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You may turn with me in your 
Bibles to Matthew chapter 28. We're going to study the subject 
of the topic of the doctrine of baptism this morning. will be more of a topical survey 
as we look at the meaning of baptism, the subjects for baptism, 
and then the importance of baptism. So those will be our three points, 
our three observations this morning as we ask the question, what 
does baptism mean? Who should be baptized and why 
is it necessary? And I thought Matthew 28, beginning 
at verse 11, would frame our thoughts aright as we approach 
this doctrine. Now, while they were going, behold, 
some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief 
priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled 
with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum 
of money to the soldiers saying, tell them his disciples came 
at night and stole him away while we slept. And if this comes to 
the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure. So they took the money and did 
as they were instructed. And this saying is commonly reported 
among the Jews until this day. Then the 11 disciples went away 
into Galilee to the mountain, which Jesus had appointed for 
them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, 
saying, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on 
earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples 
of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father 
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe 
all things that I have commanded you. And, lo, I am with you always, 
even to the end of the age. Amen." Well, let us pray. Our 
gracious God, we thank You for this portion of Holy Scripture. 
We thank You for the great commission that You have given to Your churches. 
We pray, Father, that these things would be paramount in our minds 
and in our hearts, that we would seek to make known the glorious 
Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we would preach, that we would 
declare, that we would tell sinners everywhere that God is holy, 
that man has sinned, and that Christ alone can save to the 
uttermost. We pray as well, Father, that 
there would be baptisms people identifying with you, people 
professing saving faith and going into those waters to come out 
afresh in newness of life. We also pray that churches would 
be places where people are taught, that we wouldn't just be taught 
so we'd have a head knowledge, but we would be taught to observe 
all things that the Lord has commanded, that your churches 
would be marked by justification and by sanctification, that there 
would be increase in holiness, increase in the knowledge of 
God Most High, and that in this you would be well pleased, Father. 
We would ask now that you would bless our study together, cause 
us to reflect upon baptism, cause us to reflect in such a way as 
to glorify and to honor you, to perhaps be refreshed in our 
own memories, that blessed time when we went into the waters 
as well. And we ask in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ, amen. Well, as I said, we're going 
to take up three sections or three thoughts this morning. 
The meaning of baptism, the subjects for baptism, and then the necessity 
or the importance of baptism. Again, this is a wonderful topic. 
Certainly, this is not a doctrine that has been immune to confrontation 
or controversy. You're all surely aware of the 
debates that occur over the subjects of baptism, who should be baptized, 
and over the mode. Should we immerse, or should 
we sprinkle, or should we pour? Well, this morning, I don't want 
to engage in polemics or apologetics. Rather, I just want to look at 
this topic biblically. I realize everybody says that 
to be sure, people on both sides, but I want to make this a positive 
treatment so that we can be again encouraged by the doctrine of 
baptism. Well, as we look at the meaning, 
I want to just make two quotes. One is from G.I. Williamson, 
a Presbyterian author, who writes, baptism simply expresses the 
verbal content of the gospel in non-verbal form. I think that's a great summary 
statement. Baptism simply expresses the 
verbal content of the gospel in a nonverbal form. So that 
when the young man goes into the water today, the water does 
not save him. The water is not magical. It 
does not convey the redemptive benefits purchased by Christ 
through its own being as water. Rather, it symbolizes, it furnishes, 
it proclaims in a nonverbal way what the gospel is all about. 
We might liken it to a wedding ceremony. We put a ring on our 
bride's finger. We put a ring on our bridegroom's 
finger. And it symbolizes, it's a non-verbal 
communication that something has transpired, that two has 
become, or two have become one. So I think that's a great definition. Our London Baptist Confession 
of Faith in chapter 29, paragraph 1, summarizes baptism this way. It says baptism is an ordinance 
of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ. It's very important 
that we get that. It is ordained by Jesus Christ. It's not just something that 
the Christian church decided, hey, this would be a good thing 
to do. We speak of God ordaining marriage. Well, it was instituted. It was given by Him. And the 
same thing is seen in the doctrine of baptism. It is ordained. It 
is dominical. That means it refers to the Lordship 
of Christ. It is not for ours to disregard. The confession goes on to say, 
to be unto the party baptized. Baptism primarily this morning 
is for Austin. We all just get to be blessed 
witnesses of that fact. Do you remember that unit, that 
Ethiopian unit? What prohibits me from being 
baptized? Philip said, if you believe in 
your heart that Jesus is the Christ, that God raised him from 
the dead, you can be baptized. So they went down into the water 
and came up. They didn't wait until they got 
to the church. Now again, this is a wonderful time for corporate 
worship. It's a wonderful time for us 
to be reminded of gospel truth and to see this visible representation 
of a spiritual change. But it is to the party baptized. It is something to affect him. 
