Word of Salvation – Vol. 22 No. 31 – April 1976
God Moves Us Through Baptism To Faith
Sermon by Rev. M. P. Geluk on Lord’s Day 27
Scripture Reading: 1Peter 3:13-22
Psalter Hymnal: 156:1,2,4; 391:all vss.; 292:1,3,4,7; 169:1,2,3; and 493.
Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
May you truly believe that you are a child of God? May you really believe that God has forgiven you your sins and accepted you in Christ Jesus? These questions have of course to do with the assurance of faith and it is a matter which continues to bother many members of the Christian church. We are reminded many times through the preaching of the Word that we must repent of wickedness, turn away from sin, and trust that God is our Saviour. But this child-like trust in God is often missing; we doubt and find it difficult to believe all that God has promised us in His Word. Personal assurance of faith, that we are truly God’s children in Christ, is for many as changeable as the weather and as elusive as the clouds in the sky.
Of course, we don’t like this unhappy state of affairs and we tend to look to others to see what their faith is like. And nowadays one does not have to go very far in order to hear glowing testimonies about conversions and of wonderful experiences. In some circles it is the accepted thing these days to give your testimony of your own faith. And some of these testimonies may indeed be exciting and encouraging. Yet, there is a great danger in all this in that we are inclined to start comparing. We look at others and then we look at ourselves. And when one cannot recall a thrilling spiritual experience, then there is even more doubt as to whether or not one is a child of God.
Now today we are going to point you away from the experiences and testimonies of others, and even from your own experiences, and we are going to point you to God and to what He has promised you in your baptism. God does not ask us to believe what others have experienced, nor what we ourselves have experienced, but God asks us to believe His Word which He spoke to us in connection with the sacrament of baptism.
Faith is a very delicate thing and unless we precisely follow God’s prescription for faith, we will meet with shipwreck. God alone can open the way to faith, He provides the means by which we come to faith, and also the means by which faith is strengthened. Any other means, other than what God gives, will never give us personal assurance and certainty.
We speak then of GOD WHO THROUGH BAPTISM MOVES US TO FAITH. To such faith He moves us through the Word which He speaks:
1) at baptism;
2) about baptism; and
3) in baptism.
1). First of all then, we take note of the Word which the Lord speaks AT baptism. We are familiar with this Word for we hear it whenever the sacrament of baptism is administered: “I baptise you into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Please note that Jesus, just before He ascended into heaven, commanded the disciples to baptise into the Name of the triune God. So the words spoken at every baptism are from Scripture, they are from God,
Now, what does it mean to baptise someone into the NAME OF GOD? We have heard this text from the Bible so often that we hardly ever stop to think as to what these words really mean. To begin with it is better to translate ‘INTO the Name of God’ than ‘IN the Name of God’. If you have heard quite often ‘in the Name of God’ then it is quite possible that this has been taken to mean that baptism is merely done in obedience to the command of God. Baptism is seen as something that the minister does on behalf of God, in His Name. If I do something in someone’s name then it means that I am doing it, not on my own behalf, but on someone else’s behalf. But this is NOT the way to understand the baptismal formula.
Of course, baptism is a command from God which we must obey. He tells us to make use of this sacrament. Yet, the words ‘in the Name of God’ refer to something else, they do not mean that the minister is baptising on behalf of God.
We should understand it in this way. To baptise someone into the Name of God intends to mean that a bond of fellowship exists between them, that is, between God and the person baptised. We can illustrate this by using an example from the Bible. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians (1Cor.10:2) speaks about the Israelites having been baptised INTO MOSES, in the cloud and in the sea. That means that the cloudy pillar established a relationship, a bond, between Moses and the Israelites. The Israelites were not a gathering of loose individuals which appeared before the cloud. No, that cloud bound them to each other; that cloud united them around Moses. God spoke only and dealt only with Moses, but it was meant for all Israel, because they were linked to Moses by means of the cloud. They were the MOSES CONGREGATION.
