Download Baptism Pt. 3: Justified - Funny River Rd. Church of Christ

For further study or if questions, Call: 907-252-3708, or Visit: www.frr-churchofchrist-ak.org
Baptism: Justified
Prepared by Nathan L Morrison for Sunday April 19th, 2015
Text: Rom. 6:3-5, 17-18
Scripture Reading: I Pet. 1:17-19, 22-23
Intro
IV.
Baptism in the N.T. (1st century A.D.) was immediate following belief (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 10:17),
repentance of sins (Acts 2:38), and confession of faith (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:10).
A. All are necessary in order for one to be saved (One of those alone will not do it!)
B. When the question arose as to what one could do to be saved, baptism was commanded!
C. Mk. 16:16: Jesus said it was essential to salvation: Belief AND baptism!
Baptism is not a “work,” but an act of obedient faith (commanded to have sins washed away in
Christ’s blood – Rev. 1:5; Acts 22:16) like:
A. The Serpent of Brass – Num. 21:4-9: People had to look at it!
B. The Cleansing of Naaman – II Kings 5:1-15: Naaman had to dip in it 7 times!
C. The Healing of the Blind Man – Jn. 9:7, 15: The man born blind had to wash in it!
Some people question the role of baptism in being justified before God and don’t understand
that baptism is the commanded mode to be washed in the blood of Christ.
A. “Are we forgiven and saved by the blood of Jesus, or is it the physical act of baptism that
does it?” (Oft asked question by those who exclude baptism from steps of salvation)
Water baptism is the act of obedient faith that justifies one before God!
I.
Saved By Grace, or Faith, or by the Blood of Christ?
I.
II.
III.
A. The Romans were “justified…by His grace” (Rom. 3:24), “justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1),
and also were “justified by His (Christ’s – 5:8) blood” (Rom. 5:9).
1. So, for those who teach faith only, we can rephrase their oft asked question
worded a little differently:
a. “Are we forgiven and saved by the blood of Jesus, or is it the mental act
of faith that does it?”
2. Is it an “either, or” situation?
3. No, one is justified and saved by faith when he obeys the Savior (Heb. 5:8, 9).
a. The same thing is true with respect to baptism.
b. Js. 2:17, 23-24: “Abraham believed God…” Was that belief alone that
caused him to be righteous before God? No, his belief caused obedience!
c. We are saved by the blood of Christ when we obey the will and word of
Christ (Mk. 16:16; Rom. 6:3-6, 17, 18) and thus, are believers in God!
B. Romans 6 settles this issue:
1. We know the Romans were:
a. “Justified freely by His grace” (Rom. 3:24)
b. “Justified by faith” (Rom. 5:1)
c. ”Justified by His blood” (Rom. 5:9)
2. There is no doubt or disagreement about those three facts. The question is,
“When”? When are we justified by grace, by faith and by the blood of Christ?
a. Rom. 6:3-5: “Baptized into Christ Jesus”
b. Rom. 6:17-18: “Obedient from the heart to that form of teaching”
C. Rom. 6:3-5, 17-18:
1. 1st: To those who were “baptized into Jesus Christ” and were “baptized into his
death,” could it be said that they were not “justified by grace”? No (Rom. 3:29;
5:2: God’s grace is for Jews and Gentiles!).
2. 2nd: To those who were “baptized into Christ,” could it be said that they were
not “justified by faith”? No (Rom. 5:1-2: By faith we obey Christ!).
1
3. 3rd: To those who were “baptized into Jesus Christ” and were “baptized into his
death,” could it be said they were not “justified by His blood”? No (Rom. 5:9:
Baptism is how His blood washes away sin – Rev. 1:5; Acts 22:16).
4. 4th: When did those saved go from being “the slaves of sin” to “Being made
free from sin”? (Rom. 6:17-18)
a. When did that occur? It happened when they “obeyed from the heart that
form of doctrine” which had been given to them.
b. It was a “doctrine which (they had) “learned” and which they had
“obeyed” (Rom. 6:17; 16:17).
c. That form, that mold of doctrine, was obeyed when by the grace of God
through faith they were baptized into Jesus Christ and into his death!
D. The Ephesians were redeemed through “the blood of Christ” (Eph. 1:7). They were saved
“by grace through faith” (Eph. 2:5, 8).
1. The question is: Were the Ephesians saved “by grace through faith” or by the
“blood of Christ?”
2. The Ephesians were saved by the blood of Christ, “by grace through faith,”
when they were “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5) “for the
forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38).
a. Baptism “in the name of the Lord” is immersion in water (Acts 10:4748: “commanded”).
b. Baptism “in the name of Jesus Christ” is “for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38; Eph. 1:7).
3. The Ephesians, having been “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus,” had
received the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38; 19:5) & were saved (Mk.
16:16).
4. The Ephesians were sanctified and cleansed “with the washing of water by the
word” (Eph. 5:26). Baptism commanded by the word of God!
E. Obedience to the gospel in baptism justifies us by grace, by faith, and by the blood of
Christ!
