The Role Of Baptism In God’s Plan

Introduction

Good morning and welcome to everybody. Our visitors. We want to welcome all of them. Thank you all for coming to be with us today. You know, sometimes when visitors come into our assemblies, I think one of their first reactions is they do church differently. And of course, we might not say it that way. We might say we do worship differently, but I want to tell you, we do church differently too. I mean, we believe that word church relates to the body of the saved, the people. The people, the people that belong to the Lord, make up the Lord’s church. And we do that differently, too. And that is based upon the fact that we approach the Word of God differently than most people, and that is probably most clearly evidenced in what we teach on the subject of baptism.

And because of what we teach on the subject of baptism, it is the cause of some animosity toward us. In fact, sometimes you’ll hear about people like us, churches of Christ. Of course, people are thinking denominationally. They’ve had some encounter with someone who is a member of a church of Christ, and they say, Well, I’ll tell you about those people at the church of Christ. They think they’re the only ones going to heaven. And that could well be the result of a failure on that person’s part to explain to them properly what is required to go to heaven. Or to do it with the proper spirit. And we’ve talked about that before. We want to display a Christ-like spirit in our efforts to teach people, and that really the issue is, like Jesus says in Matthew chapter 7.

Not everyone who says unto me, Lord, will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. When somebody levels that charge, well, you guys think you’re the only ones going to heaven. I’m going to Matthew 7, verse 21 first, every single time. Because there Jesus said, who goes to heaven? Those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven, not those who practice lawlessness. And I’ll just tell people all we’re interested in is keeping the law of God, being doers of the will of God, so that we might go to heaven. But you know, the more I think about it’s probably not so much that Christians have been poor representatives of the truth.

I think this probably stems more from what we teach about baptism than it does anything else. Because you see, when we teach people what the Bible says about baptism, they might quickly come to the conclusion, well, that’s not what I believe, that’s not what we believe, and if what you’re saying is correct, they draw two and two pretty quick. That means I’m not in Christ. That means I’m not saved. That means my sins have not been forgiven. That means I’m lost. And only you people who teach this about baptism then must be saved. You all think you’re the only ones going to heaven. So I’ll just offer this as my observation. This statement probably comes more from what we teach on baptism than anything else. Well, here’s the second thing.

This is sort of an emotional kind of argument that people make. But some would say, oh, no. What you’re saying about baptism isn’t consistent with the Bible, because if you believe baptism is necessary for salvation, then you are teaching a works salvation. I’ve heard that’s bad. You’re teaching a works salvation, so it can’t possibly be correct. And when people say that, what they are saying is that by what I teach on the subject of baptism for the remission of sins, that I am somehow, that I am supposedly diminishing the work of God in salvation. But I’m suggesting that salvation is a human work, that it originates with us, and that I’m somehow diminishing God’s role in salvation if an act of man is necessary for him to be saved.

But think about that for a moment. If man must not act to be saved, the end result of that, as I’ve told you many times, most of you could probably complete the sentence now. I’ve said it so many times. If an active man is not involved in salvation, then what? Everybody is saved automatically by what Jesus did on the cross. And yet most religious groups will teach that faith is necessary to salvation. How does a person arrive at faith? Well, he has to listen to the word of God, doesn’t he? Doesn’t he have to do something to put himself in position to hear the word of God that he might respond by faith, as we see in the story of Cornelius in Acts chapter 10? We are all here assembled, present before God.

To hear the words, Peter, that you’re going to speak to us. I mean, they had to do something. Faith is a result of action on the part of man. And if somehow we think repentance is involved, some do and some don’t. I obviously do. Think repentance is involved in salvation. We’ll see that in chapter 11 in a moment. Then you’re going to have to do something to change your way of life, to turn from a life of sin to turn toward a life of righteousness. That does not diminish the work of God in salvation. And baptism, even though it is an activity of man, what happens in baptism? We are actually making an appeal to God to cleanse us on the basis of what he has promised in his word and on the basis of all that Christ is, as we’ll talk about that in a moment.

And that’s what 1 Peter 3.21 says. Baptism doth also now save us. Now I could stop this sermon right here at 1 Peter 3.21 in the first statement. Baptism doth also now save us and say, sounds like it’s pretty significant in God’s plan. Baptism doth also now save us, not the removal of filth from the flesh. It’s not an outward washing of the skin or anything like that. But it is the appeal to God or the answer to God. It is an appeal to God for a clean conscience. It is about inward cleansing. It’s an appeal to God in regard to a clean conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now hold on to that thought. We’ll come back to that in a minute. Baptism is only effective when we believe that in this act, God is saving us.

Repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. That was the conclusion of Peter and the apostles on that great day of Pentecost. And he tells them what? Save yourselves from this perverse generation. Acts 2 41. Yes, God saves us, Titus chapter 3, 4 and 5. He makes all of this possible. And we’ll say more about that in a moment. But man has to act to receive the provisions of this salvation. That’s why Peter and the apostles said, save yourselves from this perverse generation. In that day, 3,000 souls were baptized. Now, they also believed. They also repented, and that’s made obvious in verses 36 and 37. But the culminating step in all of this was that 3,000 souls were baptized as they were saving themselves.

That’s all I would offer to you. 1 Peter 3.21 and Acts 2, 38 and 41 is pretty powerful testimony to the role of baptism in salvation. The fact is, while baptism is an activity that we have to do in order to be saved, it is no more a work. It does not diminish God’s work in salvation any more than faith and repentance. Does. And when we’ve done all of those things, we don’t say, look at what I did to save myself. We’re looking at the cross and seeing what Jesus did to provide the ransom for our sins. And this salvation that culminates in this step of baptism for the remission of sins is through faith through our trust in Him in Jesus’ name. There is salvation in no one else.

There is no other name under heaven by which an individual must be saved. Acts chapter 4 and verse 12. And that means that in this prescribed act or these acts that all begin with faith in Jesus, we are calling upon Him and His authority to forgive us of our sins. As Saul of Tarsus was instructed, arise and be baptized and wash away your sins. Can you finish it? Calling upon the name of the Lord. It’s not about me doing this all by myself. It is about these acts that God prescribes because of our confidence in Him to cleanse us from our sins. Well, that’s some introductory thoughts about the role baptism plays. I want to talk to you for a few moments this morning about the many errors that are out there on the subject of baptism and what the Bible teaches about it.

Now, somebody might say, why can’t people just read it and get it? Why is there so much confusion? Why do people believe wrong things about the subject of baptism? I mean, we look at some of these passages, baptism doth also now save us. Say, how hard is that? So why is there so much confusion in the religious world? Who do you think is promoting that? Who do you think is trying? Tooth and toenail, as we say, giving his energy toward, discouraging people from doing what is right to be saved? Who wants to promote an erroneous view that causes people to remain lost in their sins? Well, that’s what the devil wants, and he’s a very active force who is trying to prevent your salvation. And so we shouldn’t be surprised that these errors exist and that they continue to be propagated into our time.

1. The One Baptism Is Not Holy Spirit Baptism

A common error is that the baptism of the New Testament that saves is actually not baptism in water in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, but it is Holy Spirit baptism. Well, the first passage I’m going to go to in that regard is Ephesians 4 and verse 5. Because it says there, as there is one Lord and God and Father of all and one Spirit, and there is one faith, and there is one body, there is also what? There is one baptism. And so the issue then must become what is the one baptism? Because the Bible talks about a number of baptisms. There’s a baptism unto Moses. That’s talked about in 1 Corinthians 10. There’s a baptism of fire that Jesus talked about.

So which one of the baptisms of the New Testament is the one baptism, which obviously, by implication in Ephesians chapter 4, is the one that’s going to save us from our sins. Which one is that?

And so we have to start looking throughout the New Testament to discover is it the Holy Spirit immersing people? Or people being submerged in the influence of the Holy Spirit? Or is it something having to do with water, an instrument that God has selected and its role in salvation? I would take you again to one passage. If you’re going to deal with Holy Spirit baptism, I would take you to one passage and say, always go there first. And it would be Acts. And again, you should be able to fill in the blank by now. Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8. Because when Philip goes into Samaria to preach the gospel, it says a number of those in Samaria were believing and being baptized in Acts chapter 8 and verse 12.

And among them was Simon the sorcerer, and that’s another whole interesting story there in Acts chapter 8. They were believing and being baptized. But then, after that, Philip has to call down some apostles from Jerusalem to Samaria because it says in that text, the Holy Spirit had not fallen upon any of them yet. Here were people who were baptized, but there was no miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not fallen upon any of them yet, and the only way it could, unless it was directly administered from heaven, like it was on the apostles in Acts 2 or Corneas, and we’ll get to him in a moment. Corneas in Acts 10, the only two times that ever happened, according to the biblical record.

