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The One Baptism

A goal for 2011 was to read and study good books, especially those written by faithful Christians.  One I mentioned was Voyage of Faith by Frank Chesslr.  It was published in 2010 and I intended to bring two lessons from it.

Body:

I.  Man’s Most Basic Problem

  • Economic crisis – This is very real and very serious. It has affected countless numbers of people.
  • World hunger – Millions face death due to a lack of food.
  • Nuclear war – There are stockpiles of nuclear weapons.  What about terrorist groups?
  • Overpopulation
  • Environmental damage

None of these are man’s most basic problem.

Isaiah, the prophet of God, reveals man’s most serious problem.  Isaiah 59:1-2, Isaiah 53:5-6

  • Sin separates us from God.  This has the most long-lasting result.  Sin has consequences.  Sin has brought horrible tragedies upon the world.  A drunk driver kills an innocent young child or a doctor rips and cuts the unborn infant out of the mother’s womb.
  • Sin’s antidote is divine blood.  Baptism is the culminating act of gospel obedience that enables man to reach the blood of Christ.  Baptism is faith acknowledging the sovereignty of God.  Matthew 26-28
  • Sovereignty denotes power – immeasurable power.  It signifies authority – absolute and unlimited.  The Bible opens with a demonstration of His sovereignty with the creation of the world. Psalms 115:3 “. . .  He does all that He pleases.”  I Chronicles 29:11, Daniel 4:34-35

II. Divine Sovereignty and Law

  • In spiritual matters, God possesses exclusive rights to legislation.  That right is based upon who He is.  It is God’s right to command and man’s responsibility to obey.
  • When man attempts to legislate in spiritual and moral matters, he has entered a realm where only God belongs.  When man opens marriage to those of the same gender, when man grants doctors the right to open wombs with instruments of death, he is seeking to dethrone God and make himself king.

III. Divine Sovereignty and Faith

  • Every Biblical example of obedience is man’s faith acknowledging the sovereignty of God.  Biblical faith is based upon, “God said.”  “So then, faith comes by hearing.”  Romans 10:17
  • The voice of the sovereign God instructed Cain and Abel on the mode of approaching Him in worship.  Abel offered his sacrifice “by faith.”  Hebrews 11:4

Abel understood God had every right to tell him what to do.  God was the creator.  Abel was the created.  Biblical faith does not question God, argue with God, or insist on having its own way.  It listens to sovereign God and obeys.  Romans 9:20

 

IV.  Divine Sovereignty and Rebellion

  • Every example of disobedience in Biblical record is man refusing to walk by faith and raising a fist of rebellion in the face of God’s sovereignty.
  • Cain heard the same divine voice Abel heard. But Cain did not believe God had the right to tell him what to do and hold him accountable if he failed to do it.  John records that Cain’s works were evil.  Cain’s problem was a lack of reverence for the sovereignty of God.  I John 3:12

V.  Divine Sovereignty and Baptism

  • What is baptism?  Is it a command of God or an ultimatum of man?  Jesus asked this question to certain Jewish rulers.  Matthew 21:23-27
  • Did not Jesus say in Mark 16:16, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”  Is someone submitting to God when he puts John 3:16 against Mark 16:16.
  • Who put water in the new birth?  God joined water and salvation – entering the kingdom of heaven.  What does it reveal about one’s heart when they reject Christ’s authority?  John 3:5
  • Did not the Holy Spirit promise forgiveness of sins to those who repented and were baptized on Pentecost?  Acts 2:38
  • Does man have the right to put asunder or separate what God has joined together?  What is man doing when he believes and is baptized?  He is acknowledging his sins and his need of God’s grace and blood.
  • What is a believer doing when he repents and is baptized for the remission of sins?  He is submitting to God’s authority and to God’s right to set the conditions for faith to meet in order to enjoy redemption by grace through blood.

Conclusion:

Are you prepared to yield to the sovereign rule of God?

Bobby Stafford

March 20, 2011

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The church of Christ in Granby Missouri

516 East Pine St.
P.O. Box 664
Granby, Mo. 64844
(417) 472-7109