Added to the Church at Baptism

ADDED TO THE CHURCH AT BAPTISM

Acts 2:36-47

This morning I want to talk to you about something that happens when you are baptized.

There are a lot of things that take place when you are baptized…you don’t feel them…you don’t see the things that take place.
But we know that they take place because God says so…we know they take place because of faith.

We know by faith that at baptism your sins are forgiven…that God remembers them no more.

And when your sins are forgiven…a lot of things happen…fellowship is restored between you and God…peace is restored between you and God…and salvation is yours.

We also know, by faith, that “you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” and when the Holy Spirit is given to you…the Spirit seals you as belonging to Christ…

And the Spirit is also a “pledge to you” that you will receive your eternal inheritance.
So, a lot of things take place at baptism…things that you cannot see with the human eye or feel with the human senses….but by faith in what God says…we know they happen.

This morning I want to talk to you about something else that takes place at baptism…its not something you can do for yourself…its not something that me or anyone else can do for you…it is something only the Lord can do and it happens as soon as you are baptized.

Let me show you what it is.

Let me begin by talking to you about “the church.”

Now, the majority of people have a wrong understanding of what…or who the church is.

When we say, “the church” most people think we are talking about “this church here” or “that church there.”

They have the idea that we are talking about a congregation or group of people that assembles in a particular building.
And that when we are talking about being baptized into the church that we are talking about being baptized simply to be a member of this or that gathering. (You have to be baptized if you want to be a member here at Sunset Ridge….or you have to be baptized if you want to be recognized as a member down the street.)
(And each time you change or move, you have to be baptized again if that particular group requires it.)

Well, that is not what the church is according to the scriptures…the church is much more than just a group of people that assembles in a particular building.

And baptism is not for simply being recognized with a certain fellowship.

Let me explain so you can understand what really happens at baptism…and I hope that you will stay with me through this so that, if you do have some wrong ideas, they will be cleared up.

And if you have questions about what I say, I hope you will ask me afterwards.

Here in Matthew 16:18 (overlay) Christ says:

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

Christ says that it is “His church”…and it will withstand whatever Hell sends against it.

Here in Eph. 1:22 the apostle Paul says, speaking of God that God: …put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.

Paul says that “Christ is head over all things to the church”…the church is subject to Him.

And that “the church” is His body.
Already you can see that “the church” is a reference to a specific group with a special relationship with Christ.
It is much more than just some local gathering of people.

Notice this passage found in Acts 11:22: And the news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

Notice the metaphor that the “church has ears”.

And notice also that “they” sent Barnabas off to Antioch.

It is obvious that “the church” is made up of people…
And that it is much more than simply “a church” or a group of people thatmeet at some building.

So who is it? “What group of people is it that comprises the church?” or “Who makes up the church?”

One of the man made traditions….and it is one of the most popular today…says that the church is composed of “many different religious groups, each teaching different religious doctrines.”

The idea is that each of these groups, referred to as a denomination…or a division.
Though distinguished from all the other denominations by their own peculiar doctrine.
All combine to compose “the church” or the “Lord’s body.”

But notice these verseshow they counter this idea that all these different groups make up the one body.

Here in John 17:20-21 Jesus is praying for his disciples and notice what he says. He says:

"I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one…”

Look at this…the disciples were going to go out and teach…and Jesus’ prayer is that “those who believe in Him through their word…might all be one.”
That does not mean that they would all be divided in all these different groups… each one believing something else.
This means that they would all be “united” in the word of the apostles…that they would all hold the same teaching.
Christ didn’t pray for all these divisions….and all these different doctrines.
He prayed for “oneness” as the result of believing what the apostles taught.

Look at this passage found in 1 Corinthians 1: 10. First of all, notice who Paul is writing to in verses 1 and 2:

Paul, called {as} an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth…”

Notice his instructions to “the church”.

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree, and there be no divisions among you, but you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

The apostle Paul condemns division in the Lord’s church.

