Baptism: Sign, Seal, and Assurance of Faith

 

Summary

Baptism is a profound and sacred act, but it is often misunderstood. It is crucial to clarify that baptism is not intended to cleanse us from original sin or to regenerate us. This is a misconception held by some traditions, such as the Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. Instead, baptism serves as a sign and a seal of several key spiritual truths. First, it signifies the remission of sins and our justification. It is not the act of baptism that justifies us; rather, it is an assurance that we are already justified. Baptism is a visible sign that confirms our forgiveness and justification.

Moreover, baptism is a sign and seal of our regeneration and union with Christ. It is not the act of baptism that makes us regenerate; instead, it certifies that we are already born again and united with Christ. It is a divine pledge, much like the rainbow after the flood or circumcision for the Israelites, that assures us of our spiritual rebirth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Additionally, baptism signifies our membership in the church, the body of Christ. It marks our separation from the world and our official entry into the visible church.

The primary purpose of baptism is to seal these truths to the believer. It is not primarily an act we perform but something done to us by God. It is a divine assurance of our regeneration and faith, strengthening us against doubt and temptation. While baptism is not essential for salvation, it holds great value and is obligatory as commanded by our Lord. It is a means by which God assures us of His promises and strengthens our faith.

Regarding the mode of baptism, whether by sprinkling or immersion, the essential aspect is the spiritual truth it signifies. The mode is secondary to the assurance and sealing of our faith that baptism provides. Ultimately, baptism is a divine appointment that signifies and seals our redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ, fortifying us against the attacks of doubt and unbelief.

Key Takeaways:

- Baptism is not a means of cleansing from original sin or regeneration. Instead, it is a sign and seal of the remission of sins and our justification, providing assurance of our forgiveness and justification. [17:28]

- Baptism signifies our regeneration and union with Christ. It is a divine pledge that certifies our spiritual rebirth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, much like the rainbow or circumcision in biblical history. [18:16]

- The primary purpose of baptism is to seal the truths of our faith to us. It is not an act we perform but something done to us by God, assuring us of our regeneration and strengthening our faith. [20:17]

- The mode of baptism, whether sprinkling or immersion, is secondary to the spiritual truth it signifies. The essential aspect is the assurance and sealing of our faith that baptism provides. [45:41]

- Baptism is a divine appointment that signifies and seals our redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ. It fortifies us against doubt and unbelief, strengthening our faith in God's promises. [48:00]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [16:17] - Misconceptions About Baptism
- [17:07] - Baptism as a Sign and Seal
- [18:16] - Regeneration and Union with Christ
- [19:42] - Membership in the Church
- [20:01] - Purpose of Baptism
- [21:36] - Baptism and the Word
- [22:21] - Assurance and Strengthening Faith
- [23:14] - Who Should Be Baptized?
- [24:06] - Arguments for Infant Baptism
- [26:46] - Household Baptisms
- [29:40] - Sanctification of Children
- [31:11] - Old Testament Analogy
- [33:51] - Regeneration and Baptism
- [37:37] - Mode of Baptism
- [45:41] - Conclusion on Baptism's Significance

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Understanding Baptism

Bible Reading:
1. Acts 2:38-39 - "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.'"
2. Romans 6:3-4 - "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
3. 1 Corinthians 12:13 - "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, what are the misconceptions about the purpose of baptism in some church traditions? [16:17]
2. How does the sermon describe the relationship between baptism and justification? [17:28]
3. What biblical analogy is used in the sermon to explain the assurance provided by baptism? [19:10]
4. What does the sermon say about the mode of baptism and its significance? [45:41]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon interpret Acts 2:38-39 in relation to the promise of baptism for future generations? [25:34]
2. In what way does the sermon suggest baptism serves as a divine pledge similar to the rainbow or circumcision? [19:10]
3. How does the sermon address the argument that baptism should only be for those who are consciously aware of its significance? [36:31]
4. What is the sermon's stance on the necessity of baptism for salvation, and how does it support this view? [21:52]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own understanding of baptism. How has this sermon challenged or affirmed your beliefs about its purpose? [20:17]
2. The sermon emphasizes baptism as a divine assurance. How can you remind yourself of this assurance in times of doubt or temptation? [22:21]
3. Consider the analogy of baptism as a seal. How does this perspective influence your view of your spiritual identity and relationship with Christ? [18:51]
4. The sermon discusses the mode of baptism as secondary to its spiritual significance. How does this affect your view on the importance of church traditions and practices? [45:41]
5. How can you use your understanding of baptism to engage in meaningful conversations with others who may have different views on its significance? [23:14]
6. Reflect on the idea that baptism is not essential for salvation but holds great value. How does this influence your approach to participating in other church sacraments or rituals? [21:52]
7. Identify a specific way you can strengthen your faith this week, drawing on the assurance and promises signified by your baptism. [48:00]

Devotional

Day 1: Baptism as Assurance of Forgiveness
Baptism is not a means of cleansing from original sin or a method of spiritual regeneration. Instead, it serves as a sign and seal of the remission of sins and our justification. This sacrament provides believers with the assurance that they are already forgiven and justified in the eyes of God. It is a visible confirmation of an inward grace, reminding us that our justification comes through faith in Christ, not through the act of baptism itself. This understanding helps to dispel common misconceptions held by some traditions, emphasizing that baptism is a divine assurance rather than a means of salvation. [17:28]

Ephesians 1:7-8 (ESV): "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight."

