Water Baptism

Consecratory

The ritual of water baptism is a consecratory act, meaning that it portrays one being set apart unto God for service in association with that thing God has sanctioned.

The Unger's Bible dictionary says that baptism is “the application of water as a rite of purification and initiation.” I would agree with this, but I believe the word "consecratory" includes both of those ideas. The person baptized is seen as being set apart for service to God (consecration), and this rite (ritual) is a kind of initiation into that service, and it has a purification significance (a washing) from any past defilement or associations. There is also an identification with the particular baptism to the particular service that God has sanctioned.

The book of Hebrews speaks of various washings, which could refer to baptisms that were done under the Old Covenant with Israel: the tabernacle service was “concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings [the Greek word translated is “baptisms”], and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.” Hebrews 9:10

The Gospel of John also speaks of a dispute over “purification” when the disciples of John and the Jews (probably the Jewish leaders) in a context about water baptism: “²³ Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. ²⁴ For John had not yet been thrown into prison. ²⁵ Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!" John 3:23-26

Baptism defined

Unger goes on to say about Baptism... “[that it] is held by some scholars to mean 'to dip, immerse.' But this meaning is held by others to be not the most exact or common but rather a meaning that is secondary or derived. By the latter it is claimed that all the term necessarily implies is that the element employed in baptism is in close contact with the person or object baptized.” I include this definition here, because the words “baptized” and “baptism” appear in Scripture with a usage that doesn't necessarily involve the ritual involving water.

Knowing that the word “baptism” or “baptized” is used in a non-ritual sense may remove some of the difficulty concerning the significance of baptism.

Paul wrote that Israel was baptized into Moses, and this would be a non-ritual meaning and use of the word: “all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, ² all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 This baptism was an identification or unification with Moses. Moses was Israel's deliverer and leader. Israel was in Moses during their exodus from Egypt.

Similar to Israel being baptized into Moses, the believer is baptized into Christ, who is also a deliverer and leader: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Romans 6:3-4

A similar statement is made to the Galatians:  "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Galatians 3:26-27

These references are not about water baptism, but identification, association, or union with Christ—like the second definition Unger gave.

Surely, many believe this speaks of water baptism, and they may use it to describe what water baptism portrays, being buried with Christ and raised with Him, but like the reference to Israel being baptized into Moses, these references can likewise be speaking of the association of the believer with the death and resurrection of Christ.  This association is a work of the Holy Spirit.  The death of Christ releases us from the eternal consequences of sin, and since sin resulted in spiritual death, the release must include being delivered from the condition of spiritual death. The believer is seen as buried and resurrected to a new life: the old man or self with its sinful disposition is seen as dead and buried with Christ, and he is resurrected from the dead with a new man or self—this is his new eternal being, which shall live with God forever, fully realized in the future resurrection of the body.

Another case in which “baptism” is used that is not about the ritual is where Jesus said he had a baptism to be baptized with that surely speaks of the sufferings he would face: "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." ²³ So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." Matthew 20:22-23.

The Apostle Paul wrote of a baptism that involved the work of the Holy Spirit in which the believer is united with all other believers in one body: “¹² For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For in fact the body is not one member but many. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

Eternal or Temporal?

 Words like “saved” or “salvation,” or “remission of sins” and “washed” can speak of something temporal or eternal. How should we understand the connection between the ritual of water baptism and receiving remission of sins or being saved? In what sense do we receive remission of sins or are we saved by baptism? We need to distinguish between that which is eternal and that which is temporal. The believer has eternal remission (forgiveness) of sins and eternal salvation, but there is a temporal kind of forgiveness and salvation, for when a believer sins, he doesn't lose his salvation, but can lose fellowship with God, which can be restored through confession:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9  This is a temporal forgiveness.  Likewise, there can be a temporal kind of salvation, in which one can experience a transformation of life:  Paul writes to Timothy:  "Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4:16  Those references that speak of a remission of sins or being washed or saved in connection with baptism can be of the temporal kind.  I look at this more later.

Mode and Portrayal and Recipient

The mode of the application of the water is debated whether immersion, pouring, or sprinkling--though immersion probably best portrays what the ritual intends to portray. It may be common to say it portrays outwardly an inward change--and that may sound good, but that is an assumption.  If it is a ritual washing as a consecration, then it would seem better to see it as portraying a change of standing and not state:  the candidates standing with God has changed; he/ she is a new creation; the old is gone, and the new has come.  The state of the person is always a potential thing, depending on their walk and maturity in the Lord.

