Our Salvation

What it means to be a Christian
The symbols of salvation: Baptism & the Lord's Supper

"You are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26-28

What God has done for us...

What does it mean to be a Christian?

Most people live their entire lives without ever knowing "Why?" They exist year after year with no idea of why they live or God's purpose for their lives. The most basic question a person can ask is, "What is the meaning of my life?"

Everyone wants to be happy. People try many ways:

...Some look for happiness by acquiring possessions.
...Some look for happiness by experiencing pleasure.
...Some look for happiness by gaining prestige and power.

But real happiness in life comes from understanding my purpose in life.

1. Why am I here?

A. God made me to love me!

1. God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love!" Jeremiah 31:3

2. "Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be His through our union with Christ...because of his love, God had already decided that through Jesus Christ, He would make us His children - this was God's pleasure and purpose." Ephesians 1:4-5 (GN)

B. We were created to enjoy a personal relationship with God and to manage all of the rest of God's creation. This makes us special!

1. "So God created man in his own image...male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them...."fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves over the ground." Genesis 1:27-28

2. "God richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." 1 Timothy 6:17

3. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

C. When we know and love God and live in harmony with His purpose for our lives, it produces tremendous benefits:

1. Clear conscience life and peace help with weakness
Romans 8:1; 8:6; 8:28

2. Purpose confidence security
Romans 8:28; 8:31; 8:39

3. Power & strength fulfillment freedom
Philippians 4:13; 4:19 John 8:32,36

This is the kind of lifestyle God wants us to live. Why then aren't most people really happy?

2. What's the problem?

A. Man has a natural desire to be boss and to ignore God's principles for living. You've heard these common phrases?

1. "Look out for #1. Do your own thing."
2. "If it feels good, do it."
3. "It's my life and I'll do as I please!"

The Bible calls this attitude: sin.

"All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, and each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8

B. The Result: Sin breaks our close relationship with God. It causes us to fear God and try to live outside of His will.

1. "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

2. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

3. When our relationship to God is not right, it causes problems in every area of our lives...marriage, career, relationships, finances, etc.

4. When people have problems, they often try many different ways of coping before returning to God.

"There are ways that seem right to man, but they only end in death." Proverbs 16:25

5. Even when we know that our deepest need is God, we often try wrong ways of getting to know Him:

Salvation by heritage ("My parents were Christian so....")

Salvation by sincerity ("It doesn't matter what you believe, just be sincere")

Salvation by subtraction ("I'll give up all my bad habits")

Salvation by service ("I'll work real hard and earn it")

Salvation by association ("I'll attend church")

3. What's the Solution?

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

God himself came to earth as a human being to bring us back to Himself. If any other way would have worked, Jesus Christ would not have had to come. The Way to God is through a PERSON whose name is Jesus Christ!

A. Jesus has already taken care of your sin problem!

"The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

B. God did for us what we could not do for ourselves: He sent Jesus Christ as a substitute to pay the penalty for sin in our place! He did this because He loves us and wants us to know Him personally.

"God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." 2 Corinthians 5:21

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

C. God has already done His part to restore our relationship to Him. He took the initiative. Now he waits for each of us to individually accept what He has done.

4. What does God want me to do?

A. Admit that God has not been first place in your life and ask Him to forgive your sins.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

B. Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sins and that he rose again on Easter, and is alive today.

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name [Jesus] under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12

C. Accept God's free gift of salvation. Don't try to earn it.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Our relationship to God is not restored by anything we do, but on the basis of what Christ has already done for us.

D. Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and be the Lord (director/leader) of your life.

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." John 1:12-13

"Jesus says, 'Listen, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in...." Revelation 3:20

You can take these steps by praying a simple prayer of commitment to God:

"Dear Jesus, thank you for making me and loving me, even when I've ignored you and gone my own way. I realize I need you in my life and I'm sorry for my sins. I ask you to forgive me. Thank you for dying on the cross for me. Please help me to understand it more. As much as I know how, I want to follow you from now on. Please come into my life and make me a new person inside. I accept your gift of salvation. Please help me to grow as a Christian."

"Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

The symbols of salvation: Baptism and the Lord's Supper

The importance of being baptized...

1. Why should I be baptized?

A. To follow the example set by Christ.

"At that time, Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the river." Mark 1:9

B. Because Christ commands it.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:18-20

C. It demonstrates that I really am a believer.

"....many of the people who heard him believed and were baptized." Acts 18:8

"We know that we have come to know Him, if we obey His commands." 1 John 2:3

And the first command of Christ is to be baptized as a symbol of your belief. Believing and baptism are always joined together in the New Testament.

