29.1 Baptism: Death to Life

Table of Contents

• The Text
• The Chapter
• The Confession
  • Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him
  • of remission of sins
  • and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life

The Text

Galatians 3:27 (CSB) For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ.

The Chapter

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

The Confession

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him

Reformed Christians--we are in lockstep until this chapter. Sure, we can have different convictions on church government (I can easily contend for presbyters and for local church autonomy). But by and large, the 1689 is synced up with the Savoy Declaration and the Westminster Confessions (aptly and right called the 'mother' and the 'grandmother' of the 1689, respectfully).

But this--this chapter right here--is distinctly, overtly in-your-face Baptist. This chapter is explaining to the confessing Christian, "Why do Baptists and their descendants only baptize professing believers and not infants?"

Answer first and foremost: Jesus Christ said so.

You want to be that Christian who loves to say, "The Bible says it and it is good enough for me"? Professing believers' baptism is a really good reason to do so. ¹

The flip of that is this: we see nowhere in the Bible for explicit command from God to baptize infants. If we see God, in his perfect and precious word, give the command, "I order you to baptize babies," brothers and sisters in Christ, it is a done deal. I will be sprinking babies until Christ comes back to get us all day every day.

But that is not the case.

And in every single case the paedobaptist makes for infant baptism, such as the aforementioned Matthew 28 or Colossians 2:11-13, for example:

Colossians 2:12–14 (CSB) when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.

The doctrine for infant baptism still needs a lot of connecting points and as the point of the Baptist, still not explicitly given by God.²

Not only is a command of the Christ, it is to signify and put on display our unbreakable union with the Christ.

Romans 6:3–5 (CSB) Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be in the likeness of his resurrection.

of remission of sins

Mark 1:4 (CSB) John came baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Acts 22:16 (CSB) And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

When Christ saved you, in that instance, where the Father gave you his heart and his Spirit, you were washed clean of your sins.

Ezekiel 36:25 (CSB) I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols.

How does he do that? We see this in Romans 6. When Christ died, he took your sins, your guilt and shame, nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14) and buried it with him. Here's the kicker: between your sins and the Lord Jesus Christ, only one of those things are righteous. The righteous one gets back out of the grave because no grave can hold him--he is the Holy One of God. Your sins?

Psalms 103:11-13 (CSB)
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
>our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life

Romans 6:4 (CSB) Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.

So now, we live and move and have our being in Christ. We celebrate his goodness upon our lives. In deepest despair, sorrow over our sins, God forbid, we backslide and keep running into our sin, God knows. God knows. God knows you and I are made from dust.

Psalms 103:14 (CSB) As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.

God knows you and I are not going to make it to him. Listen, you have the strength, the faith, the repentance, you have everything--but that will not be enough. He knows. That is why he gave you his heart. That is why he pours in Holy Spirit to make his dwelling in you. And that is why he sent only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to live and die for you and me.

It will take the entire Triune Almighty God to get you all the way home to him.

Remember your baptism. Remember what God has done.

Amen.