Why Was Jesus Baptized?

The 1689 Baptist Confession says this about Baptism:

Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of giving up into God, through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.

Those who do actually profess repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience to, our Lord Jesus Christ, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.

Romans 6:3-4 says:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

A study note from the ESV Study Bible says that baptism "is an outward, physical symbol of the inward, spiritual conversion of Christians." If all of this is true about baptism, which it is, then why was Jesus baptized? Jeff Vanderstelt wrote:

Jesus was not baptized because he had sinned. He did it to identify with sinners-those who need to turn to God for forgiveness. In his righteousness, he identified with our sinfulness. He did not come for the righteous; he came for sinners (Mark 2:17). In his baptism, Jesus was saying: "I will identify with you so that you can identify with me. I will take on your sin so you can take on my righteousness."

Jesus suffered and was tempted just as we are yet was without sin (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15) and God made him who knew no sin to be sin so that in him we might becomes the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). We are baptized after our confessing Jesus as Lord, we are demonstrating the work of the Gospel in our lives and identifying to be renewed by the Spirit. We can walk in the newness of life because Jesus did for us and died in our place. His baptism is a reminder that he identifies with us. He is our Great High Priest who took to the waters of baptism not because of his sin (he had none) but to identify with his people whose sin he was to take upon himself on the cross.

Quotes from Gospel Fluency

If I had to pick my favorite book this year, it would be Gospel Fluency by Jeff Vanderstelt, which I reviewed recently. Here are just a few quotes from the book:

A life of true living is a life of faith in Jesus, a life of believing in Jesus in the everyday stuff of life (Pg. 21).

It is God's intent that every person who comes into a relationship with him through Jesus Christ eventually will grow up into maturity. And maturity looks like Jesus. He is the perfect human, providing an example of what we are meant to be (Pg. 28).

Gospel fluent people think, feel, and perceive everything in light of what has been accomplished in the person and work of Jesus Christ (Pgs. 41-42).

We are to blame for our sin. We are guilty, and because we are, we need someone else to pay for our sin (Pg. 56).

The wages of sin is death-spiritual, relational, and physical. Sinful rebellion produces brokenness, suffering, and death. This is because rebellion against God is rebellion against the giver of life. And this rebellion began and continues to go on because of unbelief in the truthfulness of God's word and sufficiency of his work (Pg. 57).

The true and better ruler had come and the kingdom of God was being expressed and experienced in and with Jesus. The good news has a King and a kingdom (Pg. 70).

At the cross, Jesus atoned for our sins-he paid the debt we couldn't pay and suffered the death we should have experienced (Pg. 71).

The gospel doesn't just bring about forgiveness of sins and save us from hell. The gospel of Jesus Christ empowers us to live a whole new life today by the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Pg. 73).

True faith produces works. And your works reveal what your faith is in (Pg. 78).

The gospel tells us that the new creation includes a new you, a new heaven and earth, and a new King at the center of it all-Jesus Christ...The gospel is not just about what has happened. It's also good news about what is happening right now and will happen in the future. We will be saved! (Pg. 166)

We are called to live lives that demand gospel explanations and, when we have the opportunities, to give people Jesus as the answer for our hope (Pg. 194).

Book Review: Gospel Fluency by Jeff Vanderstelt

What are the benefits in learning another language? So that you may speak to people who speak that language. After time, when you have practiced it, you have become fluent in in that language.

Jeff Vanderstelt uses this illustration in his book, Gospel Fluency to communicate the need for the church and the individual Christian to become fluent in the gospel. The church has lost the language of the gospel because they just don't know what it is or they have forgotten it. Vanderstelt says we need gospel language to be spoken in our church if we want to be gospel people.

In the beginning of the book, Vanderstelt says we are all unbelievers, and he is not meaning lost without hope and without God in the world. What he means is we are all unbelievers in the work Christ has done. There are times we have doubted God's grace and Christ's finished work on the cross. This is why we need to be fluent in the gospel so we may speak the truth to another and even to ourselves.

