The Fruits of Holy Baptism (5)

The Incorporation into Christ

Again, we wish to consider some of the fruits of the sacrament of Holy Baptism. This time we will study what God the Son seals unto us in Baptism. In the Form we read, “...that He doth wash us in His blood from all our sins, incorporating us into the fellowship of His death and resurrection, so that we are freed from all our sins and accounted righteous before God.”

Do you see the drops of water dripping upon the head of the child being baptized? It is a token, a visible token of an invisible certainty. Just as the water washes away the filthiness of the body, so also there is a means whereby the soul can and must be washed. God’s children know of that. Do you also know it? Has that become your greatest longing? Has that childhood prayer ever become precious unto you, “Though my sins are very many, be pleased, O Lord, for Jesus’ sake, to cleanse me from them all”? Oh, those filthy sins!—the loathsomeness of your soul, the filthy wrongdoings of your works, with your words, your thoughts, with your silence, with your negligence. How much shame there is before God. See Ephraim smiting upon his thigh and the publican smiting upon his breast. Hear David’s complaints; look and see Peter’s tears.

Purifying the soul

Here, the means spoken of in the preaching are shown. Yea, the preaching must mention that in its message. The preaching must be overflowing with this message of those means which alone can wash away sin and purify the soul. Listen to the preacher as he so highly commends it. See in baptism the simple and clear token: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7b). See His bloody circumcision. Look at His blood-covered body in the Garden of Gethsemane. Look at His bleeding head with the crown of thorns; see his bloody back as a result of the scourging with the whips. See the blood coming from His hands and His feet which were nailed to the cross. Yea, see the stream of blood where the spear of the Roman soldier penetrated His side and entered His heart, His “love heart.” Consider that He shed that blood for the sins of vile ones—for those who, by nature, despise Him and spurn His “blood-preaching”; for those who continue living in their miserable manner. Truly they are incorrigible. That blood He shed for…yea, also for you, doubting child. He confirms this in every baptismal service. He has already confirmed and sealed it with your own baptism.

Flesh and bone

He also seals and confirms that He incorporates His people into the fellowship of His death and resurrection and makes them one with Him. We become members of His body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone. Can you fathom it all, child of God? Through the incorporation into Him, you have communion with Him. His death is your death. In His death your old man is crucified and done away with, but through the incorporation into Him you also have communion with His resurrection. The acquittal He received with His resurrection is your acquittal. The glorification He received in His resurrection is your glorification. The life He assumed at His resurrection is your life. His resurrection is the foundation of your blessed resurrection at the youngest day. He also seals this at a baptismal service.

Delivered from sin

By means of all of these benefits, child of God, you are delivered from all of your sins. They no longer have any dominion over you, for you are no longer under the law but under grace (Romans 6:14), in spite of all the torments and stumbling on account of sin. Later in the Form it is testified, “And if we sometimes through weakness fall into sin, we must not therefore despair of God’s mercy, nor continue in sin, since baptism is a seal and undoubted testimony that we have an eternal covenant of grace with God.”

By means of these benefits you are considered righteous before God. The Lord looks upon you in His Son. He no longer sees your sins. They are atoned for in His death and shedding of blood. They have remained in the grave. He reckons you justified in Christ, even if you cannot see it yourself, even if you doubt it a thousand times.

Are you able to see in your baptism these precious benefits? Does it make you desirous to have them applied to your soul so that you might experience the assurance thereof? Make then, in faith, much use of your own baptism.

(To be continued)

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