Baptism Assures Grace

Minister:	Rev. Ronald Van Overloop
Date:	5/5/2019 AM
Text:	Romans 9; Lord's Day 27
Psalters:	134, 333, 214, 278

Not by baptism itself.
1. The water of baptism does not give grace nor does it wash away any sin as Rome believes (cf. Rom. 2:28,29).
2. The sign of the covenant was commanded (Gen. 17:10 and Matt. 28:19).
  1. The covenant includes the promise that God would gather His elect church from among Abraham’s children (not all).
  2. God makes the same covenant and promise with believers and their children in the New Dispensation (Acts 2:39 w/ Gen. 17:7)
The sign is to be administered to professing believers and their household, including any infants.
1. God gives us statements and promises to believers and their seed in both the Old and New Testaments.
2. There is the difficulty that not all the children of believers are saved - some later show themselves to be unbelievers.
  1. Scripture answers this problem by pointing to the circumcised Israelites who did not believe (Romans 9:1-8).
  2. The solution is that “they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (6b). Not all the natural seed were counted as the seed (7).
3. We baptize the children of believers because…
The sacrament of baptism is the Word of God in a visible form.
1. The water of baptism is a symbol of our being washed by the blood of Jesus from the guilt and defilement of sin and of our being made new creatures through the regenerating work of the Spirit.
2. Baptism teaches that believing parents must bring up their children to fear the Lord (Eph. 6:4; Gen. 18:19).
  1. We teach our children (as well as everyone) their need for Jesus and forgiveness in Him.
  2. Our instruction is always accompanied with the prayer that God will work in their hearts to know and love the Lord.
  3. Teach our children to consider themselves saved only in the way of their believing and repenting, not because baptized.
3. Constantly praise God for His goodness to us and our children, praying He will not cut us off in our generations.