You're All Wet?!?
Why don't we talk about baptism for a bit? There seems to be much confusion over this ordinance that Christ gave to His church. Many people believe that one must be baptized in order to be saved. Others teach that baptism is not really necessary at all. Some teachers, like R. C. Sproul, have misconstrued the early churches teaching on baptism. How can we (believers, a.k.a. Christians) mess up such a simple ordinance? In fact, many people have messed up the other ordinance (the Lord's Supper) as well (but, we'll talk about that later). So, what does baptism represent? Why do we baptize someone? What method of baptism is scriptural? Who can baptize? Etc...
I'll post more in the comment section soon.
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How can we (believers, a.k.a. Christians) mess up such a simple ordinance?
The Bible says a lot of things about Baptism. When Peter says "Baptism now saves you" and elsewhere the Bible speaks of baptism washing away sins, it's easy to see how some people can have made mistakes with it.
So, what does baptism represent?
It signifies our death and rebirth in Christ.
Why do we baptize someone?
As a sign of obedience, because Christ commands it, to mark them as one redeemed.
What method of baptism is scriptural?
I think immersion is the proper means, it pictures the meaning of the word best and also best pictures what Baptism signifies.
Who can baptize?
Anyone, but for the sake of order in the church it ought to be done normally by those with teaching and ruling responsibilities in the church.
I'll bite since I'm here! But please tell me if you'd rather reserve this blog for people who know you IRL, and I'll happily bow out if that's your preference.
1) In order to say that RC Sproul misrepresents the early church’s teaching on baptism, we’d first have to say what the early church taught, and what RC Sproul teaches. What were you specifically thinking of about those things?
2) How can we mess up a simple ordinance? Because Scripture doesn’t give a lot of details about it, and because of the cultural accretions of 2000 years of Christians thinking and talking about it in their various cultural contexts.
3) What does baptism represent? According to Colossians 2:11-13, baptism, like circumcision, represents the putting-on of a new nature, the nature of Christ, which that passage refers to as “the circumcision done by Christ.” That doesn’t mean that baptism gives someone that new nature, or even that everyone who is baptized has certainly received a new nature. Baptism is a declaration of how the church sees that person, in humble recognition that we are imperfect and only God knows that person’s status and fate with certainty.
4) Why do we baptize someone? In general, we baptize because Christ commanded us to. As far as “whom do we baptize?” we baptize those whom we believe to belong to Christ. That may be because of that person’s personal profession of faith and lifestyle of repentance, in the case of an adult. In the case of an infant, it may be due to the special consideration that God has for the earthly families of His own spiritual children. (1 Cor 7:14) This part of the discussion usually centers around how much continuity and discontinuity one perceives between the OT and the NT.
5) What method of baptism is Scriptural? The Jews had many rituals involving liquid. They sprinkled. (Exodus 24:8, Exodus 29:21, Numbers 8:7) They poured. (Genesis 28:18, Exodus 29:7, Leviticus 8:12, Numbers 19:17) They immersed (Leviticus 15-17, 2 Kings 5). A quick read through Leviticus will show that in connection with atonement, sprinkling was the most common. This was accomplished sometimes with a finger, but usually by dipping a hyssop branch in the liquid and then shaking it over a person or object. The atoning of Christ is described as a “sprinkling” (Isaiah 52:15, Ezekiel 36:25). Hebrews 9-10 teach that Moses’ sprinkling of the people was a symbol of the internal “sprinkling” or purifying of our hearts that comes with salvation. When David thinks of being “washed” from his sins regarding Bathsheba, he specifically thinks of hyssop-sprinkling. (Psalm 51: 2,7) Some object that the primary secular meaning of the Greek baptizo and related terms is “immerse.” True enough. But its use in Scripture often encompasses meanings that don’t jibe with that, including pouring water on a dining couch (Mark 7:4), the crossing of the Red Sea (1 Cor 10:2), and the rain which fell on Noah (1 Peter 3:20-21).
6) Who can baptize? The disciples, clearly. (Matthew 28:19). Paul (Acts 18:7,8) can and did. Paul’s comments in 1 Cor 1 lead one to suspect that others can, too. Since baptism represents one’s membership in the church, it seems appropriate for the leaders of the church to be involved, just as they were to lead the other ministries of the church. (James 5:14) I can’t be dogmatic that it’s bad for someone else to perform a baptism, but some degree of Quality Control is a good thing to keep the meaning and function of baptism well represented during the actual ritual.
