BAPTISM

According to Galatians 3:27-29, baptism was a levelling and a unifying incorporation of the believer into Christ,

whereas, the history of the professing Church shows that the question of baptism has been the cause of much

bitterness, strife and division. The Evangelical rightly repudiates the Ritualist, yet both find `texts' that appear to

justify their contrary opinions. We believe that much of the disputation that has torn the Church, has arisen out of

the failure to discern the dispensational differences that mark the several ministries of the New Testament.

In the consideration of this subject, sufficient attention to the Old Testament does not appear to have been given,

and to commence our examination with the Baptism of John, is like attempting to decipher an inscription with the

first half of the alphabet unknown. The word baptizo is found in the LXX of the Old Testament twice and of the

Apocrypha twice also, namely in 2 Kings 5:14, Isaiah 21:4, Judith 12:7 and Syrack 34:27. Bapto occurs eighteen

times, and baptos once, namely in Ezekiel 23:15. The earliest reference is in the book of Job where he speaks of

being `plunged' into a ditch (Job 9:31), and the latest references are found in Daniel, where we read that

Nebuchadnezzar's body was `wet' with the dew of heaven (Dan. 4:33; 5:21). The two occurrences of baptizo are of

interest. One is used of Naaman when he `dipped' himself in Jordan (2 Kings 5:14), the other is a figurative use of

the word that anticipates the Saviour's statement concerning His own baptism of suffering (Isa. 21:4), where the

A.V. `fearfulness affrighted me' is rendered by the LXX `transgression overwhelms me', literally `baptizes me'.

The word bapto is found nine times in the law of Moses, where it is used of dipping in blood, or in oil, or in

water (Exod. 12:22; Lev. 4:6; 14:6; Num. 19:18 and Deut. 33:24). While the references in the New Testament to

Pharisaic traditions do not take us back to any Old Testament passage, they do indicate that baptism is in no sense a

New Testament rite or custom (Mark 7:8, Luke 11:38), and the inquiry by the Pharisees of John the Baptist was not

to ask the meaning of baptism, but why he baptized if he were neither Christ, Elijah nor that prophet? (John 1:25),

which again shows clearly that baptism was no new thing.

However, there are three references to the Old Testament that must be considered before we can hope to handle

the New Testament references with any certainty.

(1) The reference to the Ark and the Flood (1 Peter 3:21).

(2) The crossing by Israel of the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10:2).

(3) The carnal ordinances of the tabernacle (Heb. 9:10).

Peter's employment of the waters of the flood and the antitype, baptism, presents in any circumstances a

difficulty, but this is magnified if we approach Peter and attempt to interpret him as though he were Paul.

`The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us'. After making all allowances, Peter will still be

seen to affirm that `baptism saves'. Now if we turn to Acts 2, we shall find Peter saying to his hearers: `Repent and

be baptized every one of you ... for the remission of sins' (Acts 2:38). While Peter's words are difficult to square

with the gospel of the grace of God as preached by Paul, they are in entire harmony with the commission of Mark

`He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved' (Mark 16:16).

We have no warrant to reverse the Divine order here. An evangelical Baptist believes and teaches, that faith is

followed by salvation, and that it is a command to the saved believer, that he be baptized. This teaching whether true

or false cannot be identical with Mark 16. Moreover, the command concerning baptism is followed by a promise

`these signs shall follow (not may follow) them that believe'; which signs did follow during the period covered by

the Acts but do not follow to-day. While baptism provided an initiatory rite, enabling a convert from either Judaism,

or from Paganism to make his conversion evident, we do not read either in the Acts or in the epistles, of anything

comparable to the baptism of infants, or the baptism of believing children. There must have been many families of

the faithful that had believing children during the period covered by the Acts, yet no instance is found of the baptism

of those who were already in the atmosphere as it were of the Christian faith, and no instruction is found to guide

either parents or ministers in this matter. This but emphasizes the initiatory character of the rite, and speaks against

its perpetuation. In connection with Peter's preaching on the day of Pentecost, it is natural to connect Acts 22:16 :

`And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord'.