Baptism

Introduction

English Standard Version Chapter 28

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.” (

English Standard Version Chapter 2

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 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?” 38 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. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (

English Standard Version Chapter 3

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. (

Well, in our last time, on Easter Sunday, we considered the triumph of Christ’s resurrection. That Jesus’ resurrection was a triumph over the Dragon and the grave, that by his death and resurrection he crushed the head of the Serpent and conquered death. That his resurrection secured our own salvation, and gave us certainty of our own resurrection on the last day. Since the grave couldn’t hold him, it therefore cannot hold those who are united to him by faith.

Now, I mention this because it’s fitting then that this week we’ll be considering the ordinance of baptism, which is a sign intended to dramatize our union with Christ and his death, burial, and resurrection. This is one one of those doctrines that should be taught regularly from the pulpit, since there are always new believers coming into the church, and, as we’ll see later, because our understanding of baptism is fundamental to how the church is intended to operate. Now, unfortunately, despite how often baptism is taught in many churches, I suspect that our understanding of baptism is deficient in certain areas of which we may not be aware, certain areas that I hope to shore up this morning.

Therefore, my goal is to consider four points related to baptism, so if you’re taking notes you can write these down, 1) who should be baptized?, 2) who should baptize?, 3) the mode of baptism, and 4) the meaning of baptism. And in doing so, my hope is that you will have a better understanding of baptism, it’s implications, and how our understanding of baptism impacts the practices of the local church.

Now, before we begin I want to consider for a moment at basic definition of baptism as defined by the Baptist Catechism. If you’re not familiar with the Baptist Catechism, it’s a teaching tool associated with the 1689 London Baptist Confession of faith, written by the 17th century baptist Benjamin Keach, which is also why the Baptist Catechism is often referred to as Keach’s Catechism. The Catechism is based upon the theology articulated in the 1689 Confession and put together in a question and answer format, making it easier to use for instruction in churches, families, and for individuals.

As you can imagine, there are several questions and answers related to baptism in the Baptist Catechism, but for now I want us to consider just one of them, question #96 (out of 114). Question 96 asks, “Q: What is baptism?” and then it answers, “Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with Him, in His death, burial, and resurrection; of his being engrafted into Him; of remission of sins; and of his giving up himself unto God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.”

Now, my intention is to unpack much of that definition later when we consider the meaning of baptism, but for now it should suffice to serve as a starting point for our look at baptism.

Who should be baptized?

So, let’s begin by considering our first point, “Who should be baptized?” Well, to answer that question, let’s begin by looking at what Jesus famously taught his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20, in his great commission,

English Standard Version Chapter 28

The Great Commission

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and

Now, who is it that Jesus commands them to baptize? He commands them to baptize disciples. In other words, all of those who become disciples are baptized. And the point I want to make here is that this is a mandate from Jesus, that all of his disciples be baptized. The reason I point this out is because there are many professing Christians who are not baptized, despite this mandate. While we’ll see later that baptism isn’t the cause of our salvation, it is commanded of all those who profess to follow Christ. It’s not optional. There’s no biblical category for an unbaptized disciple.

Now, your mind might immediately run to the thief on the cross who was beside Jesus and pleaded with him, “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43) It’s certainly true that this man had no opportunity to be baptized, but it’s important that we recognize that he had circumstances that prevented him from doing so, that he is the exception, not the rule. Therefore, if you’ve neglected to be baptized when you’ve had ample opportunity, the thief beside Jesus on the cross is not a valid reason.

What did Peter tell the people in Jerusalem on Pentecost in Acts 2:38 after they had been cut to the heart and asked him, “What shall we do?” Peter told 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.” Not only is baptism commanded, but it’s typically a believer’s first step of obedience. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard professing Christians give reasons why they’re waiting to be baptized. “I want to get my life together first,” or “I’m afraid of being in front of others,” or “I’ve sinned too much to be baptized,” and so on, but none of these reasons are warranted reasons, but we often come up with reasons like these either 1) because we’re ignorant of baptism, of it’s meaning and it purpose, or 2) we’re just being willfully disobedient.