It is something to bring blessing to him. It is something that 
he is to look back upon in his life. Just as we are all called 
to do in Romans chapter 6 verses 1 to 4, Paul uses our baptism 
as an argument, as a reason why we ought to live godly in Christ 
Jesus. So the confession goes on to 
say, it is a sign of his fellowship with Christ in his death and 
resurrection, of his being engrafted into him, of remission of sins, 
and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live 
and walk in newness of life. It's a pact and a wonderful and 
an excellent statement of what baptism means. So let's just 
unpack this meaning. Three specifics that the confession 
touches upon. The first is union with Christ. Union with Christ. All of the 
blessings that we have are in Him. All of the benefits that 
we have are in him. Again, Romans chapter six, you 
may turn there just to see this union with Christ set forth in 
connection with our baptism as Paul's argument as to why justified 
by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, believers 
should walk in holiness and in righteousness. Romans chapter 
6, union with Christ, beginning in verse 1. What shall we say 
then? Shall we continue in sin that 
grace may abound? You see, Paul comes to treat 
now a very pertinent subject. It was being said that if we 
understand justification by faith alone, we might reasonably conclude 
it doesn't matter how we live. It doesn't matter what we do. 
We can continue in sin so that God's grace may abound. Paul 
says, may it never be. He's treating the fact that justified 
believers will always be sanctified believers. Justified believers 
will always pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 
That's the context here. And as I said, union with Christ 
alluded to in our baptism serves as a grand argument as to why 
we ought to be holy. So the next time you come to 
a fork in the road where whether it's the devil presenting a temptation 
or your own remaining corruption, think back to the time you were 
baptized. Think back to that day when you 
went into the waters and you publicly and visibly proclaim 
your identity with Jesus Christ. That's what Paul is saying here. How shall we who died to sin 
live any longer in it? Verse three, or do you not know 
that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 
into his death? Therefore, we were buried with 
him through baptism into death that just as Christ was raised 
from the dead by the glory of the father. Even so, we also 
should be should walk in newness of life. This baptism portrays 
our union with Jesus and his death. And again, immersion fits 
the bill. We want to translate the word 
baptizo, it is simply immerse and it fits the picture. It serves 
the purpose. When the man goes into the water, 
he goes under the water. It is as if he is dying. And 
then what is being raised anew is a new man in Christ Jesus. Again, not because that water 
is special. That water is the same water 
we brew coffee with. That water is the same water 
we wash our hands with. It hasn't undergone any magical 
change or transformation, but rather it's symbolic. It is the 
non-verbal communicant of that verbal content of the gospel 
of free and sovereign grace. It pictures, it shows, it demonstrates 
our death with Christ. We need to die to ourselves. We need to die to sin. We need 
to die to all the bondage and the slavery that we were in. 
And baptism pictures that. It portrays our union with Christ 
in his burial. And Christ went into that grave. 
Christ went into that tomb. And he rose again on the third 
day. We are in union with him. That's what Paul is highlighting 
in this particular section as an argument for our sanctification. And then it portrays our union 
with Christ in newness of life, which we'll see in just a moment. 
It's not only that. I mean, that's enough, right? Wow, that's excellent. But consider 
Matthew 28 as well, what we read there in verse 18. Go therefore. and make disciples of all the 
nations, baptizing them in the name of, beautiful, the singular 
name of the triune God, baptizing them in the name of the Father 
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. What is held forth there 
is the identification with the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, 
the God of Jacob, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
When a man goes into the waters of Christian baptism and he arises 
again, he is identifying with the one, the true, and the living 
God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It's a blessed thing, isn't it? 
