Dakota Community Church
August 22, 2010
Buried With Him in Baptism
Quick Questions:
What is baptism and what is its significance?
Why do we baptize by immersion when sprinkling would be so much more convenient?
Romans 6: 1-7
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
Greek:
Baptizo - to plunge under, dip, or immerse.
Two Greek words translated "sprinkle" are RANTIZO and ECHEO. Neither word is found in the Bible in relation to baptism.
Who Should be baptized?
Acts 2: 36-41
36"Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Jesus was baptized in order that He might “fulfill all righteousness”.
Who is the Lord of your life?
We are not offered salvation that is open to further negotiations. There is one Lord and it is not you or I.
Is baptism a requirement for salvation?
Luke 23: 39-43
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Am I joining a church or denomination by being baptized?
There is only one church; it is comprised of all those who call on the name of Christ for salvation.
Denominations are a human invention sometimes caused by rebellious congregants, and sometimes caused by errant leadership.
Is infant baptism a valid Christian practice?
All the baptisms described in the New Testament are believer baptisms.
All the commands to be baptized are given to believers and there are no mentions of infant baptism in the New Testament.
We simply cannot build a crucial church practice on biblical inference with no explicit biblical examples.
The infant baptizers will say that the only reason for this is that in the New Testament we are seeing the first generation to hear the gospel, so naturally they are all believing and being baptized as adults. What about when those baptized adults have children?
Shouldn’t the children of believers automatically be baptized into the church just as the children of the old covenant were circumcised on the eighth day?
Does Christian Baptism Parallel Old Testament Circumcision?
This idea that baptism is to the New Covenant what circumcision is to the Old Covenant has been the standard understanding among the mainline denominations for hundreds of years.
(Catholics and Lutherans claim an actual regenerating effect for the act.)
Colossians 2:8-15
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
What is this passage all about?
1. What God has done for us in Christ.
Colossians 2:14-15
14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
a.) He cancelled our debt. (Sin)
The written code with its regulations; the law that stood opposed to us in the courtroom of heaven, has been taken away and nailed to the cross – it has been successfully dealt with in history outside of us and with no participation from us what so ever.
b.) He defeated our enemy. (Satan)
He disarmed the spiritual forces of hell that were arrayed against us.
We still wrestle but we wrestle a defeated foe.
We are now able to overcome the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.
2. What God has done in us through Christ?
Besides these external, historical accomplishments God has also done a work in us through Christ that allows us to enjoy these previous accomplishments. Two pictures are used to illustrate this inside work of God.
a.) Circumcision
Colossians 2:11
In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ.
Paul compares the saving work of God in us with the practice of circumcision.
He says it's like that, only this is a circumcision made "without hands”: it's a spiritual thing he is talking about. And he says that what is being cut away is not the male foreskin, but the "body of the flesh."
That is a reference to sin dominated use of the body. The “old man”.
What is cut away in this spiritual circumcision "without hands" is the old unbelieving, blind, rebellious self and its use of the body for sin.
b.) Resurrection
Colossians 2:12
12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God…
We were spiritually dead and he made us alive!
How? - Through the hearing of His word - Contained in the word of God is the power to bring the hearer to life.
Romans 10:14-17
14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?" 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
Two pictures of what God does for us, outside ourselves: he defeats sin and Satan.
Two pictures of what God does in: us resurrection from spiritual death: and circumcision of the heart.
What about infant baptism?
The question at the heart of this issue is whether or not New Testament baptism is the equivalent of Old Testament circumcision.
If so then babies should be baptized just as in the Old Testament they were circumcised on the 8th day.
Does God have grandchildren?
Is Joel saved because he is my son?
3. “Without hands” but “Through faith”
Colossians 2:11-12
11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
God does the work!
This rebirth is the work of God.
It is done through YOUR faith. Infants do not have faith, God has no grandchildren.
John 1:10-13
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
Notice:
“children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God”
GOD DOES IT!
11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
Some receive “the right” and are saved through faith
Some say – no thanks – and remain in their sin under the wrath of God
What about you?
Have experienced spiritual new birth and the circumcision done not by the hands of men?
Have you died and been buried with him in baptism?
May the Lord draw many of you to the enjoyment of this full obedience "through faith."
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
