Books: To Infidelity and Back

H >> Henry F. Lutz >> To Infidelity and Back

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Let us turn to the Sacred Record and see what they did when they
baptized.

We read: "And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and
all they of Jerusalem, and they were baptized of him _in the river
Jordan_, confessing their sins. . . . And it came to pass in those
days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of
John _in_ [Greek _into_, marg. of A. R. V.] _the Jordan_. And
straightway _coming up out of the water_, he saw the heavens opened,
and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him" (Mark 1:5,9,10).
"John was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim, _because there was much
water there_" (John 3:23). "And they _both went down into the water_,
both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when _they came
up out of the water_ . . . he went on his way rejoicing" (Acts
8:38,39). "We are _buried_ with him _by baptism_," "_planted_ in the
likeness of his death," "and _raised_ in the likeness of his
resurrection" (Rom. 6:4,5). "Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience and _our bodies washed_ with pure water" (Heb. 10:22).
"Except a man be _born of the water_ and of the Spirit he cannot
enter the kingdom of heaven" (John 3:5). The italics are mine.

The following chart summarizes our study of baptism in the English
Bible:

BAPTISM IN THE ENGLISH BIBLE

THE BIBLE AND IMMERSION SPRINKLING AND POURING
REQUIRE: REQUIRE:

1. Water. Acts 8:36; 10:47 1. Water

2. Much water. John 3:23 2. Little water

3. Going to water. Mark 1:9 3. Bringing water

4. Going into water. Acts 8:38 4. Staying out of water

5. Putting into water. Mark 1:9 5. Putting water on
(Margin of A. R. V)

6. Form of burial. Col. 2:12 6. No form of burial

7. Form of planting. Rom 6:5 7. No form of planting

8. Form of birth. John 3:5 8. No form of birth

9. Form of resurrection. 9. No form of resurrection
Rom. 6:4

10. Form of doctrine. Rom. 6:17 10. No form of doctrine

11. Bodies washed. Heb. 10:22 11. Head wet

12. Coming up out of the water. 12. No getting out
Mark 1:10

We thus learn that in being baptized they _went to water_, to _much
water_, went _into the water_, were _put into the water_, were
_buried in the water, planted in the water, born out of the water,
raised out of the water_, had their _bodies washed_ and _came up out
of the water_. If we do these things, we are Scripturally baptized
and have been immersed.

The following passages are the only places where sprinkling and
pouring are found in the New Testament:

_Sprinkling and Pouring in the New Testament_.

1. Heb. 9:13.--Blood.
2. Heb. 9:19.--Blood.
3. Heb. 9:21.--Blood.
4. Heb. 10:22.--Hearts.
5. Heb. 11:28.--Blood.
6. Heb. 12:24.--Blood.
7. 1 Pet. 1:2.--Blood.
8. Matt. 26:7,12.--Ointment.
9. John 2:15.--Money.
10. Acts 10:45.--Spirit.
11. John 13:5.--Water.
12. Luke 10:34.--Oil and Wine.
13. Rev. 14:10.--Wrath.

You will notice that none of these Scriptures refer to baptism and
that none of the Scriptures that do refer to baptism hint at
sprinkling or pouring as the action. Sprinkling and pouring for
baptism must come from some other source. We have already learned
whence they came.

Some people will argue against immersion for hours, and when they are
driven into their last trenches, and about to be caught, they try to
escape by saying, "Baptism doesn't amount to anything at any rate,
it's a mere form. The great thing is Holy Spirit baptism."

To begin with, Holy Spirit baptism is not baptism at all, strictly
speaking. It is only figurative baptism. It is not always called
baptism. It is called _an anointing_ (Luke 4: 18), _a drinking_ (1
Cor. 12: 13), _an enduing_ (Luke 24:49), a _filling_ (Acts 2:4), and
a _sealing_ (Eph. 1 : 13). No person can be literally sprinkled or
poured with the Holy Spirit, or immersed into Him, as the Holy Spirit
is a person. The figurative meaning of baptism is to overwhelm, and
to be baptized with the Holy Spirit is to be submerged or overwhelmed
in His power, or to come completely under His control. Holy Spirit
baptism is not a command to obey, but a promise to enjoy. It can only
be administered by Christ himself (John 1:33). Therefore, whenever in
the New Testament baptism is commanded for preachers to administer or
sinners to obey, it can never refer to Holy Spirit baptism, but must
always refer to water baptism.