It's not just a matter of somebody getting wet. I've witnessed baptisms 
before, and I've always wanted to get baptized again. because 
I believe in rebaptism or not, because I think it's efficacious 
somehow. But whenever I've watched a baptism, I recall my baptism 
and what a blessing it was to come up out of the water. publicly 
professing identification with Christ Most High who saved me 
by His grace. And I hope that is your experience 
today, that you reflect upon what Jesus has done. Wherever 
you fall out on the debate concerning infant or believer's baptism, 
we're not saved by our doctrinal apprehension of that particular 
truth. We're saved by grace alone, through 
faith alone, in the blood of Jesus Christ alone. union with 
Christ. Secondly, baptism shows us, represents, 
or portrays the forgiveness of sin. That water doesn't provide 
forgiveness. That water portrays that forgiveness 
has been conveyed. It is through the blood of Jesus 
that we receive forgiveness. We see this in Acts. You may 
turn to Acts chapter 9. Acts chapter 9, the account of 
the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, who, as we know, is the apostle 
Paul, was raised up as the missionary to the Gentiles to go and proclaim 
the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to Gentiles. In Acts chapter 
9, verse 17, Acts chapter 9, beginning in verse 
17, Ananias went his way and entered the house. And laying 
his hands on him, he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared 
to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive 
your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately 
there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received 
his sight at once, and he arose and was baptized. Now turn over 
to Acts 22, as the apostle is recounting this, as he is rehearsing 
this. Acts chapter 22, beginning in 
verse 12. Then a certain Ananias, a devout 
man, according to the law, having a good testimony with all the 
Jews who dwelt there, came to me. And he stood and said to 
me, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And at that same hour 
I looked up at him. Then he said, The God of our 
fathers has chosen you that you should know his will and see 
the just one and hear the voice of his mouth. For you will be 
his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And 
now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash 
away your sins calling on the name of the Lord. It doesn't 
provide forgiveness. It portrays that forgiveness 
has been given. And this brings up an interesting 
consideration when we baptize a younger person. You know, you 
Christians, especially you Calvinists, you reform people, you talk about 
your total depravity. Talk about the doctrine of sin, 
and you paint everybody as monsters, horrible specimens of human beings. Yeah, that's accurate. And then we only scratch the 
surface. You might ask a young person, 
what sins have they done that they need the blood of Jesus 
Christ to remit, to forgive, to get rid of? I love the answer 
of the Westminster Shorter Catechism. It asks, what does every sin 
deserve? Every sin deserves God's wrath 
and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. Sin is a far more dangerous thing 
than we estimate. Sin is a far more serious concern 
than people give attention to. Sin is a far more difficult obstacle 
to deal with than what we reckon. We think a little bit of therapy 
will help set men aright. We think a little bit of assistance 
will set men aright. We think splinting the cracked 
or fractured bone will make them better. You know what sin demanded 
in terms of its payment, in terms of its restitution, in terms 
of its pardon? The death of Jesus Christ. There's 
a hymn that specifies this in a very powerful way. It alludes 
to this very thing. It says, What does God think 
of sin? It pleased the Lord to crush 
him. Isaiah 53.11. It pleased Yahweh to crush him, 
the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why did it please him? Was it some vindictive cosmic 
child abuse that the enemies of God portray? No, it pleased 
the Lord to crush him because in that transaction, God is both 
just and the justifier of the one who believes in Christ. God upholds his righteousness 
at the cross. God does not renege on the demands 
of his penal sanctions with reference to sin, but he carries it out 
fully in the execution of his wrath upon his son. Ye who think 
of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great, here may view 
its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. Mark the 
sacrifice appointed, see who bears the awful load. Tis the 
word, the Lord's anointed, Son of man and Son of God. Maybe 
for a younger man like Austin, he hasn't amassed the amount 
of sins that some of us as adults have, but nevertheless, reflecting 
on the catechism, what does every sin deserve? It deserves God's 
wrath and curse, both in this life and that which is to come. 
That baptismal font. That body of water, as he goes 
down and he comes up, verbally or non-verbally represents the 
forgiveness of sins that has come through the blood of Jesus 
Christ. That's why baptism is wonderful. 
You ever thought about that, all the things you have in Christ? 
