Salvation & Baptism

      If there is one thing that marks the Christian Churches and Churches of Christ off from the evangelical community it is our insistence that water baptism is an essential element in Christian conversion and salvation.  What we are saying certainly does stands in stark contrast to the modern evangelical community that confidently declares that “salvation is by grace/faith alone.”

Baptism: The New Testament

     The modern evangelical movement has been very successful in spreading its doctrine of “salvation by grace-alone” and “faith-alone” (although citing two items as “this-alone” seems a bit inconsistent).  I have heard the arguments for this view for several decades and collected and read a number of web pages espousing it, but continue to conclude that this is not what the Bible writers meant and it certainly was not what the early church believed.  I became a Christian from reading the Bible and did not select a church to associate with until after I already had arrived at some conclusions about what Scripture taught.  I continue to believe that the best way to learn anything about the Bible is to read it and search out and collect information on important topics BEFORE you embrace any theological conclusions.  When I searched out what the New Testament writers associated with salvation, I concluded that they associated a number of items with salvation and did NOT teach salvation by grace or faith “alone”!  Because the “grace-alone/faith-alone” advocates have focused so much energy on disconnecting water baptism from salvation, our movement has had to focus more attention on this item and its connection with salvation than many of us would prefer.  The New Testament doctrine of salvation involves a number of items, but this article is focused on the topic of baptism.  If you have not already wrestled with the material I am about to present, then it is high time for you to do so.  By all means, PLEASE read these passages in context and see if what I am saying is true (Acts 17:11).

Baptism in Jesus’ “Great Commission”

Matthew 28:18-20/ In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ “Great Commission,” Jesus holds all authority and commanded world-wide disciple-making, which is accomplished through baptism and teaching and this program is to continue until the end of the age. 

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. "  (Matthew 28:18-20)

Mark 16:15-16/ Jesus commanded the Gospel be proclaimed to all and those who believe it and are baptized will be saved.  Note that Jesus did NOT say “He who believes and is saved should be baptized later on, if they want to”! 

And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  "He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.  (Mark 16:15,16)

Luke 24:46-47/ Since Luke was probably aware that baptism had already been mentioned in the first two “Great Commission” written accounts (Matthew and Mark), Luke emphasized another item that had not been stressed by the other two - repentance and forgiveness of sin.  Jesus commanded that His own death/resurrection and repentance for the forgiveness of sins be proclaimed from Jerusalem outward.

and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  (Luke 24:46-47)

     Conclusions - Let’s pull together what we have seen so far (and you don’t need advanced degrees in theology to figure this out).   (1) Jesus holds all authority in this matter, (2) world-wide Gospel-preaching (death for sin & resurrection of Jesus the Messiah) and disciple-making is commanded, (3) those who believe the message are to repent and be baptized in order to be forgiven and saved.  All of this came from the mouth of Jesus.  These things should be what we find the Apostles preaching as they established the Church and to check this out, we will now consider their preaching and conversion accounts in the book of Acts.

Baptism in the Apostles’ Ministry

Acts 2:36-41/ On the day of Pentecost 30 A.D., Jesus’ Apostles began to carry out His commission by proclaiming His death and resurrection.  When asked what to do in response to this message, Peter told them what Jesus had commanded “repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Note also that these folks were not being told to be baptized because they already were saved and their sins were already forgiven, for Peter continues to urge them to “be saved" until they submit to baptism and then they were said to be “added.”  Where did we ever get the idea that baptism was closely associated with receiving the forgiveness of sins and indwelling Holy Spirit?  From the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost!

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified."  Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"  And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  "For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself."  And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!"  So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.  (Acts 2:36-41)

Acts 8:5-13/ Philip went to Samaria and proclaimed the Gospel, baptizing those who believed it.

And Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.  And the multitudes with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. . . . But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.  (Acts 8:5-6,12)

Acts 8:25-39/ Phillip met with Ethiopian eunuch on the way to Gaza and “preached Jesus to him” (v. 35).  Why, if Philip was preaching Jesus to him, does he so quickly come up with a request to be baptized and them doing this before the encounter is completed (vv. 36-39)?  Could it be that baptism is a part of “preaching Jesus” and embracing the Gospel hope?

And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?"  And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.  And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"  [And 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."]  And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch; and he baptized him.  (Acts 8:34-38)

Acts 9:17-18/ The Lord sent Ananias to Saul of Tarsus and we have added information about this encounter in Acts 22:12-16.  Ananias told Saul what mission God had for him and then said “And now, why do you delay?  Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name” (22:16).  Where did we ever get the idea that baptism had a close association with the washing away of sin and calling on the name of the Lord?  From Ananias who was directly appointed by the Lord to go to Saul of Tarsus!

