The Sacrament of Baptism, Part 4

Thanks for listening to the latest message from Him We Proclaim. In this encouraging series, Pastor John walks us through the resurrection of Jesus, the reality of eternal life. The grace of baptism, and the unshakable assurance believers have in Christ. I hope you have your copy of Scriptures along. We'll be looking at passages like 1 Corinthians, Luke, 1 John, and more.

To get gospel-centered reminders of God's faithfulness, power, and grace toward His people. Whether you're seeking hope, clarity, or a deeper understanding of the gospel, these sermons are rich with biblical truth and comfort. Let's listen now to today's message called The Sacrament of Baptism Part 4. This is what we've seen. Baptism, first of all, we saw baptism.

isn't necessary for salvation. Second, we saw baptism is a visible Goth Mool. Third of that baptism and Yeah, is that administer to levers and took their children. Before we finish this. Brief.

Look at baptism. I want us to come back. I want us to look at that second point again about baptism.

Alright. Uh as a as a invisible gospel It's so fundamentally important to get that. Because baptism As this visible gospel It had preaches to us this fundamental truth of the gospel, which is this. Justification. That's what it preaches to us.

It preaches to us justification. We walk. past that baptism Baptism was fought. It's like this Neon signs saying, you're justified, you're justified, you're justified. And I think it's important for us to think about this.

to look at it because it is so fundamentally important to us. for our Christian life. Look look at the fourth chapter. Uh Romans. No, no.

Romans chapter 4, look at verse. Look at Reverse the 11. Look what Paul calls circumcision. He says that that He calls circumcision the sign and seal. Look at this: of the righteousness that Abraham had by.

Big. That's so critical to get. Look at that. He calls circumcision the sign and seal Of the righteousness that Abraham had, how? But I Faith.

Circumcision. What what was it? It's the sign and seal. Justification by faith. By faith.

That's what it is. That's what baptism is. Why? Because baptism has replaced circumcision. Baptism is the sign and seal of justification by faith.

Now, Paul is echoing Genesis 17, the Abrahamic covenant. Genesis 17 verse 11 and God says to Abraham you shall be circumcised He said as it was. in the flesh of your foreskin. Look, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and you. And so Paul What is he doing in this fourth chapter here?

He's just Looking back at Genesis. And he is reading the Genesis Narrative. And he's interpreting it for us through So The gospel, the work of Christ. And he says that circumcision signified and sealed that God. Justifies the ungodly.

Listen carefully. We're going to come back to it. But when you go back to Genesis and look at this Abrahamic account. This is what Paul says, this story of Abraham is teaching us.

Well listen. God justifies the ungodly. That's what it's teaching us.

Now it teaches us other things too, but it teaches us this clearly. God justifies the ungodly. And he does it. With the Instrument of faith. Uh Going back to Genesis chapter 15.

Paul in chapter 4, verses 2 through 5, takes us to Genesis chapter 15. Look at Chapter 4, verses 2 to 5. He says, If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about. but not before God. Four.

What does the scripture say? What scripture? He's quoting Genesis 15, verse 6. Six. And so he says, What does the scripture say?

It says Abraham believed God. And it was counted. imputed reckoned to him as righteousness. Verse 4.

Now to one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift. But has his due? Verse five. One who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, who in this context. Is that?

Two characters from the Old Testament. Abraham. And David.

So much for spiritual heroes, right? Paul, looking at these narratives, he says, This is what this narrative teaches us: God justifies the ungodly. And he says, and his faith is counted. as righteousness. And Paul's whole point in expounding the relationship between circumcision and justification.

Is to show this, and as I said last week, is to show this. That Abraham is the model New Testament believer. That's so critical to get because what was written about Abraham and his justification through faith. Paul says this is written for us. This is written for us.

For our assurance. Look at chapter four again. Look at verses sixteen and seventeen. He's the He says that Abraham was not just a believer for himself. But he calls Abraham this.

He says that Abraham is the father of us all. Abraham is our father. And he says, No, for and this one. For this reason, it is by faith. Why?

So that it might be in accordance with grace.

