Believer's Baptism - Dead, Buried, and Alive For Evermore — Mack Tomilson

Romans 6, verses 1 -7 is our text. Romans 6, 1 -7. Reading from the ESV edition version. But before we read our text, let's pause in prayer and let's ask the Lord's blessing upon all of us. Our gracious Father, we come to this time to look into Your Word.

The Authority of Scripture and the Call to Hear God’s Word

To preach the Bible, to teach the Bible, to hear what Your Word says. What men say doesn't matter unless they're speaking what is here. So we look to You. And Father, we ask You to fill us all with the Holy Spirit to see, to hear, to speak, to receive the blessed truth of Your Word.

This time is Yours, Lord Jesus. Honor Yourself by Your Spirit for Your glory. In Christ's name, amen. Romans 6, 1 -7. Follow with me. What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

By no means. How can we who are dead to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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 Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

For one who has died has been set free from sin. Those are powerful words, aren't they? Some of you who were baptized this morning, I see you grinning from ear to ear almost. The enacted sermon about this was at Camp Copas this morning earlier.

The preached sermon is now on believer's baptism. Now, this text would have been powerful and meaningful to Roman Christians who had heard the Gospel and had come to faith, who had been born and bred in pagan Roman culture.

Sin and Grace in the Roman World

Roman Paul's time was sunken down thoroughly with all kinds of extreme vileness and evil. Those who have read 1st century history know how bad Rome was. An average Roman citizen, for instance, would have spent much leisure time in the Roman Colosseum being amused by the brutal sight of gladiators killing each other for entertainment.

Now, imagine seeing being an outwitness of someone killing another person. It would have been traumatic, right? But imagine that as a weekly sporting event at Cowboy Stadium broadcast on CBS. That's the Roman Colosseum.

As Spurgeon said, Rome was cruel to the fullest degree. Rampant evil and godlessness had saturated all of Roman life and culture. Public teachers were immoral. Corrupt and depraved people were viewed as normal.

Roman emperors were at times insane narcissists who cruelly murdered their own citizens, enemies, and even family members who they thought were being a threat to them. So the rule of the day in Rome was enjoy your passions and desires of the flesh and let's celebrate evil.

So for the Gospel to have come to Rome and for some of these Romans to hear it and believe it and now had become true followers of Jesus Christ, to them these words would have been staggering and liberating.

Are we to continue in sin? By no means. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ, that's not water baptism, that's union with Christ by the Holy Spirit, have been baptized into His death.

The old person of sin we were is crucified and we're now to walk in newness of life. Consider yourself to be dead to sin and don't let sin reign in you. The Romans would have heard this read, heard it expounded, and would have been amazed.

What a new world they're in suddenly. How phenomenal. How this first epistle would have rocked their past, their worldview, and their future when even Romans 1 -6 was finally understood and it sunk in.

Baptism as the Sign of Union With Christ

Our text teaches us the spiritual realities pictured in the ritual of water baptism. Romans 6 is not about water baptism, but about what water baptism represents. Now we need to be reminded, before we get to the text, some introduction, we need to be reminded of the supremely significant thing that Christian baptism is.

It is a ritual and ordinance of the New Testament. A ritual is a religious action done according to a prescribed order, which is an authoritative degree or command. Baptism was that. It was exemplified by our Lord in His own life at the beginning of His ministry and commanded by Christ at the end of His ministry for everyone who would ever follow Him.

It is a command, not a suggestion, and is a point of significant obedience. Now that gives me pause here to simply ask some of us this question. If you are a professing Christian, have you been biblically baptized as a believer since the time you believe you were saved?

Have you been biblically baptized? If not, you must face this issue. If you are a professing Christian and have not been subject to believer's baptism as we saw this morning at our baptism, and you know it's in the Bible, if not, then you are either a disobedient child or possibly not His child at all.

Consider. Face this issue. Like no other point of obedience, baptism is a one-time event. A one-and-done ordinance. Never, ever to be repeated. Now the Lord's Supper is a repeatable thing, right? Always.

We'll do it until we go to be with the Lord. Corporate worship is ongoing. Church prayer meetings, you may attend hundreds of those before you go to heaven. Bible studies, fellowship groups, service opportunities, all those are ongoing and repeated countless times.

Only baptism is an isolated, single ordinance. And that makes it like a wedding day. We were at a wedding day yesterday. Many of us. And that's what we witnessed yesterday. A day that the groom and bride publicly evidence their commitment to one another.

That's baptism. When we publicly evidence our commitment to our Lord before the world. And that's really how the early church viewed it. They viewed it this way. This is my day. This is my official public confession of my Savior to the world.

