Baptism Admonishes and Assures

The institution.
1. It is a holy ordinance that Christ commanded His church to practice until He comes again (Matt. 28:18-20).
2. Baptism is both a sign and seal.
  1. It is a sign of an inward and spiritual reality: Jesus’ blood (His sacrificial death) washed away one’s sins.
  2. It is a seal; Christ’s promise is joined to it that all who receive it in faith do have their sins washed away.
3. The other verses quoted in this Lord’s Day are significant.
The meaning of baptism.
1. Real baptism is spiritual – a spiritual cleansing (Titus 3:5).
2. This salvation comes to us personally through the Spirit of Christ in regeneration: immediately justified.
3. And we are being washed by the Spirit in the life-long work of the Spirit sanctifying us so we die to sin more and more and we grow in grace, knowledge, and godliness.
4. Sprinkling indicates that the amount of water is not of key importance.
5. Also in baptism we are incorporated into Christ by which we are also incorporated into His body, the church (I Cor. 12:13).
Thus baptism gives assurance (an inward, personal confidence that I am united to Christ, forgiven, with eternal life.
1. First, as in baptism we are passive (we don’t’ make it nor apply it), so we contribute nothing to our salvation.
2. Second, baptism gives the believer a good conscience toward God.
3. Third, baptism gives us cause to live an antithetical life.