In the light of New Testament teaching and practise, it is marvelous
that any one who claims to follow its guidance, can make light of
baptism. "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why did Christ walk eighty
miles to be baptized of John, and insist that it was necessary for
him to be baptized "to fulfil all righteousness"? (Matt. 3: 13-17).
"Baptism a mere form?" Then, why, in giving his commission to all
gospel workers, did Christ say, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them"? (Matt. 28: 19). Those who neglect to
baptize their converts have certainly not wholly obeyed their Lord.
"Baptism a mere form?" Then, why did Jesus say, "Go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved"? (Mark 16:15, 16). Not only is every
preacher commanded to baptize every convert, but every convert is
also commanded to be baptized; and baptism is made one of the
conditions of salvation with every proper gospel subject. "Baptism a
mere form?" Then, why did Jesus say to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, Except one be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot inherit the kingdom of God"? (John 3:5). All church standards
refer this to baptism. "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why did Peter, on
Pentecost, when he used "the keys of the kingdom," revealed Christ's
will and testament for sinners, and thus proclaimed the conditions of
salvation, or of forgiveness, to all whom the Lord should call
through the gospel, say to penitent seekers, "Repent ye, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the
remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit"? (Acts 2:38). And why is it said, "They then that received
his word were baptized"? (Acts 2:41). Will not the same follow to-day
if people will receive the Word of God without any subtractions?
"Baptism a mere form?" Then, why is it said of the Samaritans that
"when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the
kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both
men and women"? (Acts 8: 12). Will not the same follow to-day when
people believe the whole gospel? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why is
it said of the eunuch that when Philip "preached unto him Jesus," he
said, "Behold, here is water; what does hinder me to be baptized?"?
And why did he not go "on his way rejoicing" before he "came up out
of the water"? (Acts 8:35,39). If our converts do not ask for
baptism, and we send them away as finished products without going
down into the water with them, are we preaching and practising the
same gospel as did the primitive evangelists under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why did not even Christ
himself speak peace to the soul of Saul, but sent him to Damascus and
directed Ananias to tell him what he must do, who said to him, "And
now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord"? (Acts 9: 6, 7; 22: 16). Does
not the Lord send his servants to-day with the same message to those
who put off their obedience to him in baptism? "Baptism a mere form?"
Then, why was there a special miraculous demonstration to avoid
objections to the baptism of the household of Cornelius, the first
Gentile converts; and why did Peter command them to be baptized with
water, after they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? (Acts
10:44-48). Does not this show that Holy Spirit baptism was not to
displace water baptism? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why was Lydia
baptized as soon as she gave "heed unto the things which were spoken
by Paul"? (Acts 16: 14, 15). If properly instructed, will not all
people be baptized as soon as they are willing to give heed unto the
word of the Lord? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why, when the
Philippian jailor was told by Paul and Silas what he "must do to be
saved," was he baptized "immediately," "the same hour of the night"?
(Acts 16: 29-33). Will not the same gospel, if preached in the same
way, have the same effect to-day? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why is
it said that "many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were
baptized"? (Acts 18:8). Will not those who hear and believe in
sincerity to-day also be baptized? "Baptism a mere form?" Then, why
is it said by the Holy Spirit that Priscilla and Aquila expounded
unto Apollos "the way of God more accurately," after "he was mighty
in the scriptures" and "had been instructed in the way of the Lord,"
and "taught accurately the things of Jesus, knowing only the baptism
of John"? (Acts 18:24-26). If the Lord was then concerned to have
preachers set right on water baptism, even when their gospel
knowledge was accurate in every other particular, does he not have a
similar concern now? and if our hearts are in perfect accord with
his, will his concern not be our concern? "Baptism a mere form?"
Then, why was it Paul's first concern, when he came to Ephesus, to
set the brethren right on water baptism, even though they were called
"disciples," and had already been baptized (immersed) once? (Acts 19:
1-7). This shows that baptism is not a mere outward act, but is
important because of its relation to the Lord Jesus, an obedient
heart, and to the Holy Spirit. If the Lord, through the Apostle,
directed these disciples to be baptized a second time, when they
found they were not Scripturally baptized, are not these his
directions for to-day also? and should not his preachers show people
the truth if they have not been Scripturally baptized, and, if
possible, induce them to obey the Scriptural baptism, even when they
thought they had been Scripturally baptized?