I hope you think that way. You know, sometimes people think 
about, OK, I've got money in the bank. I've got a garage full 
of stuff. I've got a nice summer home. 
They sort of take an inventory of what they have. Perhaps as 
they get older, they start looking at paperwork. They start sort 
of making files and getting things in place, getting things ready 
in case they die. We need to do that as believers. 
We need to take spiritual inventory of what we have. What does Paul 
mean when he says, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing 
in the heavenly places in Christ. What is this every spiritual 
blessing? Well, it's justification. It's 
sanctification. It's our eventual glorification. It is pardon of sin. Do you realize 
that we are guilty, vile and helpless? We have offended the 
thrice holy God. We justly deserve his punishment. 
We justly deserve that wrath and curse for all eternity. And 
we have received the forgiveness of sin. I hope you want to jump 
in that water. Of all the spiritual blessings 
that we have in Christ, certainly, I hope for you, pardon of sin, 
forgiveness of sin ranks very high up in the list. I bet if 
you ask that man that Jesus set forth in Luke 18, you know, when 
the two men went to pray, the Pharisee prayed thus with himself, 
I thank you, Lord, that I'm not like other men. I thank you, 
Lord, that I'm not like publicans like this particular man. Jesus 
then shines the light on that man. He says he could not even 
look up into heaven, but he beat his breast and he said, God, 
be merciful to me, the sinner. Jesus says, I tell you truly, 
this man went to his house justified. You go visit that man in his 
house and you ask him, what's one of the chief blessings that 
you've received? The forgiveness of sins, pardon from my iniquity. The blotting out of my transgressions. This is how Yahweh publicized 
himself in the prophet Isaiah. I am he who blots out your transgressions. This is what causes the psalmist 
to rejoice in Psalm 103. As far as the east is from the 
west, so you have removed our iniquities. This is what caused 
the prophet Micah to use the form of his word and say, Who 
is it, God, like you? Or the form of his name. That's 
what Micah means. It means, Who is it, God, like 
you? What does he then go on to say? Because you made the 
heavens and the earth? Those are glorious things. Because 
you providentially sustain everything? Those are glorious things. He 
says, Who is it, God, like you, pardoning our iniquity? The forgiveness of sins. If you're 
not a Christian here this morning, I hope you get jealous. I hope 
this baptism makes you jealous, not in an ungodly way, not in 
an unholy way. Jesus said, violent men take 
the kingdom of heaven by force. I hope there's a bit of that 
holy violence in your soul this morning. I want that forgiveness. I want that peace of conscience. 
I want to be able to go to bed at night realizing that my sins 
have been dealt with, realizing there's a champion at the right 
hand of the throne of God, an advocate with me, one who forgives, 
one who pardons, one who through his death and resurrection and 
his life evermore deals with sin. That's a boon of the Christian 
life. Invite all the other philosophies, 
all the other religions, every other doctrine of man and ask 
them, OK, what do you have to offer? What do you got? Well, 
we'll give you happiness here on earth, and then I die and 
go to hell for eternity. We give you influence over your 
friends and enemies, and then I die and go to hell. What does 
Christianity offer? I love the Apostle Paul in Acts 
13. He's preaching in a synagogue in Pisidia in Antioch, and he 
says, Therefore, let it be known to you today that through this 
man, Jesus Christ, is preached the forgiveness of sins. This 
is how Jesus commissions the disciples in Luke 24. Luke 24, 
Jesus holds this out as a boon, as a benefit, as one of the great 
redemptive privileges of gospel truth. He says, Thus it is written 
and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise 
from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission 
of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning 
at Jerusalem. Forgiveness. Confession tells 
us that our Bibles highlight that remission of sins doesn't 
provide forgiveness, but rather it portrays forgiveness. So the 
meaning of baptism is seen in union with Christ, the forgiveness 
of sins, and then thirdly, in newness of life. newness of life. I love the way the confession 
summarizing the biblical data says this, and I've is giving 
up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of 
life. Giving up unto God, trust in 
the Lord with all your heart, Solomon says, and lean not on 
your own understanding. This was the sin that began in 
the garden. This is the sin that is rampant 
or dominant in every unhumbled heart. As Bridget said, self-dependence, 
self-reliance. Some, no doubt, will hear a message 
like this and say, I need to try a bit harder. I need to quit 
doing this particular thing. I need to add this particular 
thing. You've missed the point of the gospel. The good news 
isn't try a little bit harder and God will reward you. The 
good news is you are desperately wicked. Or the bad news is you're 
desperately wicked. The good news is that God has 
provided a champion. God has provided a redeemer. 