It was also that way when Israel passed through the Red Sea. God did not only protect Moses from the Egyptians, no, the sea was around them all.
They went through the Red Sea AS A CONGREGATION of which every Israelite was a member with Moses. They were united about Moses, they were a unity in him. That then is the meaning of the Israelites being baptised into Moses. It indicated a bond, a fellowship, the one was under the authority and protection of the other.
Well, baptism into God points also to a fellowship, a bond, wherein the person baptised comes under the authority and protection of God. We should note too, that it speaks of being baptised ‘into the NAME of God.’ For us a name serves to distinguish one from the other. But for God His Name means a lot more. God’s Name points out what God IS for others. So, when we are baptised into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, then we should not think that these three Names merely point to God’s triune existence, but we should understand that these Names point out what God is for us, what relationship He has to us, and what fellowship He has with us, as Father, as Son, and as Holy Spirit.
‘Father’, in the baptismal formula, does NOT mean that He is the Father of the eternal Son, like it does in the trinity, but that He is OUR Father. Likewise, ‘Son’ does not refer to the fact that He is the only-begotten of the Father, but that He as the Son is the Saviour FOR US from our sin. And again ‘Holy Spirit’ does not refer to the Spirit in His divine activity with the Father and the Son but it refers to Him as the Spirit of sanctification who has been given TO US. Of course, the baptismal formula can be quoted to show that God is a triune being and that each Person in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, have distinct attributes of their own, but primarily the baptismal formula is there to show us the nature of the relationship God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has to everyone who is baptised into His Name. Therefore, to be baptised into the Name of God, that is, into the Name of the Father, the Name of the Son, and the Name of the Holy Spirit, means that God Himself has established a bond of fellowship between us and Himself, that is, between us and the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God declares that we now share in Him and in His salvation. He reveals that I am His possession.
My baptism then tells me that I am the FATHER’S possession, who adopted me as His child and heir of His promises, and therefore will provide me with every good thing and avert all evil or turn it to my profit.
My baptism further tells me that I am the SON’S possession, so that He washed me in His blood from all my sins, incorporating me into the fellowship of His death and resurrection, so that I am freed from my sin and accounted righteous before God.
And my baptism also tells me that I am the HOLY SPIRIT’S possession, who will dwell in me and sanctify me to be a member of Christ, imparting to me all that I have in Christ, namely the washing away of my sin and the daily renewing of my life, till I shall finally be presented without spot among the assembly of the elect in life eternal.
So I stand in COVENANT fellowship with God, being BAPTISED into His Name, being UNITED with Him in everything which He, in His sovereign good pleasure, wills to be for men.
And now we return to the question: “May I truly believe that I am a child of God? May I really believe that God has forgiven me my sins and has accepted me in Christ Jesus?” And now we answer: I may NOT doubt, I MUST BELIEVE!
God is surely not playing around with us when we are being baptised. If He says in the baptismal formula that I BELONG to Him, that I am POSSESSED by the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and therefore share in His salvation, where then do I find a reason to contradict this, or to place a question mark behind His Word? Can I be personally sure that I really have been forgiven of my sin? Well, the answer to that question may never depend upon what I think of myself. For I always think too favourably of myself and, moreover, by looking to others and then to myself, I will never be rid of doubt and uncertainty. I should look to God. And He says that I am His. He declares in the Word which He spoke to me at baptism that I belong to Him in that covenant fellowship. And now it is so. Not perhaps, not may be, but ‘for sure’! It is God’s good pleasure to determine who should belong to His covenant. It was HIS will, not your own, that you should be a child of your parents. And it was HIS will that you should belong to a family which stands in covenant relationship to God. God established this tie, this bond Himself. He simply took hold of you. He did not wait until the moment in which you started to believe. If that were the case then salvation would depend on you. No, God established and swore by Himself an oath that as truly as He lives, you stand in fellowship with the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit. God Himself has confirmed this to you when you were baptised into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
And now we had better make up our minds whether or not we are going to believe this. Maybe you are doubting if that covenant relationship between God and you is really there. Maybe you rather know nothing about it. But you cannot undo what God has declared at your baptism. By His own Word God established that bond. Even if you do not believe it, you will never be free from it. Those who are baptised but do not respond to God’s call to faith, are covenant breakers and will receive the greater punishment than those who never received baptism. But God would move us to faith through baptism. He urges us to believe, to respond to His Word spoken AT our baptism, by turning away from sin and trusting in Christ the Saviour. We have to believingly accept the Word which God spoke AT our baptism.
