Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. You've never been baptized as a believer. Don't trust in your infant baptism. Uh why why are you not stepping forward to get baptized. Baptism demonstrates your top allegiance, your number one priority in life.
It's not your family, it's not your business, it's not your tradition, but is the Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome to the Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Public baptism identified early Christians as believers. Not private decisions or quiet commitments, but a public profession of faith in Christ demonstrated by baptism. Today, John deals with the reality that many believers try to avoid the step of obedience.
Why is this symbolic step so important? Here's part two of John's message, an appeal to God. Undoubtedly, Peter writes some things which are difficult to understand. but this will not prevent us from studying the verses in 1 Peter 3. Peter is dealing with baptism.
Now, baptism is a controversial subject. Peter is saying that baptism does not save us. We do not become Christians by being baptized.
Some churches teach that babies are cleansed from original sin through baptism. Others teach that the baptism of babies is a sign that they're part of the covenant family of faith. But I think many of you will agree that what is important is not the outward ritual. but our heart before God. will become a Christian not through baptism, but through the new birth.
as Peter is taught in chapter one. I'm going to read for the sake of context from First Peter 3, verse. Eighteen. For Christ also suffered once for sins. the righteous for the unrighteous.
that he might bring us to God. Being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison. because they formerly did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely Through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now he saves you. not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God.
For a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven. And is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected. to him. Not the easiest verses, but we're going to focus on verses 21 and 22. And first of all, as Peter deals with baptism, he makes a A negative statement that baptism does not spiritually.
Cleanse us. Notice what he says expressly in verse 21: that baptism, this is not a removal, that is not a washing away of dirt from the body. Water did not save Noah and his family. He says in verse 20. That eight persons, that's Noah and his family, were were brought safely through water.
They were saved through water, that is a flood. They do it. Water saved them? Not really. They were saved because they were in the ark.
They were saved by means of water. or through water in the water that floated the ark to safety. And that, Peter is saying, is a symbol. He says. In verse Twenty-one, baptism which corresponds to this.
Now, Saves you. What happened? To those at the time of Noah that Peter is writing about didn't believe. You don't need to speculate. Jesus himself says, Matthew chapter 24, Verse 36.
regarding the coming of Jesus. When's he going to come? No one knows. But concerning that day and hour, I'm reading from Matthew 24, verse 36. No one knows.
Not even the angels of heaven, nor the sun that is in humanity. But the Father only. Here it is. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Who's the Son of Man?
Our Lord Jesus. For as in those days before the flood, They were eating And drinking. Marrying and giving in marriage. Life was pretty good. They were getting on very well.
But Until the day That when Noah entered the ark. And they were unaware. Until the flood came, and swept them. Oh. Away.
So will be the coming of the sun. Yeah.
So negatively Baptism doesn't save us. Positively, what is baptism? Verse 21. It is an appeal to God. for a good conscience.
Baptism, which corresponds to this, a figure of this, now saves you in some sense, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God For a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who's gone into heaven, and so on. That is, the believer in Jesus Christ, those who have experienced the new birth. Those who have their sins forgiven from within.
Now I don't ask God for a good conscience. Rather, our baptism is an appeal or pledge or commitment to God. For a good conscience. I think there's great confusion in this. I think some of you think that because You were christened as a baby.
You don't need to be baptized. Can I say respectfully, but on the authority of the Word of God. That ritual that was performed in you as a baby that you knew nothing about, that is not biblical baptism. That is a tradition of the church. And it cannot be substantiated in Scripture.
And baptism for the believer is not an optional Extra. Our Lord Jesus Himself, that's why we call baptism an ordinance, he commands us. Did you get that? Not an option. He commands us to be baptized.
Do you say well Seems a bit odd to put people underwater. Are you wiser than God? You think you know better? In Acts chapter 10. There's a man, he's a Gentile.
And he's converted by the Apostle Peter. And we read at the end of Acts chapter 10, verse 47. Peter declares, can anyone withhold water for baptized? Baptism for baptizing these people who've received the Holy Spirit just as we are. The gospel is going.
to the Gentiles And then Peter says, he commanded. Notice the word. He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. That's it. Here's Cornelius.
And others? They're saved, they receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. They are. inwardly cleansed through our Lord Jesus Christ. And now they're commanded to be baptized.
So, baptism. There's an answer. It's a pledge. For a good conscience. At our baptism, we make a pledge.
Don't we? We make a commitment. that we are authentic followers of Jesus Christ. It's a commitment, it's a pledge to God before others that we seek to live a life which pleases God. Many of you here have been baptized as believers.
Some of you have stood in this Very bad. This tray and have been baptized. You made a profession of faith, you were asked. Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? Are you confessing your faith in Jesus Christ as your only hope?
