Navigating Faith and Marriage: Baptism and Belief

Devotional

Day 1: Allegiance to Christ Over Human Authority

In a marriage where one spouse is a believer and the other is not, tensions can arise when the believer's obedience to Christ conflicts with the non-believer's wishes. The New Testament teaches that while wives are to support their husbands, their ultimate allegiance is to Christ. This means that when a husband's desires conflict with Christ's commands, a Christian wife must prioritize her obedience to Jesus. This is not a call to rebellion but a call to a higher obedience that respects the husband's role while remaining true to Christ's teachings. In situations like baptism, which is a direct command from Christ, the wife's decision to follow through should be guided by her commitment to Jesus, even if it means going against her husband's wishes. [04:07]

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you are prioritizing human approval over obedience to Christ? How can you realign your actions to reflect your ultimate allegiance to Jesus today?

Day 2: Baptism as an Essential Act of Faith

Baptism is not just a symbolic ritual but a command from Christ that signifies a believer's death and resurrection with Him. It is an essential expression of faith and obedience, marking the believer's public declaration of their new life in Christ. In the early church, baptism was assumed to be a natural step for all Christians, reflecting their commitment to follow Jesus. When faced with opposition from a spouse, a believer must understand the significance of baptism and prioritize it as an act of obedience to Christ. This decision should be made with a clear understanding of its importance and a willingness to follow through despite potential conflicts. [06:58]

"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." (Colossians 2:12, ESV)

Reflection: How does understanding the significance of baptism as a command from Christ influence your view of this sacrament? If you haven't been baptized, what steps can you take to pursue this act of obedience?

Day 3: Respectful Communication in Disagreement

When a Christian wife decides to be baptized against her husband's wishes, it is crucial to maintain a respectful and loving attitude. This decision should be communicated with care, expressing a desire to include the husband in the process and help him understand her faith. By approaching the situation with love and respect, the wife can demonstrate the transformative power of her faith and potentially open her husband's heart to understanding her decision. This respectful communication can serve as a bridge, allowing for deeper conversations about faith and the reasons behind her commitment to Christ. [07:42]

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:6, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent disagreement where you struggled to communicate respectfully. How can you approach future conversations with grace and love, especially when discussing matters of faith?

Day 4: The Power of Prayer and Patience

In situations where a believer faces opposition from a non-believing spouse, it is important not to act hastily. Taking time to pray, communicate, and seek understanding can help maintain peace and potentially open doors for deeper conversations about faith. Prayer allows the believer to seek God's guidance and wisdom, while patience provides the space for the non-believing spouse to process and understand the believer's decisions. This approach can lead to a more harmonious relationship and create opportunities for the non-believer to explore the faith more deeply. [08:30]

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to practice more patience and prayer? How can you incorporate these practices into your daily routine to foster peace and understanding in your relationships?

Day 5: Witnessing Through Obedience

The decision to be baptized can serve as a powerful testimony to a non-believing spouse. By choosing to obey Christ's command, the believer provides an opportunity to explain the profound realities of Christianity, potentially clarifying misconceptions and opening the door for the spouse to explore the faith more deeply. This act of obedience can illustrate the transformative power of following Christ and may inspire the non-believing spouse to consider their own spiritual journey. The believer's commitment to Christ, even in the face of opposition, can be a compelling witness to the truth of the Gospel. [09:59]

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)

Reflection: How can your actions today serve as a testimony to those around you, especially those who do not share your faith? What specific steps can you take to let your light shine in your daily interactions?

Sermon Summary

In today's discussion, we explored the complex dynamics that arise when one spouse becomes a Christian while the other remains a non-believer. This situation often leads to tensions within the marriage, as seen in the case of a woman who recently experienced a new birth in Christ and now faces a dilemma regarding baptism. Her husband, though supportive of her faith journey, opposes her decision to be baptized. This raises the question of how to balance submission to a spouse with obedience to Christ.

The New Testament consistently teaches that husbands are to lead their wives as Christ leads the church, and wives are to support this leadership. However, this submission is not absolute. It is defined by a disposition of heart and mind to comply with the husband's leadership for the Lord's sake. This means that a wife's ultimate allegiance is to Christ, and her submission to her husband is secondary to her obedience to Jesus.

