Jeff Durbin on Baptism: Part 1

Apologia Studios

Subscribe

Download

Share

00

Jeff Durbin on Baptism Part 2

00:00

All right, if you would open your Bibles to Romans chapter 6 some people call

00:08

Romans the gospel according to St. Paul, I think that's a good description of it

00:15

Romans Chapter 6 and if you really want to get to the nuts and bolts of the

00:20

Christian message in the gospel You really need to understand and read and put this book this letter really into you into your heart

00:29

If you're new to the faith and you truly want to understand the gospel and God's purpose in the gospel

00:36

You need to read Romans Luther Who set the spark that lit the

00:42

Reformation? Luther said that Romans should be a part of the daily diet of every

00:48

Christian Romans chapter 6 after the Apostle Paul explains our condition

00:57

After he explains what God has done in Christ after he gives us that long Collage of verses from the

01:04

Old Testament to show all of us our condition before Jesus Christ and he explains now What God has accomplished in Jesus and the why and he begins to describe?

01:13

Justification through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works of law. He goes back to Romans for Father Abraham and shows how was

01:21

Abraham justified before God? How was he credited righteousness and shows that the father of our faith?

01:26

Abraham the one God promised to bless the whole world through all the nations are going to be blessed in him

01:32

Shows that he was justified through faith and he was credited righteousness. He goes to David and shows what about David?

01:38

David is that blessed man who God does not count his sins against him and he actually credits to him a positive

01:44

Righteousness through faith and he'll never count our sins against us again He shows us how there was one man

01:50

Adam through him death spread to all of us and now there's this Christ Who's the second Adam the perfect Adam and in him we have eternal life and righteousness

01:59

He gets into Romans 6 now and this is really interesting because Paul now has an imaginary objector

02:04

I want you to think about it for a moment now. He's been down this road before he's had this debate He explains the gospel of God's grace through faith apart from any work of law.

02:14

It's all Jesus. It's none of us He's preached this message so much in the synagogues.

02:19

He's preached it in people's houses. He's preached it on the street He knows the objection So he has this imaginary objector in the background that he's going to answer because he knows what they're thinking

02:29

He knows what's between their ears He knows you're gonna hear this message of God's grace and you're gonna think maybe he's saying something

02:37

That he's really not and so here's Romans 6 Here now the words of the living and true

02:44

God Romans 6 1 what shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin the grace may abound?

02:53

by no means How can we who died to sin? Still live in it

03:00

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

03:09

We were buried Therefore with him by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the

03:18

Father We too might walk in newness of life For if we have been united with him in the death like his we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his

03:28

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing

03:35

So that we would no longer be enslaved to sin For one who has died has been set free from sin now if we have died with Christ We believe that we will also live with him

03:47

We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again Death no longer has dominion over him for the death.

03:54

He died. He died to sin once for all but the life he lives to God so you

04:02

Also must consider Yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions

04:14

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments for righteousness

04:25

For sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under the law, but under grace As far as the reading of God's Holy Word, let's pray father

04:36

We come before you only because of Jesus God we have a week behind us of Failure and sin and victory

04:49

Lord sadness and rejoicing We come Lord now into your presence to hear your Holy Word Let's pray

04:56

God with all my heart God as a minister to these people that you would bless The words that I say

05:01

I Pray that you guard my lips from error And I pray

05:07

God that you'd bless your people For the teaching of your word that this would be a teaching Lord by your spirit

05:13

Lord that you would get me out of the way That your people would be blessed equipped edified admonished

05:22

I Pray that this message would bring unity in the body of Christ in the midst of diversity

05:28

I pray that your truth would prevail And I pray that I would decrease Christ would increase in Jesus name.

05:35

Amen Powerful passage Romans 6 is one of many Passages that we can go to as Christians to talk about baptism as a matter of fact

05:43

There's a two -part message on baptism next week will be detailed explanations lots and lots of texts and verses

05:50

I'll be answering some Objections and some responses from those who don't hold to our particular view on baptism

05:58

I'm going to play some clips for you guys from some well -known Believers who don't agree with us to sort of walk through some objections and ask the question.

06:08

What's most Consistent because that really is the question we have to ask Face the problem.

06:15

We have it. We are fallible human beings With an infallible inspired word before us you have believers

06:24

Christians who are finite Fallible people, but it doesn't mean that God cannot speak with perspicuity with clarity

06:33

It doesn't mean that when God speaks because we're fallible because we're sinners because we're finite that we cannot know truth

06:40

As a matter of fact, I think the whole of Christian history looks like this People are saved by God.

06:47

They're redeemed. They experience this right here Romans 6. They are brought from death to life They're joined to Jesus Christ.

06:52

You have people who have come out of drug and alcohol addiction to Jesus Christ lives Transform people who are haters of God enemies of God hostile to God whose lives have been transformed

07:03

People who were once enemies now brought near and we're being sanctified. God's Spirit is alive in us.

07:09

Amen He's changing us. We're not the same today as we were Five years ago in Christ and we're not the same we were five months ago

07:19

Hopefully right and here's the thing God sanctifies us as believers individually

07:25

We all grant that he that began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ God is not done with you as a

07:32

Christian As a matter of fact, if there's nothing that happens in your life Romans 6 isn't true about you.

07:38

Is it? It's It's not to say that Christians are sinless it means the Christians do sin less and less and less and less and your

07:46

Knowledge of Jesus Christ has increased and as you fall more in love with him You fall less in love with your sin your idols lose their luster and you're transformed.

07:55

That's what takes place And so you blew it this week yeah, and you only know you blew it because God loves you and he showed it to you and They see it.

08:04

So my life is a life of sanctification where God is changing me daily So he does he does it as it to me as a father as a husband as a follower of Jesus He's changing me, but that's not all

08:16

God isn't just changing me individually the Spirit of God is alive and the bride of Christ and Jesus is washing and Cleansing his bride with the word and so the amazing thing about history as we move forward is it doesn't just contain

08:33

Individuals who are being sanctified by God and learning from his word and being corrected believing one thing before And then seeing

08:40

God's Word something different and having our minds changed. It's not just that it's also

08:45

Christians Universal across the planets who have different opinions and beliefs and traditions and philosophies all of us

08:54

Christians Reformed Anglicans there actually are solid Anglicans in the world believe it or not.

09:00

They're in Australia. That's where they're all at. Okay Yeah, but reformed Anglicans that haven't fallen and fallen into apostasy that love the

09:07

Lord Jesus Christ believe in his word surround his word You got Presbyterians who surround the Word of God Baptists who surround the

09:14

Word of God the non -denominational Denomination of Christians they're surrounding the Word of God, right?

