1. Living Hope Lutheran Church
Building Hope Class
Living Hope Lutheran Church
Reunion, CO

2. God the Holy Spirit uses Baptism to Create and Strengthen Faith.
Lesson Six:
God the Holy Spirit uses Baptism to Create and Strengthen Faith.

3. Last Week’s Homework:
1. Look up the following passages and in the blank to the right put whether the passage is law or gospel. After that tell what our proper response is to the passage.
Matthew 5:27-30
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Ephesians 6:4
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1 John 1:8-9
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4. Last Week’s Homework:
1. Look up the following passages and in the blank to the right put whether the passage is law or gospel. After that tell what our proper response is to the passage.
Ephesians 2:8-9
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Romans 6:23
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Romans 3:23
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5. Last Week’s Homework: LAW Gospel
2. How would you use God’s Word to turn a friend from sin to God?
LAW
Gospel

6. So far, we have learned that no one can believe on his own
So far, we have learned that no one can believe on his own. Only God can make us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:1-10). God, the Holy Spirit, makes us alive by giving us his grace. God’s grace is his forgiving love for undeserved sinners.

7. When Jesus came and told the world of God’s grace he also instituted two special church acts which would give his people concrete assurance of the forgiveness of sins. They are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We call these two acts Sacraments. The word Sacrament means sacred act.

8. Lesson Eight: God’s Grace Given to Us through Baptism
Without the commands and promises of Christ these two sacraments would only be pious works of men to show their faith in the Savior. But, since Christ has commanded that we use them in the church and has promised to give us forgiveness through them they are works of God and not works of men.

9. Sacraments (Baptism & Lord’s Supper)
The Means of Grace
Forgiveness
New Life
Salvation
God’s Word (The Bible)
Forgiveness
New Life
Salvation
Gospel
The Means of Grace

10. God gives us forgiveness of our sins through his word, when it is preached and when it is attached to these two sacraments. God give us his grace through Word and Sacrament. Therefore, we call these his “Means of Grace.”

11. Note:
We must keep in mind that baptism is a work of God and not of man. Otherwise we stand to lose all the joy and comfort God wants us to get from our Baptism.

12. Where in the Bible does Christ command Baptism?
Read Matthew 28:19-20
Here Jesus says that our mission is to make disciples of all nations. In the original baptizing and teaching are means by which people are “made disciples.” God’s grace comes through the Word preached and through the promise of forgiveness attached to Baptism.

13. Where in the Bible does it say that in Baptism God saves sinners?
Read 1 Peter 3:18-22
In this inspired digression of the Apostle Peter’s, God affirms that he saves us from our sins through Baptism. Baptism gives to us the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection, namely forgiveness.

14. Where in the Bible does it say that in Baptism God saves sinners?
Read Acts 2:38
Peter promises the repentant Jews that they will receive forgiveness through Baptism
SIN

15. Where in the Bible does it say that in Baptism God saves sinners?
Note:
There are no New Testament references to Baptism where Baptism does not impart some spiritual blessing. Every blessing is shown to be springing from God’s grace through Baptism.
(See Romans 6:1-4; Galatians 3:27; Acts 22:16; Titus 3:3-8)

16. What should my Baptism mean to me?
Baptism is all gospel and no law. Therefore, your baptism should assure you that:
Acts 2:38 Your sins are forgiven.
Acts 2:38 The Holy Spirit has come to live in you.
Romans 6:1-4 You have the power to say no to sin.
1 Peter 3: You are saved from eternal death in hell.
SIN
SIN

17. Is everyone who is baptized automatically saved?
Read Mark 16:16
Those who reject the grace offered through baptism by their own unbelief are not saved.

18. Why does the Lutheran Church baptize infants?
Read Acts 2:38-39
For the same reason that the first believers had their children baptized. Through baptism they were assured that God extended his grace also to their children. See also Acts 16:33. The burden of proof from these passages is on those who would want to exclude children, not include them.

19. Why does the Lutheran Church baptize infants?
A. Psalm 51:5
SIN
Our children are sinners from conception.
B. Ezekiel 18:20
Our children are accountable for their sinfulness.
C. 1 Peter 3:18-22
God promises forgiveness through the sacraments.

20. Why does the Lutheran Church baptize infants?
D. Matthew 28:19
God does not limit the sacrament to any age group.
E. Ephesians 2:1-10
Since the sacrament is gospel and God works faith through his gospel, we trust that he can cause our children to believe through this Sacrament. The miracle of faith in children through Baptism is no more incredible than the miracle of faith in adults.

