How Faith Is Confirmed in Baptism
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 11/15/2015 AM |
Text: | Colossians 2; Lord's Day 26 |
Psalters: | 266, 89, 97, 280 |
- It’s God’s institution.
- God first gave circumcision as a sign of our being separated from our sins.
- First, the cutting away of a piece of flesh represented the cutting of the of the sins of the flesh (11).
- Second, this sign indicated His people were separated from the world.
- God always taught that real circumcision was of the heart (Deut. 10:15; Jer. 4:4; Rom. 2:29).
- Baptism came in the place of circumcision, having the same meaning (text).
- Because Jesus shed His perfect blood, no more blood was necessary, nor may any more be shed.
- So Jesus instituted the sacrament at His ascension (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16).
- God first gave circumcision as a sign of our being separated from our sins.
- Baptism’s meaning.
- Real baptism (like real circumcision) is spiritual and speaks of spiritual washing and cleansing (Titus 3:5).
- More than must washing is the idea that it also speaks of our incorporation into Christ.
- This is our real experience when our faith takes hold of God’s powerful work of raising Jesus from the dead.
- Only faith is to grasp the meaning of baptism and see the reality pictured in the sign.
- Even believers do not receive the benefit of baptism if we do not exercise faith at that moment.
- The sacrament assures believers.
- Our conscience can be free (good) toward God because baptism assures us that all our sins have been forgiven us.
- My baptism gives me powerful incentive to have me live an antithetical life.
- And the knowledge of my baptism gives me strength to fulfill my calling and to bear life’s burdens.
- Finally, when I fall into sin, I must not despair of God’s unchanging mercy and forgiveness.