It is true that Paul said to the Corinthians, "I thank God that I
baptized none of you, save Crispus and Gaius; _lest any man should
say that ye were baptized into my name._ And I baptized also the
household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any
other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel"
(1 Cor. 1: 14-17). In the words I have placed in italics, we are told
why he was glad he baptized only a few of them. It was lest they
should be his partisans, as they were divided on human leaders. We
certainly dare not so interpret the words, "for Christ sent me not to
baptize, but to preach the gospel," as to contradict the commission
of Christ and all the numerous clear Scriptures we have just quoted.
He evidently meant that he himself did not do the baptizing, but had
others do that part of the work, while he gave his time and strength
to the preaching of the gospel. The same was true of Jesus himself,
as we learn from John 4:1, 2: "When therefore the Lord knew that the
Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more
disciples than John (although Jesus himself baptized not, but his
disciples)." He baptized them and he didn't baptize them. That is, he
commanded them to be baptized and had his disciples perform the act.
So evidently with Paul. If he meant that his converts were not to be
baptized, then he would certainly not have baptized any of them.

That Paul was zealous in seeing that all his converts were baptized,
is apparent from the cases already quoted, especially the baptism of
the Ephesians. For when he discovered that their baptism was not
Scriptural, he, first of all, insisted that they be baptized again.
It is further apparent from his teaching in his Epistles. In 1 Cor.
12:13 we read, "For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body
... and were all made to drink of one Spirit." In Gal. 3:26, 27, we
read, "For ye are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. For
as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ." In
Rom. 6:3, 4, we read, "Or are ye ignorant that all we who were
baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were
buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as
Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so
we also might walk in newness of life." In Col. 2: 12, we have
similar language, "having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye
were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who
also raised him from the dead." In Heb. 10:22, it is said, "Having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body
washed with pure water." After reading these Scriptures, no one can
doubt that Paul had all his converts baptized, and believed in
baptism just as strongly as Christ and Peter.

That Peter had the same opinion about baptism near the end of his
life, as at Pentecost, is evident from his words in I Pet. 3:21:
"Which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism,
not the putting away the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of
a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus
Christ."

That to refuse to be baptized after knowing that Christ has commanded
it is to disobey him and to rebel against his authority, is clear
from the words of the Holy Spirit recorded in Luke 7: 29, 30: "And
all the people when they heard, and the publicans, justified God,
being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and
lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not
baptized of him."

And yet, despite all these Scriptures, many pious saints are so
blinded by their prejudices and traditions, that instead of
encouraging and exhorting people to obey this command to be baptized,
that is given to test the soul's complete surrender to Christ, and is
called the "obedience of faith" or of the gospel, they encourage
people to live in disobedience to Christ by affirming that baptism is
"a mere form" or "non-essential." If subordinates in an army or
earthly kingdom act thus and use their influence to induce others to
disobey the orders of those over them, they are punished for treason.
Any army that is thoroughly united in the authority of its commander
and cheerfully and promptly obeys his orders, is usually successful;
while the largest and best army on earth would be doomed to defeat
the moment its officers and men would disobey orders and each do as
he pleases, or as he thinks best. The reason Christ's, army on earth
to-day is weak and constantly defeated and retreating is because his
orders are disregarded and the "think so's" and traditions of men are
followed instead. Implicit obedience to the few simple commands of
Christ would at once unite all his followers into one invincible army
that would enable the world to believe and know that he is the Christ
of God (John 17:20, 23).

If anything is clear, it is that Christianity is a personal matter.
That each individual must meet and accept for himself the claims of
Christ. No one can be saved by proxy. No one can go to heaven because
of the faith, obedience or prayers of a parent, wife, husband, sister
or brother. This being true, as Christ has commanded every creature
to be baptized (Mark 15: 15, 16; Acts 2: 38, etc.), it is evident
that infant baptism is not valid. The parents cannot obey for the
child, however good their intentions. The child, when it reaches the
age of accountability, must face the commandments of Christ for
itself, and either deliberately obey or disobey and reject him. If
infants remained infants, they would do no harm in the church, even
if they could do no good. But they will grow into accountability and
then the church is full of unconverted people.

