Baptism of Repentance

Baptism of Repentance

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Intro: In recent years there has been a building confusion on what repentance is and how it relates to salvation. There are too many in modern day evangelicalism that see repentance as a taboo. Something to be ignored except in the grossest sinful situations. Well tonight I want to talk about repentant faith. The “baptism of repentance” as Luke describes how John the Baptist was preaching salvation and baptism. But what does that mean? Does it mean that you must be baptized to be saved? Does it mean you are saved by doing enough repenting? Most assuredly not. John MacArthur describes it this way: “to symbolize and testify of the forgiveness already received upon repentance”.

I simply want to stop long enough here to set the timeline in history. Out of chapter 2 in Luke we come out of Jesus being tracked down to the temple by His parents who of course were shocked to see where he was and what he was doing. And the last verse of 2 saying “and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Then chapter three picks up some years later.

For those history buffs out there; with the names of those whoTiberius was made Caesar upon the death of Augustus simply as a way to subvert the Roman senate. It is unclear in the context of this passage if this is when Tiberius was appointed as the co-regent which would put it at A.D. 25-26 or when he actually took power upon the death of Augustus which would put it at A.D. 28-29. Either way it is sometime in that 5 year period in history that we find chapter three unfolding.

Here we find that amazing phrase. The one that we will focus on through this text. “baptism of repentance”. We have touched briefly on it but let’s break down the phrase together. Baptism of course we are all familiar with. It comes from the greek work “baptizo” and means to immerse or submerge. We are familiar with how John baptizes from the other gospels. But what does repentance mean. “Metanoia” which is the greek word used here for repentance means “a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done”. So the baptism of repentance is outward showing that you have been granted that gift of repentance. says “with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,” The gift of repentance and the gift of faith are two sides of the same coin, so to speak. Repentance is how one is viewed against the backdrop of his sin, whereas faith is how he is viewed against the backdrop of Christ. Repentance is remorse and a turning from sin, while faith is the belief in Christ, through the Spirit’s drawing, in what He has done on the cross for us. Ultimately, what John is saying here is that repentance is the outward sign of the changed heart and mind. The first step in our sanctification is a repulsion toward our sin and the desire to turn from it. This freedom from sin and sudden repulsion is a gracious gift from God. It is interesting to note as well that the Lord called him first to the area around the Jordan, where Israel took their first steps into the promised land all those years ago.

This passage comes from and explains a couple of different things. 1) That the first call from this voice was for the hearers to prepare their hearts. In those times royalty would send a group of men through a wilderness to help prepare their way. To make travel for themselves easier and to prepare those who were ahead to receive this royalty and whatever his mission would be with utmost excitement and to be as prepared as they could be. 2) The gospel is for everyone not just Israel. By its reference to making things level and removing the mountains and filling in the ravines the voice crying in the wilderness is proclaiming that salvation will be seen by the whole world. In the eyes of the Lord all men are equally dead in their sins. () Everyone that is every born into this world is equal in this regard. They are sinners before an angry God. Sinners facing the just wrath of a holy Creator. And the point of what Isaiah is saying here is that the salvation, the redemption being foretold here is not for Jews only. The Jews of the day of John the baptist were very puffed about their status. About who their father was (Abraham) and just knew that the salvation being promised was for them and them alone. Isaiah, however, is foretelling that the mountains will be brought low and the rough roads made straight. Why? So that all flesh will see the salvation of God. It was not something that was just for the Jews but for the gentiles as well. Praise God that His salvation was extended to His chosen ones outside of just the nation of Israel. For none of us would be here without that grace.

Now he challenges them with the very thing that he has been preaching on. The baptism of repentance is that outward sign of the inward change that God has graciously brought to the individual. The act of regeneration through the work of the Spirit in the individuals heart cannot but change the outward acts of that same person. And he hits the Jews right where he needed to. They leaned on their own heritage. They looked to who their father was for their salvation. They did not look to the God of their father for their salvation. Now watch how strong his language here is. “you brood of vipers” is not a term of endearment. When he called the pharisees who had come out to witness him baptizing the crowd and he directed that sort of language at them he was, in front of all those present, calling them heathen. Comparing them to a serpent was the lowest form of insult he could have mustered toward them. The he goes right into the nuts and bolts of repentance. Bearing fruits of repentance. We have already discussed that repentance is a gift of God through the working of the Holy Spirit within us. So what fruits should be evident within us? Let’s look at . The fruits are evident here. Are they evident in you? Do you have the signs of repentance, the fruits of the Spirit in your life. And then verse 24 takes it a step further and says to crucify our flesh with its passions and desires. Do you live with your fleshly passions? Do the desires of your flesh drive your actions? If you can look at your self and honestly say that you do what best pleases you and your decision are based on simply what you desire, you don’t have the fruits of the Spirit. You are not showing the signs of repentance. Matthew Henry says it this way. “If it serve not for fruit, to the honor of God’s grace, let it serve for fuel, to the honor of His justice.” Your actions will bear fruit for one or the other. Fruits of the Spirit which are signs of repentance. Or fruits of wrath which are signs of judgement to come. Back in Luke we see John finish out his statement and simply lays it out there. Those trees which are deemed unfruitful will be cut down and cast into the fire. In scripture fire is most often used as a symbol for judgement. So if we have seen the progression through what John is saying here we see very clearly that repentance does not mean a works based salvation. Repentance is the evidence of the Spirit’s regeneration in you. The Spirit does not leave someone the way they were when he regenerates them. Regenerate means a new birth You can’t have a new birth and remain the same. Just as Christ explained to Nicodemus You must be borm again

Peter preaching repentance

Paul preaching repentance

Jesus preaching repentance