So that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants. Not just those who Are Jews of God's law, the Mosaic covenant? He says, but to those who are the faith of Abraham, Gentiles, Who is the father of Ah, first one oh. Verse 17, as it is written. And he quotes Genesis 17, verse 5.

And he says, A father of many nations have I made you.

Now. That's the allergy here. Circumcision, baptism points us to the fundamental truth of justification. But here's the application for us because when I look at the account of Abraham. Right.

I have great encouragement. I have great assurance. And I have great hope. Hawaii. Because It teaches us that God justifies the ungodly.

Which is who me? That is so shocking. God doesn't wait for us to become perfect and go, oh, wow, wow. Spencer, you are perfect. You're justified.

Your sanctification is so good. You are sinless. You are justified. That's what B Roman Catholic Church teaches. God doesn't justify the ungodly, it teaches the exact opposite.

God justifies the godly. This is why the gospel that was recovered at the Reformation was so explosive.

So counterintuitive. How can God, who is a righteous judge, pronounce to me, who is ungodly, you're justified? And be just. That's the scandalous message of the gospel, but it's true. What is justification?

It is God that judges. And time verdict. At the great white throne of judgment. When every money will give account before God, it's his verdict, it's his in time verdict declared to me now for Christ's sake. You see, so that I am not just justified now, I'm justified forever.

And he says that he justifies the ungodly. And I find great encouragement from that. I find great assurance in that. I find great hope. Hope in that, and that is what baptism proclaims to us.

There are three very important biblical themes that are intertwined with this history of Abraham as Paul. Per Brains that And so, oh, I want to help you get these three things. Here's the first thing that he teaches from this: these chapters in Genesis. What is the first theme that is intertwined. He says it is grace.

Great. If you go back to the book of Genesis, go back to the sixth chapter, starting with. With Noah. There's nothing about Noah that is special. Because if you look at that account properly carefully When he comes out of the ark, what is he doing immediately?

Thinning. Grossly. Right? He's committing very bad sin. There's nothing special about him.

But the Bible says he found favor, grace. in the sight of God.

Now, you come to Abraham right after. The tenth chapter and then I think End of the 10th chapter. Just chapter 12, chapter 13, chapter 14, and it just keeps going. There's nothing special about Abraham. There's nothing in this narrative that's as, oh, Abraham deserves the goodness of God.

Abraham deserves to be called into these blessings. Just very quickly, Joshua 24 verse 2 tells us that Abraham, he lived among pagan people and was a pagan Gentile who worshiped pagan idols. There's nothing deserving there. There's no hint in this narrative that God was responding to Abraham's goodness. It's the contrary.

As I told you, Romans chapter 4, verse 5, as Paul looks at the story about Abraham in Genesis, his conclusion is this. God justifies the ungodly. The Genesis narrative is brutally honest. in its in his portrayal of Abraham. Genesis chapter 12, Genesis chapter 20.

Twice Abraham is not above lying about his wife to save himself. He's willing to lie about his wife and give her to another man to save himself. That's bad. That is very ungodly. Wouldn't you think?

By putting his marriage at risk with Sarah. He shows his lack of faith in God's promises. He didn't have perfect faith. We have to understand this when we look at these Old Testament characters and we think, oh, Oh, they were up on this spiritual plane way up here, and they had this great heroic faith. We just we're just kind of down here less than them.

No, you heard the scripture readings this morning from 1 Corinthians 10. All those Old Testament stories were written for our instruction. Why? To show us a mirror that that is us. Works to undermine God's promise to Sarah, which was just, as Paul says in the fourth chapter here, he says it was impossible because the woman was dead.

But he goes on to say, God speaks into existence things that do not exist, and God is able to raise the dead and all of this. But he undermines God's promise. He goes, Oh, I know how we can do this, Sarah. Let me just sleep with Hagar. Commit adultery.

That's how God's promise will come about. That's pretty bad, wouldn't you think? It's clear from this narrative that we cannot see God's goodness that Abraham has deserved. It's teaching us. This picture of God's free and sovereign grace.

