I. INTRODUCTION: If we accept the Bible as our standard
of authority, then we can consider how to get into fellowship with God.
A. Eph. 1:4: Before Creation God Planned to Save Us in Christ. The coming
of Christ was not a stop gap measure because of the failure of the Old Law,
but God's specific plan from eternity.
B. Acts 20:28: When Christ Shed His Blood, He Purchased the Church. The
"church" is simply a specific group of people, in this case the
group redeemed by Christ's blood.
C. Eph. 3:10: God Also Planned That Church (a group of people in fellowship
with Him).
1. God's plan for the church was also from eternity and not a stop gap measure.
2. The church was to show the diverse wisdom of God.
a. The church Christ purchased ought to reflect God's wisdom, not ours.
b. Trying to modify or change something about the church that doesn't seem
to fit the present age, is man placing his wisdom above the wisdom of God.
D. Eph. 1:22,23 How Many Churches Did Christ Purchase? There is only one
relationship in which men may redeemed by the blood of Christ, His Church.
1. Paul is reiterating what Jesus Himself said in Mt. 28:18. That is "all
authority hath been given to me (Jesus) in heaven and on earth."
2. Paul added that Christ is the head of the church, which is Christ's body.
Eph. 4:4 indicates that there is only one body.
E. The Bottom Line: There is only one universal church, (the body of Christ),redeemed
by the blood of Christ, consisting of members who are in fellowship with
God.
1. If there is one head, then there is one body to be controlled by it.
2. Everything the body of Christ (church) does, must be under the control
of the head (Christ).
3. To act by true faith in Christ, God's people must have divine authority
for all of their actions.
II. DISCUSSION
A. SALVATION BY PERFECT FAITH: Let's briefly summarize the first six chapters
of Romans.
1. Rom. 1 All Gentiles (non-Jews) Have Sinned and stand condemned before
God.
2. Rom. 2 All Jews Have Sinned and stand condemned before God.
3. Rom. 3:23 All Have Sinned, therefore all men stand condemned before God.
4. Rom. 3:21,22 God's Plan to Save Us in Christ
5. Rom. 4: 1-3, 6 Example of Abraham and David. Neither of these men were
saved by a perfect understanding of God's will or by perfect obedience to
God's will. They were justified by their faith in God.
6. Us Too!
a. Rom. 4:11,12,22-25 We can be saved the same way as Abraham was. This
faith is not just mental assent, but an obedient faith
b. Jas. 2:18-24 This is the faith of Abraham, a faith accomplished through
his works. These are not works of merit, but works of faith.
7. Here's How.
a. Rom. 6:3-6,17,18 We (as the early Christians) can exercise saving faith
when, as penitent sinners, we obey the Lord in baptism and enter a newness
of life, namely fellowship with God.
b. Example of those responding to the first gospel sermon (Acts 2:37,38,41).
These were baptized for the remission of their sins, not because baptism
was a work of merit, but because it exercised the kind of faith that Abraham
had.
c. If we are to receive the teaching of Jesus, we must receive the teaching
of those whom He sent, namely the Apostles (Jn. 13:20). If the first century
Christians were baptized for the remission of their sins at the preaching
of Peter, then so should we.
B. WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
1. Believers: Mk. 16:16 (not infants, or the mentally incompetent)
2. Faith in the Working of God: Col. 2:13 those who have the ability to
understand and resolve to obey Christ out of allegiance to Him.
3. Penitent Believer: Acts 2:38
4. Old Man in Sin: Rom. 6:5-7 (not the new man, not Christians)
C. WHAT IS BAPTISM?
1. Going into Water: Acts 8:38
2. Much Water: Jn. 3:23 (sprinkling and pouring do not meet this requirement.)
3. Burial: Rom. 6:3,4; Col. 2:12
D. WHY BE BAPTIZED?
1. For Newness of Life: Rom. 6:4
2. To Be made Alive, Forgiven: Col. 2:13
3. For Remission of Sins: Acts 2:38
4. To Be Saved: Mk. 16:16
5. For Sins To Be Washed Away: Acts 22:16
6. To be Called a "Christian": 1 Cor. 1:13
E. MANNER OF LIFE
1. Rom. 6:1-2 If we are dead to sin, then we can no longer live in it.
2. Rom. 6:16-18 Those who are obedient to the gospel, can be made free of
sin.
3. Rom. 6:22 freedom from sin will lead to eternal life.
III. CONCLUSION :
A. ALL BASED ON CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST!
1. Through complete faith in Christ we can enjoy fellowship with God, and
be in the universal church.
2. The manner of life we are supposed to follow is all based on confidence
in Christ.
B. DO YOU WANT NEWNESS OF LIFE IN CHRIST?
1. Newness of life in Christ and fellowship with God is attainable by exercising
the kind of faith that Abraham had: obedient faith.
2. New Testament Christians came into fellowship with God through Christ
by confessing their faith in Christ, determining to live according to His
will to the best of their ability (repentance) and being baptized for the
remission of their sins.
3. If you want this newness of life, you must emulate our spiritual ancestors
and be baptized into the universal church (the collection of all who are
in fellowship with God through the redemptive blood of Christ.
4. Your understanding of what you must do to be in a right relationship
with God has been shown to you through God's word. It doesn't depend on
anyone but you. What the preacher thinks, your mother thinks, or any other
person thinks means nothing (Mt. 10:37). Do what the Bible tells you to
do. Be baptized.