In This Edition:
In This Together
Upcoming Series: Jesus At Home: Parenting In His Presence
Subscribe!
In This Together
“I am in prison because I belong to the Lord. Therefore I urge you who have been chosen by God to live up to the life to which God called you. Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way. There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God and Father of everything. He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything” (Ephesians 4:1-6 NCV)
I just finished a series of sermons on baptism. In the first lesson of the series, we walked with Jesus, centering our attention on the gospels. Why be baptized? To imitate Jesus, fulfill all that is right, and to experience a new birth, drinking deeply of the water of life, the Spirit of God.
In the second lesson, we listened to the Apostle Paul as he drew out the deep and powerful connections between baptism and the story of redemption. Why be baptized? To unite with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, experiencing our own exodus moment, regenerated and renewed.
In the third lesson, we explored the conversion stories in the book of Acts, considering the stream of church history. Why be baptized? To respond to the gospel, to call upon the name of the Lord through the name of Jesus Christ, and to join the expanding mission of God from Jew to Gentile.
All of this is invitation: “Come! Come and take of the water of life freely.” But texts like these leave us with some questions, as they should. As a preacher in Churches of Christ, I get asked lots of questions about baptism—or more specifically, about our way of talking about baptism. Some people hear us talk about baptism as if we simply did a word study in the New Testament on this one thing, and then found our identity in a water ritual. But true Bible study is more than word studies; we want to develop a deep theology of baptism—one that takes into account and makes sense of all of Scripture. We want to lead with good theology. Our words matter.
There is not a single sermon in the New Testament on baptism. Paul never got up in the synagogue, nor Peter in the porticoes, and delivered a sermon titled “What baptism is and why you should do it.” The sermons were always about Jesus. They led with Jesus. I want to lead with Jesus, and then, inevitably, Jesus leads us to the water.
The truth is that baptism is supposed to be a uniting thing, not a dividing thing. Virtually all denominations and fellowships in Christendom practice baptism in one form or another. The near ubiquity of practice has long been seen as a starting point for ecumenical dialogue. For this I am grateful. In appreciation for Christian believers who hear us speaking divisively, and in the interest of promoting the unity Jesus prayed for, I’d like to share three clarifying answers to commonly asked questions.
SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH
#1: Do you believe salvation is by grace through faith alone, or do you think it is necessary to be baptized?
Some of my friends view baptism as important but disconnected from our conversion story. On the other hand, some other friends think baptism is necessary because faith just isn’t enough. I’d like to propose a more excellent way.
We can start with the language of “grace alone.” The cardinal passage to turn to is Romans 11:5-6.
“So, too, at the present time, there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace” (ESV).
Here Paul lays out two options—grace and works. He says if those are the two options, and works is involved in your answer, than grace isn’t grace. Do you see that? So if we are asking “are we saved on the basis of grace or on the basis of works” (and these are the two options in discussion), Romans 11 seems to say “it’s grace alone. God doesn’t need you to add to his finished work on the cross. It’s not Jesus plus your good deeds. It’s grace alone.”
There are two passages (out of many) that make this point vividly. Ephesians 2 and Titus 3 say basically the same thing. First, Paul lays out the problem: it’s us. If we are the problem, how can our works be the solution? They can’t be. Rescue has to come from the outside. So he continues:
Titus 3:4-5: “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he save us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.”
Ephesians 2:4-9: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved…and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Titus 3:7: “So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Do you see the argument being made? If the choice is God’s grace or feeble human achievement, the answer is obvious: God’s grace—period! Another way of saying this is “grace alone.”
But the usual line goes like this: we are saved “by grace alone through faith alone.” The line is not referring to christian life and conduct (James 2:24), but to the ground of our salvation. When that is the topic of discussion, Paul (again) offers two choices: faith or works of human law and merit. Can you guess which one Paul sides with?
“If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justified the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness…That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace” (Romans 4:2-5, 16).
Paul says grace means gift, while works means duly earned. When those are the two options, Paul says we are saved through faith. Period. That’s where we get “faith alone.”
Look back at Ephesians 2 which we quoted earlier but left something out:
“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.”
Salvation by grace through faith means an unearned gift. If you think you were saved by your hard-earned works of human merit and law keeping, then you have salvation by human achievement which would be something to boast about.
No. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone.