Think about it, had those people in Jerusalem not submitted themselves to baptism that day they would have been found disobedient to Christ. So, while there may be rare, extenuating circumstances that prevent baptism, we must never consider baptism optional, any more than we would consider any other form of obedience to Christ’s commands optional. You see, if you claim to be saved, Christ has determined that baptism is the necessary proof.

Furthermore, all of the NT letters were written to churches and believers, and they assume that their readers were baptized. For example, Paul and Peter repeatedly employ arguments that make this assumption, in fact, had their readers not been baptized, their arguments would have fallen flat or lost their impact. Their arguments only work if their readers have been baptized. Again, there’s no biblical category for an unbaptized disciple. Therefore, if you profess faith in Christ and have neglected baptism, realize that Christ commands all of his disciples to be baptized. Baptism isn’t a sign for those who have already gotten their lives together, or for those are spiritually mature, but, as we’ll see later, baptism is for all of those who identify with Christ, who are his disciples.

Listen to question #97 of the Baptist Catechism, “To whom is baptism to be administered?”, and then the answer, “Baptism is to be administered to those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to none other.”

Who’s in the covenant?

Now, another question that often comes up when we ask, “Who should be baptized?” is what about the baptism of infants, what about children who have not yet professed faith, who are not yet disciples of Christ, but whose parents are? What are we to do with them? Should we baptize them as well? Well, Christians have historically differed at this point, however, I don’t think we’re without an answer.

First, we must recognize that we’re saved by grace through faith alone, and that baptism does not effect or cause salvation, but is instead an evidence or proof of salvation. In other words, baptism won’t save you, only grace through faith in Christ will. For example, the Apostle Paul says in Romans 10:9-10, that “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Or listen to how he puts it in Ephesian 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” In other words, we’re justified by grace, through faith alone, not baptism.

Baptismal regeneration

Though, we sometimes get tripped up by scriptures that link baptism with salvation. For example, 1 Peter 3:21 says, “Baptism, which corresponds to [Noah’s salvation from the flood], 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,” So, what does Peter mean when he says that, “baptism ... saves you”? Is he contradicting the Apostle Paul? Are we saved by grace through faith alone, or by our baptism?

Well, first we have to recognize that baptism is designed to portray our salvation, it’s intended to dramatize it. Therefore, when Peter employs baptism to describe how we’re saved he isn’t trying to make the argument that baptism, as a religious rite, saves us, but that which baptism signifies saves us. This is why Peter goes on to say, that baptism doesn’t save you “as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of the Jesus Christ.” In other words, the saving power isn’t in your baptism, but what it signifies, a “pledge for a clear conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” which points to our faith in Christ.

This is important to understand, because Lutherans, Orthodox, and Roman Catholics take texts like 1 Peter 3:21 to mean that the rite of baptism confers some kind of saving grace, and as a result they baptize the infants of believing parents. Now, while the beliefs of these three groups are not identical, all three groups understand the act of baptism as effecting salvation in one way or another, either as a means of regeneration or grace that removes original sin. However, these views are particularly dangerous, because when you make baptism instrumental to salvation you undermine the doctrine of grace alone through faith alone. All of a sudden, you make baptism a necessary requirement for salvation, and destroy the hope that the thief on the cross had that would be with Jesus in paradise.

Unregenerate new covenant members

However, there are other groups who baptize the infants of believing families, yet don’t hold that baptism confers any kind of saving grace, whether regeneration or the removal of original sin. Instead, they baptize the infants of believing households as a result of how they understand the relationship between the old and the new covenants. They draw a straight line between circumcision under the old covenant and baptism under the new covenant. They make the assumption that baptism should be applied to the infants of believing households just as circumcision was administered to the infants of those families under the old covenant. They argue that both covenants are fundamentally the same in substance, and, as a result, argue that the children of believing households are members of the new covenant by virtue of their natural birth, regardless of whether or not they have yet exhibited saving faith, and so they baptize them.

