I Believe in Baptism In a television interview in Nashville, Tennessee, July 2, 1997, Max Lucado said: "I believe in baptism.

Jesus was baptized. The Bible teaches baptism. I just don't believe that baptism saves you... baptism is one of those ways we celebrate our salvation. It's really the initial step of the faithful believer." PROPOSITION: Baptismal regeneration is the belief that baptism is essential to salvation, it's the means by which forgiveness of sins is made real to the believer. Does Christian baptism regenerate (save us through our applied faith), or is only symbolic? FACT: The vast majority of Christians (i.e. Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, etc.) believe that baptism is regenerational -- that is to say, that the act itself transforms the person by "water and the Word," (Ephesians 5:26) thus adopting that person into the body of Christ and making that person a participant in the very same Sonship which Christ Himself enjoys with the Father (Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4:6-7). FACT: From earliest times, literally every Church Father and Christian bishop, as well as every orthodox Christian scholar until the Protestant reformation, understood baptism as regenerational. This included Martin Luther and most of the Protestant reformers who followed him. Martin Luther wrote in his short Catechism that baptism "works the forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and grants eternal life to all who believe." His recognition that the Bible teaches baptismal regeneration has been preserved by Lutherans and a few other Protestant denominations. Even some Baptists recognize that the biblical evidence demands the historic Christian teaching of baptismal regeneration. Notable individuals who recognized that Scripture teaches baptismal regeneration include Baptist theologians George R. Beasley-Murray and Dale Moody. FACT: Yet, despite this, there are several Christian groups which deny that baptism is regenerational, holding instead that it is merely an outward sign or symbol of one's inner faith in Christ. In this, they maintain that it is one's personal acceptance of Christ that matters; and that baptism is no more than a ceremony in which one publicly proclaims and displays one's faith. Indeed, these same Christian groups believe that the doctrine of baptismal regeneration is a corruption of what the Apostles preached, reducing the significance of this supposedly "symbolic ceremony" to the level of "magic" or "superstition." In this, they hold that only personal faith in Christ is of any importance and that "water on some one's head" does absolutely nothing in and of itself. Yet, can this position be correct? Well, to see, let's turn to the Scriptures themselves. First of all, it must be said that there are many verses of Scripture which give the proponents of "symbolic baptism" a great deal of trouble. These include: 1 Peter 3:21 --- "The like figure where unto 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." Baptism now saves us. It is not a removal of dirt from the body, but an appeal to God for a clear conscious, through the obedience to His word and by

the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38 -- "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Mark 16:16 -- "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (condemned)." Titus 3:5 -- "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."). 1 Corinthians 6:11 -- "And such were some of you: but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." Acts 22:16 -- "And now why tarriest (wait) thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." John 3:5 -- "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (baptism) and of the (Holy) Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." We also have the witness of the early Church that John 3:5 refers to baptismal regeneration. This was universally recognized by the early Christians. The Church Fathers were unanimous in teaching this: In A.D. 151, Justin Martyr wrote, "As many as are persuaded and believe that what we [Christians] teach and say is true . . . are brought by us where there is water and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God the Father . . . and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. For Christ also said, Unless you are born again, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven [John 3:3]" (First Apology 61). Around 190, Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons, wrote, "And [Naaman] dipped himself . . . seven times in the Jordan [2 Kgs. 5:14]. It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [this served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions, being spiritually regenerated as newborn babes, even as the Lord has declared: Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven [John 3:5]" (Fragment 34). In the year 252, Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage, said that when those becoming Christians "receive also the baptism of the Church . . . then finally can they be fully sanctified and be the sons of God . . . since it is written, Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God [John 3:5]" (Letters 71[72]:1). Augustine wrote, "From the time he [Jesus] said, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven [John 3:5], and again, He that loses his