Well, if it’s not going to happen that way, how’s it going to happen? Apparently, Philip wasn’t expecting it to come directly from heaven. He had caused the apostles to come down, Peter and John. They come down, and what? They lay their hands on them. And then they receive the Holy Spirit. And the miraculous things that are attached to that the New Testament talks about in great detail. But what I want you to notice is they believed and were baptized, and it was several days later, before any miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit occurred. But I’m not done with chapter 8. You go down to the next story when Philip is now preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch. And he’s preaching Jesus to him in Acts chapter 8 and verse 35.

And then in verse 36, what does the eunuch say? I need Holy Spirit baptism in order to be saved. That’s not what he said. He doesn’t mention Holy Spirit baptism. He apparently saw the role of water baptism in salvation because he said to Philip, and this wasn’t Philip talking, this was the eunuch, look. Here is water. What prevents me from being baptized? If you believe with all your hearts, you may, Philip said. And they went down into the water. And he baptized him. And he came up out of the water. And they went on their, and he went on his way rejoicing. What do you think that was about? Salvation. And there’s no mention of Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit is mentioned in that text.

He snatched Philip away. A miraculous removal of the preacher. Just like there was a miraculous arrival by the preacher in this case. The Holy Spirit is involved in baptism that saves, to be sure. He’s the one that instructs us to be baptized for the remission of our sins. I’m not diminishing the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation. But salvation does not occur by a miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. And that’s demonstrated in the story of Cornelius. Now, okay, Acts 8 is the passage I told you to start with. Immediately go to chapter 10, where you have the story of Corneas. Because while Peter was preaching to this Gentile, who would be the first Gentile convert to Christianity? It says, while he was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius.

Or, oh, see, there it is, Holy Spirit baptism. Cornelius and his family, they’re saved by Holy Spirit baptism. Is that what the text says? What happens after the Holy Spirit? And I realize Holy Spirit baptism, a special Holy Spirit submerging takes place in Acts chapter 10. In fact, Peter draws attention to that in the next chapter when he’s reporting in Jerusalem what had happened. He said, the Holy Spirit fell upon them as it did upon us in the beginning. Again, that’s the only two references to it being administered directly from heaven in the New Testament. Special moments in the history of the church. That might be the reason for that. The first converts in Acts chapter 2, the first Gentile convert in Acts chapter 10, heaven says yes.

Direct submerging by the Holy Spirit. But even in the case of Cornelius, what immediately follows that? Peter orders him to be baptized in the name of Jesus. Whatever happened with the Holy Spirit a few seconds ago did not change the fact that Cornelius still had to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And then when he’s recounting it later in chapter 11, I love to tell you, as you know, I love to preach this. As he’s retelling it later in chapter 11, he says that he preached words to Cornelius and his family by which they could be saved. He preached words. They had to listen to the word and respond to the word. And at the end of it, in verse 18, after he talks about the Holy Spirit and his involvement in all of that, he says that God granted them what?

2. Improper Subjects and Mode of Baptism

The repentance that leads to life. And so we have the words that lead to faith and repentance, and obviously baptism in the name of Jesus in the case of Cornelius. Well, that’s your short course on that particular error. Sometimes people get the improper subjects of baptism. That is, they baptize infants. And that’s probably worthy of another whole lesson and of itself as to how that started in Catholicism, but the Bible doesn’t talk about in any way, shape, form, or fashion the baptizing of infants. But those who have sin on their account and who are old enough to believe in these things. The mode of baptism is sometimes corrupted. The mode in the New Testament is always immersion in likeness of Jesus’ death and his burial. Romans chapter 6.

3. Baptism Is Essential, Not an Afterthought

It’s a submerging in water. It’s not a little dab of water, a little sprinkling and pouring. Again, there’s no biblical example of that. Look at all these errors. And people still believe these. And I believe them for a long time, even though the Bible doesn’t teach them. Now here’s a really dangerous one that’s really prevalent in our times, and that is that, well, baptism is a good thing. It’s something the Bible talks about, obviously, and so people ought to do it, but it’s not really essential in the salvation process. In other words, it’s an afterthought. You’re saved, and then you’re baptized. Where people actually get to act right, they may be submerged or immersed in water. But I want to tell you that’s not baptism in the name of Jesus.

