water baptism goes beserk at Homestead Heritage - Relational Salvation in Jesus Christ - wacky picture
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Steven Avery
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Steven Avery
Administrator
Baptism demonstrates covenant—verbally and bodily. When we stand in the waters of baptism, we say to God,
"The tyranny of self, the pharaoh of sin that ruled my life, has died. I no longer make excuses for him or explain him away. I'm not his armor-bearer or his guard dog. I will never hold a shield in front of his heart when the sword of the Spirit would pierce him with conviction. I no longer identify with this man of sin. I have no aim, purpose or life outside of Christ."
And when we rise out of the waters of baptism, this symbolizes the resurrection, the Holy Spirit giving us power over the sin nature that we buried in the water.
We recognize that we will still commit sins and need to repent and be forgiven for them. But our baptismal pledge promises never to allow the sinful nature to rise from the grave and retake the throne because we have called the curse of the cross down upon him. Romans 6:16-19 says that the reign of sin in our lives is broken when we have come to repentance.
How do we know if we have indeed come to repentance? Willfulness, stubbornness and defensiveness are survival instincts of a sinful nature that is still alive. When we resort to defensiveness and a competitive desire to explain that we're "not that bad," we're trying to resurrect the old man we consigned to the grave. When the casket is lowered into the ground in a funeral, this is called the "committal." The baptism vow must be a committal, a commitment, to bury the carnal nature "six feet under," never to be exhumed.
REMISSION OF SINS
Baptism must be in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness or remission of sins. Remission of sins corresponds to removing our condemned identity and adopting Christ's.
Acts 2:38 says, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins." When a woman marries, her husband's assets become her property, and her liabilities become his responsibility. In the same way, God offers to us, "Do you have debts you can't pay? If you lose your name and become part of Me, My assets become your possession, and I have already paid your liabilities at the cross." He gives us forgiveness as we come into covenant with Him. And as long as we remain in covenant, all our liabilities are His responsibility, and all His assets are our possession.
But we must remain in covenant. If our baptism is merely a "marriage of convenience," it is legally considered to be fraudulent. Many Christians attempt to defraud God by going through the motions of baptism but refusing to remain in relationship with Him. They believe they're legally married to Christ as a result of having undergone certain rites. They assume He has covered their sins. But the mere act of baptism doesn't save anyone: instead, legitimate baptism binds us to a relationship with God that alone can save us.
The covenant of baptism is with the body of Christ, not with men (Isa. 62:5; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal 3:27). Men will fill places in the body, but they will die; some will fall away; others will rise. But our covenant with Christ and His church endures. Christ and the church, His bride, are one (Matt. 10:40; Luke
"The tyranny of self, the pharaoh of sin that ruled my life, has died. I no longer make excuses for him or explain him away. I'm not his armor-bearer or his guard dog. I will never hold a shield in front of his heart when the sword of the Spirit would pierce him with conviction. I no longer identify with this man of sin. I have no aim, purpose or life outside of Christ."
And when we rise out of the waters of baptism, this symbolizes the resurrection, the Holy Spirit giving us power over the sin nature that we buried in the water.
We recognize that we will still commit sins and need to repent and be forgiven for them. But our baptismal pledge promises never to allow the sinful nature to rise from the grave and retake the throne because we have called the curse of the cross down upon him. Romans 6:16-19 says that the reign of sin in our lives is broken when we have come to repentance.
How do we know if we have indeed come to repentance? Willfulness, stubbornness and defensiveness are survival instincts of a sinful nature that is still alive. When we resort to defensiveness and a competitive desire to explain that we're "not that bad," we're trying to resurrect the old man we consigned to the grave. When the casket is lowered into the ground in a funeral, this is called the "committal." The baptism vow must be a committal, a commitment, to bury the carnal nature "six feet under," never to be exhumed.
REMISSION OF SINS
Baptism must be in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness or remission of sins. Remission of sins corresponds to removing our condemned identity and adopting Christ's.
Acts 2:38 says, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins." When a woman marries, her husband's assets become her property, and her liabilities become his responsibility. In the same way, God offers to us, "Do you have debts you can't pay? If you lose your name and become part of Me, My assets become your possession, and I have already paid your liabilities at the cross." He gives us forgiveness as we come into covenant with Him. And as long as we remain in covenant, all our liabilities are His responsibility, and all His assets are our possession.
But we must remain in covenant. If our baptism is merely a "marriage of convenience," it is legally considered to be fraudulent. Many Christians attempt to defraud God by going through the motions of baptism but refusing to remain in relationship with Him. They believe they're legally married to Christ as a result of having undergone certain rites. They assume He has covered their sins. But the mere act of baptism doesn't save anyone: instead, legitimate baptism binds us to a relationship with God that alone can save us.
The covenant of baptism is with the body of Christ, not with men (Isa. 62:5; Acts 2:41; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal 3:27). Men will fill places in the body, but they will die; some will fall away; others will rise. But our covenant with Christ and His church endures. Christ and the church, His bride, are one (Matt. 10:40; Luke
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Steven Avery
Administrator
"Relational Salvation in Jesus Christ"
Steven Avery
Administrator
died in repentance. We say, "Lord, this man will no longer reign over my life; I am putting him under the cross of Christ." At the cross, Jesus suffered condemnation—judgment on our behalf (1 Pet. 3:18-22). So when we place our old life under the judgment of the cross, we cannot ever take it up again. We have called down the penalty of the cross upon our carnal man, the sinful nature, who ruled our old life (Gal. 3:13). The carnal man is put to death in repentance by the sword of truth (Acts 2:37; Eph. 6:17). He must be dead before being buried in the floodwaters of baptism.
Baptism is an answer we live out, a demonstrative response. We can speak words to God, but there's a time when spontaneous words are not enough, when deliberate promises must be spoken and enacted.
(above .. "Baptism demonstrates covenant..)
Baptism is an answer we live out, a demonstrative response. We can speak words to God, but there's a time when spontaneous words are not enough, when deliberate promises must be spoken and enacted.
(above .. "Baptism demonstrates covenant..)
Last edited:
Steven Avery
Administrator
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