Expressing Your Changed Heart to the World

Introduction: Colossians 2:9-12 (NIV) 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead… In the Genesis 17, God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and they would be God’s chosen people. Being circumcised identified them as belonging to the physical and ethnical lineage of Abraham and was unique to Israel (Jews). In other words, circumcision identified the people who had inherited the privileges of God’s covenant with Abraham. The symbolism of circumcision had to do with the need to cut away sin and be cleansed. In Colossians 2, Paul is using something familiar to the Jews, circumcision, to demonstrate to them the meaning of baptism. He wants his readers to understand that what circumcision represents is the same thing that baptism represents. He connected the dots by stating that the new ritual of circumcision was not performed by human hands but by Christ.

Point #1: What Baptism IS

Explanation: The main purpose of the new covenant was that God’s promises were no longer just for the Jews; under the new covenant He is extending His promises to all of mankind. Baptism is the identification of those who are under the new covenant in Christ. The mark of these people is not being Jewish, but rather repentance and faith. This is evidenced in John the Baptists ministry as he declares that physical descent no longer makes someone part of God’s family and that the physical relationship signified by circumcision is now replaced by the spiritual relationship signified by baptism.

Illustration: Matthew 3:7-11 (NIV) 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Application: What counts for those under the new covenant is not who your parents are but that you live for Christ; so, a new symbol for the new covenant is given, baptism; and the new covenant is only validated for those who repent and believe. The Greek for baptize is “baptizō”; which means to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean. Christ baptizes our soul with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, it washes away the guilt of sin and makes us clean before the Lord; and baptism is the outward symbol of that cleansing. It is a Christians clear and decisive way of proclaiming to the world that we stand with Christ.

Point #2: What Baptism ISN’T

Explanation: We all know the story of Noah and the Ark. But how many of us have really thought about what this event actually is? We tend to miss the point, we think that this story is one of God’s anger and wrath against man by destroying the world; when actually, it is a story of God’s grace; it is a prophetic precursor to our salvation in Christ. What brought about God’s judgement on the whole world? (Sin) … How did God cleanse the world of sin? (Water) … Was anyone saved? (Noah and his family) … Why were they saved? (Because Noah had faith in God and did His will by building the Ark) … How were they saved? (by entering the Ark) … What happened to those who were not in the Ark? (they died) … What was left after the Flood? (a new, clean world) … Fast forward 2,500 years and Peter connects the dots for us.

Illustration: 1 Peter 3:20-21 (NIV) 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Application: Many take the beginning of verse 21 “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also” and say “There it is! The Bible says that if I get baptized, I’m saved!” But they are taking this verse out of context and twisting it to mean what they want it to mean. They WANT it to mean that they don’t have to repent, that they don’t need to have faith; because their love is for sin, not the Lord. So, for clarity, let’s draw out the picture Peter is really trying to show us. Why does God judge us? (for our sins) … How does God cleanse us of sin? (with the Holy Spirit) … Can we be saved? (Yes) … Why can we be saved? (Because Jesus died on the cross, according to God’s will) … How can we be saved? (by entering relationship with Christ) … What happens to those not in relationship with Jesus Christ? (they will be condemned). So here is our picture: God will judge us for our sins; but he has given us a way out, a gift of grace. Because Jesus Christ was faithful to God’s commands and died on the cross for us, we can be saved by entering relationship with Christ and receiving the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit; making us new and clean in God’s eyes. But without Christ, the power meant to cleanse will surely condemn us to death. Jesus explains this in John 16:8-11 (NIV) 8 When he [Holy Spirit] comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. … In 1 Peter 3:21, Peter is very clear that the act of baptism, that is getting dunked under water, is not what saves us when he says “not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”. He takes great pains to clarify that it is not a physical washing that we need, but that faith in Jesus Christ and the spiritual cleansing of the Holy Spirit is what does the actual work of salvation.

Point #3: WHY should we get Baptized?

Explanation: The next logical question that comes up is “If what you are saying is true, and baptism is an outward symbol of the inward cleansing of sin, then why did Jesus get baptized? He was without sin. He didn’t need a spiritual cleansing or saving of any kind, He is the Savior!” The answer is simpler than you think: obedience. God commanded it and Christ obeyed.

Illustration: Matthew 3:13-15 (NIV) 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”

Application: So, if we have already received salvation by faith in Jesus, why should we get baptized? It doesn’t save us, it is just a symbol that we are already saved? The answer is just as simple as Jesus’: obedience. We all know that Jesus died for us. But we often overlook that He lived to set an example for us. Jesus DID… then told us to do also. He commands in Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” It stands to reason that if Jesus is commanding the apostles to baptize all His disciples, He is commanding all His disciples to be baptized. We get baptized because Jesus was obedient to God and Christians, being in Christ, are to be obedient also.

Conclusion: A covenant is a contract between two parties, and every contract requires signatures to be valid. When the flood waters receded and Noah left the Ark, he found a world cleansed of sin and offered a sacrifice to God as his signature of obedience to God’s will. God responded with his own signature, the rainbow, to seal the contract that from that day forward man would be able to receive grace, instead of judgement, through obedience. But mankind unable to be obedient on our own. So, God offered Abram a covenant to make his descendants special among all the people of the world, they would be God’s people. God signed this covenant by divinely giving Abram the name Abraham, which means “father of many nations” and his wife, Sarai, was named Sarah, which means “mother of many nations”. Abraham, as his signature of obedience, sealed this covenant by circumcision of his offspring as a symbol they were God’s people. But even the Jews, having access to God’s presence, blessings, and commands; still proved to be incapable of obedience. Therefore, God offered mankind a new covenant; one we can surely keep; where He promises to forgive us our sins, send us a Helper to assist us in being obedient (the Holy Spirit), and grant us eternal life in heaven; we just need to have faith in Him and repent. This is a REALLY lopsided contract in our favor! God has already offered his signature in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but we must offer our signature of obedience to seal the covenant by being baptized.