And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."  And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized;  (Acts 9:17-18)

"And a certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing near said to me,' Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him.  "And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear an utterance from His mouth.  'For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.  'And now why do you delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'  (Acts 22:12-16)

Acts 10:44-48/ When it came time to introduce the first Gentiles into the Church, God needed to break-down the Jews-only mentality of the Judean church (see: Acts 10:23; 11:2-3,12).  To do this, during the delivery of the message to the first Gentile converts/the household of Cornelius, God gave miraculous evidence of His approval of Gentile converts and this is how the early church understood the event (Acts 11:18).  However, salvation did not come through the special manifestation of the Spirit, but through the message proclaimed (Acts 11:13-14), including Peter’s command to be baptized.  It would seem logical that hearing the message and responding in baptism were both important elements in “receiving the word of God” (Acts 11:1).

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.  And all the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.  For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, "Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?"  And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.  (Acts 10:44-48)

Acts 16:11-15/ Paul met with people at a place for prayer (apparently no synagogue in Philippi) and Lydia’s reception of the message was immediately followed by baptism.

and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony; and we were staying in this city for some days.  And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to a riverside, where we were supposing that there would be a place of prayer; and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled.  And a certain woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.  And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.  (Acts 16:12-15)

Acts 16:23-34/ while it is very common for “faith-alone” advocates to cite just vv. 30-31, this is not enough to appreciate what happened.  Thrown roughly into prison, Paul and Silas were not acting like hardened, angry prisoners but singing when an earthquake strangely opened the prison doors.  Whereas the Greeks had stories of the gods visiting men (see Acts 14:8-18), this jailer apparently assumed the same thing.  Afraid of the worst (escape, which would cost him his life), the jailer found these men and all others still in place and said “Lords (kurioi), what must I do to be saved?” And their response was NOT “faith only,” but they directed him toward the “Lord” (kuriou) who can save - Jesus!  But this jailer knew nothing of Jesus, so they taught him and his family that same night and his whole family was baptized “having believed in God” (v. 34).  Could it be that being baptized was a part of “believing in the Lord”?  So it would seem if you don’t stop your reading at verse 31 as the “faith-only” advocates encourage!

And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks.  But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;  and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's chains were unfastened.  And when the jailer had been roused out of sleep and had seen the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!"  And he called for lights and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."  And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.  And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.  And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.  (Acts 16:23-34)

Acts 18:8/ Why are we told that Corinthian people heard, believed and were baptized?  Could it be that baptism was an essential element in proclaiming the Gospel and embracing the Gospel hope was not complete with out it?

And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.  (Acts 18:8)

     Conclusions - Even though “repentance” and “confession” of Jesus as Messiah and Lord were important and we can assume were a part of all conversions, there can be no doubt that Luke seems to make a point in reminding us that hearing the message, believing it, and submitting to baptism were core essentials in the conversions that occurred under the Apostles and early evangelist's ministries.  Why were so many converts baptized immediately upon their belief in the Gospel message?  Could it be that baptism IS an important element in obeying the Gospel and the first century church felt bound to obey Jesus’ instructions, whereas many today have lost touch with the Scriptures and place more authority in the teachings of European reformers and popular contemporary TV preachers and authors than they do in the words of Jesus and His Apostles?

     If Jesus is really Lord and His word the standard for the coming judgment (John 12:48; Romans 2:16), then what we have seen so far (the Great Commission and record of Apostolic ministry) should be very troubling to those who think that we in the Christian Church are the ones who are off-base in our insistence that baptism is an important element in salvation!  We are only continuing to express what Jesus and His Apostles commanded and taught.

Baptism in the New Testament Letters

     The New Testament Letters were written to those who had already accepted the Apostles’ Gospel message and become Christians in order to answer questions and further explain elements of Christian teaching.

     Romans/ writing to the saints in Rome who are justified by faith (Romans 5:1), Paul went on to explain to them what their baptism was supposed to mean to them.  “Do you not know (don’t you understand?) that all who are baptized into Christ are joining Him in His death and are being buried with Him through baptism into death, so that your rising out of the water is arising to walk a new kind of life (6:3-4)?  This “likeness of His death and resurrection” is supposed to be the end of your old sinful lifestyle (6:5-11).  According to Paul, believers join Christ in His death and resurrection “through baptism” not beforehand.  Our freedom from sin comes in the context of “heart-felt obedience” to the message (6:17-18) and this is following up on the issue of what baptism means (6:3-11).  When you read Romans 10:9-10, don’t forget that “hearing the Gospel” (Romans 1:15-17) and baptism into Christ (Romans 6:3-11) have already been discussed as part of the larger picture!

