Colossians 7

The Significance of Baptism

Steve W. Reeves

INTRODUCTION:

A. Charles Hodge tells the story of a preacher who always spoke on the subject of

    “Baptism.” After several months of this the elders asked him to speak about another

    subject. Regardless of what he spoke about he always ended up preaching about

    baptism. Finally they thought they would ask him to preach about drugs. They

    thought there was no way he could get baptism out of that. The old man began, “I

    have been asked to preach about pills. There are large pills and small pills. Green

    pills and blue pills. The greatest ‘pill’ is the ‘Gos-pill’ which brings me to the subject

    of baptism.”

B. The subject of baptism initiates many questions.

    1. Does a person have to be baptized to be saved?

    2. What is baptism? Do sprinkling or pouring count as baptism?

    3. How old does a person have to be to be baptized? Should an infant or a small child

       be baptized?

    4. How much does a person have to know to be baptized?

    5. Should a person ever be baptized again?

C. Let us look at a passage of scripture that will help you understand the purpose of

    baptism. This text is found in Colossians 2:8-15 (New American Standard Bible). .

    “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception,

    according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world,

    rather than according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily

    form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule

    and authority; ¹¹ and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made

    without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

    ¹² having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him

    through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. ¹³ When you were

    dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive

    together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, ¹⁴ having canceled out

    the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and

    He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ¹⁵ When He had disarmed

    the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over

    them through Him.”

D. In the middle of this text, which is a complete sentence in the original language, is

    the beautiful statement, “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were

    also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the

    dead.”  This verse should be marked in your Bible and committed to your memory.

    1. This entire text revolves around this verse.

    2. Each thought expresses the reason for or the result of baptism.

I. BAPTISM IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE EXPERIENCE THE FULLNESSS OF

   CHRIST. (vss. 8-10).

    A. God does not want us to be led astray by individuals who promise fulfillment

       through their deceptive words.

       1. In context I believe Paul had direct reference to the Gnostics and Judaizers.

       2. In application we must guard against the world’s promises for fulfillment.

       3. Where are you searching for fulfillment?

           a. Money? Someone said man spends the first half of his life trying to make

               money and the second half of his life trying to keep money.      

           b. Professional status / ambition. Do you believe you will find fulfillment as you

               climb the professional ladder and achieve human accolades?

           c. Some look for fulfillment by intoxication turning to alcohol, drugs or sex to fill a

               void in their lives.

    B. Real fulfillment is only found in Jesus Christ.

       1. In Him the fullness of God dwells in bodily form.

           a. The word dwells is present tense. It is not that Jesus “was” the Son of God. He

               “is” the Son of God.

           b. Because He “is” the Son of God when we are united with Him we are made

               complete according to verse 10. The same word used in verse 9 “pleroma”

               (fullness) is used in verse 10 (complete).

       2. This raises the question, “how am I united with Christ?”

           a. By saying a “sinner’s prayer?” (Not in the Bible).

           b. By merely saying, “I believe” without any change in your life?

           c. Go back to the verse in the center of the text, “having been buried with Him in

               baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him.”

    C. This is not an isolated passage. Throughout the New Testament the preaching of

       the Gospel included an appeal for baptism.                   

       1. This was in accordance with the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 and

           Mark 16:15-16.

       2. In every account of conversion in the book of Acts people were led to faith in

           Christ, repented of the sins and were baptized for the remission of sins. F.F.

           Bruce stated, “The idea of an unbaptized Christian was simply never entertained

           in the New Testament.”

II. BAPTISM IS THE MEANS BY WHICH WE EXPRESS A NEW COVENANT WITH

    GOD (vs. 11).

    A. Under the Old Testament (Law of Moses) the men of Israel were commanded to

       undergo the physical act of circumcision as a bodily sign of God’s covenant with

       them.

       1. This goes as far back as Genesis 17:10 with Abraham.

       2. When Paul wrote to the Philippians he said, “circumcised the eighth day, of the

           nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:8).