This is our public confession to the world that we are now a believer in Jesus Christ. Now this was huge and even dangerous in the first century. Because it marked you. It marked you for something. It marked you for persecution.

It marked some for the losing of all their goods. It marked some for fleeing their homes. And it even marked some for death. Throughout church history, believers have been martyred for being baptized in water by immersion.

So it was the proof in the first century church that you were among the despised number who were known as followers of Jesus of Nazareth. After one's conversion, no day is ever as big in a Christian's life as the day of their baptism.

Spurgeon’s Testimony of Believer’s Baptism

I'm using C .H. Spurgeon today as a primary source because of his experience in baptism and his proper view of it. Now as a 16 year old, Spurgeon parted ways with his grandparents and parents who for decades had been paedo-baptists.

They practiced infant baptism. Michael Durham reminded me this week of the humorous story of Spurgeon and his mother. She said to him, Ah, Charles, I often prayed that the Lord would make you His, but I never asked that you would become a Baptist.

Spurgeon replied, Ah, mother, the Lord has answered your prayers with His usual bounty and has given you exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or thought. As a 16 year old, Spurgeon walked eight miles on a beautiful day to get to the River Lark for his public profession of faith.

Here's his testimony on that day. As my turn came to wade into the river after I had walked a few steps, I felt as if heaven, earth, and hell were all gazing at me. But I was not ashamed there and then to own myself a follower of the Lamb.

My timidity was washed away. It floated down the river and it must have been eaten by fish for I've never had any of it since. Baptism also loosened my tongue and from that day it has never been quiet.

I lost a thousand fears in that river and found that in keeping of His commandments there is great reward. It was a thrice holy day. Brethren, we're thinking about one of the most glorious things in the Christian life.

The glory and meaning of believers' baptism. What is baptism? Spurgeon's answer, representative of all those who hold to a baptistic view, "...baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ for the new believer as a sign of our fellowship with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection, of our being engrafted into Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the giving up of ourselves to God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life.".

Baptism is a symbol of our regeneration. Remember Titus 3 says, in His mercy, He saved us by the washing of regeneration. So, here's a catechism question. How is baptism rightly administered? Answer, by immersion or dipping the whole body in water in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Question, what is the duty of all such who are rightly baptized? Answer, it is their duty to give themselves up to the Kingdom of God and to the church of Jesus Christ that they may walk in all the commandments of the Lord in a blameless way.

Question, why is baptism for believers only? Answer, because in Matthew 28, Christ says to go into all the world and make disciples. Baptizing them. Only disciples who have believed the Gospel are candidates for baptism.

And every single baptism in the book of Acts was after individuals had heard and believed the Gospel. Now that's a summary of the baptistic position. So think about it. Babies understand nothing. They can't believe the Gospel.

They are not followers of Christ. But the infant baptism position consistently uses language that describes a baby of believing parents as having spiritual life. Listen to a few statements by some theologians and pastors who held that view.

The Anglican Prayer Book statement. Seeing now that this child is regenerate, we thank Thee, Most Merciful Father, that it has pleased You to regenerate this infant with Thy Spirit, to receive him as Your only child, and import him into Thy holy church.

That was what was prayed at the time of the infant baptism. Now hear the words of Charles Hodge, the great Princeton theologian. Here he's acknowledging that baptism is an official profession of faith.

So therefore, he says, his tradition must define things better in order to keep baptizing infants. Quote, the very difficulty on this subject is that baptism by its very nature involves a profession of faith.

Baptism is the way in which through the ordinances of Christ, He is to be confessed before men. But infants are incapable of making such a confession. Therefore, Charles Hodge says, they are not proper subjects of baptism.

Still quoting. Or to state it in another way, the sacraments belong to the members of Christ's church. But the church is a company of believers and infants cannot exercise faith. Therefore, they are not members of the church and consequently ought not to be baptized.

Continue the quote. Therefore, in order to justify the baptism of infants, we must attain and authenticate an idea of the church that the church includes the children of believing parents. End quote. You see what he did?

A lot of quoting there, but one final one. This is brief. By none other than John Calvin. Now, whom you know. Here at Providence, we love John Calvin. But hear him on this point. Quote,. The offspring of believers are born holy because their children, while yet in the womb, are included in the covenant of eternal life.

Nor are they admitted into the church by baptism on any other ground than that they belonged to the body of Christ before they were born. End quote. So that shows why Baptists hold to believers' baptism.

The Baptistic Case Against Infant Baptism

And here's what Spurgeon said about his change of mind. If I thought it wrong to be a Baptist, I would give it up and become what I believed to be right. If I could find baptism in the Word of God, I would adopt it because that would help me out of a great difficulty.

