Sermons from the Epistle to the Colossians

BURIED WITH CHRIST IN BAPTISM
COLOSSIANS 2:8-15
JULY 5, 1998

In 1693, The Baptist Catechism, more commonly called Keach's Catechism after the noble Baptist leader Benjamin Keach, stated clearly the belief which Baptists held (and continue to hold) in distinction from other non-Catholic groups concerning baptism. These beliefs offer a synthesis of the teaching of Scripture on the subject of baptism and will be helpful for us as we consider the meaning of baptism.

97. What is baptism?
A. Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with Him, in His death, burial, and resurrection; of his being ingrafted into Him; of remission of sins; and of his giving up himself unto God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

98. To whom is baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is to be administered to all those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to none other.

99. Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
A. The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command or example in the Holy Scriptures, or certain consequence from them to baptize such.

100. How is baptism rightly administered?
A. Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the party in water, into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ's institution, and the practice of the apostles, and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some part of the body, after the tradition of men.

101. What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?
A. It is the duty of such who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

This catechism expresses the distinction of Baptists with our brethren who hold a like faith, but differ upon the point of baptism. It is not simply a difference in mode that distinguishes us. It is a difference in administration based upon the biblical teaching for baptism as we see in the Scriptures.

The Baptist Catechism is patterned after The Westminster Shorter Catechism, a wonderful document that has been used for centuries for instructing God's people in biblical truth. As grand as this document is, and it is one that has been helpful for me personally, it backpedals when it comes to baptism. For instance, in response to the question, What is a sacrament? The Shorter Catechism states, "A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ, wherein, by sensible signs, Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied unto believers" [italics mine]. Believers alone benefit from the sacraments (or ordinances) of baptism and the Lord's Supper, according to this question. With this I fully agree! In question 95, the Shorter Catechism asks, To whom is baptism to be administered? As it begins, you and I will find ourselves in complete agreement. "Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible Church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him " So far, so good! But there is another clause to this answer that, frankly, proves to be quite difficult for us: "...but the infants of such as are members of the visible Church are to be baptized." How can this answer go from an obvious biblical base into an area that has no clear teaching in the New Testament? It is all based upon a theology of covenant.

While the new covenant is not the theme of our study today, it does have an important bearing upon baptism. For the belief in question equates baptism with circumcision. Since circumcision served as 'a sign and seal of the covenant' in the Old Testament, then in the New Testament baptism must obviously serve the same purpose. But does it? Is baptism the New Testament equivalent of Old Testament circumcision? This is where our text becomes one of the pivotal passages for explaining the New Testament understanding of baptism. Baptism does not equate with Old Testament circumcision but rather it is related to the spiritual circumcision accomplished by Christ in all who believe. Let us see how the Scripture clarifies the true administration of baptism.

I. What Christ did for us

Our text is one of the richest that we find in Scripture! It is loaded with truth concerning the person of Christ, His work, and our salvation through faith in Him. While the focus of our exposition this morning is upon the subject of baptism, we must at least glance at the fuller text to understand the place of baptism in church life.

After warning about a deceptive gospel that was threatening these believers, the Apostle Paul unfolds the glory of Christ as the God-Man. "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form." Here we find the affirmation of the absolute Deity of our Lord, that He is ''the fullness of God." The very term used implies that nothing else can be added. So Jesus Christ was not part-God or a God in the making, but God Himself in all His fullness. The next assertion shows that He who is the fullness of Deity "dwells in bodily form." This is a description of our Lord's continuing humanity, for the present tense of the verb "dwells" shows that even now, our Lord continues in His glorified, human body.

This rich truth concerning the Person of our Lord lays groundwork for the authority of what he has accomplished on behalf of the redeemed. Here we find two great statements of Christ's actions objectively and historically for us.

1. Canceled our debt v. 14

Jesus Christ "canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and he bas taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross." The expression, ''the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us," refers to our legal obligation before God as lawbreakers. The term was a common technical term which served as a 'handwritten acknowledgment' of a debt or of a crime committed. The picture is quite clear. We who are sinners, violators of God's Law, stand guilty before Him. The condemnations decreed against us are irrevocable. They must be paid! Just as a victim of crucifixion might have his crimes written and nailed to the cross above him, announcing the just reason for his condemnation, even so our crimes have been announced. The condemnation levied against us is just. But Christ has taken it out of the way!

Here is the glory of the work of Christ on behalf of sinners! We who were undeserving have been delivered from the eternal debt which we owe God through the death of Christ on our behalf. His suffering which culminated in a bloody, atoning death, satisfied the "certificate of debt" which hung over our heads. He "canceled out" the debt which was against us. The word was used of wiping the ink off a papyrus scroll. He has "wiped away" our debt, the text implies. The debt we owe to God because of our sin no longer exists, for Christ has canceled it through His death on the cross.

2. Triumphed over our enemies v. 15

His work on the cross also accomplished another eternal benefit for the redeemed. "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." The great enemies in the spiritual realm are Satan and all of his demonic host. They continually exercise their unholy dominion over the sons of Adam. Their rule is despotic and cruel. But the death of Jesus Christ has crushed their power and authority!

