Baptism

Baptism is a gospel ordinance that pictures and seals union with Christ, obligating believers to die to sin and live to righteousness. It is not a saving ceremony but a sign for those who profess faith, and it carries weighty responsibilities. The authors gathered here agree that baptism points to inward spiritual realities, though they differ in emphasis on how it relates to infants and to the mode of washing.

Baptism and the gospel offer Charles Spurgeon connects baptism directly to the gospel invitation. He preaches that the message is plain: whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, while whoever does not believe will be damned (Mark 16:16). Yet Spurgeon is careful to guard against trusting the ceremony itself. Religious ceremonies such as baptism and the Lord's Supper cannot save anyone who lacks faith (Romans 3:27). In fact, for those without faith, these ordinances increase guilt rather than bring salvation. Spurgeon still urges sinners to obey the command to believe and be baptized, holding God to His Word (Romans 4:16).

He that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ and is baptized, shall be saved. “He that believeth not,” saith the Scripture “shall be damned Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Love's Commendation”

Well, Friend, in that sense you cannot be saved by works, for all these things have no avail whatever upon the matter of salvation, if you have not faith Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Grace Exalted—Boasting Excluded”

And with regard to Baptism and the Supper, every time you touch them you increase your guilt. Whether it is Baptism or the Lord's Supper, you have no right to either, unless you are saved already Charles Spurgeon, sermon “Grace Exalted—Boasting Excluded”

Here is another gracious word—"He that believes and is

baptized shall be saved." Attend you to these two commands and then say, "Lord, I have Your Word for it that I shall be saved, and I hold You to it Charles Spurgeon, sermon “How Is Salvation Received?”

Baptism and justification Jonathan Edwards addresses a possible misunderstanding. If obedience justifies, then obedience to positive commands such as baptism and the Lord's Supper would also be part of justification (Romans 3:28). But Edwards argues that the command to repent and be baptized in Christ's name for remission implies that repentance for remission includes faith in Christ (Acts 2:38). Baptism, then, is not an independent work that earns justification. It is an act of obedience that rests on faith in Christ, and faith alone is the instrument of justification.

as now under the New Testament, if obedience is what we are justified by, that obedience must doubtless comprehend obedience to all God’s commands now in force, to the positive precepts of attendance on baptism and the Lord’s supper, as well as moral precepts Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone” In Acts ii. 38. the direction given to those who were pricked in their heart with a sense of the guilt of sin, was to repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins. Being baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins, implied faith in Christ for the remission of sins Jonathan Edwards, “Justification by Faith Alone”

The inward reality of true baptism Matthew Henry stresses that true Christianity and true baptism are inward realities of the heart and spirit, not merely outward profession or external washing (Romans 2:28–29). The outward sign points to something deeper. Henry sees this principle running through both testaments. Circumcision was the initiating sacrament of the Old Testament, signifying original corruption, God's covenant, distinction from Gentiles, admission to the visible church, and prefiguring baptism (Romans 4:11). Circumcision was a seal of the covenant of grace, particularly of justification by faith. Henry draws a practical conclusion: since infants then received this seal, infant baptism under the gospel should not be rejected (Romans 4:11).

This is alike true of Christianity. He is not a Christian that is one outwardly, nor is that baptism which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Christian that is one inwardly, and baptism is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” The nature of circumcision in particular: it was the initiating sacrament of the Old Testament; and it is here said to be, [1.] A sign—a sign of that original corruption which we are all born with, and which is cut off by spiritual circumcision,—a commemorating sign of God's covenant with Abraham,—a distinguishing sign between Jews and Gentiles,—a sign of admission into the visible church,—a sign prefiguring baptism, which comes in the room of circumcision, now under the gospel, when (the blood of Christ being shed) all bloody ordinances are abolished; it was an outward and sensible sign of an inward and spiritual grace signified thereby Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” A seal of the righteousness of the faith. In general, it was a seal of the covenant of grace, particularly of justification by faith—the covenant of grace, called the righteousness which is of faith (ch. x. 6), and it refers to an Old-Testament promise, Deut. xxx. 12. Now if infants were then capable of receiving a seal of the covenant of grace, which proves that they then were within the verge of that covenant, how they come to be now cast out of the covenant and incapable of the seal, and by what severe sentence they were thus rejected and incapacitated, those are concerned to make out that not only reject, but nullify and reproach, the baptism of the seed of believers Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Baptism as death to sin Henry develops the ethical force of baptism at length. Baptism obligates believers to die to sin and live to righteousness, serving as both a restraint from sin and a spur to duty (Romans 6:1–2). Believers are dead to sin in profession and obligation, having been cut off from sin's kingdom and united to Christ for its mortification (Romans 6:2). Continuing in sin after professing death to sin contradicts one's profession and returns to a slavery from which one has been discharged (Romans 6:2).