For it would take away from me the reproach which is attached to me that we are odd and do not do what others do. But we have looked through the Bible and we cannot find it. And do not believe it is there.

Nor do we believe others can find infant baptism in the Scriptures unless they first put it there. Alright. So with that introduction, let's now hear Paul on Romans 6. Back to the text. What is Paul teaching here that is represented in baptism?

This is it. That baptism sets forth the picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ and our spiritual participation in that death, burial, and resurrection. Paul gives us three truths here clearly that are pictured in water baptism.

And especially for those of you who are baptized this morning, I want you to listen closely. I think you are. This is fresh to you. But listen closely. Paul gives us three here truths that picture the spiritual reality as seen in water baptism.

Baptism Pictures Death to Sin

Number one. This is it. Verse 3. Like the Lord Jesus Christ, you have died. Like the Lord Jesus Christ, you have died. Verse 3. We were baptized into His death. That spiritual baptism of God putting us into His people, into the Lord Jesus Christ, and when He's crucified and dies, we're in Him.

So we were baptized into His death. Five times in this passage, Paul tells all Christians that they have died. Baptized into His death. Through baptism into death. United with Him in the likeness of His death.

Our old self was crucified with Him. And He who has died is freed from sin. Remember Colossians 3 says the same thing. For you have died and your life is hid with Christ in God. When we were united to Christ by the Holy Spirit, our old man, the sinful self, was put to death with Him in His death.

The one who was dead in sin is now dead to sin because the old man was crucified with Him in His death. And believer, you are so much one with Christ that you are to count His death as your death as well.

Both were true on the cross. His death and your death. Verse 3, we've been baptized into His death. Verse 5, we've been united to Him with His death. Spurgeon said it this way, quote, we have died in the death of Jesus.

And that's what Paul is saying here. We've died and are dead to sin. Sin no more has dominion because in Christ's death, you were in Him when He died. You know what? A Christian is a changed person. If a Christian had his way, he would never sin again.

His innermost self hates it when he sins and doesn't want to sin ever because the one who loves sin is dead and gone. This means that the church of Jesus Christ is a family of dead people because we're dead to sin.

We died with Christ. Has anyone ever said to you after you became a Christian, man, where's the person I used to know? I had that said to me at 19. You don't want to hang with us anymore. Who got in your head and brainwashed you?

You've changed. It's like I don't know you anymore. They're right. The old you they knew is gone. Dead to sin, dead to the world, dead to the past, dead to who you were. You've been crucified with Christ.

You're dead. The old man is dead. Baptism physically pictures your spiritual death. That occurred when Christ died with you and Him as your representative. Therefore, how shall we who died to sin live any longer therein?

Baptism Pictures Burial With Christ

Like the Lord Jesus Christ, believer, you, the old you, died. Secondly, like the Lord Jesus, Paul says you have been buried. Verse 3, buried with Him through baptism. The old you, Christian, the old you, the old sinful you that hated God, as Hannah eloquently expressed this morning at her baptism, the old you was put in a grave and is not coming back.

When death comes, what's next in the world? What follows after death? Burial. And more and more creation happens, but that's not the picture here. Burial is the final official seal of death. You only bury the dead, not the living.

Paul here says we've been buried. If a dead person is buried, it's a certificate of death. To bury someone, a death certificate is required as official proof that legally they are dead. Beloved, baptism is our spiritual death certificate.

I love Spurgeon's words. Quote,. Burial is the public display of our death. The believer's death to sin is at first a secret. The moment God saved you, nobody else knew that your old man was dead. It was a secret.

The believer's death to sin at first is a secret, but by the open confession of baptism, the new Christian calls all men to know that he is dead with Christ. So baptism is the graveside funeral service for the Christian.

I don't want to wear you with Spurgeon's words, but I'll risk it here. This is wonderful. Quote,. When my Lord's grace got ahold of me and buried me, He worked in my soul the conviction that forever I was a dead man to this world.

So tell the world it need not try to fetch us back, for we're dead. The person out there in Denton, six feet under in the cemetery, has no companions now in this world. He's dead and buried. Beloved, hear the Apostle Paul.

When you went under the water in obedience to baptism, it pictures that your old self was buried with Christ just as much as His dead body was buried in that tomb. You were buried like Jesus. And your baptism pictures that.

Baptism Pictures Resurrection and New Life

Finally, thirdly, not only like the Lord Jesus were you dead to sin, not only were you buried, but like the Lord Jesus, you are now alive forevermore as a believer. Buried with Him by baptism into death, raised to walk in what?