In the case of baptism, which is a command from Christ, the wife's decision to be baptized should take precedence over her husband's wishes. Baptism is not merely an optional ritual but an essential expression of faith and obedience to Christ. The early church assumed that all Christians would be baptized, as it symbolizes our death and resurrection with Christ.

The wife can approach this situation with respect and love, maintaining her supportive disposition while explaining her greater allegiance to Christ. She should not act hastily but take time to pray, communicate, and help her husband understand her decision. This process can become an opportunity for her to share the deeper meaning of Christianity with her husband, potentially clarifying misconceptions he may have about the faith.

Ultimately, this decision could serve as a powerful testimony to her husband, illustrating the profound transformation that comes with following Christ. It may even open the door for him to explore the faith more deeply and, God willing, join her in the life that baptism represents.

Key Takeaways

1. dE&t=247s'>[04:07]
2. The Significance of Baptism: Baptism is a command from Christ and an essential expression of faith. It symbolizes our death and resurrection with Christ and is not merely an optional ritual. This understanding should guide the decision to be baptized, even if it conflicts with a spouse's wishes.

3. Maintaining Respect and Love: A wife can choose to be baptized against her husband's wishes while maintaining a respectful and loving attitude. This decision should be communicated with care, expressing a desire to include her husband in the process and help him understand her faith.

4. Taking Time for Prayer and Communication: Acting hastily is not necessary. Taking time to pray, communicate, and seek understanding can help maintain peace and potentially open doors for deeper conversations about faith with a non-believing spouse.

5. An Opportunity for Witness: The decision to be baptized can serve as a powerful testimony to a non-believing spouse. It provides an opportunity to explain the profound realities of Christianity, potentially clarifying misconceptions and opening the door for the spouse to explore the faith more deeply.

** [04:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Introduction to Marital Tensions
[00:42] - Listener's Question
[01:37] - Submission and Obedience
[02:18] - Defining Submission
[03:12] - Limitations on Obedience
[04:07] - Allegiance to Christ
[05:17] - Obedience to Human Authority
[06:20] - Decision to Be Baptized
[07:27] - Maintaining Supportive Disposition
[08:30] - Taking Time and Communicating
[09:16] - Opportunity for Witness
[10:13] - Explaining Baptism's Significance
[11:08] - Conclusion and Resources

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Ephesians 5:22-24
1 Peter 3:1
Matthew 28:19-20

---

Observation Questions:

What does Ephesians 5:22-24 say about the relationship between husbands and wives? How is this relationship compared to Christ and the church? [01:21]
According to 1 Peter 3:1, how can a wife's conduct influence her non-believing husband? [01:21]
In Matthew 28:19-20, what command does Jesus give regarding baptism? How is this command related to making disciples? [06:58]
How does the sermon describe the wife's approach to her husband's opposition to her baptism? What attitude is she encouraged to maintain? [07:42]

---

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of submission in Ephesians 5:22-24 and 1 Peter 3:1 align with the idea of a wife's ultimate allegiance to Christ? [04:07]
What does the sermon suggest about the significance of baptism in the life of a believer, and why might it take precedence over a spouse's wishes? [06:58]
How can a wife maintain respect and love for her husband while choosing to be baptized against his wishes? What role does communication play in this process? [07:42]
In what ways might the wife's decision to be baptized serve as a testimony to her husband, and how could it potentially impact his understanding of Christianity? [09:59]

---

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you had to choose between following a command of Christ and the wishes of a loved one. How did you handle the situation, and what did you learn from it? [06:44]
If you were in the wife's position, how would you communicate your decision to be baptized to your spouse? What specific words or actions would you use to maintain respect and love? [07:42]
Consider the role of prayer and communication in resolving conflicts with a non-believing spouse. How can you incorporate these practices into your own relationships? [08:30]
How can you use opportunities of disagreement or tension in your relationships to share the deeper meaning of your faith with others? [09:59]
Identify a specific area in your life where you feel torn between submission to human authority and obedience to Christ. How can you seek guidance and wisdom in navigating this tension? [05:17]
Think about someone in your life who may have misconceptions about Christianity. What steps can you take to clarify these misconceptions and share the profound realities of your faith with them? [09:59]
How can you prepare yourself to be a witness to others, even in challenging situations, and what support do you need from your faith community to do so effectively? [10:26]

