10 22 Baptism
Hebrews Series- Fellowship Baptist Church
Passage: Hebrews 10:19
Theme: The Life Produce by the New and Living Way
Proposition:
Introduction:
Last week we considered the truth that as God’s children, covered by the blood of Christ, we should be people who take advantage of the opportunity we have to draw near to God.
We learned what it meant to draw near, why we need to draw near, what hinders us from drawing near, and how we draw near.
What we didn’t talk about last week is the second half of this verse which addresses the issue of why we can have full assurance of faith with our Father.
As we look at this statement there is something we can identify immediately and something which requires more information/study.
1. Sprinkling of the heart and Washing of the Body give us full assurance of faith
What is clear from this passage, is that the statements regarding sprinkling and washing refer are associated with the encouragement to draw near in full assurance of faith. In other words, sprinkling of the heart and washing of the body make us acceptable before God and allow us to have access to Him.
2. What does sprinkling and washing refer to?
1. Reference to the ritual practices of bringing sacrifices to God.
Because of the Jewish audience, and the immediate context of the sacrificial system, some might want to see this as looking back to the ceremonial cleansing:
Blood of the sacrifice as sprinkled on the people to enact the covenant (Ex. 24:1-8)
Personal cleansing through the ritualistic baptism and/or the ashes of the red heifer mixed with water (Numbers 19)
Problems with this view:
Under the old system only the priest had access to God, not the people.
Ashes of the red heifer only made the body (flesh) ceremonially acceptable to God and did not cleanse the conscience. (Hebrews 9:11-14) Interesting that the person who applied the water of purification would be unclean
2. Reference to spiritual application of Christ’s blood and physical application of water through baptism.
This view takes the image from the Old Covenant and uses it to refer to application of Christ blood and the ordinance of baptism.
Spiritual – atonement and propiation accomplished by blood
Physical – current physical baptism a link to red heifer
Various views:
Baptismal regeneration – baptism saves and makes us acceptable
Baptismal grace – baptism does not necessarily save but is a means of grace to make us acceptable
Baptism symbolic or representative – physical act is symbolic of spiritual work of Holy Spirit/Indwelling of Holy Spirit
Problems with view
Interpretational error – mixing literal and symbolic interpretation when the writing does not indicate that there is a difference.
If heart is clearly symbolic, with nothing indicating a change to literal, then body should be taken as symbolic, i.e. not actual physical baptism.
Baptism is not a requirement for salvation. It is a representation of what has been done, but follows conversion, not a part of salvation.
Ex. Thief on the cross promised paradise but died without baptism performed
Salvation by grace through faith – Romans 10:5-10; Eph 2:8-9
Where do we find pure water to cleanse in this life?
3. Reference to New Covenant promises of spiritual cleansing of the person through the Spirit’s work of sanctification.
Ezekiel 36:22-28 (11:19-20) – Promise of cleansing by sprinkling of clean water, a new heart, indwelling Spirit of God and desire for obedience
John 3:1-9 – Born of water and the Spirit
Eph 5:26 – Cleansed by the washing of the water of the Word
Titus 3:1-7 – Washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
Heart is symbolic and the body is symbolic. Reference to the overall work of God to make us pure and righteous before Him—the work of sanctification/regeneration that is accomplished at the moment of salvation.
