Lesson 7 - Sacrament of Baptism Flashcards
What is the definition of baptism given in the lectures?
- Baptism is the rite of washing (performed by a lawfully ordained ministers via sprinkling, pouring, or immersion)
- in name of the triune God
- that signifies, seals, and delivers admission into the covenant of grace, with all its saving blessings (e.g., justification, adoption, regeneration/sanctification, glorification, etc.) and obligations.
How is baptism the epitome and entryway into the covenant of grace?
- ) Epitome: picture of the gospel and the covenant of grace
- ) Entryway: sacramental entry into the covenant of grace and the benefits of the gospel. (Union)
How does scripture prescribe and describe baptism?
Prescribes - Matthew 28:19
1.) Jesus commands us to baptize others into the triune name
Describes -
1 Cor. 6:11; Titus 3:4-7
– essence of salvation: you were washed
– triune saving grace
Titus 3:4-7
- Trinitarian saving grace
- washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit
How does baptism bring an individual into the covenant blessings?
– Sacraments sign, seal, and deliver covenant union with the Triune God
Bavinck Summary: baptized into Triune name
- “In baptism the Father witnesses to us that he makes an eternal covenant of grace with us and adopts us as his children and heirs.
- The son assures us that he washes us in his blood and incorporates us into the fellowship of his death and resurrection.
- The Holy Spirit assures us that he lives in us and sanctifies us to be members of Christ.”
- Covenant union with the triune God = central blessings, all other blessings flow from this blessing.
1. ) Baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
2. ) United with Christ, the one with all the covenant blessings and promises
3. ) Through Union with Christ, the crucified now and risen Son and all the saving blessings that are ours in Christ
4. ) In the fellowship of the Spirit
- Covenant union with the triune God = central blessings, all other blessings flow from this blessing.
Why and how does the New Testament connect baptism to the crossing of the Red Sea, circumcision, and the flood?
In Scripture, covenant membership marks the “dividing line” between salvation and judgment, between God’s covenant blessing and God’s curse.
- ) In the book of Genesis, this dividing line is first marked with the waters of the flood and later with the knife of circumcision.
- - Gen. 6:18 – flood is the means by which God cuts of all flesh. First circumsion in Scriptures is by the waters of the flood.
- - - ) The Red Sea
- - the crossing of the Red Sea is Israel’s baptism into Moses. The crossing of the Red Sea is thus a type of covenant union with the covenant mediator and of “salvation through judgment” the very waters that bury are also the path to salvation “in and with Moses.”
God nevertheless promised that, after the curses of the covenant fell upon sinful Israel, he would in the future give to them that which he required – a circumcision of the heart
- Believers under the Old Covenant claimed the New Covenant promises of forgiveness and spiritual renewal, and therefore enjoyed these New Covenant blessings in an anticipatory manner.
- The rite of baptism is thus the covenantal sign and seal whereby we are united with Christ in his curse-bearing, and thus from-the-curse-liberating, death (salvation through judgment).
Does baptism replace circumcision? Why or why not?
Baptism eschatologically realizes circumcision because of Christ, rather than replaces it.
- Circumcision means cutting off; Christ was cut off for us.
- According to the NT, the circumcision and baptism of Christ is the eschatological realization of the OT story of circumcision and baptism.
- Mary’s firstborn son Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day as the Law required.
- Jesus underwent John’s baptism
- Jesus is the leader of the new exodus into the new creation
- At his baptism, Jesus is identified as the lamb of God
- The lamb of God bears God’s curse as a substitute
The rite of baptism is thus the covenantal sign and seal whereby we are united with Christ in his curse-bearing, and thus from-the-curse-liberating, death (salvation through judgment).
Baptism and circumcision signify and seal the same covenant blessings (adoption, justification, sanctification, glorification) through the baptism and circumcision of Christ
What are the biblical evidences Chappell supplies for the support of infant baptism?
- ) The absence of a contrary command
- - The prior 2,000 years history of this covenant the people of God had administered the covenant sign to their children.
- - There is no recorded change in the NT, either by precept or by example - ) Examples of Household Baptism
- - Every person identified as having a household present at his or her conversion also had the household baptized.
- - Representative headship is foreign to us today
How does Doriani explain the relationship between baptism and the Great Commission?
In the Great Commission, Jesus inaugurates something new – baptism into Christ.
- “Baptizing and Teaching” explain the main verbs “the command to make disciples”
- How do we make disciples? Baptize and teach (Word and Sacrament)
- Baptizing and teaching are both the means and modes of the task of discipling the nations.
According to Beeke and Lanning, how does Acts 2:39 make the case for infant baptism?
These words of Peter declare that certain things had not changed and would not change in the new era. The pattern of God’s dealing with believers and their children, as old as creation itself, would continue as a constitutional principle of visible church.
How does Watt use the term “household” to defend infant baptism?
4 occasions in the NT baptism was explicitly administered to people from the same household.
– Household includes not just nuclear family, but also grandparents, slaves, married offsprings with their families, various in-laws, etc.
How does Pipa explain Paul’s theology relating baptism with burial?
Romans 6 does not speak explicitly to the mode of baptism, but rather to the meaning of baptism (not burying with Christ, but union through cleansing), we may nonetheless infer the mode of sprinkling or pouring. The meaning of baptism is a sealing of one’s union with Christ, effected by the generating work of the holy Spirit. The mode of baptism is inferred from its meaning, not the meaning of baptize or its relation to burial.
- ) Romans 6:3-6 – Paul is not saying that baptism is a burial.
- - Union with Christ, not burial
- - Our baptism into Christ’s death shows that we were buried with Him. In the context, Paul refers to burial to show the absolute character of Christ’s death, and thus ours. The burial of Christ (Col. 2:13) stands for the totality of Christ’s redeeming work.
2.) Through the washing of regeneration we are brought into union. Therefore, baptize verbally signifies union and materially symbolizes the washing of regeneration.
According to Niell what is not new about the New Covenant?
- ) A Different People
- - no seperation between the people of OT and NT - ) No Differences
- - new covenant is not exactly the same - ) Internal Religion
- - internal religion has been there since the beginning (Deut. 6) - ) Divine Intititative
- - Abraham was justified by a gift of God - ) Covenantal Relationship
- ) Knowledge of the Lord
- ) Divine Mercy
How does Pratt address the question of the New Covenant being fulfilled in the Christian faith?
NT teaches that OT prophecies of restoration from exile are fulfilled by Christ, but these fulfillments take place in a manner that was unanticipated by the prophets.
- Not one event, but two (Already/Not Yet)
- Inauguration –> Continuation –> Consummation
- This threefold fulfillment pattern needs to be applied to Jeremiah 31
