The Commanded Waters of the King

“Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, VII).

I meet with two candidates for baptism this evening. We have a baptism service this next Sunday night, and it’s always a valuable chance to revisit the biblical texts on baptism.

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:37,38). Someone recently asked why we don’t extend Gospel invitations in this way. The two-fold command of Peter on the day of Pentecost was “repent” and “be baptized.” I don’t know if I’ve ever heard that Gospel response commanded, and I’m pretty certain I’ve never given it. I admit this by way of confessing pastoral failure.

As Carl Trueman ably pointed out in his The Creedal Imperative (which I read with our mission pastor earlier this year), the first thing to go when ecumenism, para-church involvements, and denominational camouflage (my term, not Trueman’s) become the rule is a church’s dedication to living out the biblical witness on the sacraments/ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Since interpretive differences on the ordinances are the usual reasons for denominationalism, the ordinances are happily relegated to no-man’s land these days in favor of a Rodney King-ist approach: “Can’t we all just get along?” Sadly, this usually means putting the local church second to the universal church (though the N.T. is written to the local church and the biblical support for the idea of the universal church is far less in volume), and it always means making baptism and the Lord’s Supper disappear from view (since these highlight the local church and our uniqueness as a denomination).

It’s the first step in obeying the King’s command to make disciples of all the nations: “...baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It is, as I heard a Presbyterian say last year, the beginning to a lifetime of discipleship in Christ. It is a commitment on the part of the church to teach them everything that Christ the King commanded of His disciples (Matthew 28:20). It is a surrender to the rule of Christ the King. It is an entering into the promises of the Father to those who are in union with His Son; it is also a recognition of the curse upon those who do not have a living faith in the Son.

Baptism is important. It is worth making much of, and should be mentioned with the presentation of the Gospel, regardless of the demands of ecumenism and/or a popular sentimental watering-down of denominational distinctiveness. I'm not against cooperation for the Kingdom work, but not at the expense of what we confess to be the biblical standard for His Church.

Paul mentions it when giving his testimony to the people in Jerusalem: “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name’” (Acts 22:12-16).

Remember your baptism. Read Romans 6 and remind yourself of the radical change and union God uses it to proclaim over you.

“Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him” (1 Peter 3:21,22).

Have you repented and been baptized in His name? Have you been baptized unto a lifetime commitment to be discipled by His church unto full obedience to His commands? Have you appealed to Him from the waters for forgiveness that comes only through His name?

This is the command of the King. Hear, obey, and receive His boundless mercy and grace.

- Pastor Michael