09:19

All of us surrounding the Word of God together and all of us are being sanctified as a body Universal as we get around the

09:27

Word of God, we're being shaped by it. I Actually believe that as history moves forward and and that fulfillment takes place that Tim read up here a minute ago

09:36

Did you catch it Psalm 22? What did it say? All the families of the earth will return to worship the

09:41

Lord Hashtag that post mill. Okay. Yes The world's being transformed and being brought to Jesus Christ and as the families of the earth returned to worship the

09:50

Lord I believe that those Christians of different backgrounds and stripes and colors and flavors

09:56

They start surrounding the Word of God they get around it and it starts to change them how it happens through Arguments it happens through healthy loving debates

10:07

Christians get around the Word of God and we get transformed we get changed I actually am so optimistic about the future that I believe that as the

10:14

God draws people to himself and the world is transformed Brought under the feet of Jesus that one day The whole world will be

10:20

Baptist to be amazing glorious The truth is is that Christians we disagree on things

10:28

Now it could be large disagreements over things like baptism. That's important to many of us

10:35

It could be disagreements over whether or not Christians should use wine or grape juice and communion

10:41

It could be disagreements over musical interests and types in in our worship experience with music and church it could be

10:49

Differences to the degree of whether or not Christians should be able to smoke a cigar to the glory of God I'm with Spurgeon on that He said tonight before I go to bed.

10:57

I plan to smoke a cigar to the glory of God. That's my own Thing. Okay, and Christians disagree on that and that's

11:03

Okay, we have disagreements that are minor and we have big disagreements, but we are surrounded together around the essentials

11:12

This is what you got to get. There is a an essential unity in the body of Christ That is spectacular an essential unity in the midst of diversity

11:22

And I want you to hear this because it's very very important to talk about baptism Romans 6 is big

11:30

So many passages just like it that describe the meaning of baptism what takes place in a person who has been baptized

11:38

What it means? It's a it's it's symbolic of their union with Jesus death and resurrection.

11:45

It's important stuff But you see what we all recognize if we have essential unity as true

11:51

Christians is the baptism does not save you Baptism does not save you from your sin

11:58

Jesus provides salvation. It's his righteousness that we have no activity or or righteousness of our own

12:04

We get that righteousness from Jesus through faith and all Christians agree on that whether you're

12:11

Presbyterian whether you're formed Anglican whether you're formed Baptist We believe the baptism does not justify you.

12:17

It's God through Christ and his work through faith that justifies us Here's what

12:22

I want you to get about our essential unity Our own story as a church my heroes are

12:29

Presbyterian, I mean Most of my heroes are all Presbyterians like the people that I listen to are all

12:37

Presbyterians and and I say it often if I wasn't already in the truth, I'd be a Presbyterian I mean seriously if you think about who we have to even speak to our church

12:51

We've had Presbyterians Hardcore pipe -hitting Presbyterians that have shared this pulpit of apology a church men that we trust

12:58

Then know God and know the gospel men who have done more for the kingdom of God than I ever have and probably ever will

13:05

They've shared this pulpit and they brought the Word of God to the people of God at apology a church and their Presbyterians not

13:11

Baptist We've had dr. White share this pulpit we've had RC Sproul jr. Share this pulpit.

13:17

We've had dr Joel McDermott share this pulpit. We've held conferences last year's reform reform con.

13:25

I Pretty sure that the Baptists were the minority if you put us all together in reform con think about that a church that puts on a

13:35

Conference a national conference and the majority of the speakers and what's represented there Presbyterians I think most of the people that showed up last year for reform con were

13:43

Presbyterians. There's just an association essential unity Dr. James White has blessed the ministry apology a church

13:50

RC Sproul jr. Douglas Wilson I'm doing a conference at the end of February for about a day or two with Douglas Wilson He's as Presbyterian as you can get

14:02

I think he's one of the most consistent Presbyterians out there. Dr. Kenneth Talbot Closely connected with our ministry.

14:08

We point people constantly to Whitfield Theological Seminary Whitfield Theological Seminary is a

14:15

Presbyterian seminary Dr. Talbot We have a bromance together.

14:21

Dr. Talbot and I we love each other and he is as Presbyterian as you get and I love the man and he loves me and loves us and he strongly supports our ministry

14:31

There's an essential unity One of my heroes, dr. K Scott Oliphant the professor of philosophy and apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary He's he's a guy

14:42

I recommend to all of you He's one of my heroes if you want to ask for a book on apologetics

14:49

I'm gonna give you a book by dr. Greg Bonson. Who's a Presbyterian? I'm gonna give you a book by dr K Scott Oliphant who's

14:55

Presbyterian and I have absolutely nothing Bad to say about those books.

15:01

I don't give the book and say well this guy's not really a Christian But you might want to go ahead, you know, or he's not he's kind of like he's kind of like the $20 bill

15:09

Like denomination versus the Baptist or the $100 bill, right? It's not like that at all.

15:16

My The person who's taught me much of what I know Dr. Greg Bonson. He's with the

15:22

Lord now, but much of what you get from me as a minister I learned from a Presbyterian minister

15:29

Gary DeMar one of my heroes of the faith big friend of our ministry Presbyterian, dr.

15:35

Kenneth Gentry another one of my heroes of the faith Presbyterian if you look at my bookshelf at home, it's it's a who's who's list of Presbyterians in the world

15:44

So there is an essential unity in the midst of diversity in the body of Christ that we all have to grab hold of You might be asking why spend so much time at the beginning message talking about this

15:54

Here's why I talk about it because the history of the Christian Church shows that if we do one thing

15:59

Well, it's this we like to bite each other's heads off If the history of the Christian Church shows anything, well, it's that Facebook is a curse for Christians We like to destroy each other we like to neglect the grace of God with one another

16:14

We like to pretend like we know it all and somebody else's substandard Christian We like to believe that our pet doctrines are the truth of God in the gospel

16:22

While this person over here that disagrees this person is a substandard Christian and how could they be so crazy as to think something like that?

16:30

We have to recognize as Christians that all of us have what we have only because of the grace of God Everything that you have every bit of truth that you have if it is the truth of God It is a gift of God.

16:42

You didn't figure that out on your own Think about it our salvation is a gift of God. You know, what else is a gift of God solid theology

16:49

That's a gift of God We can look across the landscape and see somebody that's often some error or some perceived error and we can act haughty and Prideful or we can act loving and humble and recognize that if it is the truth that I believe

17:03

I only have it because of the grace of God and If I have the truth and I want someone else to know the truth

17:10

My duty as a believer is to allow the same process to take place with them as what happened to me

17:17

How did you come into a knowledge of Jesus Christ because you're more intelligent because better parents

17:23

You're more spiritual than the next person or was it the grace of God that shined light into your soul

17:28

How did how did you learn the truths of reformed theology where you recognize just how big

17:34

God is and how small you are? It's because you were smarter. You were more spiritually wise or is because God loves you and he showed you truth

17:42

And he did so by his grace. How did you figure it out? And As Christians if you believe you know something that is the truth of God from God's Word you are duty -bound

17:52

We are duty -bound as believers to share that truth with others and let the same process take place with them as with us

17:58

How did it happen? God? Loved you into the truth He gave you the truth and he gave you it usually slowly

18:08

Incrementally he gave you that truth in such ways to let your mind change So that you give him the worship for it

18:17

How did you get the truth because some Christian beat you up for those of you guys that are reformed and you've seen the doctrines of grace for what they are an

18:24

Explanation of the gospel what God does in the gospel. How'd you how'd you become a Calvinist? Is it because someone?

