4:4–6

Baptism was something our baptist forefathers and foremothers were willing to die for, which begs the question, why? Because it was commanded by the Lord Jesus to be completed by His servants to communicate the grace of salvation through union with Christ as pictured by baptism.

A. Baptism Commanded by the Lord Jesus- Matt. 28:18–20

Jesus commanded His disciples, and us by extension, to go. In that going we are commanded to make disciples, baptize them in the name of the Triune God, and then teach them everything He commanded.

It is not up to us whether we baptize or not, it is a clear command of the Lord of the Church. The Church’s mission includes, then, preaching the Gospel. When individuals respond to that Gospel call, we baptize them, bring them into the Church, and then instruct them.

B. Baptism Completed by the Lord’s Servants

Christians baptize other Christians. Now, generally speaking, and I think for good, biblical reasons, this is mainly conducted by pastors or elders of churches.

C. Baptist’s Communicates Grace

“Many modern Baptists have so reacted against Roman Catholic sacramentalism that they emphasize that baptism is a sign for the world and the church, but little emphasis is placed on its meaning for the one baptized. This is not in accord with the Scripture’s teaching. While baptism does not save, it does formalize salvation in a covenantal ceremony or transaction between God and the party baptized. It is the body of which faith is the soul. We dare not adopt, therefore, the idea that it is unimportant.” Sam Waldron, A Modern Exposition of the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith, 407

A pastor friend of mine, Ryan Davidson, has written an excellent book on the means of grace. It includes Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and although I have reworked his four graces, I found his thoughts too helpful to ignore.

1. By showing us our salvation visibly (the Visible Word)- Rom. 6:1–4; Col. 2:11–14

2. By celebrating our new life with Christ- Rom. 6:1–4.

3. By signifying our entrance into the Covenant Community- Eph. 4:4–6.

4. By securing hope in the midst of life- 1 Pet. 3:18–22

Baptism was commanded by the Lord Jesus to be completed by His servants to communicate the grace of salvation through union with Christ. This is one blessing that Christ has given to His Church, but His Supper is the second.

II. The Lord’s Supper and the Church- Mark 14:22–25

The Lord’s Supper has its root in the Passover, and so we will start there first, and then see how the Church enjoyed the Lord’s Supper, and finally we will consider the blessings of the Lord’s Supper.

A. The Lord’s Supper and the Passover- Ex. 12

The deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery is the climatic, redemptive event in the Old Testament. It is the basis of Israel’s national, covenant relationship with them.

Christ is pictured in the Passover:

A perfect Male

Observed for 4 days (cf. Matt. 21:1–11

Killed

Blood Applied

A Feast of Celebration (Ex. 12:14)

Points to Christ (1 Cor. 5:7)

B. The Lord’s Supper Enjoyed by the Church- Acts 2:42; 1 Cor. 10:14–22; 11:17–34

1. Purifying- “let a person examine himself”

2. Personal- “…you eat…you drink”

3. Proclaiming- “you proclaim the Lord’s death”

C. The Lord’s Supper Communicates Grace- 1 Cor. 10:14–17

“Spiritually to eat Christ is believingly to appropriate him and all the covenant blessings purchased by his broken body and shed blood (John 6:53–58).” Sam Waldron

Just as physical bread and wine give nutrition to the receiver, so too, in a greater way, the one who believes the Gospel enjoys the spiritual nourishment, the fellowship with Christ and His bride.

“Observed regularly, baptism and the Lord’s Supper teach the congregation the basic truths of our gospel. Taken together, these two ordinances not only fulfill the Lord’s command but also serve as beautiful public testimonies to the sum and substance of the gospel.” Kelley, Land, and Mohler, BF&M Study Guide, 99.