Address—Steve Stewart
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Could we, uh, start with hymn #91 I'll make a confession that him really is more with what we have in the previous meeting rather than the subject that's before me. I, I couldn't come up with a hymn that was fitting to the subject I'd like to take up, but let's say number.
91.
Uh, rotation and.
All the time.
Will be followed around in the end of the day.
Good night on everything.
Our God and our Father, we look up to Thee for thy help this afternoon.
We do thank thee again for thy well beloved Son, that one object, that holy.
Satisfy thee which thy heart could fully.
Rest upon in perfect complacency. We thank Thee for all that we have been brought into in Christ Jesus.
And we look to thee now.
That thou bless the reading of thy word together as we look into its pages.
And Lord Jesus again, we look to thee as head of the church, that thou.
Undertake for us this afternoon.
To minister to our needs is how to see them.
We trust what they have before us this afternoon will be a help and blessing.
And are able to make it a blessing. So we just commit this time to thee now.
And to thee, our God and Father, giving thanks and asking these things in the precious name.
Of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen.
For the Lord's help, I'd like to take up a subject of baptism.
This afternoon and I know it's kind of a completely different line of things and what we have had before us.
But I think it's a subject that perhaps isn't taken up too much and might be a help to us to look into it. And baptism is often looked at amongst believers as a sign, as a witness.
Of something that has been done, but we'd like to look in and see what the scriptures say about baptism.
What is it, does it do anything and how does it apply to us and to get our thoughts from the Word of God? And so there's a number of things we'll look at that that baptism does. Baptism does something, I believe it's not just a witness of something done.
And so we'll look at the scriptures and they'll need some explanation.
Baptism saves.
Baptism as well as saves, it saves us from this unto our generation, this world heading on in opposition to God and unwilling to bend to His will.
And baptism washes away sins, you know, we're going to see that.
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Saves and washing away sends is in an outward way, not in this, in the sense of the soul salvation. But we'll look at that baptism.
Gives me part of the death of in the death of Christ. And baptism buries me with Christ. Baptism puts me in a place where Christ is my leader.
And baptism also puts me in the place of being a disciple.
Baptism puts Christ on me, the Scripture says, and it brings me.
Into the sphere of Christian profession and also.
Allows me to demand a good conscience before gone. There are many things baptism does. We like to look at those scriptures together. But let's look at the Gospel of Luke 1St and look at.
The baptism.
At the River Jordan by John the Baptist.
Luke's Gospel.
In chapter 3.
Verse 3.
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance.
Further remission of sins.
Down to verse 7. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him.
Oh generation of Vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Now also the acts laid unto the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire.
And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
He answered and said unto them, He that hath 2 Coats led him in part to him.
That hath none, and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came also the publicans to be baptized, and said unto a master, What shall we do? And he said, Exact no more than that which has appointed you. And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.
Now, John's baptism is different.
Then Christian baptism, they will hold our place there and justice. Turn over to Acts to see that.
Before we make a few comments on John's baptism, when the apostle Paul came to Ephesus, he found some there who had been baptized with John's baptism, Chapter 19 of Acts.
Verse Two. And he said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost, since ye believed?
And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then?
Re baptized, and they said unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came on them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.
They had only had the testimony of John. They didn't know.
That the Lord had actually come, that he had gone to the cross, died, was buried and raised again and received up into glory.
They only had part of the truth, and they had been baptized with John's baptism waiting for that coming one.
But now they have the whole gospel presented, and they were baptized again.
Not with John's baptism, but now with Christian baptism and.
We see in that little account that after they were baptized, then they received the Holy Spirit. And so we will find in the scriptures that things are not always in the order that is commonly thought of as being the only right order that someone needs to be.
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Saved and they need to be sealed with the Spirit before they can be baptized.
Here were some who were believers, but they.
Were not sealed with the Spirit until after they were baptized and as you go through the book of Acts.
You'll find that order in different ways among different companies. Some who believe but were didn't receive the spirit, some who.
I didn't receive the Spirit till after they were baptized or the apostles laid their hands on them. Some who were saved and received the seal of the Spirit before they were baptized. So there's not always things exactly in order of time the way it's commonly perceived that it needs to be for baptism.
But going back to John's baptism, what did he say to this company that came out to be baptized of them? You generation of Vipers? Who was John baptizing? He was baptizing a generation of Vipers.
That's who he was baptizing.
And what was he baptizing? After he baptized them, they came to him and said, What shall we do?
Now he didn't say to them, Listen.
Like to the soldiers?
When you soldiers learn to stop doing violence to people, and when you start being content with your wages and you stop falsely accusing people, then you come on and you can be baptized.