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?  May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?  Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. . . . But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, (Romans 6:1-11,17)

     1Corinthians 12:13/ emphasizing that only one Holy Spirit is at work and that unity is the goal, Paul wrote that it was through the convicting work of one Spirit (John 16:7-11; Acts 2:37) that all of the Corinthian believers were “baptized into one body.”

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.  (1Corinthians 12:13)

     Galatians 3:26-27/ Following the spiritual example of Abraham, all Christians are sons of God through their faith in Jesus - a faith which causes us to obey Him and “all who were baptized into Christ have clothes themselves with Christ.”  How many believers in Galatia were “clothed with Christ”?  As many as were baptized into Him.  By what authority do people think that they are “clothed with Christ” by faith without baptism?

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.  (Galatians 3:26-27)

     Ephesians 5:25-27/ Christ cleanses His bride, the church, with “the washing of water” and “the Word.”  How, then, can people be part of the cleaned bride without the washing of water?

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.  (Ephesians 5:25-27)

     Colossians 2:8-13/ Paul connected being made complete, participating in the spiritual circumcision of Christ, dead in transgressions and made alive with “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God.”  How then can people think they have all of these blessing without baptism?

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.  For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.  And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,  (Colossians 2:8-13)

     Titus 3:5/ God graciously has saved us, not as a reward for our good deeds, but by His mercy, through the “washing of regeneration” and renewal by the Holy Spirit.  The ‘washing of regeneration” could be rendered as the “washing of re-birth” and parallels the “new birth/birth of water and Spirit” mentioned by Jesus (John 3:3,5).

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  (Titus 3:5)

     Hebrews 10:19-22/ Christians have confidence to enter the Holy Place through Christ’s blood and can draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith because their hearts and consciences are cleansed and their bodies are washed with pure water.  How can anyone be sure this applies to them if they refuse to participate in the water-washing of the body?

Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  (Hebrews 10:19-22)

     1Peter 3:18-22/ Noah’s family escaped the flood’s destruction by obeying God and entering the salvation vehicle/Ark.  In the same way, “baptism now saves you” as you appeal to God for a cleansed conscience through hope in the resurrected Christ.  Does baptism “save” us - the Apostle Peter said it does - if you don’t like this teaching, argue with the Apostle.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.  And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you-- not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience-- through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.  (1Peter 3:18-22)

Baptism in the Early Church Fathers

     After the Apostles died the faith continued to spread around the Mediterranean area and from this time we have a collection of 35+ volumes of writings from major church leaders.^[1]  They were not inspired, but some of them were taught by Apostles or by those who were taught by Apostles.  Thus, they give us insight on how many Scriptures were understood by those close to the era of the Apostles’ teaching.  Several things stand out in their writings.

ca. 100 A.D. - The Epistle of Barnabus

11:17/ This meaneth, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit.

110-165 A.D. Justin

            First Apology

61/ As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them.  Then they 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 Lord of the universe, and of our Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water.  For Christ also said, “Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. . . . And for this [rite] we have learned from the apostles this reason. Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the laver the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone. For no one can utter the name of the ineffable God; and if any one dare to say that there is a name, he raves with a hopeless madness. And this washing is called illumination, because they who learn these things are illuminated in their understandings. And in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and in the name of the Holy Ghost, who through the prophets foretold all things about Jesus, he who is illuminated is washed.

120-202 A.D. / Irenaeus

       Lost Fragments

34/ “And dipped himself,” says [the Scripture], “seven times in Jordan.” It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it 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 new-born 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.”

 153-217 A.D. / Clement of Alexandria

        “The Instructor”

 VI/ And if He was perfect, why was He, the perfect one, baptized? It was necessary, they say, to fulfill the profession that pertained to humanity.  Most excellent. Well, I assert, simultaneously with His baptism by John, He becomes perfect? Manifestly. He did not then learn anything more from him? Certainly not. But He is perfected by the washing — of baptism — alone, and is sanctified by the descent of the Spirit? Such is the case. The same also takes place in our case, whose exemplar Christ became. Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become sons; being made sons, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal. “I,” says He, “have said that ye are gods, and all sons of the Highest.” This work is variously called grace, and illumination, and perfection, and washing: washing, by which we cleanse away our sins; grace, by which the penalties accruing to transgressions are remitted; and illumination, by which that holy light of salvation is beheld, that is, by which we see God clearly. . . . [He cites Galatians 3:26-27 & 1Corinthians 12:13 and then] There follows of necessity, in him who has come to the recollection of what is better, repentance for what is worse. Accordingly, they confess that the spirit in repentance retraces its steps. In the same way, therefore, we also, repenting of our sins, renouncing our iniquities, purified by baptism, speed back to the eternal light, children to the Father. . . . And such as is the union of the Word with baptism, is the agreement of milk with water; for it receives it alone of all liquids, and admits of mixture with water, for the purpose of cleansing, as baptism for the remission of sins.

