Baptism but what next?

Baptism (1 Corinthians 9.24 - 10.12)

The Shorter Catechism (Q. 94) defines Baptism as 'a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord's'.

The Jews with Moses had profession without devotion.

I. Exhortation (9.24-27)

A. The importance of winning (9.24).

B. The importance of being fit (9.25a).

C. The excellence of the prize (9.25b).

D. Singlemindedness in running (v 26-27).

II. Enlistment (10.1-5)

Baptism is enlistment on the Lord's side & has solemn obligations.

A. 'All' were enlisted (10.1-4). Compare Gen 17.7 and Acts 2.10c,39.

B. 'Many' in Israel failed (10.5) (Numbers 14.30-32).

III. Examples (10.6-10)

Illustrations of how not to be but rather how to be.

A. Avoidance of lust (10.6).
B. Avoidance of idolatry (10.7) (Colossians 3.5).
C. Avoidance of fornication (10.8).
D. Avoidance of tempting the Lord (10.9).
E. Avoidance of murmuring (10.10).

Conclusion (10.11-12). The verses expounded above underline the necessity of sustained, personal endeavour.