4. The Role of Baptism Is Not Decided by Us

Because a baptism that appeals to God’s promises in His Word teaches us that baptism is for the remission of sins. It’s not an afterthought in the process. It’s not just a good work that people do, but it is essential unto salvation. And so, well, I’ve been baptized. I’ve been baptized. But were you baptized by faith? The faith that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans chapter 10 and verse 17. And so, well, I’ll tell you what the issue is not, and never will be. The role of baptism is not decided by, and I want you to listen to this very carefully because I’m going to go through this quickly. And you’re listening. I like that. The role of baptism is not decided by what I would like to believe.

It is not decided by what I am comfortable with. It is not decided by what my family believes. It is not decided by what decent and respectable people believe. And I want to stop right there and say, this is what motivates most people’s response religiously today. We live in a very subjective time where truth is what I determine it to be and I feel good about. And for a lot of people, what they do religiously is really based on one of these four things, that it’s based on, well, I like it, and I’m comfortable with it. I’m feeling good about it. My family is good with it. And then there’s other people that I really like a lot. They’re good folks. And they believe it too.

And that’s pretty much good enough for people. I’ll tell you something else, though. The role of baptism is not decided by what I’m saying. So he said, well, then why are you saying it? I’m just saying I’m not the authority on this. It’s not, well, you need to really listen to me because I know. It’s that I’m somehow some ultimate authority that everybody in Tombaugh in the whole world really ought to be listening to Tony Mock. Or the Decker Prairie Church of Christ. I mean, we have a corner on it, and there’s nobody else there that really knows. We have some special knowledge here about baptism. Listen to me. That’s not what I’m doing this morning. Because ultimately it’s not what I say unless what I say is what?

What the Bible says. That’s when only what I say or we say carries any weight, is if it’s consistent with what the Word of God says. That’s what saves a person. The truth sets you free. John chapter 8 and verse 32. And so that’s why I’ve called this sermon. Haven’t really gotten to the meat of it yet. And I know I’ve been going at this for a while, but that’s why I called this sermon, and notice the italics. The role of baptism in God’s plan. We’ve got to make sure that it’s his plan and not ours. That we’re talking about, that we’re promoting. Because it’s the role that God believes baptism plays is what matters. Well, I’ve already done a lot of teaching about what baptism is by talking about what it isn’t.

5. Things Baptism Cannot Do

But let me tell you about some things baptism cannot do. I did a whole sermon on this a couple years ago. But this is just a brief reminder of those things. Baptism cannot change the heart. I mean, you can get the act right, but it does not stand in the place of changing your heart. That is being converted to the Lord. To turn from vain things to serve a living and true God. That’s how the Thessalonians’ conversion was described in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Baptism, just as an act in and of itself, cannot change the heart. The change of heart must occur while one is being baptized or considering being baptized for the remission of your sins. Don’t underemphasize the role that repentance plays. Baptism does not necessarily change your life.

You’ve got again be committed to the Lord. That’s what this baptism represents. That I’m dying to self, just as the Lord died, and he rose from the dead, and now I’m rising to newness of life. And you’ve got to stay committed to that. Paul talks about that later in Romans chapter 6. That form of doctrine to which you were committed, he says in Romans 6 and verse 17. This is something that I think is important too. Some people think now that I’m baptized, it’s going to be smooth sailing the rest of the way. Slide right on into heaven now. But when I read the New Testament and I read about those believers in Corinth and Thessalonica and Philippi and the letters to the seven churches in the book of Revelation, those churches, they dealt with some stuff.

There were false teachers and false influences that brought them close to peril. The Hebrew writer warns about an evil heart of unbelief and departing from the living God. And Paul talks about the trials and difficulties that he faced. Some people think it’s just going to be a walk through the proverbial rose garden after they are baptized into Christ. Not a trouble anymore. Well, again, we haven’t consulted the Word of God about that. If that’s what we think. In fact, I would even suggest that the trial might increase as a result of this decision to put on the Lord and to be his disciple, because the slave is not above his master. And just as Jesus endured temptation and trial, so must his disciples. But further, in regard to trial and temptation, it’s not going to prevent stumbling that might occur.