18:31

Annihilated you at their Bible and they beat you into submission and you finally said, okay, praise

18:37

God. It's the truth How did you how did you do that is? Is it that somebody gave you truth and you actually said that's kind of compelling

18:45

And you went home and you thought about it You got into the Word of God you meditate on it and all of a sudden now your soul was crushed seeing really how big

18:51

God is how small you are and how much God has done for you. How'd you know? How'd you figure it out?

18:57

Did you come into the knowledge of any truth in Scripture because somebody beat you up Or because they loved you into the truth and they showed you

19:05

Patiently walked you through it. My experience is God always led me into truth By humbling me and showing me just how great he was and showing me just how clear he is in his word

19:17

This is important for us to recognize as Christians. We do more damage together than apart Now listen,

19:23

I'm gonna say something very very important here Listen, I am NOT suggesting as Christians that we live the kind of lives where when someone says something that is not true

19:31

We just say well no big deal and we just go about our ways. I'm not saying as Christians. You shouldn't breathe fire sometimes

19:38

I'm saying that the whole of our life should be a testimony to the grace of God and our love for God and I'm saying

19:45

That as Christians we need to recognize that these things these changes of mind and perspective.

19:50

They take time It is to be the Word of God that is our guide and we ought not destroy one another the history of the

19:58

Christian Church Has many examples of us completely and utterly blowing it with each other

20:04

You have Christians that actually killed each other over doctrinal issues believe it or not. I don't like to talk about it

20:10

I wish it wasn't part of our experience. But yes, it's true There have been instances in our past where Christians have actually beaten tortured and killed one another over doctrinal beliefs

20:21

We're in a new place now where I think we have to recognize none of that is okay

20:29

And we have to be able to as Christians walk through the scriptures together Graciously and with peace we live in a time now where we have big battles to fight.

20:38

I Was outside the abortion mill yesterday preaching the gospel and a social justice warrior

20:44

I want to highlight that she was a white social justice warrior Walked behind me to join her friends who are

20:51

Planned Parenthood supporters and on the way behind me She said some white guys trying to tell everyone what to do with their bodies a white young college student was talking about me a white guy as Though it was something bad

21:10

Some sort of reverse racism going on behind me as though that has anything to do with Destroying babies in the womb.

21:18

We have a country that's killed 60 million babies since the start of Roe vs. Wade We have a country now that is through the media and academia telling people that male is not male female is not female in Marriage, you can have male male female female female female male male dog cats.

21:34

You're not really a woman. You're a cat I'm not really a man. I'm an aardvark. I don't want to marry a woman on a

21:40

Marriott bridge These are the kind of battles we have to fight right now We have the kind of battles where our neighbors are being stolen from left and right

21:49

There's sin rampant. There are doctrinal distortions taking place widespread in the evangelical church

21:56

We have bigger battles to fight right now so that we should not divide with those we have essential unity

22:05

Over so here's what I say These debates should take place graciously with patience with a focus on the

22:13

Word of God And we should focus on the big battles first together and when we overcome those obstacles

22:19

We can spend a little more time focusing on these other minor issues Not saying we should ignore them now not saying they're not important now

22:27

I'm saying what's most important right now in our time for the kingdom of God is Essential unity and that we fight these battles together when we slay the

22:35

Giants that are in the land Then we can spend a little more time on these minor issues

22:41

More effort where we unified this is important. So let's take as an example just to highlight a distinction

22:50

Reformed Baptists us and our Presbyterian brothers and sisters. Where are we unified?

22:57

We're unified on the scriptures as the infallible Word of God without error inerrant infallible

23:06

When I talk by the way about Presbyterians, you know, of course, I'm not talking about Presbyterian USA PC USA is on my opinion ultimately an apostate

23:16

Organization at this point there are believers there who are separated and everything else, but I'm talking about Orthodox Presbyterians that hold to traditional

23:24

Orthodox Presbyterian ism We believe the scriptures are infallible without error inerrant.

23:30

We affirm the five solas together sola Scriptura solas

23:37

Christus Scripture alone is the only infallible rule of faith Christ alone is the only mediator.

23:43

He's the only way we receive salvation We're saved sola gratia by grace alone sola fide through faith alone

23:49

And it is solely deo gloria to the glory of God alone I'll tell you what if you have that kind of unity with somebody that person's your friend not your enemy

23:58

We have a central unity Reformed Baptist Presbyterians around the doctrines of grace

24:05

We're Calvinists for goodness sake We believe in total depravity

24:11

Unconditional election we believe the atonement actually means something that when Jesus died

24:16

He did it for a particular people and he accomplished something that it wasn't a potential

24:23

Salvation it was a salvation that actually did something that listen you can say with a

24:28

Presbyterian as a Reformed Baptist When Jesus died on that cross he died for me

24:34

All my sins paid for in that cross in full. He had my name written on his heart

24:40

He knew what he was doing. He thought about me the father poured his wrath out in my place on that cross

24:47

That his death is my death his resurrection my resurrection Presbyterians Reformed Baptists unified around the atonement of Jesus Christ Irresistible grace that when

24:58

God wants to save somebody he can save them. He can speak life into death He can speak light into darkness and nobody can thwart

25:06

God Unit unity on that aspect their perseverance of the Saints What do I believe

25:11

Presbyterians and Baptists that when God saves somebody he actually saves them When God saves somebody it's an eternal salvation when

25:21

God saves somebody he will buy his spirit Cause them to persevere to the ends.

25:26

He's not gonna lose you You can't lose your salvation because it's not your salvation you accomplished

25:32

It's a salvation God has accomplished and is accomplishing in you I'll tell you what anybody that is has that much unity with you is again your friend not your enemy

25:45

We Believe together in the triune God of the Bible We believe from Genesis to Revelation The Bible is clear about who

25:52

God is one God the father is God the son is God the Holy Spirit is God and yet the Father is not the son.

25:58

The son is not the spirit. The spirit is not the father or the son There are three persons one being one essence one substance

26:05

God We believe in the Trinity we confess that together. There's only one true and living

26:10

God. He is triune We believe that we are justified declared righteous not through anything on our own, but through faith in Jesus Christ We believe in the holiness of God The wrath of God against sin we believe in final judgment that Jesus He's coming back

26:28

He's coming back to judge the world He's coming back to deliver justice on those who do not know

26:35

God and to bring full and final Salvation to those who do know God we believe that Jesus is coming back in his physical

26:43

Resurrected body and he's gonna raise all of us from dead We're all gonna be raised in physical bodies

26:51

We're gonna live forever with God on this earth heaven and earth reunite once again fully and finally

26:57

We're gonna experience God and one another peace and joy for all eternity

27:04

Why do I highlight it I Highlighted because listen, we have a natural propensity as Sinful people listen closely.

