Water Baptism Part 7

[Footnote 147: Mat. 5.3, 12; Mat. 5.20]

[Footnote 148: Mat. 7.21, 23]

[Footnote 149: Jon. 10.1, 7]

[Footnote 150: Mat. 3.11; Luke 3.16; Jon. 3.5]

[Footnote 151: Jon. 3.3; Margin R.v.]

[Footnote 152: Jon. 3.3 R.v.; Mat. 3.11; Luke 3.16]

[Footnote 153: See in this Article P. 39 to 44]

[Footnote 154: Jon. 3.3, 5]

[Footnote 155: Jon. 3.5; Luke 3.16; Mat. 3.11; Jon. 7.38, 39]

[Footnote 156: Mat. 3.10, 12; Luke 3.9, 17; Jon. 4.10, 14]

[Footnote 157: Rev. 7.17; Zech. 13.9; Mat. 3.2]

[Footnote 158: Mat. 7.21; Gal. 5.21]

[Footnote 159: 1 Cor. 6.10, 11 R.v.; t.i.tus 3.5, 6]

[Footnote 160: Philippians 3.3; Rom. 6.6; Mat. 16.24; Gal. 2.20; Col.

2.11, 12; Gal. 3.27; Rom. 2.29; Col. 2.11]

[Footnote 161: Col. 2.11, 16; 1 Cor. 6.11 R.v.]

BAPTISMAL GRACE

Some maintain that water baptism is a means of Grace. Others define it as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual Grace.

We have no record that our Saviour ever taught any such doctrines.

Grace is mentioned in the New Testament more than one hundred times but water baptism is never once alluded to in connection with Grace in any way whatever.

We cannot believe that our Saviour ordained water baptism as a means or sign of Grace to his children forever, when neither He nor his disciples ever mentioned it or even remotely alluded to it--so far as Scripture informs--in all of those one hundred texts wherein Grace is so variously and impressively commended to us.

We are forced to believe that this whole theory of baptismal grace was conceived by man; was modified by the reformation and now might be entirely abandoned as adverse to the teachings of Christ and repugnant to sound reason.

WATER BAPTISM AND CIRc.u.mCISION

Some a.s.sume that Christ, by his apostles and disciples, inst.i.tuted water baptism as the Christian successor of Jewish circ.u.mcision. Scripture testimony conflicts with this a.s.sumption. "The Acts of the Apostles"

indicate that these apostles were mostly tenacious of Jewish customs and only gradually comprehended the universal and spiritual nature of Christ's kingdom in its noon-day brightness.

They looked for a Jewish kingdom with Christ as earthly king, and of course to retain in some way their existing customs.[162] They called all who were not Jews, uncirc.u.mcised Gentiles. But few of the apostles would sit at table with Gentiles or eat in their houses.[163]

Peter required a vision before preaching the Gospel to Gentiles, and gave as his reason for hesitation that it was unlawful for Jews to keep company or come unto those of another nation.[164]

Other apostles censured Peter for making the freedom with Gentiles which he sometimes did.[165] Some insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity be circ.u.mcised.[166]

Some taught: Except ye be circ.u.mcised ye cannot be saved.[167]

Gentile converts at Antioch resisted circ.u.mcision.[168]

Paul pleaded the Gentile cause before the elders and apostles at Jerusalem.[169]

After much questioning Gentile converts to Christianity were excused from circ.u.mcision but no others were excused.[170] Jews were reminded that Moses was preached and read to them in the Jewish Synagogue every Sabbath day.[171]

This reminder in connection with the subject before them indicates that Jews were expected to continue as heretofore to circ.u.mcise their children according to the law of Moses which was preached and read to them in the Jewish Synagogue every Sabbath day.[172]

These elders and apostles know nothing about water baptism, being the Christian successor of Jewish circ.u.mcision or they would surely have instructed the Gentiles to this effect when they excused them from circ.u.mcision. Their silence upon this opportune occasion and at all other times is decided evidence that there was no such succession.[173]

Eight years later, the same old controversy about circ.u.mcision brought Paul again before the elders and apostles at Jerusalem.[174]

They re-affirmed their former decision that Gentiles be excused from circ.u.mcision but reminded Paul that he (a Jew) was expected to walk orderly and keep the law of Moses.[175] They prevailed upon him to take a vow, shave his head, and enter into the Jewish temple until an offering should be offered for him, because he taught Jews of the dispersion, that they should not circ.u.mcise their children nor walk after the customs of Moses. Paul was induced to suppress or conceal his indifference to circ.u.mcision but not his p.r.o.nounced indifference to water baptism.

Thus closes our last recorded meeting of the elders and apostles at Jerusalem with no apparent abatement of zeal for circ.u.mcision. To the last they evinced much more zeal for circ.u.mcision than they had ever shown for water baptism; and they never in any way recognized water baptism as the successor of circ.u.mcision.

Plainly it was not by the apostles but after the apostles' time that circ.u.mcision was discarded and water baptism exalted.[176]

Altho' Paul ostensibly yielded to the elders and apostles at Jerusalem, yet his subsequent epistles indicate that he remained firmly indifferent or opposed to circ.u.mcision, water baptism, and other ordinances, all of which he called carnal, weak and beggarly elements when applied to Gentiles. Paul said he was made all things to all men that he might win some.[177]

To the Jews, he became a Jew, to the Gentiles a Gentile.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 162: Acts 1.6; Luke 24.21]

[Footnote 163: Acts 11.1, 3; Gal. 2.11, 12]

[Footnote 164: Acts 11.1, 16; Acts 10.28]

[Footnote 165: Acts 11.1, 3]

[Footnote 166: Acts 15.5, 6]

[Footnote 167: Acts 15.1]