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Let us consider what the Bible teaches about a very important ordinance of the church - baptism. There are different baptisms taught
in the Scriptures, and two distinctly different ones are presented in Acts 1:5, "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized
with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." This study is devoted to baptism with water.
In our "Articles of Faith" we make a declaration of belief concerning baptism. According to article nine, "We believe that baptism, and
the Lord's Supper are ordinances of the Church and that believers are the only proper subjects for baptism and that immersion is the
only mode, and that none except those who have been regularly baptized are admitted in the Communion Service."
We should realize that baptism is a basic church ordinance. Unless it is performed as a public profession of faith and administered by
an ordained Elder, simply being immersed in water is not baptism. Since baptism is an ordinance of the church, the candidate must be
approved by the body and the baptism must be acceptably administered by one called by God and duly ordained.
Having recognized that baptism is an ordinance, let us now observe how it is to be administered. We Primitive Baptists recognize baptism
by immersion only. There are some religious organizations which practice a dual system, immersion or sprinkling. Other groups baptize
by sprinkling only. Who is right? Which way does God authorize? We need to answer these questions. It should be obvious to all religious
people that the most significant factor about any aspect of worship is that it be according to the pattern and will of God. As the ancient
tabernacle was constructed according to a divine plan (Ex. 25:9), all worship should be performed according to some directive from God.
Baptism, too must be performed as God dictates.
This is not true concerning sprinkling as a means of baptism. Nowhere does the Bible teach baptism by this means. In the New
Testament the word baptism came from the Greek word baptizo. According to the seventh edition of Tiddell and Scott's Greek-
English Lexicon which was published in 1883, the word baptizo means "to dip in or under water," which is exactly what is done in
baptism by immersion. Therefore sprinkling does not qualify, for it is not consistent with the meaning of the word baptism.
When and how then did sprinkling become a mode of baptism? It seems that the first recorded sprinkling occurred about 250 A.D.
and thereafter it gradually gained recognition until 1311A.D., when it was accepted and became legal baptism in a major religious order.
Since that time sprinkling has become recognized and accepted by other religious groups. However, it has no scriptural foundation and
thus was never used for the first two hundred and fifty years of church history, nor was it recognized to any great extent for an additional
one thousand years. Men had no divine authority to tamper with the mode of baptism, since it was ordained by God and not men.
The Scriptures describe baptism as being "buried" (Rom. 6:4). The candidate is buried in the liquid grave and raised up "out of the water"
(Mt. 3: 16). This is baptism properly administered.
Another point of division concerning baptism is the extent of its effects. Some religious groups believe that no one can go to heaven
without being baptized in water, and that all other considerations are of no effect if the person is not baptized. However, while we admit
and acknowledge that there is a salvation in baptism, we believe that nothing less than the blood of Jesus will give us an entrance into glory.
The penitent thief on the cross was told that he would share paradise with Christ, yet there is no indication of baptism. Acts 2:38 is often
given in support of the first view mentioned. It reads, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift ~f the Holy Ghost." The basis for their belief lies in the expression
"for the remission of sins." They maintain that the baptism is in order to obtain the remission of sins. However they fail to properly interpret
the verse because they fail to accurately translate the word "for". It comes from the Greek word eis which means "with a view to" not
"in order to obtain." The text properly interpreted says that we should be baptized acknowledging the remission of our sins by Christ.
Therefore baptism is an act of faith, expressing belief that Jesus washed our sins away. We symbolically wash them away in baptism.
There is a salvation in baptism. It will not save us from our sins for only Jesus can do that, but it will save us from a troubled
conscience. To know that Jesus died for us and to realize that He now commands us to follow Him in baptism will in some measure
trouble those who have not yet submitted to this ordinance. Peter said, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save
us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ ..."
(l Peter 3:21).
Another important question regarding baptism is: Who is a proper candidate for baptism? Some religions baptize infants, but we practice
a "believer's baptism." I have found no scriptural example of the baptism of an infant or a non~believer. Even where families were
baptized (Acts 16:14~15), there is no mention of infants. No one is to be baptized until he is spiritually born, or born again. Since belief
is an evidence of the new birth, only believers (born again) are fit subjects for baptism. John wrote, "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God:' and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him" (l John 5:1).One must believe
that Jesus is the Son of God, before he can view (eis)or comprehend his sin as being removed by Christ. In biblical times when individuals
made a profession of faith or belief, they were baptized. The Ethiopian eunuch is an example of this. Having heard the Word of God
from Philip, he desired to be baptized and questioned Philip saying, "...See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip
said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts
8:36~37).It is then the duty of all who by belief manifest their divine birth to take their cross and follow Jesus in baptism.
Finally, why should we be baptized? We know that it does not literally remove sins, for only Christ can do that for us. Why then
should we submit to such an ordinance? The answer is simple: God commands us to do so and no greater reason can be stated. When
the Holy Ghost visited some Gentiles to whom Peter was preaching, "...he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord."
(Acts 10:48). Every child of God who endeavors to live his life in obedience to God should desire to obey this commandment.
When we obey, a righteous act is performed. When Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized, he referred to baptism in terms of
righteousness. He said to John, "...Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness" (Mt. 3: 15).Jesus Christ is
our Saviour, but He is also our example 00hn 13:15); therefore all who will follow Jesus (Mt. 16:24) should submit to the ordinance of
baptism. If as disciples we learn of Christ (Mt. 11:29), then we must learn that baptism is a part of our duty in the service of God.
Baptism did not make Jesus the Son of God, nor will it transform us into children of God; however, if w~/are God's children, then,
I like the Son of God, we should be baptized. This truth is one that we should teach our children and all the children of God. It is as
important as election or good works; in fact, it is one of the good works about which the elect should be vitally concerned. If we teach
this truth concerning baptism, our children and other perspective church members will come to recognize the importance of this
ordinance. Feeling their need, they will submit and be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Mt.
28:19).
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