We ought to affirm this. The Bible is rich in metaphor and words mean different things in different contexts. For example, there are at least 27 different things connected with “saving” in the New Testament. But it is wrong to think of salvation as the sum total of 27 things that “save.” A theology of salvation that takes the whole Bible into account and is rooted in the cross of Jesus Christ says that we should not put “plus signs” between God’s grace, our faith, and various works and duties of human merit. That is simply bad theology. It leads to boasting. It leads to confidence in our works. Our line should be “nothing in my hands I bring; only to thy cross I cling.”
But…
This does not exclude baptism for a very simple reason: Paul doesn’t think of baptism as a human work of law or merit. Baptism is included in the statement “I am saved by grace alone through faith alone.” Let me show you how.
If we are saved by grace alone, then why are we allowed to add a single word after that phrase? If by grace, then why “through faith?” You know why. “By grace” refers to the ground of your salvation (which has nothing to do with you). “Through faith” refers to how you receive the grace of salvation (how it is applied to you). That makes sense. So far, so good.
But read Romans 10:9 which says “if you believe in your heart…you will be saved.” Did you notice it also calls for confession? “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart.” If salvation is through faith alone, is no declaration of faith in the Lord Jesus necessary? “Of course confession is included,” some might say; “confession is the way you express faith in the Lord Jesus.” That makes sense. So far, so good.
But when Jesus was teaching the good news of the gospel, he would say “Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Luke says “Repentance for remission of sins” will be preached in his name (Luke 24:47). If we are saved through faith alone, does it not matter if I have a change of heart and life? “Well of course it matters,” is the usual response: “you see faith assumes that its genuine; inward repentance is simply the genuine counterpart to public confession. This is included in what Paul means by ‘faith.’”
Yes. That is right. I agree that Paul doesn’t come up with a plan of salvation that has a bunch of plus signs like repent plus confess plus believe. I agree that Paul says salvation is by grace through faith—even “faith alone.” But the same door that you use to include repentance and confession is the same door that Paul himself uses to include baptism.
Look again at Romans 10:9-13. The language is rich with connections that any of his readers would have associated with their baptism—which Paul already addressed in depth in chapter 6.
“Believe in your heart and you will be saved” is precisely what Paul told the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:30-33). Paul then preached the word to the jailer, and the same hour of the night he was baptized.
“Confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus.” In Acts 8, the eunuch sees water and says “here is water! What keeps me from being baptized?” Verse 37—which offers a confession formula to accompany baptism—is likely not original to Luke, but was added later by a scribe. But there is a reason a scribe added it later. Confession was integral to baptism contexts and experience. 1 Peter 3 says that our baptism is a “pledge” or “request” for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We say something at our baptism, and—not only that—our baptism says something.
“There is no distinction between Jew and Greek.” That’s Paul phrase in Galatians 3, right after saying “we are all sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Therefore there is no distinction between Jew or Greek” (Gal 3:26-28).
And Paul connects confession and belief with “calling on the name of the Lord.” You remember. Acts 2:38 which calls for baptism in Jesus’ name is simply explaining how to carry out Acts 2:21 which says to call upon the name of the Lord. Or Acts 22:16, where Ananias says to Paul, “why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
This is all part of what Paul means by “faith.” Faith means trust, loyalty, allegiance--and it includes all of me (heart/will, mind/intellect, soul/spirit, and body). Paul never thought of baptism as some added human work of merit that nullifies the grace of God or as something to add to faith with a plus sign.
A number of New Testament scholars agree. Consider David Wenham, for example:
“The evidence we have suggests that baptism was the way people put their faith in Jesus. The response to ‘what must I do to be saved?’ was not ‘pray a prayer of commitment in your heart’…but ‘repent and be baptized’ (Acts 2:38). Baptism involved believing in the heart and confessing with the lips (‘Jesus is Lord’) and going down into the water (Rom. 10:10)…Baptism was the way people became disciples of Jesus.”
Francis Chan, the well-known preacher who once served as pastor of the Evangelical Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley, California, speaks similarly:
“Understand that God has prescribed in Scripture a method by which we confess to him and everyone else around us that we are going into Jesus Christ, that we have accepted everything that is about Him, and we are being baptized into Him; we are climbing into the ark of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ. See, God never says in there that if you want to follow me, raise your hand, walk down an aisle, pray a prayer. What he prescribes is ‘Repent, be baptized.’ That is your calling out. That is your confession for a clear conscience. And then you’ll be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
G. R. Beasley-Murray puts it well: “Baptism is the divinely appointed rendezvous of grace for faith.”
In other words, a high view of baptism does not negate salvation by grace alone through faith alone.