God has provided the Lord Jesus. Your problem is self-dependence, 
self-reliance, trying to do it on your own. That's the issue. 
So what happens when someone's saved? What does baptism represent? What does baptism symbolize? It symbolizes the ones giving 
up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of 
life. There's an admission going on in that tank. There's an admission. I've made a mess of my life. 
So we can't treat baptism as the great congratulatory thing. Well, now that you've been baptized, 
finally, you've accomplished everything fit and ready for 
you to be accepted with God. That's just the opposite. People 
that go into that tank and other tanks, I don't want to say we've 
got the exclusive rights on baptism here, but people who go into 
that tank are not coming out a champion. They're not coming 
out as the victor. They're not coming out as the 
one who has figured out how to do this before God. They come 
out as admitters. They come out as confessors. 
They come out as those who have said, I have made a mess of my 
life. Apart from the work of Jesus 
Christ, apart from his doing and dying and rising, apart from 
his precious blood, I am dead in my trespasses and sins and 
justly liable to God's holy wrath." It's an admission. It's a declaration. It's a profession. I've ruined 
myself. I have degraded myself. God gave me a holy law, and I've 
busied myself in breaking each of those ten blessed words. I've had other gods before him. 
I've been an idolater. I have misused his name. I have 
broken his special day. I have dishonored lawful authority. 
I have been a murderer. I have been an adulterer. I have 
been a thief. I have been a liar, and I have 
been a covetous man. I am ruined in and of myself. Baptism is an admission that 
in myself I fail. But it's God's grace, it's God's 
pardon, it's God's remission of my sin, and based on His Spirit 
and His work in me, I give up unto God through Jesus Christ 
to walk in newness of life. That's what it's about. Isn't 
that a beautiful thing that God has given? If you hear me allude 
to weddings, I just did a wedding yesterday. You know, sometimes 
the bride or the groom looks at that ring, not because of 
the gold, not because of the diamonds, not because it fits 
so snugly, not because it makes that third finger look beautiful. They look at that ring to reflect 
upon the one they love. The one who has taken them to 
themselves. The one who has completed them. 
The one who has blessed them immensely. I hope we all look 
at our rings that way. You might wonder why I don't 
wear a ring. My finger got too fat for it. I'm sorry. I wish 
that wasn't the case. If you've ever wondered why Pastor 
Butler doesn't wear a wedding ring, I love my wife. I esteem 
my wife. I don't need to look at a ring 
to think about her. She is always right there in 
the front of my mind. She is a delightful human being 
to me. The reason Pastor Butler doesn't wear a ring on his fingers, 
kids, is because his fingers became like Vienna sausages and 
he needs to lose some weight. If I publicize that, there's 
some impetus for me to get serious. But you know, the person doesn't 
look at that ring and stop. The ring is the vehicle to take 
them to the person. That tank of water is there to 
take us to that blood. That tank of water is there to 
bring us to Calvary, to take us to Zechariah 13, 1. There will be a fountain open 
for sin and uncleanness. Brethren, newness of life is 
pictured. Therefore, we were buried with 
him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised 
from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life. Don't continue in your breaking 
of those ten commandments. Don't continue in your rejection 
of God's holy law. Don't continue in your revolt 
and rebellion. You are baptized. You've been 
brought into union with Christ. Your sins are pardoned. You've 
made a public avowal of walking in newness of life. Don't go 
out and carry on like a heathen. Don't go out and carry on like 
a pagan. You're a Christian. You're a 
believer. You have something that the world 
does not have. You have something that no one 
can take away from you. You're in Christ. based on that 
reality, pursue holiness without which no one will see the Lord. That, briefly, is the meaning. 