When it comes to the teachings of Christ and the apostles…the church consists of people who “agree…who are of the same mind…and who are in the same judgment.”
God never intended for all of these different denominations to exist.
They only exist because people refuse to follow the sound teaching so Christ.
And this idea that all of these different denominations or division…with all their peculiar doctrines….make up the church…is wrong.

That is the doctrine of ecumenism…and it came about as a result of people wanting to throw sound doctrine out of the window…and simply say: “Let’s just all be Christians.”

You cannot throw sound doctrine out the window and be a “Christian.”
You can throw sound doctrine out the window and call yourself a Christian…but you cannot throw it out the window and be one.
All of these divisions do not make up the one church.

So, who makes up “the church?”

Let’s look at Matt. 16:18 again.

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it.

The word “church” in the Greek is the word “ekklesia.”
The word “ekklesia” literally means: ek – “out of”….and “klesia”…meaning “to call.”
Hence the church is composed of “the called out.”

Look at these words found in 2 Thessalonians 2: 14

“And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Did you know that this is the only “calling” mentioned in the NT?
Many times people say they were “called in a dream” or “called by a voice that they heard”…or an experience that they had.
Paul says here that “you are called through the gospel.”
You read this and it calls you to Christ…it calls you to service.

The church consists of those who are “called out” and this verse says “they are called out by the gospel.”

The church consists of those who have heard the gospel and obeyed its commands.

And look what the Bible says about who these people are; Matt 1:21

"And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins."

Acts 2: 47; And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

As soon as one is “saved” the Lord adds that person to His church.

Often people come and say, “I want to be a member of the church.”
It is not up to me or the elders to admit you to the church.
The Lord adds you when you are saved.

Acts 20:28: "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

Eph. 1:7 says that we have “redemption from sin through Christ’s blood.
Rev. 1:5 says that “we are washed from our sins by the blood of Christ.”
Matt. 26:28 says that Christ’s blood was shed for the forgiveness of men’s sins.
Yet, the blood was shed to “purchase the church.”
Therefore, the church is composed of all who have been forgiven, redeemed, washed or SAVED by the blood of Christ.

1 Cor 1:1-2 Paul, called {as} an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus…

The church consists of those who are sanctified.

Eph 1:22-23And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.

Christ is the head…the church is His body…He commands…they obey.
The church consists of those who are obedient to Him.

Now, these are just a few.

The Bible also says that the church is the “Spiritual Bride of Christ.”

In Hebrews 12:22-23 the writer says the church consists of those who are “enrolled in Heaven.”

But here is the point.

To speak of “the church” is not to call the name of a denomination…or a division.
IT is a designation of relationship.
It is Christ’s people.
It is the saved.
It is the purchased people of God.
It is the body of Christ.
It is the sanctified…the enrolled in heaven…the bride of Christ.

And it is not a relationship that exists for only a few here in Brady.

The church refers to all world-wide who have this relationship with God.

So now the question is: How or when do people become members of the Lord’s body or church.

Remember that “the church” consists of those who are saved from their sins.

Acts 2:38-41

38And Peter {said} to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.39 "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

When are your sins forgiven?
According to verse 40 and 41 when were people saved?
As a result of their being baptized…they were added, by the Lord, to His church.

Rom 6:17-18But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

When were they freed from their sins? When they became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching…

They were taught something…and when they obeyed that teaching…their sins were forgiven.
What was it they obeyed?
The book of Acts reveals exactly what they did to become Christians.

CHART

This is what they did. Each person obeyed every point of the “form of teaching” that was necessary to be freed from their sins.
Notice the one thing that is mentioned every time.
Baptism is essential for salvation…and when you are baptized…you are added to the Lord’s church.

Mark 16:16

16"He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved;

Remember the saved are members of the Lord’s church.
And when does this passage say that one is saved?

1 Pet 3:21And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—

1 Cor 12:13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free…”

When you believe in Christ, confess Him as Lord, repent of your sins…and are baptized…you are added to “the church” by Christ Himself.

At baptism you become a member of His body.
You do not see it…you do not feel it…but by faith you know it happens.

It is not up to me who becomes a member of His body.

Our elders cannot bestow upon you membership into “the church.”
Only Christ can do that…and whether that happens or not depends on you.