Sermons
October 17th, 2021 by Pastor Solley“Baptism, Death and New Life” Romans 6:1-10
Introduction
I want to speak to you this morning about baptism. Baptism in an entirely New Testament doctrine. The words baptize, baptizing, baptism, and baptized are found almost one hundred times in the Bible, all of them in the New Testament. First in the book of Matthew, last in the book of 1 Peter, baptism is a New Testament doctrine. It was first practiced before the New Testament church was established, was preached on the day of Pentecost as the Holy Ghost began His present day ministry, kept by the early church and practiced by the church down through the church age as one of two outward ordinances practiced by Jesus that we are to keep today. It is as well a New Testament doctrine that error has been attached to. There is no such thing as baptismal regeneration as the act of baptism cannot save or forgive sin. Only Jesus Christ can save, only Jesus can forgive sin by His shed blood. There is no such practice as infant baptism found in the Bible. Not one verse, not one instance of an infant being baptized in the Bible. There is no such practice of baptism by sprinkling found in the Bible. The Greek word means to immerse and baptism in the Bible is always by immersion. Those are false doctrines attached to baptism and when practiced and believed leave on still bound for an eternal hell.
I. But baptism is important and baptism means something: Baptism is not a Baptist doctrine, it is a Bible doctrine and there is a difference. Bible baptism or believers baptism as it is often called does not promote a denomination, it promotes a practice.
A. The practice of baptism should not be either over valued or under valued: Both extremes often take place.
1. In many Baptist circles there is a rush to get one baptized the same day or as soon as possible after salvation: There is a biblical principal for that and we will look at it in the message. But in that rush and especially with younger ones they may not fully understand what baptism means or is saying. We are Baptistic and I was brought up in a Baptist church.
a. That baptism declares salvation is understood. But does baptism declare just a past event or does baptism declare more?
b. I believe that one should be able to understand what baptism is saying and so do not rush one to get baptized.
2. But that does not mean baptism is not important and that believers should not be instructed and encouraged to be baptized: Baptism is a Bible doctrine, was practiced in the New Testament Church and Jesus Himself was baptized. It is important.
B. We are given an order of baptism in the Bible: Rom 6:1-10 The book of Romans gives us a vivid picture of man, of what we are in two very different lights.
1. The first part of Romans gives us a picture of what we are apart from Jesus Christ: It is not a pretty picture. Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: / Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. / Rom 3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: / Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Not a pretty picture.
2. The last part of Romans gives us a picture of what we are in Christ after salvation: It is a beautiful picture. Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. / Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. / Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. / Rom 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. It is a beautiful picture.
3. In between you have the transition: Rom 5:8-9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. / Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
4. Within those transitional chapters we find the order and teaching of baptism: Rom 6:1-10
II. What then is Bible or believer’s baptism? Baptism is a declaration. It is a declaration of a past event, a declaration of identification, a declaration of intentions, and a declaration of a better life in Jesus Christ.
PROP: Let us consider this morning the declaration of baptism. TS. It is a declaration that every believer needs understand.
Body
I. Baptism is a declaration of a past event: Rom 6:1-3 That event is salvation in Jesus Christ. That event is repentance of sin and receiving the gospel of salvation and the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior. Baptism is a declaration of a past event and as such is a testimony of what one has believed and in whom one has believed.
A. The first occurrence of baptism and what it declared: Matt 3:1-8 After four hundred years of silence a prophet appeared on the scene with a new message, the kingdom gospel. – Matt 3:1-2 – That message was that Messiah was about to be manifested, to confess sin, repent, and turn to Him, turn to the Messiah of Israel, turn to Jesus Christ. – Matt 3:3
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1. As lost sinners turned to Jesus Christ as their messiah, they repented from sin, confessed Christ and were baptized as a testimony that they had turned to the Lord Jesus Christ: Matt 3:5-6 Baptism then became their testimony, their declaration of receiving the gospel message. At that time it was the kingdom gospel but that gospel pointed to Jesus Christ just as the gospel of grace does today.
2. No repentance, no salvation, no receiving of the gospel, no baptism: Matt 3:7-9 In order for one to be baptized they had to turn away from the traditions of their fathers, turn away from the Law as they were practicing it, and turn to Jesus as their Messiah.
