Sunday, 19 April 2009

• Baptism - The Form and Practice of The Early Church

  * In previous lessons, we have looked at the nature of salvation as being by God's Grace alone through faith in Christ alone.

  * We have shown that salvation is therefore eternal because of its very nature.

  * In the last lesson, we briefly examined the concept of Holy Spirit Baptism, which was in integral result of Christ's mission on earth. We have learned how to distinguish between the two types of Baptism in scripture. Having done that, we can examine the concept of Water Baptism, and its place in the outer ceremonial life of the church. Christ gave the church two ceremonies, The Lord's Supper and Baptism, and they are very similar in purpose and meaning. Therefore, in order to fully understand the concept of Water Baptism, we must first look at the Supper.

  A. The Lord's Supper

  1. There are references to the events of the first Lord's Supper in each of the gospels. If you look at the following verses, you will be able to piece together the whole narrative of that meal and its surrounding events.

  Matt 26:17-30

  Mark 14:17-24

  Luke 22:14-29

  John 13 ─ whole chapter

  2. And the following allusions to the Supper help us see some things about it.

  Acts 2:42 "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers."

  Acts 2:46-47 "So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."

  Acts 20:7 "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."

  1 Cor 10:16-17 "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."

  1 Cor 10:21 "You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons."

  3. However, the "ought" passage which most fully explains the Lord's Supper is in 1 Cor 11.

  1 Cor 11:17-34 "Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come."

  4. From these verses we learn many things, but as to the meaning, power, and significance of the Supper, we see the following:

  a. It is a memorial ─ it is done in memory of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross ─ 11:24-25

  b. It is a proclamation of the Cross ─ 11:26

  c. There is no mystical power or grace conferred in the ceremony of the Supper ─ it is a memorial and a proclamation. It is significant in the life of the church, and it is to be celebrated, because Christ commanded so, but it confers no piece nor part of salvation.

  B. Water Baptism

  If we want to know what our practice as a church should be, we need only to look at the command given by Christ and at the practice followed by the first churches.

  1. The disciples of Jesus practiced water baptism during Christ's earthly ministry.

  John 3:22 "After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized."

  John 4:1-2 "Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),"

  2. Christ Commanded that the church baptize new converts

  Matt 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"

  3. The normal practice of the church was to baptize new converts immediately, or as soon as possible.

  Acts 2:41 "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them."

  Acts 8:12-13 "But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done."

  Acts 8:36-38 "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?" Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him."

  Acts 9:18 "Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized."

  Acts 10:46-48 "For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days."

  Acts 16:14-15 "Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshipped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us."

  Acts 16:30-33 "And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized."

  Acts 18:8 "Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized."

  Acts 18:25 "This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John."

  Acts 19:4 "Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."

  3. The controversial verses and their meanings. So far, we have learned the following things about the controversy surrounding salvation and baptism:

  a. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, not in any measure by human works.

  b. Holy Spirit Baptism is the subject of many of the verses in the Bible which refer to Baptism, particularly those verses which refer to being placed into Christ, or into the body of Christ (the church).

  c. There is a simple way to distinguish which baptism is being discussed in a verse.

  d. The other ordinance, or ceremony, which Christ gave the church, the Supper, is a memorial which demonstrates or proclaims a reality which is separate from the ceremony itself.

  e. Water Baptism is to be practiced by the church as a ceremony commanded by Christ and exemplified by the early church.

  f. This leaves us with a few verses harder to understand, which are alleged by some people to overthrow the clear teachings of the many verses we have already given you. It is not easy to determine the exact meaning of these verses, but based on the MANY verses given above, it is easy to say what they do not mean.

  Because human works cannot contribute one iota to salvation, these verses cannot mean that the ceremony of Baptism has any saving power. Manifestly, the clear message of the dozens of scriptures given above cannot be twisted by the few harder to understand verses given below.

  Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

  g. The proper understanding of this verse, in the light of the many clear verses which teach the nature of salvation is:

  1. The normal evidence of a changed heart is obedience, and will normally be first evidenced by following the Lord in water baptism.

  2 . Someone who does not believe is lost ─ of course, this is well known by believers.

  3. The Scripture above does NOT say that anyone skipping baptism would be lost ─ which Mark could easily have said, had the Holy Spirit so desired.

  Acts 2:38 "Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

  Peter is not here giving a detailed explanation of the way of salvation ─ he gives the convicted hearers a set of valid instructions ─ remember, this was the first mass evangelism of the New Testament era, and Peter was setting the pattern ─ confession of Christ and salvation, followed by the first act of obedience, Water Baptism.

  Acts 22:16 "'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'"

  Again, Paul is not here giving a theological dissertation ─ he is telling the gathered assembly of great people what transpired during the beginning of his Christian life. He is quoting Ananias, the messenger sent to him. Indeed, Paul figuratively washed his sins away in water baptism, just as do all believers, but there is no evidence of any deeper meaning here. If, indeed, water baptism was so vital, Paul would no doubt have included it in his discussions of salvation in Romans and Ephesians ─ he did not do so.

  Indeed, it might behoove those who think there is saving power in baptism to consider the verses below.

  1 Cor 1:13-17 "Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."

  Paul baptized only a few of the Corinthians ─ yet he plainly declares that he was the spiritual father of all of them.

  1 Cor 4:14-15 "I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel."

  
  

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