The Relationship Between Grace, Faith, Works, And Baptism

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).