No, he baptized them as we see these different ones who asked with a view to the fact that there was going to be a change in their life.
There was going to be a change. It was a generation of Vipers and so we get some principles here, he says the axe is laid to the root of the tree. God is able to of these stones raise up children to Abraham. You think you have an old connection that.
Through Abraham that is should be acceptable in the sight of God. But I tell you that's all done and there needs to be a new connection and baptism.
Really was going to bring them into that new connection with what God was doing in His testimony at that time in the earth.
And it was an in a view to a change of life.
And so it wasn't an order of.
Saved.
And then baptized. Here it was, if we can use it that term that way.
Baptized and then to go on and walk in accordance with that baptism in view of a change of life, and so in the truth of baptism as it's unfolded in Scripture.
It's not always first saved, then baptized. Here with John, we see it. He baptized the generation of Vipers with a view to there being a change in their life. But I'd just like to.
Look now at the first of those.
Uh, points that we mentioned, and the first one is in the Gospel of Mark, the End of the Gospel, chapter 16.
This is the risen Lord Jesus.
Speaking to the disciples, the apostles.
Just before he ascended.
And verse 15 And he said unto them, Go ye.
Into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned, or really judged. Notice the order in this verse. He that believeth and is baptized shall.
Be saved, he doesn't say.
He that believeth and is saved shall be baptized.
But he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But notice what else he says he that believeth not.
Shall be judged. He doesn't say. He that believeth not and is baptized not shall be judged.
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Salvation has two different aspects. There is the salvation of the soul and when it comes to the second part of that verse, he that believeth not shall be judged has to do with the salvation of the soul.
But baptism saves us in an outward way, and as we go on looking at the Scriptures, we're going to hopefully see that a little more clearly.
So at first he says he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. That takes up both.
Aspects of salvation. But then he says he that believeth not because that's the vital thing.
Faith. When it comes to faith, he that believeth not.
Shall be judged.
Now let's look over at the book of the Acts.
Where Peter is preaching to the multitude.
In chapter 2.
They're convicted as to what they have done and crucifying the Lord Jesus.
And in verse 37 of Acts 2 it says, Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles.
Men and brethren, what shall we do? What are we going to do? We they are convicted, they have crucified their own Messiah. Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For the promises unto you and to your children, and all, to all that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
And with many other words that he testify and exhort, saying save yourselves.
From this untoward generation.
And so convicted of their sin. What does Peter say? He says repent and be baptized for their remission of sins. They stood there as part of that guilty nation, guilty of crucifying their Lord and Messiah, and convicted of that. He tells them to repent.
What a necessity and to be baptized for the remission.
Of sins he doesn't say here. Repent and you'll receive the Holy Ghost and then be baptized. Doesn't give it in that order, but it's repent, be baptized for the remission of sins, then you'll receive the Holy Ghost.
What was baptism going to do for them? It was going to save them from that untoward generation, the rest of the nation.
That was refusing and would go on to refuse the testimony of the Spirit of God till Stephen can say.
You have resisted the Holy Spirit and baptism was going to put them on a holy new ground.
No longer on the ground and associated with the guilt of that nation that had crucified their Messiah.
It was going to deliver them, save them from that untoward generation that was heading on.
To the judgment of God, because of what they had done to their Messiah.
Baptism does something. It puts us on a new ground.
We who were once part of this world and its guilt and crucifying.
The Lord Jesus Christ. It puts us in a holy new place, just like John's baptism.
Put that generation of Vipers into a new place associated with God's testimony at that time.
And so in that way, in an outward way, it saved them from that unto our generation. Now let's look a little further in Acts and trust will see the connections as we go along. The apostle Paul when he was.
Giving a testimony to the Jews.
And.
Speaking to them as to his conversion in.
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Chapter 21 or 22.
He recall, he re he recalls about when Ananias sent to the Lord, came to him, verse 12. And one Ananias, a devout man, according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, came unto me, and stood and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight the same hour I looked up upon him.
And he said the God of our fathers had chosen thee, that thou should just know his will, and see that just one, and should us hear the voice?
Of his mouth, for thou shalt be his witness unto all men, of what thou hast seen and heard.
And now why, Tarius, thou arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins.
Calling on the name of the Lord.
He was already saved.
Ananias calls him Brother Saul.
He couldn't have called him that if he was not a believer.
But he says to him, be baptized and wash away.
Thy sins Now it's interesting when the apostle Paul.
Recounts his conversion to the Gentiles. He does not mention this.
This was important, though, to be mentioned in connection with the Jews.
Because again.