3. Baptism was then a declaration of a past event: A testimony of believing and receiving the gospel message.
4. That baptism was then a part of the preaching of the gospel of grace: Matt 28:18-20 ; Acts 2:38 ; Acts 8:36-38 ; Col 2:12 Part of the Great Commission, practiced and preached in the early church, and then in the established local churches as well. Baptism is a declaration of a past event, a public testimony of salvation in Christ.
B. There is a biblical precedent of being baptized on the same day as one is born again: Acts 8:32-38 Those whom John was baptizing in Matthew chapter three were being baptized the same day they repented from sin and turned to Jesus as the Messiah.
1. It is not wrong then to baptize one on the same day or as soon as possible after they receive Jesus Christ as their personal savior: Acts 8:35-38 This man was baptized moments after he was born again.
2. But he also knew of baptism before this and what it meant: Why do I say that? Because he brings up baptism to Philip and the Old Testament Scriptures he was reading say nothing about baptism. – Acts 8:26-35 – And Philip never mentions baptism to this man.
3. This man in wanting to be baptized had to know about baptism and what the act was saying: Acts 8:36 He had a desire to declare what had taken place in his heart through the act of baptism.
C. When one is baptized today they are making a declaration of salvation: A declaration that they had come to the realization that they were a sinner condemned to hell by their sin nature. That they understood that Jesus is the only way to have sins forgiven and that Jesus died for them. They confessed their sin to Jesus, repented or turned away from sin, and received Jesus Christ as they savior.
1. Baptism then is a public testimony of salvation: Baptism does not save.
2. Baptism is telling others that one is saved:
D. Baptism is a declaration of a past event: Rom 6:1-3
II. Baptism is a declaration of identification: Rom 6:3-5 Notice what the Bible tells us here in verse five. – Rom 6:5 – Notice the word together. – Rom 6:5 – Then in verse eight. – Rom 6:8 – We are with Christ. This is identification.
A. Jesus was baptized being willing to be identified those who repented: Matt 3:13-15 The sinless Son of God, the one who knew no sin, the one who had nothing to confess or repent of was baptized. Why? So Jesus would be identified with us.
1. Jesus is willing to be identified with sinners: Mark 2:16-17 Still willing to be identified with sinners today.
2. Jesus is even willing to call us friends: That according to John 15:15
3. This does depend upon us repenting and being born again: Jesus then is willing to be identified with us.
B. Baptism is an identification and we should never be ashamed to be identified with Jesus Christ: Rom 1:16 No born again believer in Christ should ever be ashamed to be identified with Jesus no matter the place or circumstance. – Rom 1:16
1. There should be no such thing as a secret Christian: In the Bible those who tried to hide their identification with the Lord, with Jesus, it did not work out well for them. There should be no secret Christians.
a. Abraham tried to hide his identification with Jehovah. It did not work out well.
b. Lot hid his identification with Jehovah. It did not work out well.
c. Jonah tried to hide his identification with Jehovah. It did not work out well.
d. Peter tried to hide his identification with Jesus. It did not work out well.
2. A Christian should never be ashamed to be identified with Jesus: 2 Tim 1:12
3. Baptism is a public identification with Jesus Christ: This identification begins with salvation, begins when we are made His child. Jesus is then identified with us. When one is baptized they make a public identification with Jesus.
a. Identified with the one who never gives me reason to be ashamed of Him.
b. Identified with the one who will never leave or forsake me.
c. Identified with the one who is eternally identified with me.
C. Baptism is a declaration of identification: Rom 6:3-5
III. Baptism is a declaration of intention: Rom 6:1-11 Remember that Romans six is part of the transitional chapters in Romans. One is moving from what they were apart from Christ to what they are in Christ.
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A. With the resurrection, when He came out of the grave there was a change in Christ: Rom 6:4-5 There was a newness with Christ.
1. The women at the tomb did not recognize Him: That in John 20. There was a change.
2. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Him: That in Luke 24. There was a change.
