FAQs Mondays: How Does God Reveal the Benefits of Redemption? Part 2

Last week we began looking at the outward and ordinary means through which the benefits of redemption are communicated to us.  We focused on the first one, the Word.  You can view that post here. This week, we'll start to look at Baptism and the Lord's supper for the second part of our question, "How does God reveal the benefits of redemption?"

 How do Baptism and the Lord's Supper become effective means of salvation?

Baptism and the Lord's Supper become effective means of salvation, not from any virtue in them or in him that administers them, but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in those who by faith receive them.  Peter states, "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21).  Paul states, "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13).  He also said, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth" (1 Cor. 3:6-7).

How do Baptism and the Lord's Supper differ from the other ordinances of God?

Baptism and the Lord's Supper differ from the other ordinances of God in that they were specially instituted by Christ to represent and apply to believers the benefits of the new covenant by visible and outward signs.  Jesus commanded, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20).  Matthew also records,

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins" (Matt. 26:26-28).

Ananias said to Paul, "And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name" (Acts 22:16).  Of baptism, Paul stated, "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" (Rom. 6:4).

Summary

We have learned that Baptism and the Lord's Supper become effective for salvation through the blessing of Christ and the working of the Spirit upon those who receive them in faith.  These ordinances are different than the other ordinances, because they were instituted by Christ to function as visible and outward signs of the new covenant.  We will look at Baptism in greater detail next week in part 3.