27:13

This is so important if you forget most of what I say in this message. Don't forget this.

27:18

I Highlight this because we have a propensity as sinful people to divide divide divide divide we love to get into a small grouping and then get into a smaller grouping and then get into a smaller grouping and into a

27:35

Smaller grouping and one thing I've seen in the Reformed world That's a problem for us is people recognize these truths.

27:42

They're transformed by them They're glorious and all of a sudden they go running off into smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller groupings and it's just sinful we start believing that our

27:55

Particular perspective is the divine truth of God and if anybody else doesn't hold it

28:00

They don't truly understand or know God and it's just sinful We have this propensity as fallen people to divide into smaller and smaller groupings if it's not theological

28:11

It's something else It's my particular talent. It's my particular

28:16

TV show my particular brand of music my particular perspectives It's smaller and smaller groupings.

28:23

And here's the thing about the body of Christ. Listen, is It's diverse and if you don't like it,

28:30

I'm sorry Suck it up that's kind of a that's kind of a roundabout way of getting it what

28:38

Paul says in her New Testament so many different kinds of Christians in the body of Christ and Paul essentially has to tell him here's here's how you deal with the guy shut up That's what he basically says

28:50

He does if you see the conflict that takes place between Christians and Corinth and first great first Corinthians chapter 8

28:57

Christians over here can't eat the meat that's in that marketplaces that were sacrificed to idols Why because I used to be a pagan

29:03

I used to worship that nonsense. I hate it. It's unholy meat Christians over here going

29:08

It's meat There's only one God what's wrong with you, right?

29:15

It's just there's only one God it's fake. They're worshiping a false God It's not real. There's no real

29:21

God behind that meat. God made that meat I'm gonna eat the meat and Christians are back and forth back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and Paul is

29:29

Essentially like look don't destroy the weaker brother The weaker brother there is the person who actually won't eat the meat

29:37

It's a little bit of a jab I think don't destroy him and basically he says this look you don't destroy your brother

29:45

That doesn't want to eat the meat and you over here that doesn't want to be don't destroy your brother who wants to eat The meat and there's actually discussions in the scriptures about different festivals and celebrations and days that you see as more important than the other

29:58

Christians say I like this day. I think you should do something on this day other guys say no I don't think you should do that I think you should do this and Jesus fills that and there's an essential thing about it all listen.

30:06

You're in Christ Shut up You're in Christ There are big issues to get over as believers and there are minor issues that you have to be able to say look is

30:17

God Glorified in your division on this point I'll tell you where you divide

30:23

Somebody denies the deity of Jesus Christ You deny that you get fire

30:31

You deny justification through faith you get fire you light that false teacher up Somebody tries to come into the church and preach false gospel false.

30:42

God you grab them by their pants and toss them out the door We've had people come into apology at church seven years we had a we had a we had a jewel one day come in Started telling people false prophecies and started preaching some weird kind of woo -woo stuff about God And I told him

31:00

I said you're not to ever walk in this church again You're not to talk to anybody in my church or under my care and everybody at church

31:07

He's to know this guy's a false teacher and don't interact with him. Stay away from him. You're under condemnation right now

31:13

He's oh, you're so mean -spirited You call it mean -spirited. I called the truth and you need to repent

31:19

So am I saying that we should be the kind of Christians that don't really love truth or care about truth or fight for truth? Absolutely, not.

31:26

There are issues that are essential issues and there are issues where you just don't divide over some

31:31

Christians think that every Christian should look like them and It's just sinful some

31:40

Christians Think that every Christian should dress the same like the same music do the same things

31:48

Some Christians should look just like them. And if you don't you're probably not a Christian. That's called immaturity

31:55

That's called being a Pharisee and that's sin Well, we have to recognize as Christians is that there are disagreements within the body of Christ We get around the

32:05

Word of God and let it change us Amen That's very very important this issue of baptism is very important Do I believe the implications are?

32:17

Actually important implications. Yes. Do I believe that a bad view on baptism a

32:22

False view on baptism actually brings damage to the body of Christ. Yes. I actually do

32:28

I actually think that if you have a bad view of that baptism It does negatively impact your family and I believe that it has implications about how you raise your children

32:37

And whether or not you really preach the gospel of repentance and faith to them whether you assume they're Christians I believe all those things genuinely matter

32:45

But do I believe you should divide as Christians? Absolutely not. There are consequences What are some of those consequences of having a bad view on baptism a false?

32:54

theological system Number one. Here's a consequence of having a bad theology on baptism believing baptism saves people if you teach that you are

33:08

Justified or saved when you enter the waters of baptism. You have now destroyed the gospel

33:16

You have now destroyed faith You've destroyed the meaning of baptism and I do believe that if somebody teaches that baptism saves you they are preaching a false gospel and I believe that if you preach that Take the parallel for a moment just as an example in Galatians chapter 5

33:33

Paul addresses Judaizers who did what they said it's faith in Jesus plus you have to keep the circumcision just at least keep that part of the law bring it over let people become

33:44

Jews first and Believe in the Messiah and you're good to go Paul says in Galatians 5 to that message

33:50

He says Christ has become of no effect to you Whosoever of you attempts to be justified by law you've fallen from grace

33:58

He says look you choose grace or law and if you're gonna take circumcision to bring it back over into this thing with Jesus He says now

34:05

Christ is nothing and now you got to take the whole law now and you got to do it all And how's that gonna work out for you?

34:12

Considering the fact that whoever keeps the whole law James says and transgresses in one point is guilty of all of it

34:18

So what do you want grace or law? And then Paul says this listen to people who think that it's faith in Jesus plus Baptism for justification.

34:28

He says what I hope that they go all the way with that knife He actually says that Galatians chapter 5

34:36

Paul says to those people Basically in a nutshell He's like look these guys that are in there telling you to be circumcised and believe in Jesus for justification

34:45

He says look, I hope that since they like to play with knives. They just go ahead and go all the way

34:53

Am I coming in clear with that He tells them he hopes they cut themselves off How does

35:00

Paul feel about adding anything to faith in order to be justified before God? He says

35:05

I hope you go all the way with your knife That's pretty brutal, right? What would Paul say then to the

35:11

New Covenant sign? For believers baptism if somebody said it's faith in Jesus plus baptism in order to be justified before God What would he say to them?

