Baptism as a Means of Grace
“Baptism as a Means of Grace” is a sermon preached from Selected Scriptures, by Michael Beatty, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in New Berlin, Wisconsin – a confessional Reformed Baptist church subscribing to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith.
Opening Prayer
Towards us in the Lord Jesus Christ, we do thank You for the many gifts You’ve given to us. We think especially of the gifts You give to us on Sunday—the joys of gathering together and of hearing from Your Word.
We would ask that You would grant by Your Holy Spirit today that we might all the more come to know and to love Christ, and that we might overflow with love for one another. We would ask that You would help us now as we consider baptism and the way in which You use it for the good of Your people. And we would ask that You’d add these things unto us for the sake of Your Son, in whose name we pray. Amen.
Introduction
So this morning, what we’ve been doing is looking at the Christian life over the last about eight weeks. And we’ve been considering what that looks like and how Christians typically grow.
We looked in the first four weeks at justification and sanctification. Over this last section, we’ve been considering: What ways does God normally use to build up His people into conformity with Christ?
We saw that with the Word over the last two weeks. Today we’re going to look at baptism. How does baptism work in the Christian life normally?
Next week we’ll pause for the Q&A, and then we’ll pick up the Lord’s Supper and wrap up this section. After that, our final section will be considering how the law applies to the Christian life—how it norms our life. That will be about a four-week section.
So that’s where we’re at right now and where we’re going.
The Question
I want to begin with the question: Is baptism a necessary part of the Christian life, or of the typical Christian life?
We could of course say, “Well, the thief on the cross didn’t need to be baptized.” That’s an extraordinary circumstance—he did not have the opportunity to be baptized. So we’re not going to consider that as a normal sort of experience.
We want to ask: What is typical?
Let’s look at John 1:29–34 together to see that baptism is something the Scriptures command us to do and is typical for the Christian life.
Three Types of Baptism
This morning we’ll consider three types of baptism and how they function with Christian baptism:
- Water baptism – what John the Baptist performed, and what we’re familiar with when we see baptisms.
- Spirit baptism – what water baptism signifies.
- Christian baptism – the joining of the two.
Scripture Reading – John 1:29–34
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because He was before me.” I myself did not know Him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that He might be revealed to Israel.’
And John bore witness: ‘I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him. I myself did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.’”
1. Water Baptism
First of all, we see water baptism in this text.
In verse 31, John understands that the baptism he is doing is a baptism of water—a baptism for a sign of repentance. He is signifying their confession of sin.
Matthew 3:5–6 says:
“Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.”
So water baptism and repentance are going hand in hand.
This builds upon the ceremonial cleansing laws in the Mosaic covenant. If you remember Leviticus and Numbers, there are all the discussions about ceremonial washings so that people could be clean to worship before the Lord. John is building upon this.
John himself comes from the priestly line in Israel. He’s from Aaron’s descendants on his mother’s side (see Luke 1 for the genealogy). In other words, John is immersed in the Mosaic system, and he extends the ceremonial washings as a sign of repentance.
What’s telling is that no one in Israel asks him, “Why are you doing this?” They understand it as confession of sin and washing. Even Pharisees and Sadducees come out to be baptized by him (Matt. 3:7).
So:
- Water baptism = external sign of repentance and ceremonial cleansing.
- Yet Israel ultimately hoped for more than external washing—they longed for true communion with the Lord.
2. Spirit Baptism
Israel’s hope was for something greater than outward cleansing.
Jeremiah 17:13–14 says:
“O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water. Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”
The people longed for the fountain of living water.
Back in John 1, we see that John’s baptism was pointing forward to Christ’s greater baptism. In verses 32–33, John testifies that Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
Jesus refers to this in John 3:5–6, saying:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
So Spirit baptism is regeneration—the new birth—something only Christ can do.
3. Christian Baptism
Finally, what happens when we bring the two together?
Christian baptism is immersion in water, commanded by Christ (Matt. 28:19), as a sign of Spirit baptism already accomplished by Christ.
Acts 8:36–39 (Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch) shows this clearly: the eunuch believes, and then immediately is baptized in water.
So in Christian baptism, there is both the sign (water) and the seal (Spirit’s work).
An illustration: when a man proposes, he gives a ring as a sign of his promise. On the wedding day, that promise is sealed as reality. So too, baptism is the outward sign pointing to the inward sealing work of the Spirit.
Baptism in the Christian Life
So what role does baptism play in the Christian life?
- Entry Point – The public declaration: “I belong to Christ, and He has placed His name on me.”
- Assurance – It reminds us tangibly of what Christ has done: “As surely as I have been baptized with water, Christ has washed me by His Spirit.”
- Pledge – It is also our pledge to follow Christ wherever He leads.
- Public Witness – Unlike secret rituals (e.g., Mormon temple rites), Christian baptism is always public—for the benefit of the congregation and as a testimony to the world.
Application
Two simple applications:
- Remember your baptism. When Satan accuses or when sin weighs heavy, recall the promises of God that were visibly confirmed in your baptism.
- If you are a Christian and have not been baptized, be baptized. It is not magical, but it is commanded by Christ, full of promises and blessings for His people.
Closing
That’s what I wanted to highlight this morning. Much more could be said, but Lord willing we’ll come to the Lord’s Supper in two weeks.
Let me stop here and open for questions.
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