21. Why does the Lutheran Church baptize infants?
F. Luke 18:15-17
God can work faith into the heart of little babies as well as adults. The Greek word in this passage which is translated “babies” is only used of unborn children and infants.

22. Why do some churches not baptize infants?
Lesson Eight: God’s Grace Given to Us through Baptism
Why do some churches not baptize infants?
They view baptism as a work of the individual. They call it an “outward sign of an inward change.” Since to them it is a work of the
individual, only those who know about it and can ask for it will be baptized. This is taught nowhere in Scripture and came into practice during the 1600’s through the Anabaptists.
Outward Sign of an Inward Change

23. Did the early church baptize infants?
Absolutely, because the early church held that baptism was a means which God used to apply grace to the individual.
The church father, Origen, born 185 A.D., tells us the practice of baptizing children was handed down to them from the apostles.
Irenaeus (202 A.D.), who was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of the Apostle John, wrote: “Christ came to save all men by himself; all, I say, who through him are reborn into God; infants, little children, boys, young men and old men.”

24. Did the early church baptize infants?
The great Augustine, born 353 A.D., said he never heard of anyone who accepted the Bible as God’s Word who also rejected infant baptism.
Numerous inscriptions on the graves in the catacombs, dating back to the very first centuries of Christianity, testify to the fact that the early Christians baptized their children. Here is one:
“Aristus lived eight months. He was recently baptized.”

25. Does it matter how much water is used in baptism?
No! Scripture nowhere specifies an amount of water to be used. On some of the catacombs dating as far back as 165 A.D., there are pictures of baptisms by pouring water over the head. It is not the water that has the power but the Word of God applied with water `in the name of the Triune God.
Baptism is a wonderful gift from God. How God works through baptism is no less mysterious than the Trinity itself. He does not ask that we understand it, but only that we faithfully use this gift and enjoy its benefits throughout our entire lives.

26. Homework: 1. A Sacrament is a sacred act that was started…
a. ___ by Jesus for the original disciples but isn’t very important today.
b. ___ by the early believers to show that they were different from unbelievers.
c. ___ by Jesus for believers to use until the end of the world.

27. Homework: 2. The two sacraments are…
a. ___ Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
b. ___ prayer and God’s Word (the Bible).
c. ___ Baptism and God’s Word

28. Homework: 3. We should remember that Baptism is…
a. ___ using water to symbolize the washing away of sins.
b. ___ special “holy water” blessed in a church ceremony.
c. ___ water plus the Word of God, used according to God’s command.

29. Homework: 4. The Lord Jesus commanded us to baptize…
a. ___ by applying water in any manner, as long as we do so with God’s Word.
b. ___ by sprinkling or pouring water on the person at least three times.
c. ___ by immersing people completely so that the whole body is cleaned.

30. Homework: 5. The Lord Jesus also commanded us to baptize…
a. ___ all people old enough to confess their sins.
b. ___ all people who are from Christian homes.
c. ___ all people, regardless of age.

31. Homework:
6. One thing we should remember about infants who are baptized is that they…
a. ___ cannot really believe in Jesus, since they are not old enough.
b. ___ are not sinful yet, but will need Baptism later on in life.
c. ___ are included in Christ’s command, are sinful, and can believe in Jesus.

32. Homework:
7. The idea that small children can truly trust in Jesus as their Savior is…
a. ___ something we cannot be sure about.
b. ___ clearly taught in the Bible and is a result of God’s power in the heart.
c. ___ impossible, since people must be able to understand before they can believe.

33. Homework:
8. Baptism is…
a. ___ only a sign or symbol that a person is now a believer.
b. ___ a means by which God forgives sins and works faith in the heart.
c. ___ a church ceremony that shows obedience and makes a person a church member.

34. Homework: 9. If one rejects Baptism,…
a. ___ that is a result of unbelief and results in condemnation.
b. ___ it doesn’t make that much difference as long as you believe in Jesus.
c. ___ we don’t know what will happen to that person.

35. Homework:
10. The difference between an older person and an infant in Baptism is that…
a. ___ an older person’s Baptism has deeper meaning because a baby doesn’t understand what’s happening.
b. ___ an older person can be instructed before Baptism while an infant is first baptized, then instructed.
c. ___ adult Baptism is commanded by God while infant Baptism isn’t.