May we prayerfully do all in our power to hasten the day when all of
Christ's followers will forsake the traditions, in which men have
changed Christ's teaching on baptism, and will gloriously reunite in
his will on this command which is so clearly revealed in the New
Testament.

CHAPTER II.

THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

"See that thou make all things according to the pattern that was
showed thee."--Heb. 8: 5.

Introduction. My early ideas of the church, its doctrines, and of the
teachings of Christ as revealed in the New Testament, were rather
general and vague. As is usual, it was chiefly a matter of hereditary
traditions. After I found my way back to Christ and to belief in the
Word of God, the question naturally arose, which church shall I join,
if any? Sectarian divisions had a hand in driving me into infidelity
and confusion, and I was now compelled to investigate more closely
this strange puzzle. As I have already intimated, what I learned at
Meadville about baptism and the teachings of the various religious
bodies, had directed my attention to the people generally known as
"Disciples of Christ" or "Christians," who are working for Christian
union through the restoration of the primitive church. I will now
give the result of my study of the model church as revealed in the
New Testament.

NOTE.--Most of this and the following chapter are taken from my
booklet on "The Church of Christ: What It Is, and Why It Exists."

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST.

The primary meaning of the word _church_ is a local body of
Christians organized for work and worship (Acts 14:27). From this its
meaning enlarged so as to apply to the members of all the churches
(Eph. 3:10), and finally to all the saints in heaven and on earth
(Heb. 12:23).

_Of Christ_ expresses the church's relationship to Christ. It is
Christ's church. He bought it (Eph. 5:25), built it (Matt. 16:18),
and is its foundation (1 Cor. 3:11). It is his body (Rom. 12:5), of
which he is head (Col. 1:18) and which is so identified with him that
it is called Christ (1 Cor. 12:12); it is his kingdom over which he
is king (Matt. 16:19); it is a fold of which he is the shepherd (John
10:16); he is a vine of which the members are branches (John 15:5);
it is his house (Heb. 3:6); it is his dearly beloved wife (Eph. 5:25;
2 Cor. 11:2). Christ so loves the church and identifies himself with
it because of the sweet, loving, spiritual fellowship there is
between himself and it; and because it is his visible representative
here on earth, and the instrument through which the Holy Spirit's
work in the conversion of the world and the sanctification of
believers, is carried on.

Other names given to the church are "church of God" (I Cor. 1:2),
"churches of God" (I Thess. 2:14), "churches of saints" (I Cor. 14:
33), "temple of God and of the Holy Spirit" (I Cor. 3:16), and "the
pillar and ground of the truth" (I Tim. 3:15). All these names are
Scriptural and proper when used in the proper way.

Church-members.

The members of the church or churches of Christ are called
"Christians" (Acts 11:26; I Pet. 4:14, 16), "disciples" (Acts 9:1),
"saints" (Rom. 1:7), "brethren" (I Cor. 15:6), "members" (Rom. 12:5),
etc., all of which names are right when used to express the proper
idea or relationship.

The Greek word for church is _ekkleesia_ and comes from _ekkaleoo_,
which means _to call out_ or _summon forth_; and members of the
church are the ones who have been called of God (2 Tim. 1:9) through
the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14) from a life of sin to a life of holy
service (Acts 26:16-18). Church-members or Christians are said to be
"saved," "elected," "washed," "sanctified," "redeemed," "recreated,"
"regenerated," "translated," "espoused," "converted," "reconciled,"
"adopted," "quickened," "resurrected," etc. This gives us an idea of
the radical change that must take place before a person can become a
true church-member. It will be noticed that the change expressed by
these terms is twofold. The one is subjective, and the other
objective. The one is a change of heart or character, and the other
is a change of state or relationship to God. The heart is changed by
the Holy Spirit (John 3:5), through the preached gospel (1 Pet.
1:23), which leads to faith (Rom. 10:17; Acts 15:9) and repentance
(Acts 2:38); while the attitude toward God is changed by confession
(Rom. 10:9), obedience in baptism (Acts 2:38) and by God's pardon to
the sinner (Acts 2:38). The necessity of this twofold change is
manifest from Christ's teaching when he says, "Make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them" (Matt. 28:19), "Preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark
16:16), and "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Also by the
teaching of the Apostles when they say, "Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38),
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16), "Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved
us, by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy
Ghost" (Tit. 3: 5), "For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26, 27), "For by one Spirit we are all
baptized into one body...and have been all made to drink into one
Spirit" (1 Cor. 12:13), "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" (1 Pet. 3:21), "Know ye not, that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we
are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also
should walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:3, 4).

