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A Little Time With The 1689: Day 349

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Day 349

Of Baptism.

Chapter 29, Paragraph 3.

“The outward element to be used in this ordinance is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 28:19, 20

Acts 8:38

Reflection

Baptism and water are inseparable. It is quite difficult to think of baptism without thinking of water. But it must be asked: is water necessary in order to be baptized? Why is there such an emphasis on the use of water?

When we are baptized, it is a sign of leaving our old life behind. The corrupt nature, our inclination to evil, our servitude to sin, have all been changed through the salvation God has granted to us. The mark of death sin left on us is washed away. What better element to use as a symbol of our purification than water? Water is essential in our daily washing; its use in baptism makes perfect sense.

Baptism is a sign of the Christian’s union with Christ. Yet our salvation is a product of all three persons of the Trinity. The Father elects a people, the Son dies for that people, and the Holy Spirit regenerates that people. Because of the triune nature of salvation, we are to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is in line with Scripture: Jesus Himself directs baptism to be done in the name of all three persons of the Trinity.

Questions to Consider

  • Have you ever considered baptism not using water? Why is baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit important?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 348

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Day 348

Of Baptism.

Chapter 29, Paragraph 2.

“Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.”

Scripture Lookup

Mark 16:16

Acts 8:36,37, 2:41, 8:12, 18:8

Reflection

If baptism is a sign unto the party baptized of her unity with Christ, her identifying with His death and resurrection, and a sign of the newness of life to which she has been called, then who should receive this ordinance? The obvious choice is the person who meets those qualifications. In other words, a regenerated Christian.

Baptism is one of those pesky issues that people either love to debate or dismiss in an effort to have everyone all get along. While those who baptize infants may still be true Christians, the meaning of the ordinance cannot be shrugged aside. Our Baptist forefathers knew this, facing persecution for their understanding of baptism. Since baptism is a command of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should take care to understand what it is and how it should be administered.

All of worship is to be ordered according to the word of God. Baptism is an act of worship; we must look to the Bible to see who are the proper recipients of it. The clear passages of Scripture show that those believers who profess repentance and faith are the ones who ought to be baptized. Other passages that have been given in support of infant baptism are not clear, and assumptions must be made concerning the presence of infants in those households.

When baptism is performed differently, you can’t help but notice it. Compare a professing adult plunged into water to water sprinkled over the head of an infant. Does baptism mean the same thing to those two? Of course not. A baby cannot declare repentance and faith. While cute, they are not to receive this ordinance. Only those who profess to have repented and believed are to be baptized.

Questions to Consider

  • Can you give a defense from the Bible why professing believers should only be the ones baptized?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 347

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Day 347

Of Baptism.

Chapter 29, Paragraph 1.

“… and of giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of life.”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 6:4

Reflection

Baptism is a sign to those being baptized of their union with Christ. It symbolizes their unity with Him in His death and in His resurrection. The remission of sins is signified by water. Baptism also is a sign of the Christian’s new life.

Choosing to be baptized should not be done out of peer pressure, a desire for attention, or to receive a cool t-shirt. Rather, one should enter the waters of baptism out of a humble obedience to Christ’s command. In baptism you are admitting to those present that you are a sinner, that you cannot save yourself. You are proclaiming that Jesus called you out of the world, that He regenerated you and is working sanctification in you by His Spirit. You are no longer unable to do good, but are now a slave to righteousness (Romans 6:19).

What does it say if you are baptized but live as if there were no change in you? Your baptism is a testimony to a changed life. No longer follow after the foolish and fleeting passions of this world. Walk in the newness of life your baptism points to.

Questions to Consider

  • How does the ordinance of baptism help you in your spiritual life?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 346

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Day 346

Of Baptism.

Chapter 29, Paragraph 1.

“…of remission of sins;…”

Scripture Lookup

Mark 1:4

Acts 22:16

Reflection

“What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

For those being baptized, going under the water and coming up is a sign. It is a sign of their union with Christ, with His death and resurrection. It is also a sign that their sins are forgiven. In the Bible sin is not only described as a wrong action, but is likened to a stain, a mark that needs to be removed:

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me….Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Psalm 51:2-3,10)

‘Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight….Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.‘ (Isaiah 1:16,18)

As humans with a corrupted fallen nature, sin permeates our being. We need a purification in order to have communion with God. Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, we are justified before God. Our sins are called to mind no more: “Yes, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19) We are washed in the blood of the Lamb, and sin no longer has dominion over us: “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Water is the usual element used in washing, so it is fitting that it is used in baptism. We are reminded that Jesus has washed us by His blood, and that sin no longer has dominion over us: “…so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:26, 27) Remember your baptism, and the remission of sin it signifies.

“Sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow.”

Questions to Consider

  • Why is it important that baptism be a sign of remission of sins?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 345

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Day 345

Of Baptism.

Chapter 29, Paragraph 1.

“Baptism is an Ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party Baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, and resurrection; of his being ingrafted into him;…”

Scripture Lookup

Romans 6:3-5

Colossians 2:12

Galatians 3:27

Reflection

Commanding that the disciples baptize those who come to faith and repentance, Jesus instituted the ordinance of baptism after His resurrection. What is so special about being baptized? What does it signify? Baptism symbolizes union with Christ. When you are baptized, it is a sign to you that we have fellowship with Christ. As Christians we are linked to His death, His resurrection, and are ingrafted into Him.

Plunging beneath the water during your baptism, you are reminded that you are united to Christ in His death. His blood was shed for you: “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20) The wrath of God you deserved for your sin fell upon Him, and He willingly endured agony and suffering in body and soul four your sake (See LBCF 8.4). Baptism is a sign to you that you have been buried with Him.

Rising out of the water is a sign that you are not only united to Christ in His death, but also in His resurrection. Christ has fully satisfied the justice of God, and through His resurrection has secured a people such as yourself. Because of Christ’s resurrection you “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) in order to glorify God.

Christ has died for you. Christ rose from the dead for you. Through the ordinance of baptism, you are shown that Christ does not leave you. Rather, you are now ingrafted into Him. All spiritual blessings are yours through Him due to this union. His Spirit dwells in you, working faith in you, sanctifying you, bringing you to repentance, and working in you to do good works. In baptism you see that you are part of His body, and do not walk alone but with the fellowship of the saints.

More than getting wet, baptism is a profound ceremony for those who are baptized. It is a sign of the new birth we have through Christ Jesus. May we remember our baptism and its sign of the union we have with our Savior.

Questions to Consider

  • If baptism is a sign of union with Christ, then who should be baptized?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 344

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Day 344

Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Chapter 28, Paragraph 2.

“These holy appointments are to be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 28:19

1 Corinthians 4:1

Reflection

Friends gathering together wish to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. They are all believers, but none of them are elders in their church. Is it right for them to celebrate communion in that setting?

A young man comes to faith in Christ and desires to be baptized. His father, while not an elder, proudly baptizes his son. What a touching event, sure to be remembered by both family members – but is it biblical?

When we read about baptism and the Lord’s Supper, it seems at first glance there are no stipulations regarding who is to perform these ordinances. Doesn’t Matthew 28 pertain to Christians today? Aren’t Christians supposed to observe the Lord’s Supper? To have such events occur only at church seems stifling to our modern sensibilities, yet those who penned the LBCF state that only those qualified and called (i.e. the elders in the church) are to administer them. Why would they think this?

When we realize the importance of the assembly of saints, and the respect given to Jesus Christ as head of the church, we will rethink how lax we are with the institutions He has given the church. Jesus directed the Great Commission to the apostles and the church as a whole. Sam Waldron writes:

The Great Commission is not addressed…to every individual Christian….The right conclusion is that the Great Commission was given to the church corporately and not to the Christian individually.

Elders are given the responsibility for feeding the sheep in their care. That includes administering the ordinances. As we look into what baptism and the Lord’s Supper do for the believer, we will guard more carefully how they are performed.

Questions to Consider

  • Why is it important that the ordinances are observed correctly?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 343

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Day 343

Of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Chapter 28, Paragraph 1.

“Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances of positive and sovereign institution, appointed by the Lord Jesus, the only lawgiver, to be continued in his church to the end of the world.”

Scripture Lookup

Matthew 28:19,20

1 Corinthians 11:26

Reflection

As Christians, we have been called out by Jesus and are united to Him through His life, death, and resurrection. Since we are united to Jesus, we are united to every other saint, as they are also in union with Him. Jesus directs us to gather together as local churches to worship Him. He also directs us to obey His commands. Two commands in particular churches are to observe: baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

What is an ordinance? An ordinance is an authoritative decree. Jesus Christ Himself decreed that the church is to observe the Lord’s Supper: “…He broke it and said,…’Do this in remembrance of Me'” (1 Corinthians 11:25). He also directly commands that the disciples be baptized. These ordinances have been given by Jesus. They are positive commands, meaning that they are to be followed in this day and age. The Old Testament saints were not sinning by not being baptized or observing the Lord’s Supper, for those were not commanded of them. All of us who are Christians, however, are to obey the Lord in being baptized and taking communion.