When asked about salvation, I hope our first word is not “baptism.” Our first word must always be “God”! John 3:16 makes this abundantly clear. I was saved by the grace of God at the cross of Jesus Christ. I received that grace through faith. And, yes, I have been baptized into Christ, the only place salvation can be found.
WHICH BAPTISMS COUNT?
#2: How much do I have to know or get right for my baptism to count? If I didn’t measure up, should I be re-baptized?
In my experience, I have witnessed numerous re-baptisms. These usually arise from sincere hearts who worry they just didn’t do baptism right. Sometimes it was the words the preacher said; other times it was the place where the baptism was held. Maybe it was questioning the time interval between pledging my love to Jesus Christ and waiting for “baptism Sunday” to take the plunge. But most of the time, in my experience, re-baptism happens because we think we just didn’t know enough about what promises were attached, what blessings were bestowed, or what precisely I thought about the order and timing of God’s redemption.
I honor every sincere heart. It would be highly hypocritical of me to do otherwise. For, you see, I too was re-baptized. I took the plunge at an early age. It was 5 years later that I started to question how many of those New Testament passages about baptism I had in my system at the time. I felt embarrassed to say anything. But when I was in my late teenage years, standing for the 8th verse of Just As I Am, I figured obedience to God was more important than embarrassment. So, to the surprise of my dad and everyone else in that church, I took another plunge.
The Bible says very little about re-baptism. Very little. And I know that we are starting to get into the realm of speculation. But I hope you will hear my plea as one from a sincere heart. While I do not make it policy to stand in the way of anyone who wants to be baptized, I would caution against re-baptisms.
Here is why: because most of the reasons we have to encourage or expect re-baptism turns baptism into something it isn’t, and obscures what it is.
First, baptism is part of our conversion story; but our conversion is not to baptism. Our conversion is to Jesus Christ. Look at every one of the key baptism passages. What do you notice? Acts 2:38 calls for us to be baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ.” Romans 6 says our baptism was “into Christ,” and “into his death.” 1 Peter 3 says baptism saves us as the appeal of a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism is for Christ, into Christ, by the authority of Christ, in order to be like Christ, respond to Christ, and be with Christ. Baptism is about Christ. So, tell me, did you say yes to Jesus Christ? Well, “sure I did,” you say, “but there’s a lot more to baptism than that.”
Of course there is. There is a lot more to marriage than saying you take each other for better or worse. But those vows were short. And I don’t know how it was where you were baptized, but I can tell you how it is at every church of which I’ve been a member. We ask you one question before you are baptized: “do you believe that Jesus is the Christ?” If we didn’t require any more confession than that the first time, what makes you think that more is required to necessitate a second time?
Second, conversion is a story of God at work, not a method of human achievement. Do we not remember that salvation is something God does, not me? Rescue is God’s work, not ours. So it is fitting to see baptism as God’s work, not mine. We believe God does something in our baptism. Do you see how re-baptism might send the message that I didn’t do enough?
Third, baptism is part of conversion stories in scripture; but what someone knew and the reason why they were baptized is neither full, nor clear, nor uniform.
Reading Matthew, I would think baptism is the right thing to do, imitates Jesus, and prepares me to fulfill the great commission of baptizing others.
Reading Ephesians, I would think salvation is by grace through faith alone; but our shared baptism is a uniting event that links me with all other believers.
The Bible says we should be baptized to obey God, to imitate Jesus, to receive the spirit, to wash away our sins, to enter the church, to participate in the death of Jesus, and so much more. But no one verse (or even one book) reveals all of that.
Many first and second century christians were lucky to have one gospel or one letter from Paul. Not all reasons for baptism are listed.
The only example of re-baptism in the New Testament is of those who were baptized “for the forgiveness of sins” (Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3) under John, but didn’t understand about the presence or role of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19). That is rarely the reason people I know have decided to take a second plunge. There is more to Acts 19, but it is worth considering whether we are consistent with expectations for knowledge. I have a feeling if we all needed a better understanding of the Spirit for baptism to count, we would have a Mississippi squirrel revival and “all get re-baptized whether we needed it or not.”
Finally, baptism is part of our conversion story, but the door of entrance is Christ: I don’t want to be a third party “screen door” to approve the adequacy of your baptism. Paul is opposed to “screen door” judgmentalism in Galatians, and James A. Harding (for whom Harding University is named) called it “rank sectarianism” to set ourselves up as arbiters to adjudicate legitimate baptisms and require re-baptism to satisfy others.