2). Then in the second place God does not only speak at baptism but He also speaks ABOUT baptism. And also in what God says about baptism He would move us to faith He calls baptism the washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5) and the washing away of sins (Acts 22:16).
The Roman Catholic Church has concluded from this that the water of baptism itself possesses forgiving and renewing power. But that cannot be the right understanding for the water itself is only a symbol and a sign, it has no special power of its own, nor does the water become that. The water stays water, it does not change.
But still WHY does God call baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sins? Is He rather careless and inaccurate in His Words? Well, remember that God wills to bring us to faith. That is His primary purpose, to bring us to faith through baptism. So God says things with a view of really penetrating into us, of really driving home this point of believing His Word.
In some things we do the same. If I owe someone one hundred dollars, then I can repay that money either in cash or by cheque. Now when I pay by cheque and say, “Here is your $100” then everyone knows that the cheque itself is not a $100. But the person can go to the bank and receive the said amount. As certainly as he has that piece of paper, the cheque, so certainly will he receive his money.
Now in that same sense should we understand God’s Word when He calls baptism the washing of regeneration and the washing away of sin. God baptises us, and says that we have received regeneration, the new birth, and the washing away of sins. God really wants to underline that promise. Baptised people are really washed from their sins as certainly as the outward washing with water will cleanse the body. Baptism is the legal evidence that we have a right to forgiveness and to sanctification, just as much as my cheque guarantees payment with the bank. Baptism is a divine pledge, and by it God wants to assure us that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really as we are outwardly washed clean with water.
But now here again this has to be humbly accepted in faith by the person baptised. Not believing is bad, for then we reject the truth of God’s Word. God goes to considerable lengths in order to help us to believe. God cannot do more. He speaks comforting words at baptism, and He gives a powerful witness about baptism, all pointing to salvation in Christ. Now we must believe His Word and accept it. We must cling to our baptism and realise the truth of God’s Word spoken then.
Earlier on we read from Peter’s letter. When the storm of persecution raged against the church and the congregation saw God’s judgment strike in the world, then Peter tells the believers that baptism will save them from that divine judgment (1Peter 3:21) Again that same emphatic way of speaking.
No, baptism itself does not save, only Christ does. But baptism is such a powerful sign and stresses such an important truth, that God simply says that baptism will save you. At least this strong language will prevent us from having a hollow conception of baptism/ Baptism says that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really as we are outwardly cleansed with water.
Extreme? Maybe! But at least God is leading us to faith through baptism. He is urging. He is calling. And are we responding? Are we humbly accepting His promise of salvation in faith? We must believe, we cannot remain unbelieving, for then we will be punished by God for rejecting His promise.
3). Finally, God wishes to lead us to faith through the Word which He speaks IN baptism. He speaks to us at baptism and about baptism and now also in baptism.
He does that in this way.
The sacraments are of course the VISIBLE Word They do nothing else but point us to the Gospel. The sacraments have no message of their own. What the sacraments say, the Word says too. And as God speaks to us IN His Word, so also does He speak to us IN baptism. This is clear from the answer the Catechism gives to the question, “Are infants also to be baptised?”
