Baptism

Well, you know, don't you, this afternoon that what we are going to do is really a story of the first real basic spiritual change that comes to a person. Not that baptism in itself does that, but that it's a testimony to the great change, the thing that God does. I want to read to you just in the Gospel of Mark and the 16th chapter.

Then I want to turn you to the first epistle of Peter. So you can turn to the first epistle of Peter and put your finger in chapter 3. Mark 16, 1 Peter 3. You may wonder what is the connection between Mark and Peter. Well, now, had you been to a theological college, or even if you hadn't been, if you'd read the right books, if you'd been to a Bible college, you would have been told that the Gospel according to Mark is the Gospel according to Peter, in that they feel that Peter dictated to Mark and Mark wrote the Gospel.

That's what is felt. You needn't bother about that. If the Bible doesn't say so, you're not obliged to believe it.

You are obliged to believe what the Bible says. A lot of knowledge stored up in your head about other things can be a hindrance to you. The Bible doesn't say that Peter dictated his Gospel to Mark.

Very clever people think that is so. It's not necessary always to disbelieve clever people. But you are expected to believe God.

Nevertheless, I have connected Mark and Peter, and I want you to read with me first in Mark 16. The Lord Jesus in resurrection says this, or it's said about him, for a start, in verse 14, Then afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe.

In my name shall they cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.

They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. You know, it's a precious thing to believe all the book. I was brought up in a sort of a background or an atmosphere which avidly believed and preached verse 16.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not shall be damned. You see, they, but they lift up the next verse which says, and these signs shall follow them that believe.

In my name they shall cast out devils. They shall speak with new tongues. With total arrogance, they said, but these things are not for today.

You see, they were prepared to believe in the sign of baptism, but with all the cheek imaginable, they didn't believe in the other signs at all. They said, them, but this. All the arrogance and cheek of men, you see, and so I used to believe that once upon a time.

But then when God visited me, I could no longer believe it because he made these other signs take place in me. And as he's sovereign, that's that. And it's very, very marvelous.

I don't want to talk particularly about the other signs of, in my name, they shall cast out devils and speak with tongues and all that. That's not particularly my mission this afternoon. But this glorious verse, and this is why, beloved, we go to baptism in water.

These, they, he that believeth, shall be saved. If you're baptized, it says, I never joined these two things together. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.

You can't alter that verse to say, he that believeth is to be saved, and then afterwards you must be baptized. In other words, in the heart of the writer, and apparently in the mind of the spirit, these two things are connected. They are joined by God.

And then, lest you should think there's anything of saving power in baptism, he finishes up, he that believeth not shall be damned, even if you are baptized. You understand that, don't you? Even if you are baptized, there's no saving virtue as having power and grace in water baptism. But they are joined together.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned, whether you're baptized in water or whether you are not. Glory be to God.

That sets baptism in its proper position. It is in the harmonious move of God that baptism has its place in the Christian church. And therefore, in the life of the true believer, he that believeth and is baptized.

Amen. He that believeth and is baptized. Praise the name of the Lord.

In the early church, beloved, these two things were connected. Everybody expected that everybody would be immediately baptized in water when they were saved. In the early church.

You'll find this in Acts chapter 2. Nobody baptized before they were saved. Least of all when they're too young to know anything about it. And least of all to try and substitute baptism as the sign of the new covenant, as circumcision was the sign of the old.

Praise the name of the Lord. If you can believe, then you've just entered the place where you can be baptized. If you can't believe, whether you're too young to believe, that is two weeks old or something like that, then don't be baptized.

Here then is the tremendous thing. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. If you don't believe, you'll be damned.

Now, beloved, we'll turn to Peter. And in the third chapter of his first epistle, this is what he says. In verse 20, breaking into the verse, Once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls, were saved by water.

The like figure, or in the anti-type, even baptism now doth also save us. Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Did the water save Noah and his family? No.

What did save Noah and his family? The ark. Are the ark and water connected? Well, apparently then, so salvation and water. This is Peter's argument.

It's as straight as that. But the water has no more power to save you than the flood had power to save Noah. But they were connected.

No, Peter's very clear here. This is what he says. That this baptism is not the putting away of the filth of the flesh.

It isn't that. Baptism in water cannot put away the filth of the flesh. Baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ does that.

Amen. It was done at Calvary. Glory be to God.

You can't put away one sin of your soul. You can't put away one blot on your character. You can't put away the accumulated filthiness of the flesh by being baptized in water.

Praise the name of the Lord. But, beloved, our conscience must come up clear to God. You'll never be able to escape the fact that it's written in the Bible, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.

You've got to have a clear conscience with God on everything that He's written. You've got to have a clear conscience too on the other signs that follow. In my name they cast out devils.

In my name they speak in new tongues. In my name, that's right, they take up serpents. In my name, if they drink any deadly thing, everything all right.

In my name they'll lay hands on the sick and recover. You've got to have a clear conscience on all these things, brother, sister. You're not the judge of scripture, it shall judge you.

You and I must have a clear conscience on it. Hallelujah. And that's what baptism's all about in this sense, in connection with salvation.

Lord, hallelujah, you said it. I have no philosophy and I'm not bringing any sophistry. You said it, I'll do it.

You see, it's where we were this morning. My stubborn will at last has yielded. And you yield on all points.

Hallelujah. That's what you do. You don't bring up any arguments.

You've got nothing to say. You come as a lamb done before your shearer. That's what you're to do.

That's what Jesus did for you. No arguments, nothing. Hallelujah.

What a wonderful thing to come here. Not the answer, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh. We're not going to put away any filth of the flesh this afternoon.

That must have been done in the past unless this baptism isn't valid. The answer of a good conscience. Is your conscience right on the filth of the flesh? Is your conscience right on Calvary? Is your heart clear on this great saving grace and power of God? And is your heart clear on Lord if I'll fulfill one sign, please I'll go and I'll have all the signs fulfilled in me.

Not yours to pick and choose. Not mine to decide which. Him.

Hallelujah. I can decide whether I'll be baptized but I can't decide about the other things. It is the place where I yield my will and I'm saying to God, Lord I'm going to do everything here I am.

Do what you like with me. In fact I willingly, joyfully, gloriously cooperate. Lord I want it all.

That's how you should go skipping to your baptism. That's how you should go dancing to the picture of your death. And resurrection.

That's how it should all work. And what a marvelous thing it is beloved. When the Lord does this thing.

Amen. And so without any further ado. And that I'm not going to talk to you any longer about it.

Some of you have been so patient. You've listened to me for hours and hours and hours. We're going down there and we're going to congregate around this blessed thing.

Hallelujah. Jesus I'm crucified with you. Filthiness of my flesh is put away.

Thank you for that glorious blood. I'd rather be bathed in that than dipped in a river. Hallelujah.

That's right. Thank you for what you've done for me Lord. I'll not hold back anything.

Amen. I'll go right through with you Father. My conscience is going to be utterly clear.

I'm going to have everything that you say. Isn't that marvelous to have a great big appetite. To feed on God's word.

To feast on Christ. Now let's pray shall we.