The vivid word picture given is that of a triumphant Roman general returning to a hero's welcome in Rome. This grand celebration might take several days and all the city would turn out to see who the general conquered. The booty taken from the defeated enemy would be paraded in wagons through the streets, along with all the armaments and weapons of war that belonged to the enemy. The prisoners of war would be humbly marched through the city behind the triumphant troops. And finally the enemy king would be publicly mocked as the triumphant general rode upon his chariot, dressed in his garments of victory, often with the defeated king chained to his chariot. It was a public display that a particular enemy had been defeated by the conquering general.

When we look to the work Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross, we must see that our old foe, the devil, and all of his evil co-workers have been forever defeated at the cross of Christ. Yes, we do battle with the powers of darkness (Eph. 6: 12), but our wrestling with them is in the power of Jesus Christ and His conquering blood. They cannot destroy the redeemed for our mighty General has conquered our foes. We must live in the light of Christ's triumph over darkness at the cross!

II. What Christ has done in us

To whom does our text refer? It speaks to those who have received Jesus Christ by faith and in this reception have received His work applied to their lives.

1. Union which brings completion v.l0

The first truth that we see declares that we need add nothing else to our salvation in Christ.

We do not need something other than Christ nor do we need an experience other than Christ. The Colossians were being threatened by a Gnostic heresy that insisted that there was more than Christ to be experienced. Paul said, No way! For "in Him you have been made complete." He used a verb tense to show that nothing else can be added to Christ to complete you before God. Yes, we will grow in the Lord and mature in our faith, but we are not adding something other than Jesus Christ to our lives. We are in union with Christ by faith; we are "in Him," so that this relationship affects us for eternity.

2. Circumcision made without hands v. 11

In light of antagonists who were insisting upon the need for circumcision, as in Galatia, in order to complete a person's salvation, Paul tells the Colossian believers that they have already been circumcised. And the effect of their circumcision goes deeper than the skin. "And in Him [note the emphasis on the believer's union with Christ] you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ." The circumcising work of Christ is applied to the believer, so that the "accumulation of corruptions" (Calvin, quoted by C. Vaughan, Colossians: A Study Guide Commentary, 74) or "the fallenness that guides people naturally" (R. Melick, NAC, 258), that body of the flesh is put away.

Here the Apostle stresses the inward work and application of the cross to the life of the believer. He is indeed a new creation in Christ! His old life is done away with and now he can walk in newness of life since the prime mover of his corruptions has been removed and he has been given a new life with new desires and passions.

3. Made us alive with Him vv.12-13

The work of the resurrection is applied to the believer, so that he is given a new life spiritually and will ultimately be given a new body in eternity. "And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions." A new birth has taken place in your life. You were dead, with no hope of changing yourself; then God intervened and made you alive in union with Jesus Christ.

III. Baptism and Circumcision

Now this brings us to the whole reason for baptism. We have previously seen that baptism does not precede conversion but follows after. The instruction of our Lord demonstrates this order clearly: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" [italics added]. It is disciples that are to be baptized. But there is debate in the evangelical community on precisely who can receive baptism. We believe the Bible teaches that baptism is only for those who have faith in Christ. While others, with whom we agree on most every other point of doctrine, believe that baptism is not only for those who have faith in Christ, but also for the infants of believing adults. The basis for this belief is an equating of baptism with circumcision. Our text tells us otherwise.

1. Counterpart to Old Testament circumcision is "a circumcision made without hands"

We realize that there were no ceremonies, rituals, or sacrifices in the Old Testament that did not have a meaning for the future time of the New Covenant in Christ. They were "shadows" of the reality or substance to come. The book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to explain this. The question is whether or not baptism is the corresponding shadow to the old covenant circumcision. We do see a link between baptism and circumcision in our text, but what is the link? "And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

The type of circumcision Paul mentions here is one "made without hands," that is, a spiritual, inward circumcision, rather than a physical, external one. This is the counterpart to the Old Testament circumcision. It is a spiritual counterpart to the physical practice of the Old Testament. Then Paul links baptism with this spiritual counterpart, not the old practice of physical circumcision.

The Old Testament practice of circumcision was a shadow. The "circumcision made without hands" is the substance. Let's see how this moves from the old to the new in Christ. By comparison:

> the old is external, while the new is internal

> the old is nationalistic in covenant with the nation, while the new is individual in union with Christ

> the old affects the body as a cutting away of the foreskin, while the new affects the heart in the removal of the body of flesh

> the old requires an officiator in a priest, the new is done without hands as a divine act

> the old is limited to males, the new is limited only to those who believe, male and female

> the old is a human act, the new is a divine act

> the old has temporal results that cannot change the heart, the new is the regenerative work of the Spirit making a person alive in Christ

> the old is a ritual that cannot impart life, while the new applies the death and resurrection in all its power to give a new standing with God.