      The Stromata

XVIII/ All having been therefore called, those who are willing to obey have been named “called.” For there is no unrighteousness with God. Those of either race who have believed, are “a peculiar people.”  And in the Acts of the Apostles you will find this, word for word, “Those then who received his word were baptized;” but those who would not obey kept themselves aloof.

 145-220 A.D. Tertullian

        The Chaplet/De Corona

 III/ To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little before, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel. Then when we are taken up (as new-born children), we taste first of all a mixture of milk and honey, and from that day we refrain from the daily bath for a whole week.

     On Baptism

I/ Happy is our sacrament of water, in that by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life. . . But we, little fishes, after the example of our ICHTHUS Jesus Christ, are born in water.

 VI/ Not that in the waters we obtain the Holy Spirit; but in the water, under (the witness of) the angel, we are cleansed, and prepared for the Holy Spirit. In this case also a type has preceded; for thus was John beforehand the Lord’s forerunner, “preparing His ways.” Thus, too, does the angel, the witness of baptism, “make the paths straight” for the Holy Spirit, who is about to come upon us, by the washing away of sins, which faith, sealed in (the name of) the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, obtains.

 XIII/ For the law of baptizing has been imposed, and the formula prescribed: “Go,” He saith, “teach the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The comparison with this law of that definition, “Unless a man have been reborn of water and Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of the heavens,” has tied faith to the necessity of baptism. Accordingly, all thereafter who became believers used to be baptized. Then it was, too, that Paul, when he believed, was baptized; and this is the meaning of the precept which the Lord had given him when smitten with the plague of loss of sight, saying, “Arise, and enter Damascus; there shall be demonstrated to thee what thou oughtest to do,” to wit — be baptized, which was the only thing lacking to him.  [Here Tertullian is responding to “faith alone” advocates who pointed to Abraham’s righteousness by faith without baptism and to 1Cor. 1:17, dealt with in ch. XVII, as reasons for baptism being unimportant.  Infant baptism is also being discouraged by Tertullian, ch. XVIII,  - CEM]

200-258 A.D. / Cyprian

LXII:8/ There God foretold by the prophet, that among the nations, in places which previously had been dry, rivers should afterwards flow plenteously, and should provide water for the elected people of God, that is, for those who were made sons of God by the generation of baptism. . . . For by baptism the Holy Spirit is received; and thus by those who are baptized, and have attained to the Holy Spirit, is attained the drinking of the Lord’s cup.

LXII:7/ But it is manifest where and by whom remission of sins can be given; to wit, that which is given in baptism.

      The early church, up to 200 A.D., clearly believed John 3:5, Acts 2:38; 22;16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:11-12; Titus 3:5; and 1Peter 3:21 to be teaching the necessity of water baptism to the new birth, forgiveness, and salvation.  The New Testament and early church history portray baptism as something for repentant believers only and not for unbelieving infants.  Tertullian is also the first to mention opposing notions that only “faith” was required, citing Abraham’s righteousness by faith without baptism and Paul’s comment in 1Corinthians 1:17 as reasons for this viewpoint.

Baptism in later Church History

     Infant baptism - It appears that “infant baptism” was becoming an issue around 200 A.D., with the necessity of Biblical importance of baptism for salvation and the Greek notion of the inherent evil of matter combining to make infant baptism seem necessary.  Tertullian (145-220 A.D.) is the first church Father to mention infant baptism and seems to be arguing against it.^[2]  Cyprian (200-258 A.D.) argues in favor of infant baptism as a spiritual fulfillment of OT infant circumcision.^[3]  However, when Constantine (325-337 A.D.) decided to use Christianity as the religious "glue" to try and hold the failing Roman Empire together, the project of creating a “church and state” theocracy was launched and it was not long before theologians working on that program starting dipping more and more from the Mosaic Law system (where infants were circumcised on the 8^th day) for guidance.  Following the Nicene Council (325 A.D.), we increasingly find Jewish infant circumcision and bar mitzvah being used to justify infant baptism and confirmation.  As these moves were being made, the New Testament gradually became less useful and less authoritative (a problem we still have today).  Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.) noted that the book of Acts was, virtually, unknown in the churches of his day,^[4] so we see why the doctrinal guidance from this book was lost.