Reflection: Consider a time when you doubted your forgiveness. How can the assurance of baptism help you rest in the truth of your justification today?


Day 2: Baptism as a Divine Pledge
Baptism signifies our regeneration and union with Christ. It is a divine pledge that certifies our spiritual rebirth and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Much like the rainbow after the flood or circumcision for the Israelites, baptism serves as a tangible reminder of God's promises. It assures us that we are born again and united with Christ, not through the act itself, but through the faith it represents. This understanding reinforces the spiritual truths of our new identity in Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. [18:16]

Titus 3:5-6 (ESV): "He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior."

Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual rebirth. How does knowing you are united with Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit impact your daily walk with God?


Day 3: Baptism as a Seal of Faith
The primary purpose of baptism is to seal the truths of our faith to us. It is not an act we perform but something done to us by God, assuring us of our regeneration and strengthening our faith. Baptism serves as a divine assurance, fortifying us against doubt and temptation. While it is not essential for salvation, it holds great value as a means by which God assures us of His promises. This understanding encourages believers to view baptism as a strengthening of their faith, rather than a mere ritual. [20:17]

Colossians 2:11-12 (ESV): "In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle with doubt? How can the assurance of baptism help you trust in God's promises more fully?


Day 4: The Mode of Baptism
The mode of baptism, whether by sprinkling or immersion, is secondary to the spiritual truth it signifies. The essential aspect of baptism is the assurance and sealing of our faith that it provides. This understanding helps believers focus on the spiritual significance of baptism rather than the method by which it is performed. It emphasizes that the true value of baptism lies in its role as a divine appointment that signifies and seals our redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ. [45:41]

Romans 6:3-4 (ESV): "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life."

Reflection: How can you focus more on the spiritual significance of baptism rather than the method? What does walking in newness of life look like for you today?


Day 5: Baptism as Fortification Against Doubt
Baptism is a divine appointment that signifies and seals our redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ. It fortifies us against doubt and unbelief, strengthening our faith in God's promises. This understanding encourages believers to view baptism as a source of spiritual strength, reminding them of their identity in Christ and the assurance of their salvation. By focusing on the spiritual truths that baptism represents, believers can find confidence and peace in their relationship with God. [48:00]

Hebrews 10:22-23 (ESV): "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful."

Reflection: What doubts or unbeliefs are you currently facing? How can the truths of baptism help you hold fast to your hope in Christ?

Quotes


Baptism is not to deliver us and to cleanse us from original sin nor to regenerate us. Well, what is its function? Well, as I indicated last Friday, it can be summarized in this way: it is a sign and a seal of certain things. First, the remission of sins and our justification. [00:16:07]

Baptism speaks to the one who is baptized and it gives him an assurance that his sins are remitted and are forgiven and that he's justified. He is not justified because he's being baptized; he is baptized because he's justified. It is not the means of his justification; it is an assurance to him that he is justified. [00:17:40]

It is a sign and seal of regeneration and our union with Christ and our receiving the Holy Spirit. Now again, you notice I say it is a sign and a seal. I do not become regenerate as I am baptized; I only have a right to be baptized because I am regenerate. [00:18:16]

Baptism is a sign of membership of the church, which is his body. It is a separating from the world and an introduction officially in an external manner into the body of Christ, into his visible body. We are already in the invisible, but here we enter into the visible. [00:19:31]

The purpose, the function of baptism primarily is to seal all that to the believer. So you see that it is not primarily something that you and I do; it is primarily something that is done to us. It is something that we receive and in which we are passive. [00:20:17]

Baptism is meant therefore primarily to assure us and to reassure us and to strengthen our faith and to increase our faith. And I say it is very wrong just to represent it as an occasion for bearing witness and testimony and an evangelistic medium. [00:22:25]

God in his infinite grace and kindness stooping to our level, doing something objective, doing something that can be seen, and then by sealing to us the promises as regards forgiveness and our regeneration and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. [00:22:48]

The mode of baptism is not the vital thing; it's the thing signified that matters, the sealing that counts. And for myself, I would be prepared to immerse a believer or to sprinkle a believer if there is an adequate supply of water such as a river. [00:45:41]

God has chosen not only to signify but to seal to us our redemption, our forgiveness, the remission of our sins, our union with Christ, our being baptized into him, and our receiving of the Holy Ghost. [00:48:00]

Thus God stoops to our weakness and authenticates our faith and gives us assurance and strengthens us and fortifies us when we are attacked by the devil who would try to tempt us into unbelief. It is God's appointment. [00:48:45]

Baptism is a divine appointment that signifies and seals our redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ. It fortifies us against doubt and unbelief, strengthening our faith in God's promises. [00:49:33]

Whatever the mode you may employ, let us remember the thing that is signified, the thing that is sealed. [00:50:29]

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