That is given to those who are undeserving, who are. Ungodly. Here's a second theme. The second thing Yes. Election goes together with grace.

What is election? God chooses some as objects of his grace. And he doesn't choose others. You see this crystal clear in the Genesis narrative. There's no use in asking this question as you read the Genesis narrative.

Why did God choose? Noah and his family. Why eight people? Why did God choose those eight people I don't know how many people were in the world back then. Let's say...

100 million people. Why did he choose those eight? I don't know. The Bible doesn't tell us. There's no point in asking that.

He chose them. Come to the Abrahamic. narrative. Listen, there are 100 million people in Abraham's day. Why did God choose Abraham.

Joshua twenty-four, verse two, he is a pagan idolater. worshiping moon gods. Why did he choose him? There were a hundred million other people. Why didn't he choose a hundred million people?

You see, you have to believe in God's sovereign, gracious election because the Genesis narrative just throws it into your face. Here is this Pagan Gentile Oblivious to the living God, worshiping idols. God comes to him and calls him and chooses him. To be the father of a blessed race. Go past.

Go past Abraham. Look at the have you ever read the story of Jacob and Esau? As I have told you before, and I'll say it again because it's just funny and it's a great picture. Jacob and Esau is the Jerry Springer show. It really is.

It is absolutely worsen all sin in your faith. Big time. Jake, um Was a scoundrel. Esau was a scoundrel. They were both sorry, ungodly people.

But you come to Romans chapter 9, and Paul tells us that election works for God's glory. Why? Because it demonstrates his sovereign grace. Paul looks at these Genesis narratives. He reads the narrative of Jacob and Esau, listen to his conclusion about what it says.

Just as it is written, Jacob I am loved, but Esau I hated. What shall we say then? Right? What shall we say? Jacob, I have loved.

Esau, I've hated. What do you say to that? Paul says There is no injustice with God. Because that is the very first thing that goes through our minds. That's not.

Yeah. And Paul says, the very first thing that goes to your mind is: there's no injustice with God. May it never be. For you says to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion upon whom I will have compassion.

So then, here's the point. It does not depend on the man who wills. Or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. Listen carefully. Joy that received from God mercy.

Never. Injustice. That's Paul's point. Michael Horton says, God is just and righteous, and He's unable to let bygones be bygones. And yet he is free to have mercy on whom he will have mercy.

To have mercy on the wicked.

However, God cannot suspend his justice. God's justice did not require the salvation of anyone.

So, his grace, and here's the point: his grace is totally free. When God is gracious towards sinners, It is not because his justice is sacrificed to his love. But because he has freely found a way to be just. and the justifier on those who have faith in him. Romans chapter 3 verse 26.

At the cross. Not only God's love, But his strangeness, we sing about that today. Only a holy God who's like that holy God. See, holy doesn't just mean this. It does mean that, but it's more than that.

Holy means this. completely separate and different. God is not like anything we are. He's hookly. He's strange.

And so at the cross, not just God's love, but his strangeness, his utter. Different from us. is most clearly Displayed. That's the second thing that it shows us: God's election, which magnifies. His free?

Sovereign grace. His mercy displayed to us at the cross. Here's the third thing, faith. The Genesis narrative of Abraham tells us that faith is the instrument by which God unites himself, restores himself back to the sinner. It's not baptism.

It wasn't circumcision. It's faith. Faith. Abraham's faith, as you see in Genesis chapter 15, verses 2 and 3, as we've seen with Hagar, it wasn't perfect.

Sometimes we look at the narrative. His It borders on unbelief. He asked God in verses 2 to 3 when he hears this incredible promise from God. How can this even be? All right.

Yet at crucial times, when Abraham takes God in his word and he believes his promises, Genesis chapter 15, verse 6. And so God justified Abraham through faith. But here is the key of this narrative. It's not the strength or perfection of Abraham's faith. The narrative which Paul picks up on for us The book of Romans is this, that the key is not the strength and perfection of Abraham's faith, but the strength and perfection of the God whom he trusts.

The faithfulness to fulfill his promises to the undeserving, ungodly because of grace. And so we very, very, very clearly see Abraham deserves nothing of what he's promised. And so everything has to be seen as pure and unmerited gift Faith. Faith is a gift. Given to us.

