THE BLESSINGS OF BAPTISM | Col. 2:11-12 | Dr. Bill Sims, Sunday AM, 6/14/26

Paul writes from prison to insist that nothing can be added to what Jesus finished at Calvary. The letter confronts the add-ons of legalism, asceticism, and mysticism by lifting up union with Christ as sufficient and complete. Colossians 2 brings circumcision to the surface only to shift the focus to baptism, where the church hears, “buried with him in baptism… raised with him through faith in the operation of God.” The text makes baptism an immersion image: to baptizō is to dip, plunge, submerge, like cloth pushed under water, because the believer is being identified with Christ’s death and raised with him.

Baptism, as the text presses, is an outward confession of an inward conviction, a believer’s public confession of a personal certainty, and a believer’s acceptance that Jesus has washed away sin by his blood. The Jordan crowds who confessed their sins signal that baptism identifies sin. Pentecost’s three thousand signal that baptism indicates salvation received. The Philippian jailer’s household signals that baptism introduces submission to Jesus’ lordship. But the water does not save. The cross does. “One drop of the blood of Calvary” saves, because “without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” Romans 6 calls the baptized to walk in newness of life, not because the pool has magic, but because the crucified and risen Christ has broken the old man’s dominion.

Jesus sets the pattern. His public ministry stands between his baptism and his command to baptize. So baptism is not optional or elective. It is a commanded privilege. Public baptism says two things: it is a priority and it is a passion. Priority means obedience now, without letting delay or outside voices push the step aside. Passion means delighting in the blessing of identifying with Jesus before the church and the world. Obedience here strengthens the whole walk; burying the old life and rising in public witness steadies the disciple for daily faithfulness. Legalism cannot give that joy. Asceticism cannot give that freedom. Mysticism cannot give that assurance. Baptism identifies the believer with what Jesus did at Calvary, and that changes everything.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Nothing adds to Christ’s finished work Legalism, asceticism, and mysticism promise upgrades, but the cross needs no accessories. Grace that is supplemented is grace that is denied. The believer’s rest stands in a full atonement already offered, not in performance added on. [31:31]
• 2. Baptism means union in death and life “Buried with him” is not poetry but a public pledge of solidarity with Jesus’ cross and empty tomb. Immersion preaches the gospel with the body, announcing both the end of the old life and the start of the new. Faith receives what God has already done in raising Jesus from the dead. [33:54]
• 3. Water doesn’t save; Jesus’ blood does The baptistry has no magic; Calvary does. Only the shed blood secures forgiveness and a clean conscience before God. The rite bears witness to the reality that only the Lamb makes sinners new. [36:12]
• 4. Baptism declares priority and passion Obedience here is not a side project but a first step under Christ’s lordship. Public confession trains the heart to love what Jesus commands and to stop letting delay or pressure speak louder than Scripture. Joy grows when duty and delight meet in the water. [48:20]
• 5. Obedience opens a strengthened walk Starting with baptism sets a pattern for following Jesus in the next hard thing. Yielding to Scripture here teaches the soul to say yes again. The Spirit often uses this step to steady assurance and deepen discipleship. [49:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [29:43] - Colossians 2 and baptism
• [30:51] - False add-ons: legalism and mysticism
• [31:31] - Nothing to add to Calvary
• [33:13] - Reading Colossians 2:11-12
• [33:54] - Buried with him in baptism
• [38:48] - What baptism means: baptizō
• [39:37] - Three working definitions of baptism
• [40:40] - Sin, salvation, submission declared
• [44:41] - Only the blood changes lives
• [47:21] - Jesus’ ministry bookended by baptism
• [48:20] - Baptism as priority and passion
• [49:33] - Obedience that strengthens the walk
• [52:31] - Baptism over legalism and the isms
• [54:48] - Call to salvation and follow-up

1. According to Colossians 2:12, what two actions are connected to baptism, and how do they relate to Christ’s work?
2. The sermon describes baptism as an “immersion image” (e.g., being plunged like cloth into water). How does this physical act symbolize spiritual realities? [39:09]
3. What three things does baptism declare, as outlined in the sermon (e.g., identifying sin, indicating salvation, etc.)? [40:40]
4. How does the sermon contrast the role of water in baptism with the role of Christ’s blood in salvation? [36:12]

1. Why does Paul contrast circumcision (a physical ritual) with baptism in Colossians 2:11-12? What does this reveal about the purpose of baptism?
2. The sermon states, “Baptism is not optional or elective. It is a commanded privilege.” How does this balance the ideas of obedience and joy in following Christ? [48:20]
3. If baptism does not save, why is it still a critical step for believers? How does it strengthen a believer’s walk with Christ? [49:33]
4. How does the imagery of being “buried” and “raised” in baptism challenge the idea of adding human effort (legalism, asceticism) to Christ’s finished work?

1. Baptism is described as a “public confession of a personal certainty.” When you were baptized (or if you are considering it), what specific aspect of your faith felt most important to declare publicly? How might this declaration impact your daily walk? [39:47]
2. The sermon emphasizes baptism as a “priority” and “passion.” Are there areas in your life where you’ve delayed obedience to Christ’s commands? What practical step could you take to align your priorities with Scripture? [48:38]
3. How might the temptation to rely on “add-ons” like legalism or mysticism (e.g., rituals, rules, or experiences) still creep into your faith? What habits or truths could help you rest fully in Christ’s sufficiency?
4. The sermon says baptism “trains the heart to love what Jesus commands.” What is one way obedience in a small area of life could prepare you for greater faithfulness in harder things? [49:33]
5. If someone asked you, “Why get baptized if it doesn’t save you?” how would you explain its significance based on Colossians 2 and the sermon’s key points?
6. Reflect on a time when you felt assurance or joy in your faith. How does identifying with Christ’s death and resurrection (as in baptism) deepen that assurance during seasons of doubt?