However, baptizing infants who have not exhibited saving faith, and who may never exhibit saving faith later in life, creates a major dilemma. You see, when you admit unbelieving members into the new covenant, you’re saying that these members are somehow simultaneously a part of the new covenant yet don’t have their sins forgiven. Now, I want you to think about that for a minute. That statement should be jarring. That they have to carve out a category for new covenant members who don’t have their sins atoned for by Christ, because the concept of an unregenerate new covenant member is foreign to the Scriptures.

Now, there are those who give false professions, those who are imposters, who are baptized, but there is no prescriptive category for unregenerate new covenant membership. You see, it is not the design of the new covenant to admit unregenerate members. If we baptize infants we assert that they’re a part of the new covenant, despite whether they posses faith yet or not, despite whether or not they are yet united to Christ, and by doing so we divorce the sign of baptism from the reality it portrays. Rather than baptizing infants of natural birth, we’re intended to baptize the infants of spiritual birth, those who have been born again, and by faith are united to Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. This is why you don’t find a single account in the NT of the church baptizing infant children. Instead, we’re commanded to baptize disciples. Which assumes we must baptize those who give a credible profession of faith In Christ. This is why we’re a reformed baptist church, we’re credobaptists, teaching that we’re commanded to baptize upon a profession of faith, or what’s commonly referred to as believer’s baptism. These are biblical parameters for who should be baptized.

Who should baptize

Now, our second question is one that I don’t think most Christians have considered deeply in recent generations, that is, “Who should baptize?” Not, “Who should be baptized,” but “Who should baptize?” Or to put it another way, “Who is intended to administer baptism?” Can anyone administer baptism? Are you authorized to baptize yourself? I suspect many of us would answer ‘yes’ to the first question, but ‘no’ to the second question, recognizing that the second question is probably a bridge too far. If so, why? Well, I think we all realize intuitively that baptism isn’t a sign placed upon ourselves, but a sign that someone else places upon us. In fact, I would argue that baptism is a sign placed upon a person by the church, corporately, that it’s the local church’s responsibility to confirm a believer’s profession of faith, that baptism is a church affair.

I want to read you a brief conversation that I had with a former member of this church who had an excellent question as it related to this point. They asked, “[I have a] question I'm discussing with my sister...is baptism exclusive to pastors? Can a Christian father baptize members within [their] own household, or anyone else?” Now, I think most Christians would answer, “Of course, the administration of baptism isn’t exclusive to pastors, and, of course, a Christian father can baptize members of their own household. Why not?” I think most of our minds, immediately run to Acts 8 when Philip, one of the seven deacons of the early church, shared the Gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch who was returning home from worshiping at Jerusalem. And as they’re going along the road they come to some water, “and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more...” (Acts 8:36-39) I think when we read this story we have a tendency to conclude that there’s not reason anyone in the church can’t baptize another believer at anytime in any place. And on one hand, the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch, I think, does teach us that there are circumstances when it’s permissible to baptize a new believer in isolation from the local church. However, like the story of the thief on the cross beside Jesus, I don’t think the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch is intended to be normative, but is an exception to the rule.

Here’s my response to that former church member, “Good question. I wouldn't be dogmatic about elders or deacons exclusively baptizing new converts (because I don't think the Scripture is), however I'm naturally concerned with the practice of new believers being baptized outside the context of the local church. Hence, why I think it would be normative for the officers of the church to do so. Baptism is the new covenant sign, and therefore to separate it from membership to a local church would be unbiblical. Are their extenuating circumstances where baptisms might be performed outside of that local church context? Probably, but not normative. I think this question comes up most often in the West because people think they can do "church" at home, and because they have no concept of local church membership and their obligation to submit to qualified elders, to one another, etc. therefore they don't see any reason dad at home can't just baptize his kids in the creek out back [apart from the local church].”

