but now is Christ risen from the dead

 

Baptism

This chapter begins with a brief history of the word baptism and its practice. Then I will move on to the Biblical meaning and purpose of baptism.

According to the Scriptures, theologians and church historians, the church practiced baptism only by immersion for at least the first two hundred years. After 250 there were a very few occasions when pouring or sprinkling was practiced; for example, in cases of the inability of the candidate to be immersed, as when someone was dying and could not enter the water.

For the next eleven hundred years (1311) additions and changes were made to the New Testament practice and purpose of baptism.

Part of the evolution of church doctrine and practice was the introduction of the doctrine in "original sin". The doctrine of original sin is the belief that every human being is born with the guilt of the sin of Adam and Eve and no one (even a baby) cannot enter heaven without being baptized.

The doctrine of original sin is not found in either the Old or New Testament and is, in fact, against the scripture. Ezekiel 18:18-20 clearly says the opposite. Verse 20 says, "The soul who sins is the one who will die. The son will not share the guilt of the father, nor will the father share the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous man will be credited to him, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against him."

The doctrine of original sin teaches that no one can be saved without being baptized to "wash away" the sin transferred to him by his parents. And, obviously, sprinkling was an easier way to baptize a baby than by complete immersion. However, the Greek Orthodox Church continued to completely immerse infants as late as 1970 because they know what the word "baptize" means.

In 1311, at the Council of Ravenna, the Roman Catholic Church abandoned the Bible in favor of the vote of the clergy. Immersion, affusion (pouring water on one's head) and aspersion (sprinkling the water on one's head) were decreed indifferent and were accepted as equal forms of baptism. In other words, the Roman Catholic bishops of the medieval church declared that it makes no difference how one is "baptized".

Many Protestant denominations continue the practice of baptizing babies by pouring and sprinkling. In Protestant churches the sprinkling of an infant seems to be more an act of dedication, or initiation, rather than for the forgiveness of original sin, as practiced in the Roman Catholic Church.

The word "baptism" itself originated as the transliteration (not a translation) of the Greek word "baptisma". In the first English translations of the New Testament had "baptisma" been translated from Greek to English it would have been rendered "immersion".

However, when the early English versions of the Bible were being made (about 1400-1611) the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England had already substituted sprinkling for immersion and the translators would not render the word "baptisma" as "immersion" because they would have had to change their method of baptizing from sprinkling to immersion. Nor could they translate the word "baptisma" as "sprinkle" or "pour" because the translators and theologians knew that "sprinkling" would be a totally incorrect translation.

The 1611 translators of the Bible (King James Version), who were members of the Church of England, settled the matter by using the new word, which was a transliteration of the Greek - "baptism". The result of their failure as translators is that now believers practice "baptism" as immersion, pouring, and sprinkling.

One preacher I know of has removed the water altogether and says that Christian baptism is not in or with water at all, but is "baptism by the Spirit". This preacher, explaining that he does not believe the baptism in Acts 2:38-41 is water baptism, told me that the Holy Spirit baptized the 3000 spiritually when they believed on Jesus.

People go to great lengths to interpret or dismiss the Scriptures altogether when it conflicts with their beliefs and practices or with what they have been told the Scriptures mean. It is a wise person who seeks the words of God for himself as God's will is revealed in the Scriptures.

So far we have only looked at the method of baptism and not at the meaning or purpose. Baptism has come to be practiced whatever way one wants to practice it and to mean whatever one wants it to mean. After all, many believe, what difference does it make?
Well, baptism is not an issue for those who don't believe the Bible is the Word of God and that the Bible must be obeyed. But if you believe the Scripture is God's revelation to us, the method and purpose and meaning of baptism are of supreme importance.

In the early 1500's the Anabaptists (means "re-baptism") of Europe restored the practice of baptizing by immersion. First the Anabaptists rejected infant sprinkling and began re-sprinkling those who were capable of belief. Then the Anabaptists rejected sprinkling as the form of baptism in favor of the New Testament practice of immersion. Eventually, the Anabaptists dropped the "Ana" from their denominational name and became known as simply "Baptists" or "Immersionists".

However, the sprinkling of infants continues to be the practice of many Protestant churches. For many Protestants the meaning and purpose of baptism is confusing at best. Many Protestants believe one should be baptized (adults or infants) simply as obedience to Jesus who commanded baptism. Others believe that baptism has nothing to do with being saved, but that baptism only initiates one into the church. For those hold to this last opinion, a reasonable conclusion is that it is easier to get into heaven than it is to become a member of their church!

But back in the minds of many Protestants who practice infant sprinkling, there is the lingering idea that babies ought to be sprinkled for some unspecified purpose. For them, infant sprinkling is like a Jewish baby boy being circumcised. The belief is that the Jewish boy is still Jewish, regardless of being circumcised, but the baby boy ought to be marked by being circumcised.