3. Jesus passed through the walls and closed door of the upper room: There was a change.
4. When Jesus ascended into heaven He simply floated up into the clouds: There was a change.
5. There was a change in Jesus when He came out of the tomb: There was a change.
B. And there is to be a change in an individual when they are born again: Rom 6:4-9 There is a new life to live, one in which sin no longer has dominion. – Rom 6:9-10 – The gospel of easy believeism of our present day never looks for a change. Just say a few magic words, claim you believe in God, and all is well. That easy believism does not look for a change in an individual. But God does and when salvation is real a real change takes place in a life.
1. My Bible tells me there is a change that takes place: 2 Cor 5:15-17 God looks for that change.
2. My Bible tells me others notice the change: 1 Peter 4:1-4
3. Salvation in Christ does not mean we become sinless while in this world, but it does mean that we will sin less: 1 John 3:9 The meaning here is that I will not remain in sin, that sin will have no dominion over me. – Rom 6:9-12
4. Some are saved out of visible and gross sin: Like Saul of Tarsus. Some out of vile lifestyles and that change noticeable.
5. Some saved at young ages out of Christian homes: The change is noticeable when they never fall into gross sin.
C. But baptism is a declaration that one desires to live a changed life for Christ: Rom 6:4-6 That one by the power of God is going to endeavor to put the old man to death, not to live in the flesh. – Rom 6:6 – It doesn’t mean we will always be successful. – Rom 7:18-25
1. What it does mean is that I am by the grace and power of God going to do my best in living for Christ: To do as the Bible tells me to do in Rom 12. – Rom 12:1-2
2. It means that I intend to live a life changed by Christ: To come out and be separate.
3. What is your intention this morning? Rom 6:13-16
D. Baptism is a declaration of intention: Rom 6:1-11
IV. Baptism is a declaration of a better life in Christ: Rom 6:17-18 This comes by experience. An event in the past, salvation. An identification, with Christ. An intention, to live a changed life. Now those things coming to past.
A. We then can declare that life is better with Christ: Rom 6:17 That I can thank God today for a better life in Christ.
ILL. I was talking to an elderly individual this past week, life is not exactly what they want it to be, but they asked me “What do people do who don’t know the Lord?” I know what they do. They go into deep depressions, they turn to alcohol, they turn to drugs, they commit gross sins of the flesh, they take their own lives. That is what people do when they don’t have the Lord.
1. But the born again believer knows that life is better with Christ: We can thank Jesus for a better life. – Rom 6:17
2. Because of all that baptism declares I can thank Jesus for a better life today: Life is better with Jesus Christ.
a. It is better to be saved than lost…
b. It is better to be identified with Christ than not…
c. It is better to live apart from sin than to live under the bondage of sin…
3. Isn’t life better with Jesus in it, isn’t life better when we live it for His honor and glory?
B. So I can testify this morning of the good life Jesus has given me because I have been born again: Understand what that is not.
1. It is not saying that our life will be exempt from the natural trials of life: As long as we are alive in this world we must live by the rules down here,
2. It is not saying that we will never shed tears, suffer great losses: We live under the curse.
3. It does not mean we will understand all that God is doing in our lives: His ways are above our ways and often above our understanding.
4. But it does mean life is better with Jesus Christ:
C. Baptism is a declaration of a better life in Christ: Rom 6:17-18
Conclusion
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To be baptized is to follow the example of Christ, to be baptized is a good thing and one should be baptized after they have been born again. That is Bible. It also a good thing to know what baptism is saying, what baptism is declaring.
I. Baptism is a declaration of a past event: Rom 6:1-3 That event is salvation in Jesus Christ. That event is repentance of sin and receiving the gospel of salvation and the Lord Jesus Christ as personal savior. Baptism is a declaration of a past event and as such is a testimony of what one has believed and in whom one has believed.
II. Baptism is a declaration of identification: Rom 6:3-5 Notice what the Bible tells us here in verse five. – Rom 6:5 – Notice the word together. – Rom 6:5 – Then in verse eight. – Rom 6:8 – We are with Christ. This is identification.
III. Baptism is a declaration of intention: Rom 6:1-11 Remember that Romans six is part of the transitional chapters in Romans. One is moving from what they were apart from Christ to what they are in Christ.
IV. Baptism is a declaration of a better life in Christ: Rom 6:17-18 This comes by experience. An event in the past, salvation. An identification, with Christ. An intention, to live a changed life. Now those things coming to past.