We ask the question, who should be baptized? I think the answer 
is evident. Those who have experienced those 
blessings, right? Doesn't it make sense? Those 
who have union with Christ, those who have the pardon of sin, those 
who walk in newness of life are the subjects of baptism. They are the ones to go into 
the water. They are the ones to come up 
out of the water. They are the ones who have right 
and priority to the baptismal waters. They are the proper subjects 
of baptism. The Old Testament confirms this. I'm going to mention a text that 
I know Free Grace Baptist Church, or I hope Free Grace Baptist 
Church, is very familiar with. There's an announcement of the 
New Covenant in the Old Covenant. There's an announcement of what 
God will do in Jesus Christ in the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 
31, 31 to 34. What God through the prophet 
is showing us is what the New Covenant community will look 
like. Remember that? Yes, we remember. Great text, we love that passage. 
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make 
a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house 
of Judah. This means the church, as Hebrews 
8 and 10 tell us. Hebrews 8 and 10 applies this 
to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ and the new covenant. 
It goes on to say, not according to the covenant that I made with 
their fathers in the day that I took them out of the land of 
Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was a husband 
to them, says the Lord. It's unbreakable. In other words, 
when by God's grace you come into this new covenant, you're 
not going to lose your salvation. You're not going to be finally 
lost. You're not going to be damned. 
Those for whom Jesus died are secured so that they will be 
able to say with Newton, when we've been there 10,000 years 
bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's praise 
than when we first began. We're going to sing that in a 
few minutes anyway. It's unbreakable. God says, I will internalize 
my law. I will put my law in their minds 
and write it on their hearts. Remember, he's announcing what 
the new covenant is going to look like. He says, they will 
have a personal knowledge of God and I will be their God and 
they shall be my people. No more shall every man teach 
his neighbor and every man his brother saying, know the Lord, 
for they all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest 
of them, says the Lord. It's not talking about the catechism 
here. It's talking about experiential religion. Of course, everybody 
in old covenant Israel knew who Yahweh was. He's talking about 
that knowledge of intimacy. That knowledge of relationship, 
that knowledge of covenant, that knowledge of entering into the 
very presence of God Most High. And then he says, fourthly, for 
I will forgive their iniquity and their sin. I will remember 
no more. It's the parameters of the New 
Covenant community. That's what the New Covenant 
community looks like. That's why we as Reformed Baptists 
say only those who profess faith in Christ, those who profess 
repentance unto life, are the worthy subjects of baptism. It's 
not rocket science. It's not that difficult. It really 
isn't. God, through the prophet, defines. 
And then when we turn to the pages of the New Testament, what 
do we see? It's fleshed out. Go therefore and make disciples 
of all the nations, baptizing them. Who? The disciples that 
are made. Not the nations indiscriminately. 
Rome used to take their water and just sprinkle masses of humanity 
in order to make them Christians. That's not what the text says. 
The text says, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing 
them, the disciples made from within the nations. They are 
the ones, they are the subjects, they are proper and fitting to 
go into the baptistry. We see it in the book of Acts. 
Repent, therefore, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for 
the remission of sins. Our dear brethren that hold to 
pale sprinkling, oftentimes sight, Acts 2, when it says, the promise 
is for you and your children, all who are far off, as many 
as the Lord our God will call. That last phrase limits it. As 
many as the Lord our God will call. That's the modifying clause. That's absolutely crucial. Or 
we should just go sprinkle all who are far off and make them 
Christians. No. And John Gill points out 
that some of the children in attendance there were being specifically 
appealed to because, if you remember, when the Jews invoked the wrath 
of God upon themselves, they said, let his blood be upon us 
and our children. Now, there's forgiveness through 
that blood. The text does not demand, necessitate, 
or give warrant for infant inclusion. Just trying to be polemic, just 
trying to set forth what the Bible sets forth to modify. And then we go through the book 
of Acts, what do we see? The Ethiopian eunuch, I believe 
he's baptized. Saul of Tarsus believed he was 
baptized. Acts 18, they believed and they 
were baptized. There's a particular priority. 