You see, in our American culture, we tend to individualize everything, even our own faith, that it’s just me and God, and that we don’t have any binding obligation to a local church, that we can just come and go as we please; failing to recognize that to neglect the local church is to neglect Christ himself, because the the church is the body of Christ, so we can’t have the one without the other. This typically rubs against our individualistic sensibilities, because we don’t like anyone else telling us what to do, we don’t want to submit to elders or to others in the congregation, and relationships are difficult and require a lot of commitment from us. This kind of attitude leads to people think they can “do church” at home, taking the Lord’s Supper and baptizing their children isolated from the local church, as if these were ordinances of the family rather than the church, failing to recognize that these ordinances are intended to be a corporate church affair, under the direction and shepherding of qualified elders.

Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 16:19 in light of this issue, Jesus tells Peter, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Jesus tells Peter that the church exercises the keys of the kingdom, and what are keys for? Opening and closing doors. The church has been charged with discerning who’s in and who’s out. They’re assigned the task of determining who should and shouldn’t be baptized and admitted into church membership, who should and shouldn’t be permitted to take the Lord’s Supper.

While the church doesn’t set the parameters we are charged with enforcing them. This is also what Jesus was referring to in John 20:23 when he appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and told them, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Jesus isn’t saying that they possess the same inherent authority to forgive sins as he does (only God can forgive sins), but that Jesus has given the church the authority to discern whether someone’s sins have been forgiven or not. Again, while the church doesn’t set the parameters we are charged with enforcing them. For example, you do this every time you preach the Gospel to someone and tell them that if they repent their sins will be forgiven, and when they do that you can assure them that their sins have been forgiven. Or when elders are evaluating whether someone should be baptized and admitted into local church membership or not by discerning whether they understand and believe the Gospel.

Jesus is teaching his disciples that the church has the authority and responsibility to make a verdict on Jesus’ behalf, through the Gospel, of those whose sins are or aren’t forgiven. Not arbitrarily, but in accordance with the Gospel delivered to them. Like a judge, the church doesn’t make the laws, he reads the laws, looks at the evidence, and then renders a verdict. In other words, it’s the local church’s responsibility to baptize believers, to examine their life and profession and render a verdict through baptism. Just as a local church is responsible to carry out church disciplinary measures when necessary, the local church is responsible to affirm who are and are not members of its body. Who should baptize? Under normal circumstances, the local church.

The mode of baptism

Our third point this morning is related to the mode of baptism. In other words, how do we administer baptism? Listen to the question #99 of the Baptist Catechism, “How is baptism rightly administered?” and then its answer, “Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the person in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ’s institution, and the practice of the Apostles, and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some parts of the body, after the tradition of men.”

The Greek word translated baptism is baptizo which simply means to immerse or to dip. The consistent witness of the NT is that baptism is performed by immersion. We see this depicted multiple times in the NT, initially at Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River in Matthew 3:13-17, we read,

English Standard Version Chapter 3

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Notice the imagery, after Jesus is baptized by John in the river we’re told that he “immediately went up from the water,” indicating that Jesus had first gone down into the water, and was immersed under the water rather than the water sprinkled or poured over his head. Or consider the Ethiopian eunuch back in Acts 8:33-39 where we’re told that when he saw water he commanded the chariot to stop, and we’re told explicitly that they went down into the water and then came up out of the water. Apparently the eunuch’s baptism required more water than they were carrying in the chariot.

And finally, as we’ll see in a minute this mode depicts most clearly and accurately the meaning of baptism, portraying our union with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection.

The meaning of baptism

So, finally we come to our fourth point this morning, the meaning of baptism. Now, I suspect most of us here have at least some idea of baptism and it’s meaning, but I want to take the rest of our time exploring the meaning of baptism as it’s described in the NT. First, we need to understand that baptism symbolizes or portrays our participation in Christ’s redemptive work. Those who are baptized are dramatizing their participation in Christ’s redemptive work. Like the Lord’s Supper, baptism is intended to dramatize the Gospel. Baptism is a visible word, making the message of the gospel visible to us. As one writer put it, while “faith unites us to Christ so that we experience all the benefits of his death and resurrection. Baptism signifies this union. … Baptism is a sign of the gospel’s application.” (Bobby Jamieson, Understanding Baptism) Baptism pictures the benefits of our union with Christ.

