Tag Archives: Baptism

Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Rising of the New Man, Part 9

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There are two parts to the baptized Life.  After eight lessons of “putting to death the old Adam,” it is time to discuss “the resurrection of the new man.”  Neither mortification, nor quickening can be found in the unbeliever.  This second part will teach us about God’s work in the Gospel to give faith which justifies and comforts those terrified by God’s work in the Law.

In this lesson we take a side trip to look at Plato’s philosophy from his cave analogy.  The Apology of the Augsburg Confession XII (para. 46) described a counterfeit mortification as Platonic and a fake faith as a Platonic figment.  We also saw the difference between a general faith (like the demons have- James 2:19) and personal faith which saves and sustains the baptized life of mortification and quickening.

Resources: Lesson Nine Baptism Mar 20 2016
Lesson Nine Overheads Baptism Feb 28 2016

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Cross in our Vocation, Part 8

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The baptized believer trusts in the forgiveness of sins and knows that his salvation is assured.  Faith produces the fruits of faith: love toward the neighbor.  It is in one’s vocation (father, mother, son, daughter, worker, citizen, etc.) that we serve our neighbor in love.  In serving our neighbor we bear our cross as we receive much trouble and toil from other sinners.  Those vocational crosses put to death the will of the old Adam who resists the baptized believer living in his vocation.  This cross lead the believer to trust in Jesus to help in this struggle going on within him, and prays that “God’s will may be done.”

Resources: Lesson Eight Baptism Feb 28 2016

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – The Task of Faith: Slay the old Adam, Part 7

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God ways are not simply external changes which are brought about by sociological principles and behavior modification.  The Triune God works through the Word and Holy Spirit to give the gift of faith in the inner spirit.  The only way in which the believer can mortify the old Adam is through faith, which gives a confidence that calms the conscience, motivates the heart and makes the person “so certain that it would die a thousand times for it.”  Faith works inward contrition and confession of sins.  Contrition puts to death the old Adam daily in fulfillment of holy Baptism.  As the believer exercises his faith, he cries out for mercy because he realizes He is heavily burdened by his own self.  God comes to His aid by attacking the old Adam with adversity, troubles, sufferings, the cross, unrest, dying and death.

Resources:  Lesson Seven Baptism Feb 21 2016
SRM1657- Afflictions or listen at https://soundcloud.com/trinity-lutheran-herrin

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – Word, Faith and Holy Spirit put to death the old Adam, Part 6

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The Triune God works through the Word to give the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit by means of which He daily puts to death the Old Adam in us.  There are two ways in which others try to achieve a Christian life.  Some groups become antinomian in their teaching, when they refuse to use the Law, but only the gospel.  “There can be no true conversion or contrition where mortifying the flesh and good fruits do not follow” (Ap XII, 131).  Others attempt to put the old Adam to death by means and ways which are not designated by God.  These human ways all end up being human works, which can only change outward behavior, but do not put to death the sinful desires.  “You don’t put the old nature to death , as these prophets do, through works, but through the hearing of the gospel” (Luther’s Works, v.40, p.148).

Resources:
Lesson Six Overheads Sources Feb 14 2016
Lesson Six The Ways and Means of God in Mortifying old Adam

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – Putting to death the old Adam, Part 5

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The definition for the Old Adam includes both a lack of righteousness (fear, love and trust in God) and the addition of concupiscence(the evil desires and inclinations toward carnal things).  The Old Adam does not cease to exist when a person is baptized.  Although the punishment (guilt) is removed in baptism, the concupiscence remains and fights against the new man.  “Putting to death the old Adam” means for the Christian to deny and refuse temptations to sin, to confess sin, to consider yourself unresponsive to sin’s temptations.   According to Romans 6, in your baptism you were united with Jesus who defeated the devil, the world and our sinful nature.  In your baptism you were set free from the old Adam’s influence.  The Holy Spirit now gives us new desires not to live in sin, not to let sin reign, not to present your members to serve sin’s lust, and not to let sin have dominion over you.  “Faith is the daily death of the old Adam” (LW, v.44 p.77).  Only in death is the old Adam completely destroyed.

Resources:
Lesson Five overheads
Lesson Five quotes from BoC and Luther
Lesson Four Romans 6 Put to death the Old Man

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – Daily Baptism, Part 4

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The baptismal life of a Christian involves a daily dying to sin and rising to live a new life. In this lesson we examine the “killing of the old Adam.” This daily baptism includes denying and refusing to follow the sinful thoughts, desires, and deeds of the sinful nature. This baptismal life of the Christian cannot be performed by non-Christians. There is no living a life without a birth. According to Titus 3:5-8 we know that baptism provides not only a re-birth, but also a renewal. Although the sinful nature was crucified and killed in our baptism, he continues to raise his ugly head. Romans 6 teaches us how Christians are to reckon themselves to be dead to sin.

Handout: Lesson Four Romans 6 Put to death the Old Man

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – Daily Baptism, Part 2

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The singular act of God through Holy Baptism by which we become forgiven sons of God signifies the kind of new life Christians are to live.  We enter into a baptismal life of DAILY dying to sin and rising to live a new life.  This lesson expounds Ephesian chapter four to show us the DAILY signification of our baptism into Christ.

Handout: Baptism Jan 17 2016 Lesson Two Ephesians 4

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Baptismal Life Bible Class – Introduction, Part 1

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Holy Baptism is a singular action by which God forgives sin, gives the Holy Spirit and makes the baptized a son of God(Acts 2:37-42, Gal 3:26-27).  Through Holy Baptism, the newly made Christian enters into a baptismal life of daily dying to sin and rising to live a new life(Eph 4:22-24).  Holy Baptism indicates or shows the continual baptismal life of Christian.  Through the hearing of the Word, by daily sorrow and repentance over sin Christians deny the thoughts, word, and deeds of their sinful nature, and refuse to live in sin.  Through the hearing of the Word, Christians daily trust in the promise God made them in their baptism, which creates a new heart desires to please God and love their neighbor.

Handout:  List of Baptismal Passages

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