BAPTISM: A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE? (ROMANS 6:1-11)

Sermon Snippet by Rev Tan-Yeo Lay Suan

A Matter of Death

It’s all Over: Baptism works in the same way as a funeral rite. The fact of death is made known to all as the funeral is conducted. Burial completes the rite, signifying that such a person will not come back to life ever again. So baptism has the same purpose and function. Yet it is not uncommon to have people buried alive in baptism

This means that there are believers who have not nailed themselves to the cross as Jesus bids us to do. They continue to love the life they had led up till now. There must, then, be in us death to the world, and some of the effects of death, or our baptism is void. Without this death happening, we can’t speak of the next step which is life. One of the marks of a man who is ready to be baptized is the One who has severed his relationship with sinful habits and thought patterns and acts of disobedience.

In Paul’s time, the Romans were in trouble in all manner of odious vices. The average Roman of that period would be accustomed to spending a large part of his time in the amphitheater, hardened by the brutal sight of bloody shows, in which gladiators slew each other to amuse a holiday crowd. The order of the day was to "Enjoy yourself; follow after the pleasures of the flesh". But when a Roman was touched by the grace of God, a change comes over him that is unmistakable. When his neighbours say, "Hey, where were you this morning? I didn’t see you at the amphitheatre.  Aiya, you missed the best part when these gladiators tore out each other's bowels?" He would reply, "No, I was not there” “Why?” “I could not bear to be there any more. I am totally dead to it/have no more interest in these games. If you were to force me to be there, I must shut my eyes, for I could not look on murder committed at the games!" The Christian turns away from places of that indulge his senses; he was as good as dead to such filthiness. The live thoughtfully/circumspectly amidst the fashions and customs of the age and would not allow themselves to be swept along any more. Over time, they may even rebuke them with their choices and their action in society. This is our solemn declaration when we come forward to be baptized. We say by acts which are louder than words that we are dead to those things in which sinners take delight, and we wish to be so accounted.

Never the Same: New Life

Understanding the verb for baptism: Nicander (200 BC Greek poet and philosopher) says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be dipped into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizô) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change.

Permanent change is what baptism brings about. It is only effective if it makes a difference in the way that you live. Our baptismal certificate does not impress Jesus Christ. His only concern is the relationship that you’ve had with Him and the change you’ve allowed Him to make in your life. V10b tells us, “but the life he lives, he lives to God.” Then we come to this other part that is no less important than the first. But it follows Christ in His resurrection. The life one lives after baptism, is to be a complete break from the past.  Brand new. It’s like we are given new lease of life from the grave and the moment we open our eyes again, can you think what you will do next? We won’t want to continue staying in the grave yard and try to talk to the dead? We will walk away from that place to where the living are and live purposefully. In the same way, when the Lord grants us to rise with him, we want to live differently, away from the influences that brought us condemnation and corruption and death. In the past, Jesus Christ was only hearsay, someone told us about Him. But now, our lives are given over to Him. A life that is lived with God at the centre. God will re-arrange your lives that you will live it to serve his purposes. By the power of the Holy Spirit, that same power that raised Jesus, God is going to renew your life to become like his own.

Perhaps there are those among us who are thinking…

It’s not a matter of death and life: There are so many believers who are not baptized. “Anyway it is not that which saves. The thief at the cross was given a place in paradise without baptism… so why bother? I don’t want to be a hypocrite, it’s just another needless ceremony.” But there is one important difference between us and that thief. He was a dying thief fastened on a cross, immovable as Jesus was too—but we are living ones." Don’t use that thief as your excuse.

The Lord has given command and led the way by walking into the waters. A new and living way better than the way of circumcision. Col 2:11-12  “11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.” Here baptism is compared to circumcision. Circumcision was an outward sign of the complete surrender of oneself to God that God required in the Old Covenant. God had required that even their most private parts were to be yielded to God. In the same manner, baptism is the circumcision done by Christ where we bring all of ourselves, our most private parts (men and women)… to be presented to the Lord, completely, totally yielded to him. The water covers us from top to toe, a sign of our allegiance and yieldedness to him. Where is this command you might say? It’s found in Matt 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” It was a given that the one who becomes a disciple will be baptized, a sign of allegiance (repent) and surrender (Holy Spirit). Matt 10:32-33 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.” If there are no special difficulties associated with your being baptized, why will you presume to be excluded from a direct command from the Lord Jesus?

It’s a matter of death and life: I’m not there yet… so how can I even think about it? Well, none of us are ever going to get there on our own, that’s why God had to send Jesus Christ to save us. It’s truly a matter of death and life. The Lord has already taken our place to bear the condemnation of our sins so that we are now free to follow him. Yes, we may stumble along… there will be times when we fall into lapses… and Paul is aware of this when he says that we are to “reckon ourselves dead indeed to sin”and “alive to God”. To reckon means to deliberately allow the saving work of Christ to weigh/bear upon our decisions and choices each day. Take what Christ has done into account every time we are tempted to sin. Yes, every now and then we will waver and fall, but we are never to allow sinful thoughts and intentions full reign over us again. We are done with that and God knows. Yet He does not turn us away. We come not because we are worthy, because we can never be, but because He is merciful and full of compassion.

CONCLUSION

Today as you witness the baptism of our new brothers and sisters, pray for them that they will take this matter of death and life to heart.

1.      Coming to take the dying to their sins seriously. Pray that each one will allow themselves to die and be buried with Christ. We do not want to have anyone “buried alive” in this baptism. Pray for ourselves as well, that we will renew our vows to be dead and buried with Christ.

2.      That they arise from the waters, filled with the resurrection power of God to newness and a sincere openness to the leadership of the Holy Spirit in their lives.