I know that marriage re-dedication ceremonies can be valuable and significant. But if on your 20th anniversary, you have a re-dedication ceremony in which you announce to your children and the witnesses from your wedding that you were never actually married until now, I think most of us would want to…well…“take you aside and teach you the way of the Lord more perfectly” (Acts 18:26).
IN THIS TOGETHER
Question #3: If Paul describes baptism as what unites us, then why are we so divided?
This is a hard question. It’s the kind of thing two stunned parents hear when their child says “mom and dad, if you love each other, why do you fight so much?” Listen to Ephesians 4:
“I am in prison because I belong to the Lord. Therefore I urge you who have been chosen by God to live up to the life to which God called you. Always be humble, gentle, and patient, accepting each other in love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit, so make every effort to continue together in this way. There is one body and one Spirit, and God called you to have one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. There is one God and Father of everything” (Ephesians 4:1-6 NCV).
Paul saw baptism as one of the 7 things that all believers can rally around. It was part of Paul’s “things you have in common” package he gave the Ephesians. Whatever distresses you may have, whatever disagreements may come, you have the same Lord, worship the same God, and have experienced the same baptism. In other words, you are “in this together.”
That phrase, “in this together,” was made never more real to me than when I read the story of Fauziah and her family.
In the morning of October 26, 2004, an earthquake measuring a 9.3 magnitude struck beneath the Indian Ocean just off the west coast of northern Sumatra. The quake sent 100-foot waves to shore, creating the deadliest natural disaster of this century. Over 200,000 people lost their lives.
But then, there was Fauziah. She was sitting at home with her five children when the tsunami hit. Her husband was at the store, having taken the only motor bike the family owned. With no means of transportation, all she could do was watch as the water rushed into the house and rose at a rapid pace. One of her children wisely decided to dig a hole in the roof so the family could climb up to higher ground. And that is precisely what they did.
The tsunami was so strong, the waves so high, and the water level rising so much, that sitting on their roof would not have been enough to survive the storm. But when she peeked through the hole in their roof, Fauziah saw the most remarkable thing. A boat from the ocean had been carried along by the waves and landed on her roof!
Fauziah and her children boarded the boat and rode out the storm.
In the years that would follow, I imagine Fauziah and her children had times of difficulty. I imagine there were disagreements and turmoil that, in normal circumstances, might threaten their relationship. But don’t you think Fauziah and her kids, when faced with difficult days, might have turned to one another and said, “whatever this is, we can handle it; after all, we came through a flood together!”
Reminds me, says the Apostle Peter, of baptism. Some people
“refused to obey God long ago in the time of Noah. God was waiting patiently for them while Noah was building the boat. Only a few people—eight in all—were saved by water.And that water is like baptism that now saves you—not the washing of dirt from the body, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. And this is because Jesus Christ was raised from the dead” (1 Peter 3:20-21 NCV).
We, the redeemed, can find things to fight about. We, the rescued, can find areas of disagreement. We, the baptized, can cluster with those who agree with us and show no brotherly love toward those who seem so different. But what would happen if our first instinct in those situations was to turn to our brother and sister and say “whatever this is, we can handle it; after all, we came through a flood together!”
Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord is added to the body of Christ by grace through faith. And since we share the experience of baptism, we are in this together.
That means we are brothers and sisters in Christ. And we ought to treat each other that way.
This is a sermon preached on May 5, 2023 at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) entitled “In This Together.” This lesson will soon be available to watch or listen, and will appear on the Life on the West Side podcast. Available on all podcast platforms.
Upcoming Series: “Jesus At Home: Parenting In His Presence”
Parenting is hard. Really hard. But Jesus said his yoke was easy, and his burden light. How can raising children in the presence of Jesus offer hope and comfort in a confusing world? Join us May 12 - June 16 as we explore a Christ-centered approach to family life in our upcoming series.
Stream our lessons Sundays at 9 AM (CST) on facebook or YouTube or on our website. If you are in the middle Arkansas area, we would love to have you join us in person. I’ll save a seat for you.
Subscribe to Life on the West Side
My name is Nathan Guy, and I serve as the preaching minister for the West Side Church of Christ in Searcy, Arkansas. In my spare time, I teach classes as an adjunct instructor for St. Louis University and Harding University. I also serve as chairman of the board for the Center for Christian Studies. I am happily married to Katie and am the proud father of little Grace (who is 2) and baby Henry (who is new). We are fair weather Dodgers fans (because if you lived near LA in 1988, how could you not be?). You can find more resources on my website over at nathanguy.com. You can follow me on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), Threads, and YouTube.