It's not something that we have, it is a gift. given to us by grace. And as this biblical history unfolds. We see increasingly the meaning of grace, of election. And faith.

And that brings us back to this fourth chapter here. The book on Romans. Paul says, like Abraham, the scripture isn't revealed that God graciously chooses and justifies us. Have you ever thought about this fact that you are so ungodly and dead in your trespasses and sins? Right?

Ephesians 2. Why would God choose me? Why would he do that when he tells us back at back at Deuteronomy, where he told Israel. He says, Israel, I didn't choose you because you're the biggest, the greatest. He says, in fact, you are more ungodly than your pagan neighbors.

He says, I chose you because, and here's the answer: I chose you because I loved you. Election is God's love before time. Express to Muslims. In time, through the calling of us by the gospel, by the power of the Spirit to receive Christ. to be justified through faith.

Paul speaks. Look at look at Uh the fourth chapter. Look at verses six and eight. Paul speaks of this blessing, you know, justification and writes about David. David, there's an ungodly man who was justified.

He says verse 6, he says, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness, apart from works, apart from performance. And here's the blessing. Blessed, blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not. count.

His sin. This term blessing goes back to the old covenant. Is this um The the blessing of uh the erotic blessing. And he talks about how God's favor shines upon you, right? Lord, be merciful to you.

Lord, make his face shine upon you. That's where this idea comes from. What is it to be blessed? It is to have God's pure favor upon your life forever. And he says, Here is the blessing of Abraham.

Here's the blessing that happens through faith when we just take God at his word, believe the promise of his gospel. Your lawless deeds are forgiven. All of them. Your sins are covered, all of them. God doesn't count Your sin against you, none of it.

You think about that comfort. You think about that baptismal thought. You think about your baptism, reflecting back on it. Take the worst sin you have committed this past week. In thought, word, deed, or all three, Take it now.

Take that sin right now. Bring it to your memory. And be comforted. From the story of Abraham, Which teaches God doesn't Hold that sin against you. Hear the declaration and absolution you receive from baptism.

Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven. whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whom the Lord will not cast. Yeah. Here's Thin.

Too often, when we think of the promise, this promise that we hear, we think of it in past tense, don't we? I got quote sage back. Fill in the blank. But this promise applies not just to the past. It applies now to the present.

and to the future and forever. For Christ's sake, For Christ's sake, God the Father baptism assures us that for his satisfaction, He will never remember our sins. He doesn't bring them back up and halt and say, Hey, remember what you did last week, remember what you did last year, remember what you did a decade ago. He doesn't hold them against this. For Christ's satisfaction.

Listen to this. When you have complete and total forgiveness, justification. Baptism tells us that this wonderful truth. He doesn't hold our sinful nature that we struggle with every single day against us. Because I know for a fact from my own experience, you feel like the sinful nature that you are just slugging it out with constantly.

Man, God, boy, he must really be mad right now. He must be really displeased. Look at how I have been. Look at this struggle here. There is no way I've got his favor today.

And for Christ's satisfaction, baptism, learn to use your baptism. Picture it in your mind. Come to church and look at it. Dip your hand in that water and feel it. That's why it's there.

That's why Christ. instituted it. It says to you. God for the Father for Christ's satisfaction does not remember your sins. He doesn't hold your sinful nature against you with which you struggle every single day.

But listen, he graciously imputes to you, counts to you, just like Abraham. Through faith. Just faith, nothing else, the righteousness of Christ, so that you never come into condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That's what baptism Preaches to us.

And that's assurance. That's encouragement. And that's hope. Go ahead. Baptism says that by God's faithfulness, he fulfills his promises through sinfully flawed people.

This is more. One author says about it. About Abraham, he says, God chose a real human being with recognizable imperfections. Aren't you grateful for that? Aren't you grateful you can open up the book of Genesis and go, God, thank you for choosing Abraham, because in choosing Abraham, you chose me.