The guilt of crucifying their Messiah was on that nation, and Saul of Tarsus had certainly taken part in that guilt, persecuting the Church of God.
And even though he had been saved.
He was still standing on the ground and associated with the guilt of that nation.
But baptism was going to put him on holy new ground, in a new place.
And so his sins as to the need of the purgation of sins, as to the expiation of sins, as to the need of his soul.
Was taken care of. He was a believer, but the outward sin and guilt.
That was his as to association with that guilty nation was going to be washed away by baptism and he was going to be put on holy.
New ground?
And so baptism washes away sins in an outward way, not the soul.
But as to this association with guilt in that way?
In an outward way.
Let's look at.
Romance.
Chapter 6 I know we're going over these very briefly because I there's some other points I'd like to get to at the end so.
You pardon me if we just kind of touch on each one. Romans 6.
Verse One. What shall we say then? Shall we continue, and sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized unto Jesus Christ?
Were baptized unto his death, I believe that should be unto. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death, that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, Even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Now the Romans that Paul was writing to had been saved and baptized long ago.
But Paul is bringing them back in connection with this truth of being dead to sin, to their baptism. And he says, don't you know that your baptism gave you part in the death of Christ?
That your baptism really, umm, speaks of.
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That place that you have as dead to sin, it gave you part in the death of Christ.
That is how you can say I'm dead to sin.
The truth, the baptism.
Was in correspondence with that truth, and so he reminds them of it, that baptism.
Had given them part in the death of Christ. Then he says the second thing.
We were buried with him by baptism.
Unto death.
So not only given part of the death of Christ, but buried with him.
By baptism unto death, and so baptism speaks of.
Being dead with Christ and really all that we were.
Left in the grave, buried with Christ.
It doesn't quite put the picture of saying you're saved.
And you're a Newman, and you have new life with Christ. Now let's bury you.
Now let's bury you. We don't bury a living man. We bury a dead one. Bury a dead one. It really speaks of all that we were before and now put away from before the sight of God.
But baptism is looked at when it's looked at justice, a witness of and a testimony to my salvation. That's kind of like burying.
A living man we don't we bury a dead man. Let's look on.
To First Corinthians.
10.
1St Corinthians 10.
And verse one Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and passed all passed through the sea.
And we're all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them. In that rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now Paul had been taking up in the previous chapter.
That there was a possibility that one.
Could even be a preacher.
Christian preacher and still be a castaway, still not really be saved. And then he goes and he takes up Israel. In the Old Testament, he says these things were examples for us. And here were those who had come out of Egypt, he says they were baptized.
Unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. And they all ate of that same spiritual meat, drank of that same spiritual drink. What he's bringing out is that.
These two Christian ordinances, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Partaking of them being baptized does not necessarily save the soul. It doesn't save the soul. And it doesn't mean that those who are partaking of those things or have been baptized are saved their soul salvation because there are those who fell in the wilderness. And he says that's an example for us, a warning for us. Someone could be.
Baptized and be a partaker of the Lord's Supper and still.
Lost still be lost, but.
The principles given, and them being baptized unto Moses and the cloud and in the sea, as we want to apply it and understand it in connection with baptism, is that this place Israel under Moses as their leader. Moses was now their leader.
It's not the other way around, saying because Moses is your leader will baptize you unto Moses. That was really an order that he would be placed firmly as their leader, and so we're all baptized. They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, now as their leader and leaving them out.
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Of Egypt.
In a similar thought.
Our baptism baptized unto Christ has put us under Christ now as our leader. He is our leader. It has put us into that position. It has made us under Christ as our new leader, who were never under Him before in that way.
Now let's look at a similar thought back in the Gospel of.
Matthew.
Again, the end of the book.
Chapter 28.
And.
Verse 19.
Matthew 2819 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.
If you have a marginal reference for verse 19 where you have the word teach, it says in my Bible, or make disciples. Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Doesn't say go to all nations and make believers out of them.
But disciples, the point here is baptism makes us disciples. It puts us into the place of being disciples. And then disciples are those who are learners. He says make them disciples and then teach them. Then teach them to do all things that he had.
Commanded them.
He doesn't say the other way around now. When you've learned all these things and you've become a good disciple now.
Come and will baptize you. No, he says. Baptize.
Make them disciples and then you teach them. Bring them into this place.
Of being disciples, because disciples are those that get taught. So baptism makes me a disciple. Baptism saves me in an outward way, it washes my sins away in an outward way, saves me from this unto her generation in an outward way, buries me with Christ, gives me part of the death of Christ.
Makes Christ my leader, puts me under Christ as my new leader, and here it makes me a disciple.
