What Is Baptism All About?

Introduction:

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What is baptism all about?

It’s an incredibly important topic in the Bible,

The words, “baptize” or “baptism” come up nearly 100 times in the New Testament

The baptisms of thousands and thousands of people are recorded

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion and conflict about this topic

But it is one of seven things EVERY Christian has in common

Ephesians 4:4–6 ESV

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

These are SEVEN things EVERY Christian shares…

one body

one Spirit

one hope

one Lord

one faith

one baptism

one God and Father

This isn’t a topic that should divide us, but one that should unite us

We are different in lots of ways

But we share baptism

In spite of our differences, EVERY Christian has baptism in common.

It may have been

at different times

in different places

in a building

in a lake

in a river

in a swimming pool

But it is

the SAME WATER

the SAME CONFESSION

the SAME FAITH

this is why the apostles can talk about baptism the way they do.

a shared experience

a common reality

some people start to get a little uncomfortable at this point…

Are you saying I have to be baptized to be a Christian?

That’s an interesting question.

How about, YOU TELL ME.

Let’s read a passage from the Bible,

talk about it in context

and you tell me

Because Paul taught that we are saved by grace, as a gift, people accused him of saying we can just go on sinning. He’s dealing with that accusation here.

Romans 6:1–2 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Who is that has died to sin?

Christians

Followers of Jesus

What does it mean to die to sin?

Repent

Commit ourselves to stopping bad behavior

Not perfect, but committed to change

Romans 6:3–4 ESV

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.

All of us who have been baptized

the assumption is what?

isn’t it that they have all been baptized?

he’s saying, “these things are true of who?”… “all of us who have been baptized.”

death and burial

our old self

our sinful self

is dead and buried

into Christ Jesus

not baptism along that makes us a Christian

JESUS makes us a Christian

but baptism is the moment at which we are UNITED with Jesus

Romans 6:5–6 ESV

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.

PERFECT TENSE: have been united

Something occurred in the past

But it has results that exist in the present

I am united with Jesus, because I was united with him in a death like his

FUTURE TENSE: shall certainly be united

I know that I will be resurrected

And live with Jesus forever

Because I have been united with him in a death like his

Because I share in his burial, I will share in his resurrection

PRESENT TENSE: No longer be enslaved to sin

that old self

has no power over us

we are free to serve God now

Romans 6:7 ESV

7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Don’t miss this!!!

Repentance

Following Jesus

This is what Paul is talking about

But when does this happen?

You tell me

When does someone die?

When does that death to sin occur?

Let’s read it again, just in case we forgot…

Romans 6:3–4 ESV

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.

Does Paul leave room for someone who has died to sin WITHOUT being baptized?

do we see that here?

is that possible?

Or does Paul say that baptized people…

are people who have chosen

to be united with Christ

and put off the old self

This is also why—by the way—baptism is for people who can repent of sins and confess faith in Jesus.

Romans 6:8–9 ESV

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.

Something happened in the PAST

baptized

died to sin

united with Christ

Gives us confidence for the FUTURE

will live with him

never die again

And changes the way we live in the PRESENT

sin and death

no longer have power over us

What is baptism all about?

All Christians can draw on our shared experience of baptism as the moment we chose to be separated from sin and united with Jesus.

Maybe someone chose baptism for you

you don’t even remember it

Maybe you’ve never made this choice

If you are going to walk with Jesus, you need to be able to draw on this shared experience

you need to KNOW that you died to sin

you need to KNOW sin no longer reigns over you

you need to KNOW you are united with Jesus

you need to KNOW he will raise you from the dead

This is one of seven things we all have in common