God, with recognizable imperfections, as His covenant partner to fulfill His redemptive work. This, of course, is also true of all human agents in salvation history. None of us in here are were godly when God chose us. None of us in here were godly when God justified us. None of us.

And so baptism, like circumcision, is God's sign and seal of the unrighteousness that we have. By faith. And only faith. J.B. Fesco, circumcision and baptism.

Or not a stage created by God for man to profess his fidelity. Isn't that good? He says the sacraments are the opposite. The sacraments are the revelatory stage. That means they are.

Preaching to us when attached to God's word, they are proclaiming to us and revealing to us. This truth that God heralds His covenant promises. And he trumpets the gospel of his son. was. Isn't that great?

Trumpets. His gospel promises Two us. And so baptism. Listen carefully as we finish. You have to get this.

What isn't The movement of baptism, also of Holy Communion. It's not us to God. But it's God to us.

Now you're thinking, why is that important? Listen to this pastor as he shares his testimony about why this is so important, because it's critical for you to get this goddamn. God word movement of the sacraments. This aspect of baptism that is God to us, God to us. This aspect of baptism isn't More important than ministers often realize.

Many in our flocks are beset with worry that they don't really belong in God's family. Or if they do. They're let in begrudgingly. They're just tolerated by God. They have to keep up their g works and their feelings of faith.

For many baptism haunts them rather than comforts them. They feel they have let God down. Why? Because it was from them to God, not God to them. They publicly signified that they were committed to Christ.

Would raise their children to be committed, but they have failed time and again. God must really be angry now. If the emphasis of baptism is on our professed commitment to God, then we have much to worry about. But baptism is not so much about our profession for God as it is God's acknowledgment. Of us.

God is not thanking us at baptism for accepting him. He is not grateful for our profession of faith, and oh, he is thankful to have such committed followers as we. He is no more impressed with our vows of unwavering faith than Jesus was with Peter's avowal to die with him. When we declare our allegiance to God, and determination to follow him. him smiling indulgently on us.

Patting us on the heads. Insane. That is a nice sentiment. But you're going to blow it. Just like Peter did.

But what I want you to know by this sign. is that I have made a commitment in you. And I will not blow it. Every time you fall, I will pick you up. Every time you sin, I will remain as ever faithful to my covenant as before.

I will not give up Oh I knew. And I'll not let you be snatched away. And then he says this: In my own experience as a pastor, I've dealt with the unfounded fears of sincere believers who weaken their assurance. And baptism is meant to build up, not undermine the faith of his people.

So Christ instituted the sacrament. He did not command that baptism be yet another work for his followers to prove their faith and commitment. He commanded this sign. To be kept so that his followers would put their trust and hope in him. Uh one.

He commanded the sacrament to be kept so that in our times of doubt and failure. We would not be fearful of his disgust with us. Instead, in such times we should be ever more awed and thankful. of his faithfulness. Two moths.

Baptism is a visible gospel that preaches to us this fundamental truth of the gospel. that justified like Abraham, an ungodly person. through faith. In baptism, we always see God initiates grace. He came to us first in eternity, and he chose us.

He comes to us first in the power of the Holy Spirit and regenerates us. He comes to us and gives us the gift of faith and graces us with faith so that we can be united to Christ and be justified through faith and only faith. He comes to us, we're dead, and he gives us life. He comes to us when we're guilty and declares us justified. He comes to us in baptism.

Just like a helpless baby that we baptize who can do nothing. Nothing except drool and cry. And he makes a promise of grace to us. and says, I am faithful to you. Forever.

And that's assurance. Let's pray. How many fan we thank you that We have this favor that our lawless deeds have been forgiven. And that our sins have been covered by the perfect righteousness of your Son. And that you don't hold our sins against us, you don't take them into account.

because of Christ's satisfaction. We thank you for this gift. Teach us. Help us. to use our baptism.

Faithfully. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. John Fawnville sends his thanks for listening today. And before we wrap up, can I tell you about an encouraging book you might want to get soon?

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Him We Proclaim is a ministry of Paramount Church in Jacksonville, Florida. You can find us at paramountchurch.com. We'll talk again soon.