Yeah, it’d be great if as a result of this conversion and this new way of life and our excitement over salvation that we rise from the waters of baptism never to error again. And that’s what some people think. I mean, it’s almost like not going to have any more problems with sin and temptation. Again. We see Simon the sorcerer in Acts chapter 8, not many days. After his conversion to the Lord, finds himself again in the gall of bitterness and the bondage of iniquity, needing prayer for the forgiveness of his sins. Doesn’t need to be baptized again, but now that he’s in Christ, he must pray that the thought of his heart might be forgiven him. The devil is still. That’s going back to point number three here.

Baptism does not ensure eternal life. We read of those who have fallen from grace, Galatians chapter 5 and verse 4, and those who make shipwreck of the faith. Those who started well, but who have allowed the thorns of this life to choke out the word so that they don’t arrive unto maturity. And finally, it’s, and this sort of goes with the three previous points that I’ve made.

Everything in my life and all the problems. You know, there have been people obey the gospel in prison. Murderers. Murders cleansed. Such were some of you. I mean, 1 Corinthians 6, 9 through 11. Such were some of you, and in the list is murderers. I mean, there are people on death row who can be baptized into Christ if they can have access to water. Usually they’ll grant that in prisons. I’ve seen it happen. Been there. You can baptize someone into Christ and they’re in prison. Do you think that’s an automatic get out of jail free card? No. Absolutely not.

6. The Role Baptism Plays: It Places Us in Christ

So it’s not a magic potion or cure all. So let me tell you in conclusion this morning. This is what the Bible teaches, what the Word of God teaches about the role baptism plays. How significant is it? It places us in Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have clothed yourselves with Christ. Oh, not apart from faith. That’s where it all starts. And faith is involved in baptism, as I’ve said many times, and not without repentance. But this is the step that identifies us ultimately with Christ, where our sins are washed away as we’re baptized into his death. Romans chapter 6, verses 3 through 5. Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, Saul of Tarsus. And so we see the concept now of the role that water plays.

Look at all that’s going on, all of the things that it illustrates. The burial of Jesus, the rising from death, just as we’re rising from the spiritual death that is caused by sin. And notice that water is involved in cleansing and purification. Our bodies washed with pure water, the Hebrew writer says in Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 22. And as I mentioned, faith in Jesus’ name. It is baptism according to Matthew 28. This is what Jesus himself said. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And unto a relationship with those who are in Christ into one body. By the Spirit. Again, there’s the role of the Holy Spirit even in this act of being baptized in water. For by one Spirit you were baptized into one body. 1 Corinthians 12 and verse 13. And that’s interesting in that context because what he’s going to go on to explain is that now that you’re in Christ, that now involves relationships with others who are in Christ. And that you need each other. There should be no division in the body. The hand can’t say to the foot, I have no need of you, and vice versa. And so that context speaks of our baptism into one body by the Spirit.

Conclusion

And of course, as implied by many of the passages we’ve already looked at, unto newness of life. There’s something about the old that wasn’t good. Because we were dead in our trespasses and sins, Paul says. In Colossians 2. But we were buried with him in baptism because of our faith in the working of God. So we were made alive. Though we were once dead in our transgressions. Wonderful passage in Colossians 2, 12 and 13. Again, about the role that baptism plays in our salvation. So I thought, oh boy, he’s made a big deal about this morning. Why make such a big deal about the role that baptism plays? Because of what’s at stake. The eternal welfare of the soul. And that’s everything that means anything.

There’s no more important consideration. Not how I’m going to feed my hungry, growling stomach in about 20 minutes. But what am I going to do about my soul that my creator gave me? He has not destined us for wrath, Paul says. But for eternal glory. That’s what’s at stake in all of this. And so, I mentioned lunch, and that’s where this sermon ends. When Jesus says, Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life. Make that your priority. Base your hope and confidence not in men and not in churches, not in me. But in what this book says. Abide in his word. And then you’ll be his disciple. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Can I assist someone in this glorious response to the gospel of Jesus Christ for salvation? We always wrap up sermons with these invitation songs, and sometimes it can seem like it’s just old ritual. But it’s not. While Tim’s up here leading us, we’re going to be seen to each other to consider how is my soul standing in the sight of God. And it’s his sight that matters. And why don’t you consider it? Let’s stand and see.