Of Christ, where I can be taught baptism does something, doesn't it?
It's not just a witness of something that's been done, it does something.
To us.
Well, let's look now at.
Galatians.
Galatians 3.
And verse 26 For ye are all the children of God.
By faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into or unto Christ have put on Christ, have put on Christ.
You know, a soldier, I think perhaps we've heard this example, has a uniform that identifies him.
With whatever country that he belongs to and serves and fights for.
And here baptism puts Christ on us like a soldier puts on a uniform.
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Were identified with Christ, put on us in that way.
As many have been baptized unto Christ, we put on the uniform.
Now we read in Corinthians that there could be those who partake of.
Or have been baptized but are not believers. And one might be a soldier and have no love for his country. Or no.
Devotion to his country or allegiance to his country, but he's still got the uniform on.
There are many who have the uniform on.
But it doesn't mean that they all necessarily are believers.
Our believers, but it nonetheless puts Christ.
On the one who has been baptized, so it puts Christ.
On us.
Now let's look at Ephesians and chapter 4.
Ephesians 4.
And verse four, there is one body and one spirit.
Even as ye are called and won. Hope of your calling. 1 Lord, 1 Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all, and in you all. This has been often likened to.
Three circles, one within another, just as if you threw a stone in a pond and its ripples go out. There's one circle, and another, and another, and here we have.
Three. The first one, the innermost one is verse 4, and that's.
The sphere of reality, the circle of reality. One body. All who are part of the body of Christ are real believers. They're all indwelt by 1 spirit. They all have one hope of their calling. Everyone will be raptured when the Lord comes, not one left behind. That's the unity of reality. But then there's a larger sphere.
Beyond that, it includes verse four, but it's bigger. 1 Lord, 1 faith, one Christian faith.
One baptism.
Baptism really opens the door and puts us on the ground of Christian profession, of the Christian faith owning Christ as Lord. That's a sphere that includes more than just the reality of verse 41 body one spirit 1 hope of your calling. This includes.
Christian profession, but no one is properly on Christian ground.
Unless they have been baptized in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
That is what really brings them into this sphere of profession.
Baptism 1. Baptism. And then outside there's a further circle that includes all creation, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all. And then he comes back to the center again in you all believers.
Baptism brings me into the sphere of Christian profession.
And then lastly.
Like to look over at Peter?
OK.
First, Peter.
And chapter 3.
And verse 20, which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah.
While the arc was.
A preparing.
Wherein few, that is, 8 souls were saved by water, The like figure, where unto even baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of the request or demand of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And so when those waters of judgment poured down on this earth.
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They lifted that arc up above this guilty world that came under the judgment of God.
It says here they were saved not by the ark, but by water.
By water a white figure, where unto baptism also saves us. Here were these believing Jews Christians now.
That Peter is writing to.
And they may have looked around at the rest of the nation and said we're just a few that believe. Look how few.
There are while most of the nation is heading on to judgment, having refused the testimony of the Spirit of God.
Peter says there were a few before. There was another time when there was just a few. Remember Noah? Remember just eight souls saved.
That were brought into that ark.
They were saved by water.
And Peter says to them, your baptism.
Has put you on new ground.
And separation from that untoward generation and all its guilt.
And now you can go to God and request or demand.
A good conscience in connection with the association you once had.
With that guilty nation, not a purged conscience, the blood does that, but a good conscience and taking that new ground through baptism, that new ground that they were put on separate from that nation, they could say, I, I can request a good conscience now. I don't have to have the guilt and sin of the nation that I belong to.
On me anymore and so.
Baptism in that way saved them just like it saved those few.
And the ark. Now if we go to Hebrews, we would find that Noah built an ark to the saving.
Of his house to the saving of his house.
But here we find that it was the water that saved Hebrews is the faith chapter, and there it is faith he that believeth.
And in Peter we get, and is baptized shall be saved, we get.
Both truths brought together in Mark 16. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Both.
Aspects of salvation, that which is outward, that which puts us on new ground, separates us from this guilty world, brings us into the sphere of Christian profession, puts Christ on us, makes us his disciples, our new leader, buries us with him, gives us part in his death.
That is one aspect of salvation. The other is the salvation of our souls, the salvation of our souls. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. And so we get both of those aspects with Peter and in Hebrews.
My time done.
OK, then I'll leave it there. I was going to touch a little on household baptism, but we'll leave that for another time. Let's look to the Lord.
Our God and our Father, we do as Thy blessing on my word just to look at these few points together on the truth of baptism, and we just pray that they'll help us to have a better understanding of it from Thy precious Word. And so we do commit this time to Thee and the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.