35:21

I? Hope you stay under I Hope you stay under the whole way Think about it

35:27

So it's important. There are consequences to having a bad view on baptism Here's another consequence of having a bad view of baptism

35:35

Assuming our children are Christians Assuming your children are

35:40

Christians. It's dangerous because if you assume your child is a Christian and do not preach repentance the need to repent of their sin to be

35:49

Justified before God to believe in God and you have the assumption of their Christianity they may go their whole lives banking on the fact that they were baptized as a child

35:59

I've talked to those people and continue to talk to them all the time I run into people on a regular basis who tell me

36:07

I'm a Christian. Why is that was baptized as a baby? They believe that because they were baptized as a baby that that makes them a

36:13

Christian That's why I became a Christian. When did you become a Christian? Well, I was baptized as a baby And so this person really has no understanding of the holiness of God the work of Christ the need for repentance and faith

36:25

So there are consequences To having a bad view on baptism Then I'll give you another consequence of having a bad view on baptism.

36:34

And this is a failure in the Baptist culture I'm talking about a failure on our side. There is a

36:40

Tremendous failure in Baptist culture with in terms of how we treat our children We have one standard for how we preach the gospel of repentance and faith to a teenager or an adult and we say

36:53

Repent believe the gospel. This is who you are. This is who Jesus is. This is what he's done Repent and believe they repent and believe and all of a sudden they go great.

37:01

Let's get you baptized And we get him in the baptism right away, right?

37:07

We say look, I think I see some life change I think I see a confession of faith and we get him baptized And Then all of a sudden in Baptist culture

37:14

We have our children who are four five six years old and we say who's Jesus.

37:20

They're like God is He perfect. Yes Are you a sinner big time?

37:28

Mom tells me all the time, right? Right. What did Jesus do? He he died and he rose again.

37:35

Do you believe in him? Yes. Do you trust him? Yes, let me go. Okay, maybe about ten more years.

37:42

We'll baptize you That's a failure It's just a failure in Baptist culture and it happens widespread across the spectrum.

37:51

It's a failure in the Baptist culture We have one standard for how we baptize and preach the gospel to older people.

37:59

We have another standard for our children We cheat we treat our children sometimes in Baptist culture like they are second -class citizens in the kingdom of God We treat them like the gospel is listen repent and believe yes

38:11

And then like give me like eight nine years to make sure you fully understand the Trinity the deity of Christ You have a full understanding of the scriptures and you've borne enough fruit to where I could finally say.

38:21

Yeah, I think you're a Christian Let's go ahead and get you baptized. We treat our children as though they have to earn their baptism and that's a failure and The thing is is not to say well

38:34

Baptists have failed in this area. So maybe the Baptist view is not correct No It's a failure in Baptist culture.

38:41

It doesn't mean our doctrine of baptism is wrong It means our tradition and practice doesn't meet our theology

38:49

So, what do I say let's get over that failure one of the greatest arguments Presbyterians have against Baptist culture is how we treat our kids.

38:59

I don't think it's a biblical argument that they muster mostly it's emotional How do you remove it?

39:06

By not failing any longer in this area when your kids have a legitimate profession of faith

39:13

When you see there is conviction over sin no matter how small and you see faith and an understanding of the gospel and they believe in Jesus Christ baptize them

39:22

What if they're only three years old baptize them? You say well, how do they do they really understand the gospel?

39:30

Oh I don't know. Maybe it's kind of like Jesus when he takes little children He says come to me like little children and you must enter into the kingdom of God with faith like that of a what?

39:40

child We set one standard up for our children in Baptist culture and a different one for adults and that should not be so another failure or Consequence listen closely another consequence of having a bad view on baptism

40:00

Another consequence is you could say something like Greg Strawbridge says in his debate with dr.

40:05

James White We're gonna play it next week a clip of it. He is a very consistent Presbyterian.

40:11

He loves Jesus. I love him There's much to admire in Greg Strawbridge much to admire.

40:17

He's a great man of God. I love him But one of the most telling parts of his debate with dr.

40:22

White on baptism was not necessarily in the debate itself It was after the debate was over when they're doing audience questions and answers and here is what a bad view on baptism

40:33

Will do to you here's where it'll get you from the Presbyterian side in order to be a consistent

40:39

Presbyterian And he is very consistent as a Presbyterian more consistent than many Presbyterians He knows that he needs to draw it out to its logical conclusion

40:49

If he wants it to be like Old Covenant circumcision Then he needs to give it out and deal it out.

40:56

And so he's asked by an audience member. Dr. Strawbridge Would you baptize?

41:01

the unbelieving spouse of a believing husband so think about the scenario for a moment now a

41:09

Christian minister is being asked would you baptize? Somebody who tells you

41:15

I don't believe in Jesus He's not my lord. I don't trust in him

41:21

Would you baptize somebody that tells you they're not a Christian because they're married to a

41:27

Christian and he said Yes Why?

41:34

because of his view of baptism, he has to try to maintain consistency and How do you do so you say

41:43

I'm willing to baptize somebody and to say that they're part of God's covenant Community when they tell me

41:50

I do not believe in Jesus and you go baptized You part of God's covenant community

41:57

Any of you on baptism that does that to you must be abandoned Because that is not

42:03

New Testament baptism All right, so we good now we go to the couple consequences.

42:09

Are you am I wetting your appetite now for next week? Okay, next week. We'll be getting into more the details of scriptures But let me get you to a few things.

42:16

We should know before next week in terms of Scripture Let's talk about the how a person is reconciled to God.

42:27

How is a person? Reconciled to God actually hang on before you get there. Let me just go ahead do this

42:32

I don't want to neglect to do this today. Where do we start? What's our standard? Let's start there.

42:37

What is our standard to getting to the bottom of this? How do we know what's true on baptism?

42:44

Now this is vitally important to get and I want you guys to remember this singular point It's so important as Christians.

42:51

We constantly testify whether you're Baptist or Presbyterian We constantly testify to the importance of the doctrine of Sola.

42:59

What? Scriptura and what is that that the scriptures alone are the only infallible rule for faith and practice in other words

43:08

The confessions are great creeds are great But those aren't the standard the Word of God is the standard and so what is the source for us in?

43:17

Terms of how to get to the bottom of this. How do we know what's true the answer? Sola Scriptura and I got to get this across.

43:25

It's so important to get it's finally important to get When we start engaging some of the arguments of our reformed our

43:34

Presbyterian brethren Some of the strongest arguments they have for their case on baptism are emotional

43:43

And I feel the weight of it. I Feel the weight of it because I know how Baptist have in many respects not all have failed in with our children and So I feel the weight of the emotional argumentation coming from the

43:58

Presbyterian side they say things like this Pastor Jeff Do you teach the children in your congregation to sing

44:07

Jesus loves me this I know How can you teach your children to say that if if they're not part of God's Covenant If they're not part of God's Covenant community, how could they sing

44:17

Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so Well, here's what I say, well

44:22

I have solid answers to that but first and foremost because the hymnal Particularly Sunday school songs are not this divine test of what's true.

