Thesis: The objective of the Gospel is "conformity to the image of Jesus Christ" (Romans 8:29) through the process of deliberate discipleship.
Introduction: For the past two weeks we have focused upon the biblical concepts of "baptism" and the biblical mandate to "baptize with water" as found in Matthew 28:19-20. This morning I want to make sure that we understand a very critical truth: God did not send His Son into the world to deliver those who believe His "message" from His "wrath" so that they might wallow in their sins and go to heaven when they die. Jesus is not an "adjunct" to our ways of living. An online dictionary called "The Sage" defines an "adjunct" as "something added to another thing but not an essential part of it". God's purpose for salvation by grace through faith is to establish the foundation of our lives in Jesus Christ, not as an adjunct, but as the essential well-spring of our lives. Before we baptize those who have come to this baptismal service for that purpose, we need to be sure that we understand this critical truth.
- I. The Objective Of The Gospel According To Romans 8:29.
- A. I have not directly addressed Romans 8:29 thus far in my teaching as the interim pastor of this church, though I have quoted Romans 8:28 many, many, times as an encouragement for those who have trusted God with the future of their souls for all of eternity.
- 1. Romans 8:28 is, perhaps, the most comforting promise we find in the New Testament after the promise of eternal life to all who believe into Jesus.
- 2. BUT, Romans 8:28 is not a "stand-alone" verse; it is a declaration of a promise that is followed by a "For" in verse twenty-nine that ought to be translated "because" (hoti).
- a. The reason that God is able to make the promise of Romans 8:28 is "because" He has never relinquished his absolute dominion over His creation and every one of His sentient creatures.
- b. This 29th verse puts this absolute dominion in very strong and stark terms; terms which give many people a great deal of heart-burn because they do not like the idea that God has taken certain of their decisions out of their hands.
- 3. The Point: No matter what you think about foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, and glorification; predestination means predestination.
- a. In other words, if God has predestined something, it will come to pass.
- b. And notice what He has predestined: the conformity of His children to the character-image of His Son.
- c. This means that, for all of us that "believe" Him, we shall end up, when all is said and done, operating out of His Love and His Truth for all of Eternity, and we will be enormously glad that He has brought us to such a glorious end [imagine the Kingdom of God not being absolutely dominated by Love and Truth].
- II. God's Plan For Achieving His Objective According To Matthew 28:19-20.
- A. This commission by the Lord is given a specific focus: "make disciples", not "get people ready to go to heaven".
- B. This "effort" is given two specific parts: "Baptize" and "Teach".
- C. As a church, Broadlands has made it a practice to teach the text of the Bible in all of its services, and this we do to fulfill the insistence that we "make disciples by teaching" (Jesus said, If you continue in My word, you shall be my disciples in deed), and we baptize when there are candidates for baptism.
- D. But, the Board has discussed the issue of "making disciples" to some length and we have decided that we need to be more specifically intentional about those disciples whom the Lord has gifted to be teachers and pastors. We will be saying more about this in the coming days as the Lord is willing, but I wanted to make this point this morning because we are baptizing some believers this morning.
