On Baptism

Does adult baptism seem strange to you? As a former Catholic, I understood that infants were baptized to wash away original sin, so watching adult Christians be dunked in water seemed odd and overly-dramatic to me. Then again, it never occurred to me to compare Catholic sacraments to the Word of God.

1 Peter 3:18-21 sums things up:

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ...

Baptism is the answer of a good conscience toward God, which means being "born again" after your first birth. This is another concept I was not comfortable with as a Catholic, but it's undeniable in the scripture. Jesus says:

“…Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -John 3:3

Being born again means we've repented of sin and have put all faith in Christ alone.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” -Romans 3:23

Baptism is an outward profession of God's saving grace and our rebirth in Jesus Christ.

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." -Colossians 2:12

The ordinance of "believers baptism" does not preclude infants from being saved because salvation is always dependent upon God's sovereign election. The act of baptism is not what cleanses or saves a soul, but it is required of us once we are saved.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” -Acts 2:38

Unto the Pure All Things are Pure

Photo by Greg Rosenke via Unsplash

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” – Titus 1:15-16

The perfect atoning work of Christ on the cross is the reason we can have liberty of conscience in a great deal of matters of faith and practice. Ultimately it is Christ’s merit imputed to us rather than our own works of obedience that reconcile us to God and so we can have discretion in matters such as feasts, holidays, diet, etc.

The washing of the new birth allows us to call upon God with a pure heart. Without that there is no good we can do in his sight. If we sin (and we will), we have an advocate with the Father in Jesus Christ (1st John 2:1). But outside of God’s ordinances such as corporate worship, baptism, the Lord’s supper which are to be done on his terms and on his time, we have six other days of the week to worship God in our hearts.

We have a great deal of freedom as far as what to eat, what to do for work, to marry or not marry, etc. etc. We can and should praise and glorify God in all things because he has given us the agency to do so. Whereas an unbelieving person who has not submitted to God’s way of making a person righteous, cannot get anywhere with God with any amount of fasting or meditation or vows of celibacy or poverty which Paul calls “voluntary humility.”

“[16] Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: [17] Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. [18] Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up in his fleshly min, [19] And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. [20] Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordiances, [21] (Touch not; taste not; handle not; [22] Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” - Colossians 2:16-23.

It is such a unique privilege to call upon the living God the way we do in the New Testament. Stand fast in that liberty and do all to the glory of Christ.

Amen.

Who Shall Abide?

Question: “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?”

Answer: “He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.” – Psalm 15

Photo by Nicholas Beel via Unsplash creative commons

Notice how the keeping of the Law of God covers not just what words you speak outwardly, but also what you say to yourself in your heart. We must always avoid lying and blasphemy, but the Lord hears what is going on in our thought life as well.

So what is on your mind brethren? Do you reserve your holy thoughts for Sunday morning or is the Law of God your meditation day and night?

Selah.