There will be no baptism and the Lord’s Supper after the end of the world. All who have been called out will be with Jesus Himself at the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). Until that day comes, the church continues to enter the waters of baptism and come together for the Lord’s Supper.

Questions to Consider

  • If you are a Christian, have you been baptized? Do you partake of the Lord’s Supper?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 342

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Day 342

Of the Communion of Saints.

Chapter 27, Paragraph 2.

“…which communion according to the rule of the Gospel, though especially to be exercised by them, in the relations wherein they stand, whether in families, or Churches; yet, as God offereth opportunity is to be extended to all the household of faith, even all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus; nevertheless their communion one with another as Saints, doth not take away or infringe, the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions.”

Scripture Lookup

Ephesians 6:4

1 Corinthians 12:14-27

Acts 5:4

Ephesians 4:28

Reflection

Everything we own has been given to us by God. We are to share with the other saints the blessings we have been given. But it seems that there are so many needs – how do we know where to begin? How do we determine with whom our resources are shared?

When deciding how to share our goods among the saints, the pattern is like the ripples created by a stone thrown into a pond. Those saints nearest to us, those of our families, are the first priority in our giving. Then those we fellowship with – our local assembly of saints – should receive great consideration to receive our gifts. Our interests should not stop there, though. Saints throughout the world have needs, and if we have the means, we should be generous in relieving them of their burdens.

If we are honest with ourselves, we could probably give more to those in need than we do. While we are to be generous with what God has given us, how much we give is a matter for us to decide. Our possessions are not to be taken by force from us for the benefit of others. Through our free generosity are the saints ministered, and the Lord is glorified.

Questions to Consider

  • How are you distributing the gifts God has given you?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 341

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Day 341

Of the Communion of Saints.

Chapter 27, Paragraph 2.

“Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing such other spiritual services, as tend to their mutual edification; as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities, and necessities;…”

Scripture Lookup

Hebrews 10:24,25, 3:12,13
Acts 11:29,30

Reflection

Christians are not to go solo. Being part of the fellowship of saints means that we have to actually be around other saints. It means that we show up to worship services and other meetings of the church, unless providentially hindered. How many profess to know Christ but have no interest in knowing His bride?

Attending the services of your church is vital to your spiritual health. But to fellowship with the saints entails more than just showing up to church and then going home again. It means that those you fellowship with will be in your prayers throughout the week. It means that you will get to know them. When they have a need, you will know because you are concerned for their well-being. It means you will give them aid as you are able.

It is easy to sit back and let someone else take care of the needs of those in our midst. Some might think that is the elders and deacons’ job, not something regular churchgoers need to be concerned about. But the church is not made up of only elders and deacons, with the members merely spectators. Christian, you are a part of the church. Make sure you care for her.

Questions to Consider

  • Do you treat church as nice, but not necessary? Are you caring for those in your fellowship?

 

 

A Little Time With The 1689: Day 340

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Day 340

Of the Communion of Saints.

Chapter 27, Paragraph 1.

“..and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.”

Scripture Lookup

1 Thessalonians 5:11,14

Romans 1:12

1 John 3:17,18

Galatians 6:10

Reflection

Ever want to become a hermit?

I know there are times when I do! Avoiding everyone and living by yourself can appear to be the most peaceful and stress-free option. Studying and praying with no interruptions, no strife, no disagreements, no annoying people. You’ve got to admit, even being part of a church can be frustrating. Some of your brothers and sisters in Christ can get on your nerves, and living among them and loving them is a lot of work!

While isolation can be attractive at times, its appeal presumes that the church has nothing to offer you. That is wholly untrue. All those who have been called by Christ are given gifts to be used on behalf of others. Each one of your brothers and sisters in your congregation have something to contribute. They are sovereignly placed in your life for your benefit and good, even if you may not see it at times.

Perhaps the life of a hermit does not appeal to you. But there may be times when you wonder if you have anything to offer the church. When a church doesn’t have strife, and everyone is getting along and encouraging one another, it may seem that your place in the church isn’t necessary. Again, that is not true. As a Christian, you are given gifts to be used for the betterment of others. Find a need, and fill it. Sometimes just showing up to service is an encouragement to others. The Lord has placed you there to bring Him glory. Do not hide away from your church.

Questions to Consider

  • Do you view your relationship with your church as necessary for your mutual good?