The lawful subjects under Christ who are fit candidates for baptism 
are those who, by God's grace alone, have believed the gospel. Those who have received the benefits 
of new covenant membership. Those who, by God's grace, are 
in an inviolable or unbreakable covenant. who have the law written 
on their hearts, who have a personal knowledge of God Most High, and 
who have received the forgiveness of sins, they go into the tank. The confession summarizes this 
way in chapter 29, paragraph 2. Those who do actually profess 
repentance toward God, faith in and obedience to our Lord 
Jesus, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance. We've seen 
the meaning, the subjects, thirdly and quickly, the necessity. Why? I hope the answer I give will 
carry everyone's conscience. Because Jesus commands it. Right? Jesus commands this. Go, therefore, 
and make disciples. If you want to, baptize them. 
If you don't want to, don't baptize them. No, go. Going. Literally, going. Disciple. When you have disciples, baptize 
those disciples and then teach those disciples. You see the 
mission of the church right there, don't you? But he talks about 
being missional today, but he talks about being on mission. 
Well, the church's mission is pretty clearly defined there. Make disciples, baptize disciples 
and teach disciples. It really isn't rocket science. 
Sometimes the church is doing things that Jesus never called 
her to do. And then people blame her for not doing other things. The church's focus is quite narrow, 
brethren. It's like the state's focus is 
quite narrow. God's made families, made church. 
He's made state. He's made specific functions 
for that. The church isn't supposed to 
be doing a lot of the things she's engaged in. She is to faithfully 
and accurately and exegetically preach God's truth. Baptize or 
make disciples and baptize them and then teach them. When you're 
looking for a church, may I suggest Matthew 28 take priority? Not 
you have the cleanest nursery care. I'm not saying put your 
child in a pit. I've shared with the brethren 
here at the church I came from, at one point we had a pit for 
a nursery, not literally, but physically. Me and the other 
deacon used to have to go on spider patrol before children 
would come in there on Sunday mornings. That meant walk around 
and make sure the big gargantuan Mojave Desert spiders weren't 
lurking behind the carpet shag so that they could attack our 
dear ones. That's legit. You can weed out spiders. That's 
good. You know, people shop, if I can use that language, for 
churches in that way. They let the needs of the desires 
of the wants of their hearts, or sometimes the wants of their 
children's hearts, define for them where they will worship 
God. Who should define where we worship 
God? God should define that. Does 
the church preach the Bible accurately? That's primary. That's of the 
utmost. That's absolutely crucial. Do 
they practice the ordinances biblically? Baptism in the Lord's 
Supper. And do they teach? Do they nurture? Do they feed? Do they get people 
grounded in the Holy Scriptures? Most of you know, my son is gone 
now. He's in Mississippi. I encouraged him with this church 
that he is going to go to in Biloxi. Be a blessing. Be an 
encouragement to your pastor. Don't whine. Don't grumble. Don't 
complain. If he handles accurately the 
word of God, love him, esteem him, and be there. It's not rocket 
science. One of the most encouraging things 
for pastors, believe it or not, is when people show up. Boy, you set the bar pretty low 
there, pastor. That's what it's about. That's 
what the Great Commission says. How are we supposed to teach 
people that don't come? How can we rightly break open the Word 
of Life to people who aren't here? How can we engage in the 
shepherding aspect to people that are unknown? You see, it 
isn't rocket science. Jesus commands it. Mark, chapter 
16, in another version, not another version, but Mark's record of 
the Great Commission, Mark 16, 15, he said to them, go into 
all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He 
who believes in his baptized will be saved, but he does not 
believe will be condemned. That's Jesus words, that's what 
Jesus says. Go and preach the gospel. He 
who believes and is baptized will be saved. Notice, he who 
does not believe will be condemned. You can go to heaven without 
being baptized. You need to obey this command. 
You need to submit to the Lord. You need to follow him in the 
waters of baptism. But rejection or exclusion from 
the kingdom of God comes based on the gospel, whether we believe 
it or we don't. The thief on the cross entered 
into heaven without having been baptized. We need to make sure 
we understand that. There's no saving efficacy tied 
up in that tank. Regular water. And it is not 
only commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ, it is a testimony to 
the glory of God in the gospel. When our young brother goes into 
that tank today again, don't congratulate him. I mean, there's 
nothing wrong with shaking his hand and giving him a big bear 
hug and loving on him and all that sort of thing. But it's 
not as if he's accomplished something today. The great accomplishment 
is in the work at Calvary. The great accomplishment is what 
God in the gospel has done. That water, again, should serve 
like that ring to lead us to that person. That water should 
lead us to the triune God of heaven and earth. the Father 
who chose, the Son who redeems, and the Spirit who applies. It 
should lead us to consider sovereign grace. It should lead us to consider 
that sovereign power that brought a sinner out of darkness into 
marvelous light. Austin, may your confession this 
day be similar to that of Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I'd be remiss 
as a Reformed Baptist to preach on baptism and not quote Spurgeon. It's like an unwritten rule. 