Baptism and the washing away your sin

Baptism signifies repentance and confession of sin, the forsaking of sin, the forsaking of the flesh, the devil, and the world, and turning to Christ. Just as we read in Acts 2:38 after the people were cut to the heart, saying, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ” Why? “for the forgiveness of your sins. Baptism dramatizes forgiveness and the washing away of our sins. After the Apostle Paul was converted on the road to Damascus Ananias told Paul, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)

Baptism identifies us with Christ

Also notice who baptism identifies us with in Acts 2:38, “be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” Baptism identifies us with Jesus. In fact, notice again what Jesus said back in Matthew 28:18–19, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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,” In whose name? The name of the triune God. When you get baptized you go on the record that you’re a disciple of Christ, and committing your life to him.

Baptism a public profession

Baptism is also a public profession of our faith and submission to Christ. Many are inclined to think that that their faith should remain a private matter, but this is like saying the love for your spouse should remain a private matter, that no one needs to know she’s your wife. Jesus said in Luke 9:26 “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Jesus expects that our faith be made public, which is why private confession is not enough. This is why Jesus has mandated that all of his disciples be baptized. That our identification with him not remain a secret. And let me encourage anyone who might be fearful of going public with their faith, remember, baptism should be an aid not an obstacle to your faith. Faith, like our bodies, is strengthened by exercise, and baptism is an exercise of faith.

Baptism and our allegiance to Christ

Furthermore, when we identify with Christ in baptism we declare our allegiance to him, confessing that Jesus is Lord, not ourselves, or the devil, but Christ alone. As one writer put it, “To be baptized into Christ’s name (Matt. 28:19) is to submit to his authority. Baptism is an oath of allegiance to King Jesus. It is how you publicly swear fidelity to him. In that sense baptism is a promise to obey all that Christ commands. To be baptized is to sign on the dotted line below “Observe Everything I Have Commanded You” (Matt. 28:20).” (Bobby Jamieson, Understanding Baptism)

Baptism salvation from judgment

The Apostle Peter also likened baptism to the salvation Noah and his family experienced during the flood in 1 Peter 3:18-21. Just as Noah and his family were brought safely through the waters of the flood, so now believers are saved through the waters of baptism. While the floodwaters were judgment upon the wicked, they were also a means of salvation for Noah and his family. Noah and his family passed through the judgment and were saved. In the same way, baptism represents our passing through judgment and unto salvation. Christ passed through the floodwaters of judgment on our behalf, that we might be saved. We’re delivered from the floodwaters of judgment in our baptism.

Baptism death to sin

Lastly, we’re taught that baptism represents our union with Christ, that we were buried with Christ in baptism, that we were baptized into his death. That we’ve died to sin, and that we’re no longer under sin’s dominion. Turn with me one last time to Romans 6:3-14, listen to what Paul writes,

English Standard Version Chapter 6

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.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

You see, if obedience to the law is your only basis for righteousness, then you’re without hope, for no one can keep the law. You see, the law can only reveal sin, it’s wholly inadequate to deliver you from the power of sin. The law can only highlight your inability to obey God, leaving you in bondage to your sin. The law cannot deliver you from the dominion of sin and death. Sin has dominion over you because of your inability to keep the law.

However, as a result of Christ’s death and resurrection, his triumph over the grave, you have been delivered from sin’s dominion. You see, Christ has fulfilled the righteous requirement of the law on your behalf, therefore sin no longer has dominion over you. This doesn’t mean that you will no longer sin, but that sin no longer has dominion over you, that it no longer possesses the power to condemn you to death, because Christ has died in your stead. It is in this way we’ve been set free from sin. This is why Paul says later in Romans 8:2, that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

We’re no longer under law, but under grace! We now live under grace, as recipients of God’s unmerited favor, in light of the forgiveness of our sins. And that if we sin, we have an advocate in heaven, Jesus Christ, the Righteous one, who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 2:1-2)

Conclusion

So, as we wrap up this morning I hope that you're able to see the riches of the gospel portrayed through baptism, how it’s it’s rightly understood, applied, and impacts the practice of the local church.

Prayer