In order for the church to become gospel fluent, it must know the gospel. Vanderstelt devotes time in the book to share the gospel to his readers and how sharing those truths is not just for Sundays, but in the everyday stuff of life. When we speak with one another, it should be about Jesus. When we speak to those who are sinning against a member of the church, we should give them Jesus.

Vanderstelt continues on how communion reminds us of the gospel and what Jesus did. Also how Jesus is the true hero of the Bible. God uses the people and stories of the Bible to point people to Jesus from Adam to Moses. As gospel fluent people, we must share this news with everyone, not just church members, but with everyone around us. We must share the gospel with the lost. We must show and tell Jesus Christ.

I loved Vanderstelt's previous book, Saturate, and high expectations for this one, which is a continuation of his teachings in that book. I am thankful to say my expectations were blown away. This book was amazing. Had a hard time putting it down. I love how Vanderstelt writes and how passionate for the gospel he is. This is my favorite book of 2017, so far. Get this book.

Thanks Crossway for letting me review this book.

Using Halloween to Share the Gospel

For the past couple of weeks, I have seen posts on whether or not to celebrate Halloween and even I shared one. Halloween is a holiday that will be debated until Jesus returns because many Christians think we should not while others say we should but with a lot of discernment.

Some churches will have a time where kids come and get candy while other Christians will be in their homes handing out candy and talking with one another. Halloween can also be a time where we can share the gospel with others as Jeff Vanderstelt shares in this video.

When Halloween Demands a Gospel Explanation from Desiring God on Vimeo.

I highly recommend Vanderstelt's book, Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life

Christians Are Always On Mission

We have the Spirit of God so that we might be empowered, just as Jesus was. We are His missionaries, filled and anointed by His Spirit. If you have the Spirit of God, you are a missionary sent by Jesus to tell the world who He is and what He does.

Charles Spurgeon said, "Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter". Everywhere you go, whatever you do, you are a missionary sent by Jesus to love like Jesus, overcome sin like Jesus, proclaim the gospel like Jesus, and see people's lives changed by the power of the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.

You are always on mission. Every part of your life, every activity and event, is a part of Jesus's mission to make disciples.

Jeff Vanderstelt, Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life

Around The Web-May 8, 2015

Why Bible Study Isn't Enough by Jeff Vanderstelt

Why Not to Have a Woman Preach by Thomas Schreiner

The Blessings of Bivocational Ministry by D.A. Horton

The Glory of the Cross Displayed in Daily Following Christ in Everyday Life by Dave Jenkins

This video is a trailer to Jared C Wilson's latest book, The Prodigal Church



Justin Taylor talks with Joe Thorn about his latest book, Experiencing The Trinity

Church Isn't Just for Sunday

The problem for most churches in America is they think church is only for Sundays. Have you ever notice how church attendance is huge on Sundays but small during the rest of the week whether it is during a small group gathering in the home or a midweek prayer meeting? Church was never meant to be a once a week thing for followers of Jesus.

In this short video, Jeff Vanderstelt talks recapturing the vision that God had for the church as a people to on mission in everyday life.



I highly recommend these two books by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis:

Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community

Everyday Church: Gospel Communities on Mission

Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life

One book that I am looking forward to reading is Saturate by Jeff Vanderstelt. This book addresses being a disciple of Jesus everyday of the week and not just on Sundays which is something most churches in America cannot grasp.

In this short video, Vanderstelt addresses being a disciple at home, work, and while sitting with someone across the table.

Around The Web-May 16, 2014

The almost forgotten, always misunderstood, all-consuming sin of gluttony by Joe Carter

Are We Christians Good Neighbors? by Thabiti Anyabwile

Atheist TV: Coming soon to a television near you

The Church Needs More Tattoos by Russell Moore

Ten Reasons to Memorize Big Chunks of the Bible by Jon Bloom

Jeff Vanderstelt giving a clear definition on evangelism.