> the old secures nothing eternal, while the new secures forgiveness of sins and eternity with Christ

> the old was applied due to family heritage, while the new is applied only through faith in Christ

It is quite clear that Paul is speaking of believers in the context of this passage. We have already seen what he stated that Christ has done both for the redeemed and in the redeemed. Paul speaks in the past tense to refer to these believers, "in Him you have been made complete...in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands...you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God...you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions." He is not referring to those in a "pre-Christian" condition. He is speaking to believers as he describes them as having been circumcised without hands, but rather through the effectual working of God. Those who have thus been circumcised with a circumcision made without hands are the ones who, through faith, have been baptized

2. Baptism relates to the "circumcision made without hands," not Old Testament circumcision

Notice the relationship in the text. He is not associating baptism with the Old Testament ritual that was performed upon all male babies. He is linking it with this new circumcision that is "made without hands." "And in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without bands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." Notice how baptism is identified with Christ's burial and resurrection. By ''burial'' he infers the death of Christ. Here we have the heart of the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. But it is not simply a great historical fact. It is living truth, which is acted upon "through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead." Fred Malone, in his book, A String of Pearls Unstrung, puts it so clearly: "The Christian's circumcision is that union with Christ's death and resurrection, symbolized by baptism, which is evidenced by outward faith!" [Founders Press, 24]. The qualification for baptism, according to this passage, is this internal circumcision of the heart, which is demonstrated by faith in Christ.

Again, Fred Malone is a great help in putting all of this in proper biblical perspective:

"Baptism then, is the indirect fulfillment of physical circumcision only through its association with the direct fulfillment, spiritual circumcision. This is why we see only confessors' baptism [i.e. believer's baptism] in the New Testament record. It was easy to know who entered the Abrahamic Covenant; they were born into the household and were outwardly circumcised. But how can one tell if someone has entered the New Covenant and has experienced spiritual circumcision? Only by his repentance and faith, signified by the outward sign of fulfilled circumcision and cleansing, water baptism....

Water baptism, then, is the outward sign of the inward circumcision of the heart rather than the outward counterpart of the outward circumcision of the flesh. Just as Abraham's Old

Covenant 'seed' initially entered the covenant by physical circumcision and confirmed it by spiritual circumcision; his New Covenant "seed" initially enter the covenant by spiritual circumcision and confirm it by baptism. Physical descendants of Abraham's New Covenant "seed" are not to be permitted the sign of baptism until they show by faith that they have also become the spiritual 'seed of Abraham'" [25-26].

Baptism is viewed as a burial and a resurrection, which is the same language used by Paul in Romans 6: 1-4. Who is in union with Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection? Is it those who have not exercised faith in Christ and His work? Listen to Romans 6:3-4. "Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the death through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." It is our union with Christ by faith that unites us in His death and resurrection, symbolized in baptism. And it is clear that those who are thus identified by baptism are the ones who can "walk in newness [Ok. "strangeness"!] of life."

Now back to our introductory remarks. Does an infant have any consciousness of faith in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection? Can he walk in newness of life without first embracing Jesus Christ by faith? Since the circumcision made without hands is the corresponding new covenant reality to the old covenant circumcision, has this infant been circumcised in his heart? If so, then he is a believer, according to the language Paul uses in our text. But to be a believer he must exercise faith in Christ. If not, then what right does he have to baptism, which is the outward identification of those who have been circumcised without human hands?

John Piper writes, "If baptism were merely a parallel of the Old Testament rite of circumcision it would not have to happen "through faith" since infants did not take on circumcision "through faith." The reason the New Testament ordinance of baptism must be "through faith" is that it represents not the Old Testament external ritual, but the New Testament, internal, spiritual experience of circumcision "without hands"" [5/11/97, Bethlehem Baptist Church, "Buried and Raised in Baptism through Faith"].

This means that only "through faith" can we properly administer the ordinance of baptism. So those who want to be baptized, adult, child, or infant, who have not given evidence of faith in Christ, are not qualified to be baptized. While we address the concern of infant baptism this morning, I believe we should have an equally grave concern, if not more so, for those who are children or youth or adults that have never been regenerated, yet they are being baptized as though they were believers! Our Baptist church, in great effort to increase baptismal numbers, have run through the waters of baptism all kinds of folks who have no true interest in Jesus Christ. We must not point our fingers at our paedobaptistic friends while we have failed to uphold what our own forefathers taught from Scripture concerning baptism. It is only those who have been circumcised with a circumcision made without hands who are legitimate candidates for baptism.

Conclusion

Perhaps that is you. Have you followed our Lord in baptism since He circumcised your heart through faith in Him? My friend, you have seen the biblical order of baptism and who is an appropriate candidate for baptism; so have you obeyed the Lord in this church ordinance?

Maybe your need is to come to faith in Jesus Christ. We have taken a few moments to see who He is and what He has done for poor sinners. My friend, I urge you to flee to Jesus Christ who alone can save you and in doing so, circumcise your heart without hands and raise you up with Him through faith in Christ and His redemptive work.

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