Now you know of course that there are those who say, ‘no’. After all a child cannot believe, they say. And the New Testament says, “He who believes and is baptised shall be saved” (Mark 16:16) Still, we should be careful in our interpretation, for the remainder of this verse says, “He who does not believe will be condemned.” Will those who say that an infant must not be baptised because it has no faith, also say that such an infant will be condemned because it has no faith? I doubt if that is what they want to say. But why then apply a different interpretation to the first part of the verse than to the second part? If it cannot be assumed that children who die in infancy will be automatically condemned because they have no faith as yet, then neither can it be assumed that infants must not be baptised because there is no faith as yet.
God moves us to faith through baptism. Faith is very much necessary, for without faith one will be condemned. But it is not necessary that faith must be present BEFORE baptism, it can also come AFTER baptism, as indeed will be the case with most covenant children Faith and baptism certainly go together but they need not occur together Children of believing parents may be baptised because the promise of God in the covenant also extends to them, as well as to the parents. And it is to God’s honour that the sign and seal of this promise is administered in baptism as soon as possible. But baptism need not wait for faith. God moves us to faith through the Word He speaks at our baptism and about our baptism and in our baptism.
For a proper understanding of the whole matter we must learn to see that baptism is NOT meant to be a response of the believer. To say that a child cannot be baptised because it cannot as yet believe is approaching the whole matter from a wrong starting point. We should not concentrate on the child in the first place but on what GOD SAYS in His Word and in baptism.
The fact is that we cannot say anything about the child. We cannot say that the child has the capacity or the potential to believe, for we simply don’t know. We cannot presuppose that the child is already regenerated, for some baptised children fail to believe upon maturity. We should get right away from any question that is raised about the faith of the child. In baptism we have nothing to do with the faith of the child. In baptism we have everything to do with GOD’S PROMISE, and concerning that we have complete certainty. Baptism should never be looked upon as a seal or sign of one’s faith as this will give us no comfort and no certainty. For if I am sure about the genuineness of my faith, why then do I still need baptism? Baptism is superfluous. And if I am not sure about the genuineness of my faith but doubt, then I will also be doubting if my baptism was genuine, for how could it confirm my faith if I am not sure if was genuine to start off with.
On the contrary, baptism is a sign to and a seal upon GOD’S PROMISE. And therefore infants of believing parents can also be baptised upon the basis of God’s specific promise to them. Baptism does not say that they are believing children or that they are regenerated. But baptism DOES say that they, as well as the adults, are included in the covenant and church of God, and that both redemption from sin and the Holy Spirit, the author of faith, are through the blood of Christ, promised to them. This is the correct understanding of the matter.
Baptism does NOT say who the children will be in the future for God, but it DOES say who GOD, both now and in the future, is for them. We are not certain about the child but we are completely certain about God.
Those who are no longer able to see the value of their baptism, sometimes argue that they were too small to realise what was happening. But again, it has nothing to do with it. Our children share in the condemnation of Adam too. And there we don’t say that it cannot be real just because the children did not understand it at the time of their conception or birth. God says in His Word that our children are sinful, born with sinful natures, and that is all there is to it. Now the same thing applies, when we say on the basis of God’s promise that they are holy in Christ. God says so, and that is the end of it.
We are sure of one thing: God’s own promise that He has engrafted the children of believers into Himself. And of this promise baptism is a seal, confirming that God means what He says, that He cannot lie, and that we can really trust Him God assures me personally in the sacrament that I am His child. He would deliver me from all doubt. God wants to bring me to faith through baptism, to a full acceptance of His promise.
Congregation, God is true and His sacraments are true. We can trust Him, we can believe His Word spoken to us in the sacrament. God then speaks through the sacrament of baptism to lead us to faith and to strengthen faith. He gave baptism for that purpose. You must believe, you are to turn from sin and trust in God as the Saviour. God spoke His Word AT your baptism, He spoke His Word ABOUT baptism, and He spoke His Word IN baptism. Why did God do that and why does He continue doing it? So that you may believe and not doubt. Is my faith real? Lord, I believe, help me in my unbelief
Amen.