       3. God wanted a physical sign that was a continual reminder of the covenant He

           had made with Abraham.

    B. Look at Colossians 2:11 – “And in Him you were also circumcised with a

       circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the

       circumcision of Christ.”

       1. Here is the contrast. Old Testament circumcision was a physical act.

       2. Under the New Testament we undergo a circumcision made without hands. It is

           a spiritual act. When does it occur? When we are buried with Christ in baptism

           (vs. 12).

    C. Baptism is not a “work”: by which we earn salvation. If you view baptism as an

       item on a check-list that you mark off and go on living a life of sin you have

       missed the purpose of baptism. All you have done is “get wet.”

       1. Vance Havener’s notebook.  Most church people have never made up their

           minds about following Christ. They are like Lots wife looking back at Sodom.

           They are like a soldier in the Civil War wearing a blue coat and gray trousers and

           shot from both sides. They are like the son in the parable (Mathew 22) who said

           “I go,” but never went.  They receive the word with joy but have no root or depth 

           and soon fall away. They never make up their minds.  Like the man who was

           asked, “do you have trouble making decisions and replied “yes and no.”

       2. J.W. McGarvey noted that  prior to baptism sin was the rule and righteousness

the exception. After baptism righteousness is the rule and sin the exception.

       3. In the watery grave of baptism we bury the old person. Do you know why many

           Christians never live a new life? They never buried the old one. You cannot be

           raised up to walk in newness of llife (Romans 6:3-5) if the old life is not dead and

           buried. If baptism is the means by which we are buried with Christ and raised up

           to walk in newness of life it is essential.

III. BLESSINGS OF BAPTISM

    A. What should a person expect to happen to them when they are baptized?

       1. Is there something feel physically? I heard of one preacher who baptized a

           woman one day and hit her head on a water pipe in the baptistery. She came up

           out of the water and said, “What jolt – it felt like someone hit me in the head!”

       2. Does baptism give you mystical or magical powers?

       3. Does baptism merely wash the body? Peter said, “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” (1 Peter

           3:21).

    B. Paul says that there are some dynamic changes that occur in our relationship with

       God when we are buried with Christ in baptism and raised up to walk in new life.

       1. In verse 13 he said, “When you were dead in your transgressions and the

           uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him.”

           a. When you are lowered into the water your old self, corrupted by sin and under

               a spiritual death sentence is buried and done away with. When you are raised

               up you have a new spiritual identity. You’re no longer under condemnation.

               You have life.

           b. This new life has a profound implication on how we live.

       2. The remainder of the verse says, “Having forgiven us all our transgressions.” 

           a. The New Testament pictures an inseparable link between baptism and the

               forgiveness of sins.

           b. On the day of Pentecost Peter said, “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.”

           c. Ephesians 1:3 says that every spiritual blessing is found in Christ. This

               includes forgiveness according to verse 7. Notice that Galatians 3:27 says,

               “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with

               Christ.”

           d. Every sin – forgiven as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103). Your 
               soul, though red like crimson made a wool (Isaiah 1:18).

       3. Verse 15 says that Jesus has triumphed over the evil forces in this world. The

           demons of Hell could not hold Him hostage in the tomb. He threw off the

           shackles of death. Perhaps you read today’s bulletin article about Houdini,

           the great escape artist who wrestled free from captivity on so many occasions. In

           October 1926 he encountered an obstacle he could not overcome. He could not

           escape death. Jesus did and shares His victory with us!

CONCLUSION:

A. For some people baptism is controversial theological argument. They might say,  “I 
    don’t believe you have to be baptized,” or “I got saved before I was baptized.” “What 
    about the thief on the cross, was he baptized?” “What if I believe in Jesus and I’m in the 
    desert and there’s no water and I die before I can be baptized?”  We are missing the 
    point!  When you understand what happens at baptism there is no argument – only 
    obedience.

B. If you have never been baptized may I urge you to do so for your eternal benefit? If

    we may assist you please make this known to us as we invite you to come to Christ.