And like the Jewish baby, who at age 12 goes through a "bar mitzvah" (that is becomes a "son of the law"), children of Christians, who have been sprinkled as infants, at age 12 or so go through a "catechism" (series of lessons on doctrine) and then take their "first communion" and are thus "confirmed" in the Christian faith.

None of this is found in the New Testament Scriptures. All of this is a result of the evolution on doctrine and practice and cannot be defended by the Scriptures.

What does the New Testament say about baptism? Again, since the Bible is the Word of God then what God says about baptism is all that really matters.

First, New Testament baptism is immersion. Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says baptism is "immersion, submersion or emergence" (Webster - "emergence means to come forth as from water"). Vine also uses the word "dip".

John the Baptist baptized at the Jordan River because there was "much water there". (John 2:23) When the Ethiopian treasurer was baptized both the treasurer and Philip "went down into the water". (Acts 8:38)

There is no question about it. All Bible translators and theologians (even those who practice sprinkling) agree: baptism in the New Testament is immersion. "Immersion" is what the Greek word "baptisma" means. Remember, the Greek Orthodox Church immersed because, with Greek as their native language, they knew what action the word actually describes.

Secondly, Jesus, Peter, Philip, Ananias, and Paul commanded baptism. For anyone who loves Jesus, the command to be baptized is reason enough to obey.

Thirdly, I am going to list, without much comment, what the New Testament Scriptures teach about the meaning and purpose of baptism. Remember, that to be valid, Christian baptism is preceded by faith in Christ and repentance of sins. And faith and repentance can only be done by someone who is capable, not by an infant.

1. Matthew 28:19-20. Jesus commanded, "Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." In baptism one becomes the property of the Father, through the purchase price paid by the Son, and one is marked by the seal of the Holy Spirit who comes to live within. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

2. Mark 16:15-16. Jesus said, "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved." The Scripture cannot be clearer.

3. John 3:3-5. Jesus said, "Unless one is born of the water and of the Spirit, one cannot enter into the kingdom of God." In the act of being immersed one is "born again", or literally "born from above", by the Spirit as he emerges from the watery grave of baptism (immersion).

4. Acts 2:38. Peter commanded those who asked what they must do to "Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." In baptism one's sins are forgiven and one receives the Holy Spirit, who gives a person the new birth and who takes up residence in the Christian's body. (1 Corinthians 6:19)

5. Acts 22:16. Ananias, a preacher, told Saul of Tarsus (apostle Paul), "Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name." As you can see, there is a connection between being baptized and the forgiveness ("washing away") of one's sins. If baptism has nothing to do with salvation, Paul was saved before his sins were washed away. This is quite an anti-scriptural position.

6. Romans 6:3-6. The apostle Paul described what happens in baptism with these words, "Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." In baptism we begin a new life in Christ.

7. I Corinthians 12:13. The apostle Paul wrote, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." When a repentant believer is buried in baptism the Holy
Spirit works to save us by giving us a new everlasting life and we become a part of the Lord's church.

8. Galatians 3:26-27. The apostle Paul wrote, "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." In the Bible righteousness is sometimes compared to clothing. Our righteousness (that is the quality of our lives) is compared to "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:5). But when we "are clothed with Christ" - and that happens when we are baptized into Christ - we "put on" the righteousness of Christ and no longer have to depend on our own works of righteousness to be saved.

9. Ephesians 5:25-27. The apostle Paul wrote, "That he (Jesus) might sanctify her (the church), having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless." Those who have been baptized ("by the washing of water") have been sanctified (set apart) from the world as a bride is separated from all other women. In baptism all the spots and wrinkles (sins) are removed; we are forgiven.

10. Colossians 2:11-13. The apostle Paul wrote, "In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead." Baptism is the time we are buried with Christ into His death to bring about the death of our sinful nature. By comparing baptism to circumcision, Paul is telling us that in the act of baptism God works to cut off (circumcise) our sins from us.

Notice that baptism is not a "work" or something we do in order to be saved, but that baptism is an act to which we submit and that through our faith God does the "work" to raise us up to new life.

11. Titus 3:5. The apostle Paul wrote, "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit." Regeneration (another word for salvation or re-birth) takes place in water baptism (washing) and is accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit.

12. 1 Peter 3:21. The apostle Peter wrote, "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." This is a clear statement of the saving significance of baptism - "baptism now saves you". Baptism is an appeal to God to fulfill His promise to save us. The power of baptism in the name of Jesus is the resurrection of Christ, which means when we are baptized into His death and as we rise from the water we also rise to a new everlasting life (Romans 6:3-6).

The texts cited above make it plain that baptism is the time and place when God bestows salvation on believing, repentant sinners. This view of baptism is nothing new. It is as old as the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

 

 

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