And you've said yes. That is my commitment. That is my pledge. Are you being true to your pledge? Is that really your greatest desire?
To please God. Are you going to go your own way? You're only going to follow Jesus Christ when it's con convenient. Following Jesus Christ wasn't convenient to these first century people that Peter is writing to. No, we are to live.
in a way which is consistent with our baptism. Many of you Who are married with a ring? What's the ring? It's a symbol. It's a pledge.
that the vows you made you're going to follow through. It's a a pledge, a commitment. Lord willing, I'm going to marry a couple on Saturday. And they're going to exchange rings. What's the ring?
It's a sign and seal of the commitment they have made. They're saying, I love you. They're saying I'm going to be faithful to you as long as I live. Here is a pledge. Here is the symbol.
Here is a commitment said before God. And before witnesses.
So baptism Is the vehicle whereby we express our commitment to Jesus Christ. A public Declaration. that I'm saved. In the New Testament, The sign of becoming a Christian. Wasn't to raise your hand in a meeting.
It wasn't to walk down the aisle. It wasn't to sign a card. It wasn't to respond to an altar call. What was it? It was baptism.
And in the New Testament, baptism is always closely related. to our salvation. Here's Cornelius, he's saved. Peter says, With your hesitation, I'm commanding you to be baptized. And the New Testament You've got it in front of you.
Don't take my word for it. The New Testament does never envisage an unbaptized believer. Baptism again, I'm talking about biblical baptism. I'm not talking about your christening. The only unbaptized believer in the New Testament was the thief.
On the cross. Jesus says to him, today you'll be with me. Yeah.
Paradi paradise.
So, baptism, this is very powerful. is the outward Symbol of the inner work of grace of the Spirit of God. It's a sign, a seal of the cleansing of our sins. of the washing away of the defilement of our sins. a symbol of our new life in Christ.
And it is in that sense that baptism saves, just as the water saved those who were in the ark. It's not that the actual ordinance of baptism It's not that by going underwater saves you. Absolutely not. That would be totally contrary. to the whole thought of salvation by faith alone and Christ alone.
No baptism. is a public declaration. that an individual has placed his or her faith In the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely one of the most significant things We see, we hear. as a church It's for our brothers and sisters.
to come. And to say and the grace of God. I'm saved. I remember a friend of mine that I tried to get to come to church, eventually he came. Probably about seventy years old.
I'd asked him several times, he didn't come, and then one day he stepped forward. and receive Christ. He said I wanted to get baptized. He led a very difficult life. He told me that he tr he was so angry because of his upbringing.
He was an angry man. destroying almost every relationship that he had entered into. because of his selfishness and his anger. We step forward. And he stood at that tank.
Do you remember what he said? amazing grace. How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch. like me.
He's now with the Lord, that's on his gravestone. And our cyber tray. Amazing. Grace. An appeal to God for a good conscience.
We are to have a good conscience before God. I remember as a teenager, I came to saving faith when I was 12, and I battled the subject of baptism. I don't know whether it was my Scottish stubbornness or whatever it was. But I battled it. And of course I knew That it required A clear Step.
Of faith. That for the rest of my life I was going to follow Jesus Christ. I'd made that commitment when I was saved, but now this was public. And I battled it and I battled it as I look back and think, why was that? By the very bad conscience.
And how wonderful it was just before my seventeenth birthday. And we got baptized. It was a turning point. in my life. I thought, why should I be ashamed of Jesus Christ?
in the public high school I attended where there were very, very few Christians. This is going to characterize my life. Whatever I do. Yes, even as a lawyer. Lawyers follow Christ.
Whatever God calls you to do, I'm going to follow Jesus Christ. Price. The woman I marry is going to have a similar faith. She's going to stand with me as together we follow Christ. Isn't that wonderful?
You see baptism as a symbol of our identification with Christ. in his death, his burial, his resurrection. Why would you be ashamed to stand with Jesus Christ? It's like a man being ashamed to stand with his wife. Why would you be ashamed of Christ?
No, we are identified with Christ in this wonderful way that God in His grace, in His wisdom, has given us. It represents my identification with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We sang, He's alive forevermore. Don't you want to be identified with that person? One who not only saves us, not only forgives our sins, but is going to take us right to heaven.
and there's going to be my good shepherd. That I am to follow in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. And so what do we do with people who are baptized? We stand in the water. A picture of what death With Christ.
For My Finance. I am dying. To sin. I'm going to go under the water. It's a picture of my burial with Jesus Christ.
It's a picture, as it were, of death. I'm bringing the old man. The old John Monroe is gone. And then I come up out of the water. A picture, of course, of my resurrection with Christ.
Unbelievable, isn't it? Be saying he's alive to understand that, that we are alive in him all through his grace. Paul says, Now, those of you who are baptized, you're going to walk in newness of life. You're a new creature. The old is gone.