44:33

The Word of God is the standard for what's true Especially in this respect. So I want to say that in this we should not be weighted down by Emotional argumentation that drives us away from the scriptures as a test for what's true

44:49

So first and foremost methodology to get into the bottom of this sola scriptura Seconds TOTA scriptura.

44:56

It should be all of the scriptures that speak to this issue Not any just one text itself, although all

45:04

God has to do is say something once and it's gospel It's the whole of the scriptures that ought to speak to us on this.

45:09

Amen So what does that look like an actual practice? What's the hermeneutic? What's the hermeneutic here?

45:16

I want to say that we are in fundamental agreement with our Presbyterian brothers and sisters in terms of when

45:23

God says something that settles it and We ought to assume continuity with the

45:29

Old Testament scriptures except where the New Testament Clearly defines a breakaway a change or an alteration in the administration in any way

45:40

So what that means is this I'll give you an example. I say what does that mean? I'll give you an example do

45:46

Christians practice Passover today Yes Yep, Paul says you do

45:55

But we don't do it in the old rudimentary way Where we go in and we start wiping the leaven out of our house and that symbol we don't go slaughtering a lamb

46:04

We don't put blood over our doorposts. We're not doing that ritual anymore Why because Christ is the

46:10

Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world Jesus was crucified our Passover on Passover he's fulfilled it all so then do we say well now there's no longer

46:21

Passover. It's irrelevant No, Paul actually says that we do Passover, but now we remove malice

46:30

From our lives. We have the once -for -all sacrifice no more Passover meals.

46:35

No more representation because we've got the thing The meal itself and that symbol itself wasn't the thing it was pointing to the thing

46:44

It was the shadow Jesus is the substance and he's come no more animal sacrifices

46:50

Does that mean there's no more sacrifice? No, we have a once -for -all sacrifice.

46:56

That's still relevant. Hey, guess what? No more high priests. Oh, so no more high priests

47:01

No, now we have a high priest who sits on his throne forever. He will never be dethroned.

47:06

He'll never die again He's our priest once -for -all sacrifice. He's our priest and mediator forever.

47:13

You still have a priest you still have a sacrifice You still have Passover and guess what?

47:18

You still have a temple But it's an eternal temple in the heavenly places

47:24

We're all little stones Peter says built up into the spiritual house to God. Jesus is our temple.

47:30

We're united with him Do you get it? There's continuity, but how do I know what's changed?

47:36

The New Testament tells me you see what happens is we assume the continuity because God spoke but we also recognize when the

47:45

New Testament tells us that there's a change in Administration or in the New Testament tells us this is how you do this.

47:51

Now. The New Testament gets to define it Here's what I'm getting at. Listen closely because this will make a lot of sense next week.

47:57

The Old Testament does not give us the paradigm The New Testament gives us the paradigm

48:05

We read the Old Testament through the lens of the New Testament I'm not arguing that there's no continuity between the old and the new everyone knows that we are very excited very happy theonomists

48:20

We believe the law of God is relevant today that when God spoke he meant it that it's it is abiding standard but that doesn't mean that the

48:28

Old Testament now overrides the new and Much of the error in the way of baptism comes from a really

48:38

Broken hermeneutic that says ultimately that new Old Testament patterns define the practice of the new

48:45

The New Testament ought to actually define for us what our practice is. That's the hermeneutic

48:51

Why do I bring it up? There's a debate you should listen to this week if you get a chance on YouTube I'm not my favorite debate on baptism.

49:01

Not my favorite, but it's it's a good debate. It's dr. John MacArthur great man of God Versus dr.

49:08

R. C. Sproul Wow two heavy hitters right and what they debate Baptism infant baptism credo baptism, by the way, if you don't know the names pedo baptism is

49:19

Infant baptism and credo baptism means only off of profession You have to believe and profess and then get baptized so pedo

49:27

Infant credo is on confession only that's the only way you baptize. So here you have dr.

49:33

John MacArthur a Baptist versus Dr. R. C. Sproul pedo Baptist both of them great men of God both of them heroes.

49:40

Amen. Amazing men of God Well after MacArthur gives his first opening you'll hear it

49:46

MacArthur basically says in his in his opening. He says nowhere in the Bible from beginning to end.

49:53

Is there any explicit instance anywhere of infants being baptized from cover to cover not one reference to Explanation of it or an actual instance of it taking place not in the entire

50:10

Bible not from Genesis to Revelation Not a single instance of infant baptism Dr.

50:15

R. C. Sproul Who's a pedo Baptist believes in infant baptism? He says in his opening that dr.

50:22

MacArthur has said that there is no Explicit instance anywhere in the Bible of infant baptism and Sproul says he's right

50:33

That's coming from a pedo Baptist R. C. Sproul one of the greatest Presbyterians one of the greatest men of God of our last generation when we lose

50:41

Sproul we're gonna lose something huge that's the truth and Sproul admits it there's not an explicit instance of infant baptism anywhere in the

50:51

New Testament nowhere It doesn't exist. But what he says is this There's also no explicit statement

50:58

Denying the practice of infant baptism Now, I think it's actually a pretty weak position

51:04

To say it's nowhere in the Bible, but nowhere in the Bible speaks against it Well, maybe none of the authors of Scripture actually imagined that you do something like that Maybe they never thought it was an issue because they never imagined you do it

51:17

But Sproul says so our only way here is to actually go to the scriptures and draw out of the scriptures

51:23

What do we get in this? Now what I want to say is I agree with Sproul there.

51:28

We ought to go to the scriptures and say what does it actually? Say in the instances of baptism.

51:35

What's it speak? What does it tell us about baptism when it identifies what takes place in a person's life when they are baptized?

51:42

How does it define it I'll give you one example of what I mean Romans 6 I just read it to you

51:48

Romans 6 What does it say about baptism in Romans 6? It says that I'll read it again.

51:53

It's right in front of me. It says this Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

52:03

We were buried therefore with him by baptism in a death in Order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the

52:10

Father We too might walk in newness of life Paul's assumption there when he talks about baptism is what if you've been baptized

52:16

You were united to Jesus in his death and resurrection and therefore you are no longer dead in your sin, but alive to God So now don't go on presenting your members of instruments of unrighteousness

52:27

What's it assume if you've been baptized you have actually changed from death to life

52:35

Why because if you've believed in Jesus, you've been united to him and your baptism

52:40

Symbolizes your death to resurrection. My question is this can that be said of an eight -year -old baby?

52:50

That that baby has gone from death to life That they've repented of their sins and believed in Jesus can

52:58

Paul's statement here in Romans 6 be applied to the baby the infant in diapers Does it actually apply to them because this is

53:07

Paul's explanation of what baptism is We ought to think about that.

53:13

What does the scripture say now quickly? Let's show where we're united Sorry, Siri.

53:23

I didn't need you to talk there. Okay, how are we reconciled to God?