If it were God's purpose to simply save individuals, privately and
without human agency, the subjective change of heart is all that
would be necessary. But a home must be provided for the nurture of
the new-born spiritual babes and a church organized to herald the
gospel to every creature; therefore, a definite act of open committal
or enlistment is required in baptism. When this becomes thoroughly
understood, the emphasis the New Testament puts on baptism will be
appreciated, and people will no longer avoid the passages that refer
to it, or try to explain them away. Neither faith, repentance nor
baptism have any saving virtue in themselves. They are important only
because of their relation to Christ and the sinner. As Christ has
made them conditions of salvation to those who have heard the gospel,
they must either obey or be rejected because of a rebellious heart
(Luke 7:29, 30).

We learn that to be qualified for membership in Christ's church a
person must know the Lord (Heb. 8:11), must believe in him (Acts
8:37), must repent of his sins (Acts 2:38), must confess him as
Christ (Rom. 10:9), and must obey him from the heart in baptism (Rom.
6:17). All these are conscious, personal acts that must be performed
by the person becoming a member. No one can become a member by
purchase, fleshly birth, or the obedience of parents or other
persons. It will also be noticed that according to the teaching of
the New Testament the conditions of salvation and church membership
are the same. The New Testament never speaks of persons as saved or
Christians who are not members of the church of Christ where they
live.

Church Officers.

On the divine side the church of Christ is a kingdom with a
constitution and an absolute ruler. But the administration of this
kingdom, as it comes in contact with the varying conditions that
confront it in the world, is left to the local church with its
officers. Officers are elected to increase the efficiency of the
church in service (Acts 6:1-7). In Eph. 4:11, 12, we learn what the
officers of the church of Christ are and why they are appointed. "And
he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists; and
some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
Deacons were also appointed to serve tables and assist in other ways
(Acts 6:1-7; Phil, 1:1). The Apostles were personally commissioned by
Christ (John 20:21-23; Acts 26: 16), miraculously inspired to teach
(1 Cor. 2:12, 13; 1 Pet. 1:12) and endowed to perform miracles (2
Cor. 12: 12) and to confer miracle-working power on others (Acts
8:17, 18). After the church was thoroughly established and the New
Testament written the apostolic office with its miraculous
accompaniments ceased (Heb. 2:3, 4; 1 Cor. 13:8). Prophets were
appointed by miraculous endowment and ended with the same.
Evangelists, elders and deacons are the permanent officers of the
church of Christ. The special work of evangelists or preachers is to
make disciples and to organize and strengthen churches. Elders, or
bishops, or pastors are local church officers, a plurality of which
was appointed in each church (Acts 14:23). Their function is
concerned with the spiritual welfare of the church. The work of
deacons has already been indicated. The qualifications of
evangelists, elders or bishops and deacons are given in the epistles
to Timothy and Titus. The church officers are selected by the members
(Acts 6: 1-7), and important matters of discipline are decided by a
majority vote of the church (2 Cor. 2:6, see Greek). The local church
government then is administered by a majority vote of its members and
by the officers authorized by such a majority. Outside of Christ and
the Apostles the New Testament does not recognize any authority
higher than that vested in the local churches. General ecclesiastical
organizations and church dignitaries with high-sounding titles are
human inventions that were added later. Where there is no organized
church to act, individual Christians have authority to administer the
affairs of the church or kingdom (Acts 8: 4; 9: 10-18; ii: 19-21).
The only apostolic succession endorsed in the Bible is that which
results from following the example of the Apostles in teaching and
practice.

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