life for my sake shall find it [Matt. 10:39], no one becomes a member of Christ except it be either by baptism in Christ or death for Christ" (On the Soul and Its Origin 1:10 [A.D. 419]). So, aside from one's personal faith, the act of baptism itself appears to be very important indeed. Those who hold that baptism is merely symbolic cannot ignore this if they wish to take Scripture seriously. As we've already seen in Acts 2:38, baptism is clearly associated with the forgiveness of sins: "Repent and be Baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness (remission) of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." However let's construct a parallel to Max Lucado's remarks. Let us use his logic and apply it to the Scriptures. Suppose an Israelite in Numbers 21 had said: "I really believe in the brass serpent. Moses teaches the brass serpent. I just don't believe the brass serpent heals you. I believe God heals us. And looking on the brass serpent is one of those ways we celebrate our healing. It's really the initial step of the healed believer." If an Israelite had said that, would he have been healed? No! Suppose Naaman in 2 Kings 5 had said: "I really believe in dipping in the Jordan. Elisha told me to dip in the Jordan. I just don't believe dipping in the Jordan will heal me. I believe that God will heal me. And dipping in the Jordan is one of those ways I will celebrate my healing. It's really the initial step I'll take as a healed believer." If Naaman had said that, would he have been healed? No! Suppose the blind man in John 9 had said: "I really believe in the pool of Siloam. Jesus told me to wash there. I just don't believe that the pool of Siloam will cure my blindness. I believe Jesus will cure me. And washing in the pool of Siloam is one of those ways I'll celebrate my healing. It's really the initial step I'll take as a healed believer." If the blind man had said that, would he have been healed? No! "What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and has not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, you have faith, and I have works: shew me your faith without your works, and I will shew you my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; you do well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers,

and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:14-26) "Whosoever has this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." (1 John 3:17-18) When Jesus arrived to begin His mission, the first thing He did was to be baptized by John (Mark 1:9), as an example in all righteousness (of course, he technically did not need to repent or be baptized) being our Great High Priest. And what happened when Jesus was baptized? The Holy Spirit descended upon him (Mark 1:10). The Holy Spirit came after water of baptism. Water preceded the Spirit, rather than vice versa. Nobody can claimed to be sealed and sanctified unless they have been baptized, even as our Lord Jesus Christ was. In Romans 5 and 6, St. Paul explains that Christ reconciles people to God, removing their sin, and then makes them members of the family of God. He explains that this happens by baptism. Romans 6:3-4- 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. The reference to being buried into death by baptism refers to the spiritual rebirth which baptism gives. It puts to death the old man who lived in sin, and gives birth to a new life in Christ. 1 John 5:8: And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are one. This refers to the three witnesses in justification: the new life or spirit brought by justification, the water of baptism, and the blood of Jesus. These three must be present for a person to be justified. Thats why Jesus speaks of being born again of water and the spirit (John 3:5). He could have also truly spoken of being born again of water, blood and the spirit. In the Book of Ephesians, the Bible teaches that the souls of the Church are cleansed in water baptism. Ephesians 5:25-26: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life. The Church is sanctified and cleansed by the laver (or washing) of water in the word of life. Whats this washing of water? It obviously refers to water baptism. The word of life refers to the words which were given by Jesus for the baptismal form (Matthew 28:19). Even John Calvin, the famous Protestant who denied baptismal regeneration, admitted that this passage (Ephesians 5:26) refers to water baptism. Many Protestants have abandoned biblical teachings, substituting man-made theories on regeneration or salvation. There are two main views held by those who deny the scriptural teaching that one is born again through baptism: the "Evangelical" view, common among Baptists, and the "Calvinist" view, common among Presbyterians. Evangelicals claim that one is born again at the first moment of faith in Christ. According to this theory, faith in Christ produces regeneration. The Calvinist position is the reverse: Regeneration precedes and produces faith in Christ. Calvinists (some of whom also call

themselves Evangelicals) suppose that God "secretly" regenerates people, without their being aware of it, and this causes them to place their faith in Christ. To defend these theories, Evangelicals and Calvinists attempt to explain away the many unambiguous verses in the Bible that plainly teach baptismal regeneration. One strategy is to say that the water in John 3:5 refers not to baptism but to the amniotic fluid present at childbirth. The absurd implication of this view is that Jesus would have been saying, "You must be born of amniotic fluid and the Spirit." A check of the respected Protestant Greek lexicon, Kittels Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, fails to turn up any instances in ancient, Septuagint or New Testament Greek where "water" (Greek: hudor) referred to "amniotic fluid" (VIII:314333). Scriptural Water Baptism According to Church Leaders: Martin Luther, "Baptism is a Greek word and may be translated 'Immerse.' I would have those who are to be baptized, to be altogether dipped." John Calvin, "The word 'baptize' signifies to immerse. It is certain that immersion . . . was the practice of the Primitive Church." John Wesley, "The Bible term, 'Buried with Him by baptism' alludes to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion." Wall, "Immersion was in all probability the way in which our blessed Savior, and for certain, the way in which all early Christians were baptized." Brenner, "For the first thirteen hundred years, baptism was an immersion of the person under water." Stoudza, "The verb 'baptize' has only one meaning. It signifies to plunge. Baptism and immersion are identical. To say baptism by sprinkling would be to say immersion by sprinkling." Jeremiah, "The ancients did not sprinkle the candidate, but immersed him." Whitfield, "It is certain that the word 'buried' in the text, Romans 6:4, alludes to the matter of baptizing by immersion." Irrefutable Proof Finally, some say that we must confess Christ in our mouths to be saved. I agree. Anyone who wants to be baptized should confess Jesus Christ as their savior, even as the Eunuch did and then was baptized by Philip into the name of Jesus Christ (It was the usual formula then - see Acts 8:12-40). Everybody should call upon the name of the Lord (Jesus is Lord of all things - see Acts 10:36) for their salvation (Romans 10:13). Even Paul called upon the name of the Lord Jesus in his water baptism (Acts 9:18: 22:16). What if somebody gets the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of tongues first? Should one still get baptized in Jesus' name? Yes. Here's an example of this. "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which

believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." (Acts 10:44-48) The following is a true record of a baptism which took place in Rome A.D. 100 and it was reproduced in Time magazine, December 5, 1955. "The deacon raised his hand, and Publius Decius stepped through the baptistry door. Standing waist-deep in the pool was Marcus Vasca the woodseller. He was smiling as Publius waded into the pool beside him. Credis? he asked. Credo, responded Publius. I believe that my salvation comes from Jesus the Christ, Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate. With Him I died that with Him I may have Eternal Life. Then he felt strong arms supporting him as he let himself fall backward into the pool, and heard Marcus voice in his ear ---- I baptize you in the Name of the Lord Jesus ---- as the cold water closed over him." Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge Volume 1, page 435--1966 edition. "The New Testament knows only baptism in the name of Jesus... which still occurs even in the second and third centuries." Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics Edited by James Hastings Volume 2, page 384--1958 edition under Method of Baptism. "The formula used was 'in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ' or some synonymous phrase; there is no evidence for the use of the triune name." The Encyclopedia Britannica Volume 3, page 365 and 368 --1910 edition under The Baptismal Formula, page 365. "The trinitarian formula and triune immersion were not uniformly used from the beginning, nor did they always go together." Under Origin of Christian Baptism, page 368. "We gather from Acts 19:4, that John had merely baptized in the name of the coming Messiah, without identifying him with Jesus of Nazareth. The apostolic age supplied this, and the normal use during it seems to have been 'into Christ identification Jesus,' or 'in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ' or ' of the Lord Jesus Christ.'" A Dictionary of the Bible by James Hastings Volume 1, page 241--1906 edition. "Moreover, there is no mention in the New Testament of any one being baptized into the name of the Trinity." A History of the Christian Church by Williston Walker page 87--1957 edition. "With the early disciples generally baptism was 'in the name of Jesus Christ.'" Encyclopedia Biblica Volume 1, page 473--1899 edition under Formula . "In the name of Jesus Christ or of the Lord Jesus. The former expression is used in Acts 2:38 and 10:48. The latter is used in Acts 8:16 and 19:5. See also Acts 22:16... From these passages, and from Paul's words in the 1st Corinthians 1:13 ('Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?), it is natural to conclude that baptism was administered in the earliest times 'in the name of Jesus Christ', or that 'of the Lord Jesus.' This view is confirmed by the fact that the earliest forms of the baptismal confession appear to have been single--not triple, as was the later creed."

"The original form of words were into the Name of Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus. Baptism into the trinity was a later development" (Scribners Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. 1, p. 241). "The term "trinity" was originated by Tertullian, a Roman Catholic Church Father" (New International Encyclopedia. Vol. 22, p. 477). Summary Jesus taught how the majority are always wrong on Spiritual matters: Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to Life, and few there be that find it." Clearly the vast majority do not use the name of Jesus in their baptism. The trinity is a pagan concept that was first used in baptism by many by the hands of the Catholics, at the First Nicea Council in AD 325. We stand with Jesus. John 5:39, "Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal Life: and these are they which testify of Me." And Paul. Romans 3:4, "Let God's Word be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That you may be justified in your sayings, and may overcome when you are judged." Ephesians 2:20, "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone." Let us establish the truth of water baptism in the light of God's word, the Holy Bible (Revelations 22:18-19). I would rather follow the one door, way and life of Jesus in baptism than be accepted by the many (John 10:9; 14:6). He called me to please Him, and not men or man-made traditions (Galatians 1:6-12; Colossians 2:8-10).