53:30

How does God do it? I want to focus in upon justification the heart of the gospel Baptist and Presbyterians listen to the

53:39

Westminster Confession of Faith. This is Presbyterian Chapter 11 of justification those whom

53:45

God effectually calleth. He also freely Justified not by infusing righteousness into them.

53:52

That's against Rome But by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous

53:59

Not for anything wrought in them or done by them but for Christ's sake alone nor by imputing faith itself the act of believing or any other

54:10

Evangelical obedience to them as their righteousness, but by imputing the obedience and Satisfaction of Christ unto them they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness by faith

54:22

Which faith they have not of themselves. It is the gift of God That's Westminster on Justification.

54:31

Here's the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith our confession those whom God effectually calleth

54:36

He also freely justifieth not by infusing righteousness into them But by pardoning their sins and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous not for anything wrought in them or done by them

54:48

But for Christ's sake alone not by imputing faith itself the act of believing or any other event you get.

54:55

Wait a minute What happened? It's the same thing

55:04

Some people are going plagiarism Right. Do you get it?

55:10

Presbyterians and Baptists Together on how we're justified read the confessions of faith side -by -side same thing

55:17

How is a person justified before God through faith in Jesus Christ? What do you get when you believe in Jesus Christ the righteousness of Jesus Christ?

55:28

What did Jesus take from you your sin? How did you get this faith? It's a gift of God That's so much unity

55:36

But that's how a person is justified before God according to Baptists and Presbyterians now

55:46

Paul says in Romans 6 that our baptism Testifies to our being joined to Jesus death and resurrection

55:59

Reform Presbyterians and Baptists believe that we are justified Through faith the instrument of faith and you get

56:05

Christ's obedient life credited to you He takes your sin. God declares you righteous.

56:10

We're unified So what of this issue of baptism? I'll point you to some text for a moment now that I want you to read read

56:21

Romans chapters 1 through 6 Read what Paul does read the line of thought he takes us through one

56:30

God's wrath is being poured out People suppress the truth and unrighteousness they know

56:36

God they don't glorify God They don't want him in their thinking their thoughts become futile. So they switch

56:42

God for idols Therefore God gives them over Romans chapter 2 now You've got this self -righteous

56:47

Jew that thinks because he has the law that somehow that justifies him and Paul goes right after them

56:53

Takes their legs right off. He says you who say don't steal. Do you steal? You you say don't do this, but do you do it?

57:01

Do you think God? Is a respecter of persons that he shows personal favoritism

57:06

Do you think that you're gonna basically says do you think that you're gonna be? All right, because you simply have the law and then you're circumcised that that does it for you

57:15

He says what about the person over here the Christian? Gentile that has their heart circumcised and they actually do the things that are in the law

57:24

Empowered by the Spirit of God. What do you think about that? and Then Romans chapter 3 goes to everybody says both

57:31

Jew and Gentile Jew and Greek are all under sin Unrighteous not even one none who seeks for God No fear of God before their eyes feet swift to shed blood and he says therefore

57:41

No one's gonna be justified by the law because through the law comes the knowledge of sin

57:47

It only increases your knowledge of sin He says what but now

57:52

Apart from the law Romans 3 the righteousness of God has been manifested

57:58

Being testified to by the law and the prophets the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe

58:07

For there's no distinction all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified

58:12

Freely by his grace through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus He says that Jesus God put him up publicly as a propitiation through faith in his blood

58:23

Why? To so that God would be just and the justifier the one who has faith in Jesus and then

58:29

Paul gets to the final thought Romans 3 28 he says what therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith

58:36

Apart from works of law and then he says what about Abraham? What are the scriptures say?

58:43

Genesis 15 6 Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness

58:49

He says how was it credited? Was it through works? This is a beautiful thing

58:55

Romans 4 if you don't know it get it in your heart. He says this Abraham believed

59:01

God and it was counted to him as righteousness verse 4 now to the one who works his wages are not counted as a

59:07

Gift but as what it as is due and to the one who does not work But believes in him who justifies the ungodly his faith is counted as righteousness

59:15

Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works

59:22

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered Blessed is the man against whom the

59:29

Lord will not count as sin pause Pause pause pause baptism discussion put it to the side for a second

59:37

Did you hear that? Did you hear it? Whatever was going on in your life in your marriage your work?

59:47

coming into here That changes it completely. I don't care what you say.

59:54

I don't care that you say Jeff. You don't understand my plight Jeff You don't understand my situation Jeff. You don't understand the struggles that I have right now in my family

01:00:00

You don't understand the situation right now with me and my my work situation. You don't understand the depression

01:00:06

I'm dealing with right now. You don't understand all that's happening in my life. I feel like a failure as a husband I feel like a failure as a mom.

01:00:12

I feel like a failure as a child. How can this address that? Here's how it addresses it

01:00:18

God who created you and sustains you at this very moment It says that through faith in Jesus that he counts you as righteous

01:00:28

Completely blameless your sins as a mother don't count Your sins as a father.

01:00:34

They don't factor in Your sins as a son or a daughter. They don't matter to God in This respect because he's already counted you righteous and he does not count your sins against you and He never will

01:00:51

You're the blessed man You're the blessed woman who walks in forgiveness and stands in God's grace.

01:00:58

You're washed and You will never be condemned How you like them apples?

01:01:07

That's that's it. What what else do you need? What do you what do we need in life to be more full of joy to have more peace

01:01:16

What do you need more than peace with God? you can have the greatest job the greatest family the nicest car the biggest house the fattest bankroll and still go to hell and Not know

01:01:31

God and be separated from him for eternity You could know God by his love and grace

01:01:38

He could have drawn you to himself and he doesn't see you anymore as sinner. He sees you as saint

01:01:43

He doesn't see you anymore as rebel and hostile. He sees you as child. He's washed you.

01:01:48

There's no more perversion There's no more lies. There's no more darkness There's no more sin against him in his eyes.

01:01:56

You're already righteous and blameless He's already dealt with everything and if you kept saying to God, but God my sin may

01:02:03

God my past but God my shame He'd say what sin what past what shame? It's washed.

01:02:10

It's absorbed in Jesus 2 ,000 years ago. You've already died and been raised with Jesus Okay back to baptism.

01:02:19

Okay Watch Abraham's the father of our faith. He's that Testimony and model watch is this blessing then only for the circumcised or also for the uncircumcised

01:02:33

We say that faith is counted to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised it was not after But before he was circumcised

01:02:44

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised when was

01:02:55

Abraham listen, please Grab it. When was Abraham justified? When was he credited righteousness?

01:03:01

Was it before? after the sign of circumcision Before it was also before what the law

01:03:11

He believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness and he's the father of our faith

01:03:16

Only after that faith did he get circumcision as a sign and the New Testament writers say that that sign of circumcision

01:03:23

Was a temporary sign Under that administration and that it was meant to fade away

01:03:32

That's how they saw it How we justify through faith and through faith alone, okay,

01:03:37

I'll do this quickly I know we're over time here, but I want to point you to some text. I want you to read this week

01:03:42

This week. This is by no means an exhaustive. Look. This is merely a skipping across the surface for this week.