This change of standing also supports who the recipients should be, being a believer in Christ, who has become a new creation in Christ; and it seems in every case in the New Testament, that it is for those who have responded in faith in Christ. In the account about Cornelius, he first believed, and then was baptized: “⁴³ To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins." ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. ⁴⁵ And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ⁴⁷ 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' ⁴⁸ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days. Acts 10:43-48 Infant baptism may have been practiced early on in Christendom, but that was a departure from believer's.

Most early Church Fathers seemed to say baptism was necessary for remission of sins and regeneration (to be “born again”). That view would deny that by faith alone in Christ alone saves.  It seems difficult to know how the death of Christ takes away sin (yet Scripture says without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins: Hebrews 9:22), if baptism takes away sin, unless baptism is how the death of Christ is applied. But this would mean that until one gets baptized, their salvation is put on hold, unless an exception is allowed for those who intended to get baptized, but fail to for some reason. Obviously, the thief on the cross did not get baptized. Are there exceptions in Scripture for good intentions but failure to carry through when it comes to receiving eternal life?

I believe it is important to recognize that “salvation” and “remission of sins” (which also means forgiveness or release) can be understood in a temporal sense. There is a once-for-all forgiveness of sins and an eternal salvation, but there is a temporal forgiveness of sins—because Christians still sin—and a temporal kind of salvation, spiritually or even physically. When a Christian sins, it doesn't change their eternal relationship with God, but it does affect their fellowship with God--I already referenced this above.  It could be that the remission of sins that follows baptism, as in Acts 2:38 (verse appears after this paragraph), is of the temporal kind, that it is the “purification” from their past association with the rebellious nation towards Christ—after all, the baptism was in the name of Christ, with whom they would be identifying with, and from that time forward, they would be God's chosen vessels to proclaim Him. When Ananias came to Paul, he said: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16; Ananias could have in mind a temporal kind of washing—as baptism has that significance of a washing—from his past associations in persecuting the Church and Christ. His baptism would be a starting anew as a “chosen vessel” by God (Acts 9:15) to proclaim Christ to the nations: “¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name's sake." Acts 9:15-16.

("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."  Acts 2:38)

Following the baptism, we sometimes see the promise and receiving of the Spirit. I would suggest this is not about regeneration but about the special enabling for service. The Spirit descended upon Jesus after His baptism (John 1:32), and It drove him into the wilderness to prepare Him for His ministry—which began after His baptism and 40 days of fasting. Jesus didn't get baptized to receive remission of sin or salvation eternally. It seems to make sense to see the baptism as the ritual consecration for service to God: it was the start (initiation) of His special ministry as a chosen vessel by God for service. Peter said in Acts 2:38 that those who repent and are baptized will receive the Holy Spirit. Ananias tells Paul that he will receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17). I would suggest this is with reference to the special manifestation of the Spirit in equipping these chosen vessels for service to God.

So there are places that speak of baptism resulting in remission of sin and salvation or washing away of sins, but I would suggest these are speaking in a temporal sense, with reference to consecration as a vessel fit for service to God. To be disobedient to this after one believes is to suffer with a conscience that is not right with God. I would suggest that the “repentance” in Acts 2:38 is with reference to getting right with God, because after the Jews heard the message of Peter in Acts 2, it says they were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37) and asked what they should do, and Peter said they were to repent and be baptized. Maybe the repentance includes faith in Christ, or they already believed, but they wanted to know what they should do next. They needed to be baptized. Peter elsewhere speaks of baptism “saving” those who get baptized as an answer of a “good conscience toward God.” Their baptism disassociates them from the disobedient nation--Peter writes: “...the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God).” 1 Peter 3:20-21 Through the flood, God saved Noah's family from the corruption of the world, and through baptism, the believer disassociates from the nation that rejected Christ. Peter goes on to say in Acts 2: ^“And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.' Then those who gladly received his word were baptized.” Acts 2:40-41

The early Church Fathers did believe that the ritual of baptism brought remission of sins and regeneration (the new birth). There were only a few who actually could have known the Apostles. I can only say that they had fallen into an error on this. Closeness to the Apostles doesn't guarantee that they couldn't depart from the truth. Paul had to address error to the churches he had led to Christ on these issues. The Galatians were turning to the Law and circumcision for justification, and Paul had to rebuke them. He even said that if we (including himself) were to preach a different gospel, they were to be cursed: “⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9 