Sermon Clips

"Although I have always identified as a Christian, I just recently experienced the new birth as a married woman with children at age 34. Praise God, that's awesome to hear. My husband, however, is not a Christian. Jesus has transformed my life, and although my husband has been supportive of me until now, he does not want me to be baptized." [00:00:45]

"The uniform teaching of the New Testament, whether it's Ephesians 5 or 1st Corinthians 11 or Colossians 3 or 1st Peter 3, the uniform teaching is that husbands are to be the head of their wives the way Christ is the head of the church and that wives should be in glad support of that leadership, that headship which the New Testament calls submission." [00:01:49]

"I would define submission like this: the disposition of a wife's heart and mind, for the sake of Christ, to give glad support to her husband's leadership. And the reason I used that kind of definition, namely, a disposition of heart and mind to comply gladly with the husband's initiatives and leadership for the Lord's sake, is that those two aspects of the definition provide limitations on the absoluteness of obedience to the husband." [00:02:20]

"All obedience to humans is subordinated to obedience to Jesus, the absolute Lord. We do things for his sake in submission to him under his lordship. Obedience to Jesus sends us into earthly relationships with the disposition to serve and acknowledge God-given authority, but that same obedience to Jesus limits our obedience because Jesus does not send us to be obediently disobedient to him." [00:05:26]

"When it comes to the command of Christ versus the command of a husband, the command of Christ will take precedence over the command of the husband when they're in conflict as they are here, it seems. This is what it means to have Jesus as your Lord. Baptism is a command of the Lord Jesus." [00:06:30]

"Choosing to be baptized against the desire of a husband does not mean that a wife has abandoned her disposition of heart and mind to give glad support to her husband's leadership. This exceptional act of non-compliance can be pursued without defiance and without anger and with respect and affection and with an expressed longing expressed to her husband." [00:07:33]

"I would emphasize that she doesn't need to be precipitous or hasty in her action, but for her husband's sake and for peace and hope, she can go slow, it seems like she has, and pray and seek to help him understand as much as he'll let her. She does not need to give any impression that she's acting rashly." [00:08:25]

"Even though this is a point of tension between her and her husband, it may turn out that by the conversations they have about the meaning of what she's doing and why she's doing it, that this would be one of the most clarifying things for him about the very meaning of Christianity. What does it mean that his wife is a Christian?" [00:09:10]

"It may be that some of his resistance to baptism is owing to a very superficial understanding of what it is and what it really means to be a Christian, and this decision on her part may give her an opportunity to explain to him the profound reality of spiritual death with Christ and new life in the spirit." [00:09:41]

"Few things will provide as clear an opportunity for a wife to make plain to an unbelieving husband what it means for her to be a Christian as for her to explain in great detail, perhaps, what the greatness of baptism stands for. So I will pray that God give you great grace and wisdom as you move forward." [00:10:24]

"That your husband will not only be agreeable but someday join you in the life that baptism really stands for. Yeah, thank you, Pastor John. The tensions of marriages where Christians are married to non-Christians again is something we've addressed in APJ episodes in the past." [00:10:56]

"You can find those in APJ's 397, 680, 1029, 1560, and 1690. You can find all those episodes at askpastorjohn.com. Episode 397, twenty-nine, fifteen sixty, and sixteen ninety, and we actually have another related episode scheduled that you may find relevant to this conversation." [00:11:13]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?

Navigating Faith and Marriage: Baptism and Belief

Devotional

Day 1: Allegiance to Christ Over Human Authority

Day 2: Baptism as an Essential Act of Faith

Day 3: Respectful Communication in Disagreement

Day 4: The Power of Prayer and Patience

Day 5: Witnessing Through Obedience

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Navigating Faith and Marriage: Baptism and Belief

Share