You just don't do that. Headquarters would get very mad with me. Just 
kidding. Here's his journal or his diary 
entry for May 3rd. May 3rd was his mother's birthday. 
So he notes that. My mother's birthday says something 
glowing about his mother to be sure. But then he said this. 
And I want you to think about this and I hope it is your testimony 
as well. In the afternoon, I was privileged 
to follow my Lord. and to be buried with him in 
baptism. Blessed pool, sweet emblem of my death to all the 
world. May I henceforward live alone 
for Jesus. Accept my body and soul as a 
poor sacrifice. Tie me unto thee. In thy strength, 
I now devote myself to thy service forever. Never may I shrink from 
owning thy name. Witness, ye men and angels, now 
if I forsake the Lord, I vow to glory alone in Jesus and his 
cross and to spend my life in the extension of his cause in 
whatsoever way he pleases. I desire to be sincere in this 
solemn profession, having but one object in view, and that 
to glorify God. Blessing upon thy name that thou 
hast supported me through the day. It is thy strength alone 
that could do this. Thou hast, thou wilt. Thou hast 
enabled me to profess thee. Help me now to honor thee and 
carry out my profession and live the life of Christ on earth. Wonderful words from our dear 
brother and ones I hope Austin will reflect upon. We as the 
church are receiving a young man into our membership today. 
We are to pray for him as we pray for each other. This is 
a presupposition. We are to seek, by God's good 
grace, to hold him accountable, to be an encouragement to him, 
and to be of benefit to him. We have reciprocal duties in 
the body of Christ. You don't just come to get in 
the church. John F. Kennedy said it with 
reference to the state. I don't know if he actually said 
it. It's attributed to him. Ask not what your country can 
do for you, but what you can do for your country. Let's bring 
that into the ecclesiastical sphere. Again, going back to 
that shopper's mentality, what can the church do for me? Let's 
look at what we can do for the church. Let's look at how we 
can honor the bride of Christ. Let's look at how we can serve 
her. Let's look at how we can deny ourselves for her. Let's 
ask about someone else on the Sabbath day than making them 
hear all about us. Again, it's reciprocal. It's 
one to another. The New Testament is filled with 
one another's. Love one another. Be hospitable 
to one another. Give preference to one another. 
Be kindly affectionate to one another. You see, the Bible says 
we are to scope out others. And we are to put them before 
ourselves. And we are to value them and prize them. And we need 
to be apprised afresh of not only our privileges of church 
membership, but the responsibilities. It's not just a matter of what 
we get here. It's what we're able to give by God's grace and 
for his glory. And I'll summarize or I'll close 
with this. Baptism does not save. Jesus saves. Jesus Christ alone. If you're trusting in your works, 
if you're trusting in your performance, if you're trusting that you're 
not as bad as the kid that lives down the street, your trust is 
without foundation. There is one alone who can save. 
There is one alone who brings forgiveness. There is one alone 
who brings righteousness, and it's Christ. The Bible says whoever 
believes on him will be saved. Let us pray. Father, thank you 
very much for the scriptures. Thank you for this wonderful 
doctrine of baptism. Thank you for what it signifies, 
what it symbolizes, what it portrays. We pray that this morning would 
be an encouragement to each and every one of us as we reflect 
again upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. We just pray for young 
Austin that you would bless him in his Christian life, cause 
him to pursue holiness, cause him to be a man of God, to be 
faithful in every area that you call him to. Give us grace as 
the Church of Christ to engage in these one and others, to reciprocate, 
to seek to be a blessing, to seek to give, to seek to deny 
ourselves on behalf of others. We just thank you, Lord, for 
this glad hour. We thank you for the grace that 
has made all of this possible. We thank you for your grace displayed 
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And it's in his name that we 
pray. Amen.