Our baptism, with the design and intention of it, carried in it a great reason why we should die to sin, and live to righteousness. Thus we must improve our baptism as a bridle of restraint to keep us in from sin, as a spur of constraint to quicken us to duty Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” In general, we are dead to sin, that is, in profession and in obligation. Our baptism signifies our cutting off from the kingdom of sin. We profess to have no more to do with sin. We are dead to sin by a participation of virtue and power for the killing of it, and by our union with Christ and interest in him, in and by whom it is killed Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” All this is in vain if we persist in sin; we contradict a profession, violate an obligation, return to that to which we were dead, like walking ghosts, than which nothing is more unbecoming and absurd Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Union with Christ in his death and resurrection Henry explains that being baptized into Christ means being bound to Christ as teacher and sovereign, and specifically into his death, obliging believers to share in the privileges of his death and conform to its pattern (Romans 6:3). Baptism into Christ's death obligates believers to comply with the design of his death, which was to redeem from all iniquity, and to conform to the pattern of his death by dying to sin (Romans 6:3). Baptism also obliges believers to conform to Christ's resurrection by rising to newness of life (Romans 6:4–5, Romans 6:8). Baptism signifies and seals union with Christ, so believers are dead with him and engaged to have no more to do with sin than he had (Romans 6:8).

In particular, being baptized into Jesus Christ, we were baptized into his death, v. 3. We were baptized eis Christon—unto Christ, as 1 Cor. x. 2, eis Mosen—unto Moses. Baptism binds us to Christ, it binds us apprentice to Christ as our teacher, it is our allegiance to Christ as our sovereign Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Particularly, we were baptized into his death, into a participation of the privileges purchased by his death, and into an obligation both to comply with the design of his death, which was to redeem us from all iniquity, and to conform to the pattern of his death, that, as Christ died for sin, so we should die to sin Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Now in baptism we are obliged to conform to that pattern, to be planted in the likeness of his resurrection (v. 5), to live with him, v. 8 Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Baptism signifies and seals our union with Christ, our engrafting into Christ; so that we are dead with him, and engaged to have no more to do with sin than he had Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

The meaning of burial in baptism Henry is careful about the imagery of burial. Being buried with Christ in baptism means being cut off from all commerce and communion with sin, as the buried are cut off from the world (Romans 6:4). In baptism believers are bound by covenant and engagement to be the Lord's and therefore to be cut off from sin (Romans 6:4). Henry adds a clarifying note: the apostle's language of being buried with Christ in baptism refers to the thing signified, not to any custom of dipping under water (Romans 6:4). As Christ was buried to rise to a new and more heavenly life, so believers are buried in baptism, cut off from the life of sin, to rise to a new life of faith and love (Romans 6:4).

We are buried with him by baptism, v. 4. Our conformity is complete. We are in profession quite cut off from all commerce and communion with sin, as those that are buried are quite cut off from all the world; not only not of the living, but no more among the living, have nothing more to do with them Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” We are buried, namely, in profession and obligation: we profess to be so, and we are bound to be so: it was our covenant and engagement in baptism; we are sealed to be the Lord's, therefore to be cut off from sin Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” Why this burying in baptism should so much as allude to any custom of dipping under water in baptism, any more than our baptismal crucifixion and death should have any such references, I confess I cannot see. It is plain that it is not the sign, but the thing signified, in baptism, that the apostle here calls being buried with Christ, and the expression of burying alludes to Christ's burial Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” As Christ was buried, that he might rise again to a new and more heavenly life, so we are in baptism buried, that is, cut off from the life of sin, that we may rise again to a new life of faith and love Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”

Baptism and the believer's ongoing walk Henry connects baptism to the believer's relationship to the law and to Christ. Believers are dead to the law through their union with Christ, effected in baptism and in believing (Romans 7:4). Christians have professed to put on Christ in baptism, and must now do so in truth and sincerity, putting him on as Lord to rule them and Jesus to save them (Romans 13:14). Baptism is not a one-time event that leaves no continuing obligation. It marks the beginning of a life in which the believer daily puts on Christ and lives as one dead to sin and alive to God.

We are dead to the law by our union with the mystical body of Christ. By being incorporated into Christ in our baptism professedly, in our believing powerfully and effectually, we are dead to the law, have no more to do with it than the dead servant, that is free from his master, hath to do with his master's yoke Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” By baptism we have in profession put on Christ, Gal. iii. 27. Let us do it in truth and sincerity. The Lord Jesus Christ. "Put him on as Lord to rule you, as Jesus to save you, and in both as Christ, anointed and appointed by the Father to this ruling saving work Matthew Henry, “Exposition of the Old and New Testaments”