01:03:52

I Want you to look at John the Baptist ministry of baptism now pause

01:03:57

I am NOT saying that John the Baptist baptism was Christian baptism. It was not

01:04:03

But a quick question to ask is this who came to John's baptism who was baptized answer

01:04:11

Jews But it was people who actually did what? Repented it was not an infant baptism.

01:04:21

There was no model there It was those who repented there were baptized and again for my Presbyterian brothers and sisters that I love with my whole heart

01:04:28

I understand that's not Christian baptism. I'm not making that as an argument I'm just pointing out that there's a pattern there in the scriptures of people even in John's baptism of repenting and then getting in the waters of baptism next

01:04:41

Christian baptism three examples Again, read these this next week acts to starting in verse 36 acts 8 verse 26 and on acts 10 934

01:04:59

Pattern of baptism in a New Testament. We're gonna do more next week. I'll do this briefly If you have her

01:05:05

Bibles go to acts 2 quickly Acts 2 36. Here's Peter's preaching the gospel of Pentecost He says let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both

01:05:16

Lord and Christ This Jesus whom you crucified Now when they heard this these large crowds

01:05:24

They were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles brothers, what shall we do?

01:05:32

so this these crowds are hearing the gospel now and they say in response to the gospel they say what shall we do and Peter said to them repent and Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you will receive the gift of the

01:05:53

Holy Spirit Now by the way read one chapter later acts 319

01:05:59

He says repent therefore and turn again that your sins may be blotted out. It's repentance and faith

01:06:05

Where the sins are blotted out in? The text here the

01:06:10

Greek is more clear. The forgiveness of sins is attached to the repentance

01:06:16

So watch here Says this for the promises for you and for your children and for all who are far off Listen, everyone whom the

01:06:27

Lord our God calls to himself Everyone Whom the

01:06:34

Lord our God calls to himself now I want you to hear the response and with many other words

01:06:39

He bore witness and continued to exhort them saying save yourselves from this crooked generation

01:06:45

So those who received his word were baptized and there were added that day about 3 ,000 souls question in this text

01:06:57

Acts 2 first instance of Christian baptism here Pentecost who was baptized those who received his word

01:07:12

Those who received his word were baptized Three thousand next 826 826

01:07:29

This is where Philip is with the Ethiopian eunuch the angel Lord says to Philip rise and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem and What takes place we know the story of Philip and the

01:07:40

Ethiopian eunuch? he sees this eunuch reading Isaiah and The spirit said to Philip in verse 29 go over and join this chariot

01:07:52

So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked do you understand what you are reading? And he said how can

01:07:58

I unless someone guides me and he invited Philip to come up and sit with him now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this and he quotes from Isaiah 53 in Verse 34 and the eunuch said to Philip about whom

01:08:11

I asked does the Prophet say this about himself or about someone else? Then Philip opened his mouth and began beginning with the scripture

01:08:18

He told him the good news about Jesus and as they were going along the road They came to some water and the eunuch said see here is water.

01:08:25

What prevents me from being baptized? What took place? He hears the gospel

01:08:31

He believes and then what takes place next Baptism, what did you see in Acts 2?

01:08:37

What happened? They heard the gospel and Those who believed were baptized next and final one for today acts 10 34

01:08:51

So Peter is now bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. It's a big moment for the Christian Church We go from Jews now to Gentiles Large scale so Peter opened his mouth and said truly

01:09:02

I understand that God shows no partiality But in every nation anyone who hears him and does what is right is acceptable to him as for the word that he sent to Israel preaching the good news of peace through Jesus Christ.

01:09:13

He is Lord of all now He's preaching to these Gentiles and in verse 43 It says to him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness through his name

01:09:24

How do you receive forgiveness through his name quickly? Tell me you believe in him everyone who what?

01:09:31

Believes in him receives what? Forgiveness in his name and now watch what takes place

01:09:37

While Peter was still saying these things the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word and the believers from among the

01:09:44

Circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed Because the gift of the

01:09:49

Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling

01:09:55

God then Peter declared can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the

01:10:01

Holy Spirit just as we have and he Commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

01:10:07

Then they asked him to remain for some days Here's what I'm going to get at read the passages in the

01:10:15

New Testament that give you the pattern for how baptism is done and What you will see every single time without fail repentance faith baptism repentance faith baptism repentance faith baptism

01:10:36

That's the pattern in the model the New Testament gives to us about listen the

01:10:42

New Covenant sign of baptism the New Covenant sign of baptism in The pages of Scripture are never given to anybody who is unbelieving

01:10:56

Unrepentant the New Covenant sign of baptism Symbolizes in the scriptures listen without fail without question our

01:11:07

Union with Jesus Christ his death and his resurrection So you've got this

01:11:13

New Covenant sign Meaning something death and resurrection and you see it given to those who can actually say

01:11:20

I've died and risen again That's the New Testament model

01:11:26

That's what you see in actual practice in a New Testament However You have to come back and stay tuned for this one

01:11:33

Next week. I want to go through the arguments for infant baptism and I want to show due respect to the brothers and sisters in Christ that believe in it and Hold to it and say first and foremost.

01:11:49

I actually respect them and their position

01:11:54

I Actually understand what's behind Presbyterian view of baptism

01:12:00

I get it. I'm sympathetic towards it. I actually respect what they're trying to do

01:12:08

Completely. I'm very sympathetic towards it as a matter of fact For some time

01:12:14

I committed to staying completely open to it I even made sure

01:12:20

I listened to all my heroes on the subject and I have a great respect for them.

01:12:27

But the question is is Is it biblical and so what we're gonna do next week is go through all the instances of baptism in our

01:12:34

New Testament we can to show what the model was the method was how it was done and Then we're gonna go through the arguments for infant baptism and we're gonna see if they're consistent

01:12:47

With Scripture sound good Yes And now let me just cap this off with this

01:12:54

Who in here has trusted in Christ? Repented and believed and has not been baptized yet You've repented you've believed you have not been baptized yet Okay, come see me because we want to get you wet

01:13:10

Sound good Okay. All right. Praise God All right.

01:13:16

Let's pray father. Thank you so much for today. Thank you for the message. We were able to get through today Thank you for your word.

01:13:21

I just pray God that this would be something that's that continues to foster and help

01:13:29

The unity that we have in Christ and at the same time Lord gets to the truth of this matter

01:13:36

Because Lord we care about what your word says We know how important Truth is we know

01:13:44

God that theology matters and it impacts us And so we pray God that you would prepare us as a church

01:13:50

God to love you and your word And to be willing God to cast aside anything that isn't consistent with your word

01:13:56

We pray God that you continue to bless your church This church in particular

01:14:01

God for the glory of Jesus Christ and his namesake among all the nations in Jesus name.