THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GRACE, FAITH, WORKS, AND BAPTISM
INTRODUCTION
A. Only two Christian groups do not practice some form of water baptism: Quakers and the Salvation Army.
B. All others practice water baptism but disagree on the mode (immersion/sprinkling) and the purpose (to be saved/because one has been saved).
C. In this sermon, we will seek to let the Scriptures connect the dots between grace, faith, works, and baptism.
I. FOCUSING ON PAUL’S FAITH/WORKS DICOTOMY (Eph 2:1-10)
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Unless otherwise noted, all quotations are from the ESV).
A. Paul proscribes (prohibits) works:
1. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9).
2. “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, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).
B. On the other hand, Paul prescribes (orders) works:
1. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10)
2. “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God (Col 1:9-10)
TRANSITION: Is baptism a prescribed work, a proscribed work, or neither?
II. IS BAPTISM A PROSCRIBED WORK OR A PRESCRIBED WORK?
A. If baptism is a proscribed work, no one should be baptized because it would nullify grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is te gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
B. If baptism is a prescribed work, It should be repeated as often as we have the opportunity: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” [habituality practice] (Eph 2:10).
TRANSITION: If baptism is neither a proscribed nor a prescribed work, what is it?
III. THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THE COIN OF BAPTISM
A. On God’s side, it is a gift of grace: “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 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” (Rom 6:1-4).
B. On mankind’s side, it is faith taking hold of grace: “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” (Col 2:11-12).
1. We don’t circumcise ourselves, bury ourselves, or raise ourselves.
2. If our faith is in the act of baptism instead of the powerful working of God, we go down a dry sinner and come up a wet sinner.
IV. BAPTISM IS A WORK, BUT IT IS GOD’S WORK
A. The only human acting in baptism is the baptizer. The baptized are passive—were circumcised, having been buried, were raised.
B. Our works follow his work (Col 3:1-10).
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
V. A CASE OF CONVERSION EXAMINED
A. The truth-seeker (Acts 8:
A. He was searching in the right place:
6 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
B. The question answered: 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.” (We need to read every word of Isaiah 53:
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
TRANSITION: Rejoining Philip and the Eunuch
A. The eunuch exclaims, “And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36).
B. Verse 37 is omitted in the ESV and some other versions, but included in over 20 others: “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (v.37, KJV). We need not pit translation against translation. Whether Philip uttered the words or not, they are sound. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Rom 10:9-10)]
C. “And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
THE INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION
A. When Philip preached Jesus, he preached water baptism because the Eunuch did not get the idea from Isaiah 53.
B. Baptism was by immersion: “They both went down into the water.
THE INVITATION
A. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?
B. As Ananias asked Saul, “And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name” (Acts 22:16).
