The Assurance of Baptism

Tree of Life

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God gave us baptism to help assure us that we are indeed united to Christ. Sadly in many churches (even Reformed churches) baptism is treated the opposite way. When we preach about baptism we often say things like: "Don't think you're saved just because you're baptized!" And "This is just a ceremony. Baptism alone doesn't save anyone!" While there is some truth to these things, they totally miss the point of baptism.

Baptism was given to us as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. We are meant to "use" our baptism as a tool of assurance. How do we really know that we are united to Christ? We cannot see our union with Christ as it is a spiritual reality. Paul says we can know by looking at our baptism:

Romans 6:1-3 - What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Paul says - "Think about your baptism! Don't you know that you're united to Christ and called to live a holy life?" Paul thinks that our baptism should mean something to us.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 - Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Paul says that we used to be unregenerate sinners but we are no longer. God changed us. How do we know that God changed us? We were baptized! This doesn't mean that baptism automatically results in regeneration. But it does mean that baptism is given to us as a tool to help assure us that we are indeed regenerate. If we have faith, then as surely as we have been baptized, we have been regenerated to newness of life.

So Christian, what does your baptism mean to you?
 

morse86

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Baptism is just symbolic of death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Assurance is:
John 3:16:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Titus 1:2:
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
 
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Tree of Life

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Baptism is just symbolic of death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

So it means nothing for the person baptized? What does a baptized person have that an unbaptized person does not have?
 
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Jonaitis

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Tree of Life,

You just affirmed that baptism is a means of grace, assurance builds up and strengthens our faith, and that's what a means does, convey more grace for the believer's faith.

Baptism does actually save. Salvation is more than justification, it is also our progressive sanctification, and it will be our final glorification. These are aspects of our total redemption (including election, regeneration, etc). Since baptism is to be performed after conversion (that moment of justification), that sacrament becomes a means to augment and increase your assurance and faith (as well as the congregation who watches the baptism of others). We are saved, are being saved, and will be saved.
 
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morse86

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Does baptism impart faith? Does it demonstrate faith?

Well, when they get baptized...it symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection. I guess it demonstrates faith outwardly.
 
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Jonaitis

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It's kindof interesting that Baptists are the sect that have made baptism the biggest issue and yet for them it means the least.

I beg to differ...
 
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Tree of Life

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Tree of Life,

You just affirmed that baptism is a means of grace, assurance builds up and strengthens our faith, and that's what a means does, convey more grace for the believer's faith.

Baptism does actually save. Salvation is more than justification, it is also our progressive sanctification, and it will be our final glorification. These are aspects of our total redemption (including election, regeneration, etc). Since baptism is to be performed after conversion (that moment of justification), that sacrament becomes a means to augment and increase your assurance and faith (as well as the congregation who watches the baptism of others). We are saved, are being saved, and will be saved.

Baptism is not always performed after conversion. Infants are baptized before they are converted.
 
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Tree of Life

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Well, when they get baptized...it symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection. I guess it demonstrates faith outwardly.

To whom does it demonstrate faith? Does it mean anything for the one baptized or is it just for everyone else?
 
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morse86

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Tree of Life,

You just affirmed that baptism is a means of grace, assurance builds up and strengthens our faith, and that's what a means does, convey more grace for the believer's faith.

Baptism does actually save. Salvation is more than justification, it is also our progressive sanctification, and it will be our final glorification. These are aspects of our total redemption (including election, regeneration, etc). Since baptism is to be performed after conversion (that moment of justification), that sacrament becomes a means to augment and increase your assurance and faith (as well as the congregation who watches the baptism of others). We are saved, are being saved, and will be saved.

That's not what the bible says.

Acts 8:36-37:
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Faith comes first (it's instant, not a long drawn out process). Once saved, always saved.
 
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Jonaitis

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Baptism is not always performed after conversion. Infants are baptized before they are converted.

I already know that this is your position when you said in the OP that baptism is a sign and seal of the CG. I differ on that opinion, but this is for another discussion on another topic.
 
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☦Marius☦

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Baptism is just symbolic of death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Assurance is:

This is not true, the new testament makes clear that if Baptism is available to a person, then it is a requirement, just as is Chrismation. The sad thing is that most churches do not even bother with chrism despite the New Testaments instructions otherwise.
 
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Jonaitis

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That's not what the bible says. Faith comes first (it's instant, not a long drawn out process). Once saved, always saved.

I think there is a miscommunication. When a believer is quickened in their spirit, they immediately have faith in the gospel for the forgiveness of their sins and their right standing before God. I am talking about what happens in a believer's life after conversion (his perfecting in holiness).
 
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morse86

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This is not true, the new testament makes clear that if Baptism is available to a person, then it is a requirement, just as is Chrismation. The sad thing is that most churches do not even bother with chrism despite the New Testaments instructions otherwise.

Let's see the scripture using a real bible.
 
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Tree of Life

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I already know that this is your position when you said in the OP that baptism is a sign and seal of the CG. I differ on that opinion, but this is for another discussion on another topic.

Why is baptism not a sign and seal of the CG?
 
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morse86

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I think there is a miscommunication. When a believer is quickened in their spirit, they immediately have faith in the gospel for the forgiveness of their sins and their right standing before God. I am talking about what happens in a believer's life after conversion (his perfecting in holiness).

The people you pull out of the fire (door to door soul winning).....most of them never do anything after getting saved. They continue business as always.

There are lot's of believers that do not go to church, drink alcohol, and never get baptized. It's sin but they are still saved.

I think this just semantical word games trying to turn salvation into something of works instead of grace through faith.
 
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Tree of Life

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The people you pull out of the fire (door to door soul winning).....most of them never do anything after getting saved. They continue business as always.

There are lot's of believers that do not go to church, drink alcohol, and never get baptized.

What a weird idea of salvation.
 
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Why is baptism not a sign and seal of the CG?

Well, the seal of the CG would actually be the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

"In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory." - Ephesians 1:13, 14

"...do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." - Ephesians 4:30


A seal is a kind of stamp of approval to a promise(s), it doesn't make sense for baptism to be that seal (and there is no Scriptural basis for it), but the Holy Spirit who permenently indwells in each and every believer who inherit the promise of eternal life and the resurrection of the body.

Also, if you affirm that CG continuity with the other covenants of promise, then calling it a sign and seal would be exclude the redeemed in the Old Testament.

The sign of the CG is regeneration, the circumcision of the heart, as the sign of the OC is circumcision of the flesh. The sign relates to the nature of the covenant, a carnal one for a carnal covenant, a spiritual one for a spiritual covenant. Where is this in Scripture? Jeremiah 31:31-34, but specifically verse 33 in using language of a sign as in Genesis 17:

"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts."

We find no Scriptural basis for baptism being called the sign of the New Covenant or Covenant of Grace.
 
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