2. What is the meaning of baptism?

A. It illustrates Christ's burial and resurrection.

"Christ died for our sins....He was buried....and he rose again." 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"[For you were] 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." Colossians 2:12 (NAS)

B. It illustrates my new life as a Christian.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians5:17

"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead...we too may live a new life." Romans 6:4

C. Baptism doesn't make you a believer. It shows that you already believe. Baptism does not save you....only your faith in Christ can do that. Baptism is like a wedding ring....it is the outward symbol of the commitment you made in your heart.

"For it is by grace you have been saved through faith; it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

3. Why be baptized by immersion?

A. Because Jesus was baptized that way.

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water." Matthew 3:16

B. Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion.

"...then both Philip and the man went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water...." Acts 8:38-39

C. The word baptize (Gr. baptizo) means "to immerse" or "to dip under water."

D. Only immersion can effectively symbolize the death and resurrection of Christ!

The founders of major denominations agree:

Martin Luther.... "I would have those who are to be baptized to be entirely immersed, as the word imports and the mystery signifies."

John Calvin.... "The word 'baptize' signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church."

John Wesley... " 'Buried with Him,' alludes to baptizing by immersion according to the custom of the first church."

4. Who should be baptized?

A. Every person who has believed in Christ.

"Those who accepted his message were baptized...." Acts 2:41

"Simon himself believed and was baptized...." Acts 8:13

"But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:12

B. At FBC, we practice believer's baptism. That is, we do not baptize infants. We wait until our children are old enough to first believe and understand the true meaning of baptism before we baptize them.

C. Baptizing infants or practicing a "baptism of confirmation" for children is different from the baptism spoken of in Scripture. Baptism in the Bible was only for those who had first trusted Christ as their Savior. Remember, baptism is a symbolic expression of your faith in Christ which is to be a public testimony of your personal commitment to Christ.

5. A word about baptism and membership at FBC

Baptism by immersion after the experience of salvation is something that all members of FBC have in common. One enters into the family of FBC by one of three means:

By baptism after salvation. If you are saved and have not yet been baptized, a member of another denomination who has not been baptized, a member of another denomination who has been baptized in a mode other than immersion or in a manner inconsistent with the Scriptural teachings regarding baptism, you may enter into the FBC fellowship by baptism.

By transfer of membership. If you are a Southern Baptist who has been baptized by immersion in another Southern Baptist church, you may enter the FBC family by simply transferring your membership by letter. We will arrange for this transfer.

By Statement. If you are a member of another denomination, you may join by statement, which is your testimony that you have accepted Christ as Savior and that you have been scripturally baptized by immersion after salvation as a testimony of trusting Christ.

The meaning of the Lord's Supper...

It's interesting that Jesus never asked his followers to remember and celebrate his birth. But he did instruct them to remember his death and resurrection. he gave the church two visible symbols ("ordinances") as reminders of his death. These are: 1) Baptism, which we've just discussed; and 2) The Lord's Supper. The Lord's Supper is an object lesson that represents a great spiritual truth for believers.

1. What is the Lord's Supper? (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

A. It is a simple act, not an elaborate ceremony.

"The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread...." (v.23)

B. It is a reminder.

"....and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'" (v.24)

C. It is a symbol.

"In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." (v.25)

D. It is a statement of faith.

"For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." (v.26)

2. Who should take the Lord's Supper?

A. Only those who are already believers.

"While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples...." 1 Corinthians 11:23

"For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." 1 Corinthians 11:29

B. You do not have to be a member of FBC to partake of the Lord's Supper whenever we observe it, but you should be a believer in Jesus Christ who has been baptized as a testimony of your faith.

C. The question is often asked, "Is it biblically acceptable for my child to take the Lord's Supper?" While this seems innocent enough, we should remember the sacredness of the meal and what it represents: the suffering and death of our Lord and our identity with Him. Therefore, we encourage only believing children who have been baptized take the Lord's Supper. Parents should use the event of taking the Lord's Supper to share the gospel with their inquisitive children.

3. How do I prepare myself for the Lord's Supper?

"Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A person ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup." 1 Corinthians 11:27-28

We prepare ourselves by:

Self-examination (1 Corinthians 11: 27)

Confessing our sins (1 John 1:9)

Recommitting ourselves to Christ (Romans 12:1)

Restoring any broken relationship (Matthew 5:23-24)

4. When and how often should we observe the Lord's Supper?

A. Jesus never specified a frequency for taking the Lord's Supper. He instituted it on a Thursday night. In many churches, the Supper is observed weekly; in others, it is observed less frequently.

B. At FBC, we take the Lord’s Supper several times a year in regular worship services.