II.
Is Salvation Conditional or Unconditional?
A. Is Salvation By The Blood of Christ Unconditionally Granted?
1. Consider: Jesus shed his blood and tasted death “for every man” (Heb. 2:9; Lk.
2:10; Jn. 6:51; Col. 1:21, 22; I Tim. 2:6).
2. Now, is everyone who ever lived redeemed and saved from his sins? So far as
man can know, were Adolf Hitler and Osama bin Laden redeemed “by the
precious blood of Christ” (I Pet. 1:19) when they died?
a. If they were not, why not? Jesus died for them. Jesus shed his blood for
them. So, why were they not saved?
3. They were not saved because redemption, salvation from sin, is conditional!
a. One must “obey the gospel,” one must obey the truth, before his soul can
be purified (I Pet. 1:18-19, 22; 3:21; Rom. 1:5; 6:3, 4, 17, 18; 10:9-17;
Heb. 5:9; II Thess. 1:8; Mt. 7:21; Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38).
4. The blood of Christ is the basis, the ground, of our salvation.
a. Faith, repentance, and baptism are conditions by which it is received.
b. If that is not the case, then all men are saved, for Jesus “tasted death for
every man” (Heb. 2:9)
5. Is universal salvation true? Will all men by saved?
a. No (Mt. 7:13, 14; II Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 21:8).
b. Salvation is conditional (Mk. 16:15, 16; Mt. 26:28; Acts 2:38).)
B. Is Salvation By The Grace of God Unconditional?
1. Consider: All are saved by grace– “by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:5).
2. Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men.”
a. Are all men saved automatically and unconditionally by the grace of
God? (I Cor. 6:9-10: Practices that will keep one from Heaven!)
Baptism: Justified
2
Some points from an article by Larry Hafley
b. If so, that is universal salvation. If that is true, Hitler and bin Laden were
saved without believing and obeying the Lord Jesus (Jn. 3:16-18, 36).
c. Can that be true? Absolutely not (Jn. 8:24; Acts 10:34, 35; II Thess. 1:78; Heb. 5:9; 11:6; I Jn. 2:29; 5:10-12)!
3. Paul preached “the gospel of the grace of God” to the Ephesians (Acts 20:24).
a. Were the Ephesians saved unconditionally; that is, without faith and
obedience?
b. Certainly not (Eph. 1:13; 2:8-9)!
C. The Ephesians:
1. Heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation (Eph. 1:13).
2. Believed in the Lord (Eph. 1:13; 2:8).
3. Repented of their sins (Acts 19:17-20).
4. Confessed (Acts 19:17-20; cf. Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:9-10).
5. Were baptized in water, “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5) “for the
forgiveness of sins.” We know this, for baptism “in the name of the Lord” is in
water (Acts 10:47, 48). Immersion in water, and “in the name of the Lord
Jesus” is “for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38; 19:5; Eph. 1:7).
a. After (not before) the Ephesians had heard, believed, repented, confessed
and been baptized, Paul wrote them a letter and told them they had
“redemption” through (Christ’s) blood, (and) “the forgiveness of sins”
(Eph. 1:7; cf. Col. 1:14).
b. After (not before) the Ephesians had heard, believed, repented, confessed
and been baptized, Paul wrote them a letter and told them they were
“saved” “by grace...through faith” (Eph. 2:5, 8-9).
D. Salvation by grace is conditional!
1. I Cor. 6:9-11: People who practiced things that would cost them Heaven
changed and were “washed,” “sanctified,” and “justified in the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 1:7; Acts 2:38; Rev. 1:5; Acts 22:16)
2. There are things that one “must do,” in order to be saved by grace (Acts 2:3738; 16:30, 31-34).
3. The Ephesians acted in obedient faith just like the examples of the snake bitten
Israelites, Naaman, and the blind man we looked at previously!
E. Baptism is the act of obedient faith that accepts God’s grace and by which we have
forgiveness of our sins in Christ’s blood!
Conclusion
I.
I Peter 1:18-19, 22: Not redeemed by perishable things like silver or gold!
A. What redeemed man from sin?
1. “The precious blood of Christ”!
B. When did that redemption occur?
1. It happened when they purified (their) souls in obeying the truth. (Rom. 6:3-4,
17-18).
2. That redemption still happens to mankind today when one “obeys the truth!”
II.
Jesus Himself said, “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:16).
III. So we see over and over it is taught that the grace of God is conditional!
A. Like those Israelites bitten by snakes, like Naaman, and like the man born blind, to
receive the grace of God they had to obey His instructions!
IV. We are saved, justified by grace, by faith, and by the blood of Christ when we obey the word of
Christ and are baptized in His name in obedient faith! (Mk. 16:16; Heb. 5:9)
V. If not a Christian, you need to be! Repent and be baptized!
VI. If a Christian in error, don’t wait till it’s eternally too late. Repent and be renewed!
VII. Whatever your requests, let them be made known NOW while we stand & sing!
Baptism: Justified
3
Some points from an article by Larry Hafley