Lutherans actually think that baptism replaced circumcision, which isn't correct, but just as one was not justified by circumcision, one is not justified by water baptism. Paul goes to great length to demonstrate that Abraham was justified by faith alone, and before he was even circumcised. The Galatians were in danger of “falling from grace,” if they got circumcised for justification: “​¹ Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. ² Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. ³ And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. ⁴ You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” Galatians 5:1-6

The ritual of water baptism is a consecratory act, meaning that it portrays one being set apart unto God for service in association with that thing God has sanctioned and that thing with which the service is identified--which for the Christian is Jesus Christ.

Church

The word “church” is an interpretation of the Greek word “ekklesia” which means “assembly.” Church is an interpretation because it is telling you what kind of assembly is in view. Church actually comes from another Greek word, “Kuriakos,” which means “the Lord's.” The word Church just kind of evolved from the Greek word over time. In most places in the New Testament, where ekklesia appears, it is referring to the assembly of God. The Church is an assembly of believers in Christ.

The primary aim of the assembly is set forth in Ephesians 4:11-16 (text below). It sets forth that each member in the assembly (“the body”) has a part (a gift, role, and “ministry”) towards building up the assembly in unity of “the faith” and maturity. There are certain roles of a leadership nature that are to help equip the others in fulfilling this ministry. This aim is something an individual cannot do by himself, since he/ she is outside the assembly: he can't do his part, if he is not part of the assembly. Of course, there are circumstances where one cannot be part of an assembly of believers, but this is the ideal.

The Apostle Paul gave some practical instruction on how the assembly should function, in his letter to the Corinthian Church in Chapter 14 (text below). This was because they were placing too much emphasis on a certain gift. The instruction he gave reveals that there was more involvement, more participation, among those assembling together at that time. The usual church "worship service" today doesn't really allow for such--the format Paul gave is definitely different.

The Apostle Paul gives a list to the Corinthian Church of a Divine order of the roles. Though the word “pastor” appears in the Ephesians 4:11 reference, it does not appear in the list in Corinthians. “Pastor” appears in the English in Ephesians 4:11, but elsewhere, the Greek word from which it is translated is always “shepherd.” But Corinthians does not list the pastor/ shepherd. But it does list “teacher,” and some believe the role in Ephesians 4:11 is not just pastor but “pastor-teacher.” Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:28 It might seem that “pastor” and “teacher” are the same role or function in the Church. The designation “pastor” is often used for the “elder” and more specifically the vocational elder. Elder is an office, and all elders should be able to teach, but not all teachers are elders. In a sense, all teachers are pastors/ shepherds, but not all pastors are elders. Elder is an office, and not all qualify for that office, whether they can teach or not. Paul's list that has teacher but not pastor probably combines the two.

The Church is the Lord's assembly, with the aim of each member doing its part to build up and mature in the faith, having certain leaders to help them fulfill this; the assembly is to gather together and function in a way that this can be accomplished.

Ephesians 4:11-16: 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16

1 Corinthians 14:26-33: 26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:26-33

crazy Bible

 "The Bible says crazy sh!t too, but nobody takes it seriously": Bill Maher

If he's talking about the Mosaic Covenant, and its requirements, then it needs to be kept in mind that it applied to the theocracy of Israel only, setting them apart from the nations, but it contained timeless morality. Things like the animal sacrifices were to teach that sin has a consequence before God, which is death; they provided a temporal kind of forgiveness for the Hebrews in their special status with God (by which the nations could observe and learn about God's holiness and salvation from sin), and they foreshadowed the future sacrifice/ death of Christ as God's ultimate answer to the sin problem of mankind (by His death we have forgiveness of sin, are justified and born again/ receive eternal life).

If he's referring to the miraculous things God did, it should be pointed out that if God created all things, then He can do anything with His creation that is not contrary to His nature.

If he's referring to what man has done to one another, it should be pointed out that man has a measure of free will and an evil nature, and God allows that free will and evil to a certain extent.

God instituted government to exercise justice on certain evil, but if the government becomes evil and does not execute justice, then that government and society's existence is limited. We see this several times in the Scriptures, with the destruction of Noah's world, the cities of the Plain (such as Sodom), the Amorites/ Canaanites, Israel (taken captive by Assyria and Babylon), Assyria, Babylon, and so on.