Newness of life. Lazarus wasn't the same man as before. Before, dead, he stinketh. Now, he's alive. He was made alive from the dead. This is the circumcision, not of the flesh, but of the heart. The changing in the heart.

We are circumcised with a new circumcision of regeneration. We're changed and we're given a new heart. Our sins are washed away. Christ was dead and buried and came to life. Peter said it in his preaching.

You by wicked hands have crucified the Lord of glory, but God raised Him from the dead. The text says that Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. Christ being raised from the dead will never die.

Death no longer has dominion over Him. The death of Christ conquered death. Now the life He lives, He lives to God. Now Paul's point here is that what is true of Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection is just as much true for every Christian.

What happened to Jesus physically death, burial, resurrection has happened spiritually to every Christian. He was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. And so has every repentant, believing sinner also been raised.

In Him, now you're alive. Risen to walk in newness of life. So, those who were baptized this morning, think of it. When you came out of that water, none of you came out with a depressed look on your face.

I saw smiles. I saw joy. When you came out of that water rejoicing, you are showing that you are a new person that's alive from the dead, pictured perfectly in rising out of that water. 2 Corinthians 5 says this, If anyone's in Christ, behold a new creation.

All things pass away, all has become new. Galatians 2 .20. I have been crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, it's not me. Not the old me. Nevertheless, it's not me. But it's Christ who lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live in faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Therefore, Paul says, we walk in newness of life. Newness. Everything's new for the Christian. You have a new Father. You have a new status, a new heart, a new spirit, and a new mind. New citizenship, a new family, a new purpose, new freedom, and new life forever.

All because you're alive from the dead. All is new. Now what did Jesus have to do after rising from the dead? Did He have to go deal with sin anymore? No. No. Only to live to the glory of the Father. And what do we have to do now that we're alive in Him?

Live in sin? No. Live to the glory of Him who died and rose again. Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 6. You are not your own. You have been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God with your body.

Live for Him who died and rose for you. So beloved, here's the summary. In baptism, we say, I have died. My old self is buried. Now I'm alive in Christ. And my baptism is saying that to this world. That's what Paul is saying here in our text.

Applications: A High and Holy View of Baptism

And much more. Now in closing, a couple of practical applications. First, let all of us who are Christians be sure that we believe clearly what baptism teaches is true of us as believers. Be sure you're clear on this as a Christian.

That you have died. That your old man, the old you, is gone. And that you're alive forevermore with a changed, transformed life. Be clear on this. Be solid in your doctrine of baptism. Secondly, elevate today your view of the glory and significance of baptism.

Elevate it. We cannot have too high of a view of believer's baptism in terms of what it truly means. It's not a dead ritual. It's not a small secondary thing. It signifies our salvation in Christ and His call to follow Him.

What a high and holy thing baptism is. So have a high and holy view of it. If you have been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ as a believer, and these things are true of you, do you realize what a small minority you are in all the history of the world's population?

Have a high and holy view of this more than ever. Thirdly, joy marks the event of baptism. Do you think there was boredom and sadness on the day of Pentecost? 3 ,000 saved and baptized. It was shouting time in Jerusalem when 3 ,000 souls believed and were baptized.

The Ethiopian eunuch later read Isaiah 53, had the Gospel preached to him, he believed and was baptized, and went on his way what? Rejoicing. The Philippian jailer and his household believed and rejoiced, it says.

The day of your baptism is a glorious, glorious day. Happy day, oh happy day when Jesus washed my sins away. And that's what baptism pictures. So for those of you who are baptized today, we rejoice with you.

What a day it is for you. It's a celebration of your spiritual birthday. So rejoice in all the goodness of God. You newly baptized believers. The goodness of God towards you today. Our Lord Jesus Christ gave us two ordinances that He established and practiced.

Baptism and the Lord's Supper. One is repeated until He comes again. The other one is one time only. The Gospel pictured in water. What a great salvation. What a great Savior. What a glorious reality the church of Jesus Christ has.

Dead, buried, alive forevermore, every Christian. Amen. Let's pray. Father, I know it was moving to the Apostle Paul. Intellectually, emotionally, to write Romans and to send it to believers who knew nothing more than they had embraced this Messiah.

They knew a little more, but when Romans came to them, what a glorious thing. And it has come to us. Our church studied this epistle closely. So today, we thank You for it. We rejoice, Lord, in You. And we rejoice in the truth of Romans 6 -7.

Blessed be Your name, O Lord our God. Thank You. Seal this to our hearts for Jesus' glory. Amen.