The new has come. I am united with Christ. In his death, in his burial And in his resurrection.
So Jesus says to his disciples, Because I live, You shall live. Also. Those who are being baptized. A committing That they will live for Christ. To say with Paul, to me to live is Christ.
to die is gain and perhaps the reason You're hesitating being baptized as a believer. you're not really sure if you want to live for Christ. We obey the commands of God. We do it out of a good conscience. Isn't that wonderful?
To have a good conscience as you put your head on a pillow at night. that you have a good conscience before God. That I am saved. I'm not ashamed of my salvation. I'm not ashamed of the gospel.
It symbolizes and illustrates this faith in my Lord Jesus Christ and his redemptive work. I'm publicly making it known. But I'm a follower. of Christ. Have you been saved by God's grace?
Do you have the assurance? that you're perfectly secure in Jesus Christ for salvation. Are you outside the ark? You said I'm thinking about it. Don't think too long.
You don't know when you're going to stand before God. I urge you. If you've never been saved. To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll be saved. To call upon the name of the Lord.
and you will be saved. You say you're saved? You've never been baptized as a believer. Don't trust in your infant baptism. Uh why why are you not stepping forward to get baptized.
You say, well, I've got this heritage, I've got this family, and... They've got these traditions and my parents, my grandparents would really look down on me if I got baptized as a believer.
Well, no doubt. I'm sure the family of these first century Christians couldn't understand. what they were doing. Remember Jesus said, If you're going to follow me, you're going to what? The nice self.
That's it. Take up your cross and follow me. Baptism demonstrates your top allegiance, your number one priority in life. It's not your family, it's not your business, it's not your tradition, but is the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what baptism is saying.
Why are you delaying fear? Pride That's one, isn't it? I went to the last church. And in the doctrinal statement it said believers of baptism and In a message, I mentioned it, and to my astonishment after it, the chairman of the elders. Came to me and said, John, this is very embarrassing.
My wife and I haven't been baptized as believers. I I was shocked. I said, what is it? He said, well, we were baptized as children. And I said, so what?
Were you a believer then? He said, absolutely not. come to saving faith as adults. And he said, you know, if we get baptized, what's the congregation going to think of us that you've got an elder who isn't baptized? I told them If you step forward and being baptized, I guarantee.
that you will gain the increased respect of this congregation over which you are a shepherd. Because it demonstrates that no one, whether they're an elder or a pastor, or well known in the community, no one Is above the word of God. All of us must submit ourselves, sometimes it's difficult, submit ourselves to Christ. Procrastination. Many say, Well, I'm thinking about it.
Some of you have thought about it for years.
Some of you say, well, I'm checking out scripture. I applaud that, but what Is stopping you. If there are no good reasons, and I would suggest there can't be good reasons, demonstrate publicly that you're a follower of Christ, be humble. Submit to the Lordship of Christ in every area. of our life.
And praise God that our Savior has accomplished Our salvation. Peter says he demonstrates this. By what? He has gone into heaven. He's raised from the dead, but he has ascended.
He is now in heaven. In fact, he's at the right hand of God. And all of the angels and all of the authorities and all of the powers are subjected to him. I want to be in that. the side of Christ.
I want to know my life. is united to his. and I will never perish. Therefore submit to him. You've never been baptized.
Let us know. We'd love to baptize you. And even more importantly, if you're not yet saved. Bible says, whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Even as you sit there.
Call upon the name of the Lord. And you'll be saved. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and the end of his challenging message: an appeal to God. John's final thoughts are coming up. John's challenge confronts every believer who has postponed the command of our Lord Jesus to be baptized.
Whether it's fear, pride, or family pressure holding you back, Obedience to Christ must come first. Having a truly biblical perspective will change your perspective and how you live each day. And to help you continue building this biblical view, we're offering you a free copy of John's special booklet titled, For the Time is Near, Lessons from Revelation. Better understanding God's plan of salvation and the importance of Christ's return will encourage you to evaluate your priorities and transform your thinking of how to deal with tough times and difficult circumstances.
So get your copy today. You can download or request your free copy of For the Time Is Near. by going to our website at the verdict.org. Your support enables us to bring these biblical messages to people across the world who need to hear the truth of God's Word. In an age where our culture has largely forgotten God, Your partnership helps us share the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with today's closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you been baptized? Was it your decision or was it a ritual imposed on you when you were a baby? In the New Testament, baptism is the outward sign that we are followers of Jesus Christ. Many different customs have started in the church.
Some people emphasize you must walk an aisle or sign a card or put up your hand in order to be a Christian. But in the New Testament, the outward evidence of salvation is that we're baptized.
So continue to read and to study the Word of God. The verdict is yours. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
