After Baptism – A Sermon

Introduction
Back in November we had a Bible study here on Baptism. For those that were not here at
that time you can find that study at www.audioverse.org under the title "A Deeper
Baptism." You can find a transcript of the study titled "Baptism – The Cost of the
Covenant" at www.bibledoc.org. This morning we are going to study about the life of the
believer after baptism.

By way of introduction I will share with you a recap of that earlier sermon on the
meaning of baptism.

We saw that in the Bible Baptism was a symbol of death, resurrection, and new life. We
learned that baptismal candidates in the New Testament were expected to count the cost
of becoming Christ's disciple. Did they understand that baptism was a symbol of the end
of their old life?

They were required to reform their lives before baptism. John the Baptist required
soldiers to cease doing violence, poor people to give to charity, and Herod to give up the
wife that, by God's law, was still the wife of his brother.

We examined three passages that compared baptism to covenant symbols in the Old
Testament. These verses show that Baptism is a symbol of submitting to the New
Covenant. When we come up from the water we are not expecting to live a better life by
the strength of our will power. Rather, we covenant with the Father, the Son, and with the
Holy Spirit to live a new life by their power. We submit to let the Spirit write the Law in
our Hearts.

Today we are going to study one of those three passages that gives us helpful information
on how to live after baptism. Turn in your Bible 1 Cor 10:1.

Baptism not the End of the Struggle

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our
fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all
baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual
meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God
was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Co 10:1-5

Where were God's people baptized after leaving Egypt? Walking through the sea and
walking under the cloud they showed their commitment to follow God's ways. That was
their baptism. But we should not be ignorant that many of them later displeased God and
were separated from His people.
When Jesus was baptized He immediately experienced a time of difficult temptations. He
resisted those temptations by using Bible promises to drive away the tempter. Ja 4:7.

This is one reason why we should not be in a big hurry to baptize persons. They need
some understanding of the Bible to face the temptations of the Devil successfully.

Both before and after these five verse we find information about how to live after
baptism. Look back at 9:24.

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So
run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate
in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that
beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by
any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Co
9:24-27.

Paul compared the Christian life to the discipline involved in preparing for a race or a
war. We are to maintain the proper relation between our mind and our body. What is that
relation? The body is to be kept "under" and "in subjection." The desires and appetites
and passions that cry out for indulgence are not to direct us.

What would happen to Paul if he would slack up and become a servant of his belly? Jesus
demonstrated this kind of discipline immediately after His own baptism when, despite
hunger, He refused to make the stones into bread.

Now look at 1 Co 10:6.

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil
things, as they also lusted.
Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat
down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one
day three and twenty thousand.
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of
serpents. [By despising the manna. . . .Nu 21:5-9]
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the
destroyer.
Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for
our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Co 10:6-12

Our question is, "How were baptized persons lost?" and the answers are plain. They
didn't keep their appetites in subjection to their conscience. They indulged their desire to
murmur and complain when God had done so much to benefit them.
A Path of Escape – Use it

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will
with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 1 Co 10:13-14.

What a beautiful promise! God measures the temptations that Satan brings at us. God
refuses to let us be overwhelmed. He makes a way of escape. Note that we can not afford
to dilly-dally when being tempted. The "way" is a path and we must run to it to be safe.

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
Pr 18:10

The second point we want to notice is that Jesus is ready to pick up those that fall. One of
the saddest verses in I Co 10:1-12 is verse 9. What makes it sadder than the other verses?
No one needed to be destroyed by the serpents. Look at Nu 21:5-9.

And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye
brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither
is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery
serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel
died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have
spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take
away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said
unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to
pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses
made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a
serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

"Many of the Israelites saw no help in the remedy which Heaven had appointed. The dead
and dying were all around them, and they knew that, without divine aid, their own fate
was certain; but they continued to lament their wounds, their pains, their sure death, until
their strength was gone, and their eyes were glazed, when they might have had instant
healing. If we are conscious of our needs, we should not devote all our powers to
mourning over them. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we are not
to yield to discouragement, but rely upon the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.
Look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him. Though
millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His
merits will be left to perish." {PP 432.1}

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man
sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 1Jo 2:1
So how do we live after baptism? We learn what to do when tempted…resist using God
promises and power. We learn what to do when we fall…look at the sacrifice of Jesus and
claim it as our own.

We don't have a brazen serpent to look at. But periodically we do have the service of
Communion. This is the last thing we will notice today about how to live after Baptism.
Look at I Co 10:15-17.

I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless,
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it
not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and
one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 1 Co 10:15-17

We are baptized into one family and that is symbolized by eating together a meal that
represents our union with Jesus. Those baptized in the Red Sea had communion through
manna and miraculous water. Those baptized today have communion through the service
of the Lord's Supper.

Review

So Baptism is not the end of a struggle. Rather, it precedes the strongest temptations.

But a way of escape is available. We can run to Jesus for power to bring our bodies into
subjection.

And if we fall to murmuring or doubting or to any other sin, we can look to Jesus for
pardon.

Finally, we have Communion with the church that is struggling with us to represent Jesus
to the world.