     Ordained administrators.  Tertullian said that, if no bishop was present, then any Christian could administer baptism (On Baptism, XVII), whereas Cyprian argued for clergy only (Epistles, LXII:7).  Cyprian deals with the issue of whether baptism in heretical groups is valid (Epistles 72-73 & 7th Council of Carthage)

     Sprinkling/Pouring become "Baptism" - As to form, immersion was clearly the form as the Greek words indicate (Greek churches continue to immerse only) and artwork of Christ’s baptism portray it as an immersion up through the 13th century.  The change in artwork appeared some time after the year 1311 A.D., at which time the Roman Catholic Council of Ravenna (1311) officially authorized sprinkling and pouring water on the subject as being a valid “baptism” in all cases.  Prior to that, sprinkling and pouring had been authorized by Pope Stephen II in 752 A.D. for deathbed cases only in northern European winter climates.  But at the Council meeting in Ravenna, sprinkling and pouring were authorized as valid baptism in all cases by Roman Catholicism two centuries before the Protestant Reformation began and nobody wanted to deal with the obvious questions as to what this might mean for all of the “sprinkled” deceased ancestors between 1311-1520 A.D., so many of the reformers left this as it was.  This is also why the English translators of the Bible, later on, did not translate the Greek terms bapto / baptidzo / baptisma as “immersion / dip,” but simply transliterated (bringing the Greek letters over into English) the words.  Since the new English word “baptism/baptize” had no specific verbal meaning, English-speaking churches could define it however they wanted to.  However, as we shall see, this is one more point of division and controversy with "Christianity" that did NOT arise because of a difficulty in interpreting Scripture, but because human religious leaders do not always take the meaning of Bible words very seriously.  The meaning of the Greek words was not a matter of confusion - and, according to the words of Scripture as given originally, the command to “baptize” is quite literally a command to immerse.

     The Reformation - It was with the 16th century Protestant Reformation that widely differing views on water baptism begin to surface and then spread within the various movements that developed from each of the major reformers.

     Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531) reacted to Roman Catholic sacramentalism by generally rejecting outward ordinances altogether.  Zwingli stands as a major figure in starting the line of thinking amongst modern evangelicals that water baptism is unimportant and there are churches today that do not bother to tell people to be baptized at all - for any reason, even as a symbol of something.

     Although few Lutherans follow his comments on it, Martin Luther (1483-1546) was fairly traditional and Scriptural when handling the Greek New Testament,

the second part of baptism is the sign, or sacrament, which is that immersion in water from which it derives its name, for the Greek baptize means “I immerse,” and baptisma means “immersion.” . . . It is indeed correct to say that baptism is a washing away of sins . . . For this reason I would have those who are to be baptized complete immersed in the water, as the word says and as the mystery indicates.^[5]

     On the other hand, a number of churches developed from the influence of John Calvin (1509-1564) - Dutch Reformed, Christian Reformed, the Church of Scotland and Presbyterianism, Puritanism, and a very Calvinistic strain of Baptists, etc.  John Calvin had this comment on the word “baptize,”

But whether the person being baptized should be wholly immersed, whether thrice or once, whether he should only be sprinkled with poured water - these details are of no importance, but ought to be optional to churches according to the diversity of countries.  Yet the word “baptize” means to immerse, and it is clear that the rite of immersion was observed in the ancient church.^[6]

Isn’t that interesting - you have three very influential major Reformers talking about an element of Scripture.  Zwingli taught that water baptism was unimportant and many from that time on have followed his teaching.  Calvin noted what the Greek word means, but then (upon his own authority?) said that it doesn't matter if you do what the word calls for or something else and many have followed his teaching.  Finally, Martin Luther noted what the word means and encouraged people to do that.  Strangely, most Lutheran churches do not do what Luther called for.

     Why is "Christianity" divided up and confused about baptism?  You have an example of part of the reason right here.  Would a good solution to this problem be to have people really and truly regard Jesus as Lord and listen to Him and His Apostles, take their inspired words seriously, and just follow the Apostles' teaching?  That seems obvious.

     Whereas there is controversy between believers over the form and age for proper baptism, all agree that the immersion of repentant believers in Jesus as the Messiah is valid baptism.  Thus, for the sake of certainty and unity, this would seem the safest and most universally accepted course.

A Ministry of Severn Christian Church (Severn, Maryland)

Unless otherwise noted, all material produced by Charles E. McCoy

All Scripture citations/quotations from New American Standard Bible

To send a question to Chuck: chuck@severnchristian.org