Rberman,
I welcome your comments, and I hope you will comment many more times. You see, I have enjoyed getting to know several new people even if we don't always agree! But from what I have seen, I believe the majority of people making comments here are Christians, believers, children of God, you name it. While we may have doctrinal differences (and some of them may be big!), we can at least have a friendly discussion. So thank you for stopping by.
Now, as far as this post is concerned, I will wait for a few more comments and then put some thoughts down.
Read "The Meaning and Mode of Baptism" by Jay Adams
Rberman,
I will try to post my thoughts about R. C. Sprouls teaching on the first churces and baptism a little later if you don't mind. (We're getting ready for Vacation Bible School, so it is somewhat busy around here.)
Now as far as baptism goes, here are some brief comments.
Baptism represents the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a picture, or symbolic, of what happened to Him. It also is symbolic concerning us (I'm assuming that those who have posted so far are born again believers. If not, then visit our main church website and see what salvation is all about.) While baptism itself does not save us, it pictures the truth of what has happened spiritually. Furthermore, it also identifies us with Christ (like my Driver's License identifies me as a citizen of the state of Texas). Now concerning the method (or mode) of baptism, that would be immersion. I follow the use of the Greek word, baptizo, and also the picture that it represents (you've never seen somebody sprinkle or pour dirt over a dead body have you? they're totally "immersed" in the ground!). Since baptism does represent the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (along with what it means for us), then the proper picture would be one that shows a "burial" (i.e., immersion) then resurrection.
Now who should baptize? Well, the Lord's New Testament churches have been given the authority to baptize by Christ Himself (remember, Christ has all authority and power, thus we are His "agents" in this matter). Whether or not the person baptizing should be the pastor, or some other ordained man, is a topic that hardly anyone agrees on. Personally, I have no problem with a member, of good standing, baptizing someone. However, I do agree with y'all (plural "you" for all those north of the Mason-Dixon line!) that it is probably best to have the leadership baptize, at least most of the time.
Well, these are not all my thoughts concerning baptism, but they are some. And, for the most part, it seems that we agree on much of it (if not, it may be semantics, or just me not wording something right!).
(you've never seen somebody sprinkle or pour dirt over a dead body have you? they're totally "immersed" in the ground!)
technically, i believe 1st century jews buried their dead above ground in caves or tombs. it makes for a sloppy argument when you confuse modern customs with ancient customs in trying to interpret an ancient text...(like trying to understand what paul the former pharisee meant when he claimed to baptize "households" without also looking at genesis 17, which he no doubt had memorized.)
Anon,
This is true, however, the same principle still carries. The Jew would have been totally "immersed" in that tomb or cave. They were not partially placed there were they?
This is crucial because of what baptism represents: the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only immersion represents the burial aspect correctly.
That's a priori reasoning though, Matt. If immersion is the correct mode of baptism, then I can see how you'd link it to the burial of Christ in particular. There are two Scriptures that are often used in this discussion. Romans 6:2-11 discusses how our union with Christ entails a spiritual participation in his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is mentioned in verse 4, in the phrase "baptism into death." I can see how from your viewpoint this fits well with the thought that "water baptism symbolizes participation in Christ's death." Allow me to suggest an alternative that seems plausible: Christ's Death itself is a sort of baptism, a passing from one state into another. In Mark 10:38, speaking of his upcoming death, he tells the over-eager disciples, "You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" He's not speaking of his water baptism. He's speaking of a dramatic experience he's about to undergo.
Colossians 2:11-14 is the other key text, linking baptism not only with Christ's death but with spiritual circumcision. The connection seems to be that baptism and circumcision are pictures of union with Christ, which means being united to Christ's saving work, vicariously participating in his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. That's a different matter than saying that baptism is a "picture" of Christ's death and burial, such that the act of baptism should somehow resemble the act of being buried. It seems a slender reed on which to hang one's hat.
Rberman,
I think I agree with everything you said (I'll give you time to pick yourself up off the floor). The only thing I would add is that baptism is "picturing" / symbolic of what happened.
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