"I have heard it said that we contact Christ's blood in baptism," someone writes, "because Jesus' shed his blood at his death and we are baptized into Christ's death (Rom. 6:3-4; John 19:33-34). What do you think?" * * * I think that the statement you quote affirms more than the Bible actually says. This is a good example of theological argument, which we sometimes mistakenly confuse with biblical teaching. One could as easily and rationally argue that we come in contact with Christ's blood before baptism when we believe, since God cleanses us by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7) and since we … [Read more...]
BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT
A gracEmail reader asks whether we are baptized "in" the Holy Spirit or "by" the Holy Spirit, since the Greek preposition en used in 1 Corinthians 12:13 can mean either, and what difference it makes anyway. * * * Paul's comments in 1 Corinthians 12:13 stand in contrast to his remarks about Israel's "baptism" earlier in the same epistle (1 Cor. 10:1-3). There he pointed out that all the Exodus generation of Israelites were baptized "in" the cloud and sea, "into" (or "unto") relationship with Moses. Later, in 12:13, he notes that all Christians are baptized "in" the Holy … [Read more...]
WHAT I AM REALLY SAYING . . . (ABOUT FAITH AND BAPTISM)
Someone asks, "You seem to give a mixed message about faith and baptism in relation to salvation. Will you tell us what you are really saying?" * * * I am saying that Acts 2:38 speaks of baptism "for the remission of sins" and that Acts 10:43 promises that whoever believes in Jesus "has remission of sins." I am saying that God saves all believers, and that Jesus commands all believers to be baptized. I am also saying that most of the arguments between Christians concerning baptism and salvation arise because of our unscriptural formulations about "God's part" and "our part," and because … [Read more...]
FAITH & BAPTISM — IMPORTANT BUT DIFFERENT (3)
A dear brother in the Northeast writes, "I found your comment 'Faith and baptism do not belong in a list of like-and-equal things' to be interesting in light of Ephesians 4:4-6 which speaks of 'one Lord, one faith, one baptism.' Baptism is found here on a list in the most impressive company. I would suggest you owe your readers a correction on this one. Had a modern evangelical been writing this passage, baptism certainly would not have made the list. Obviously, Paul had a different view." * * * You are certainly right that Ephesians 4:5 names "faith" and "baptism" together in a "list," if … [Read more...]
FAITH & BAPTISM — IMPORTANT BUT DIFFERENT (2)
Someone writes, "I seem to hear you saying that baptism is not essential, or, if it is, that it is not essential in the same way that faith is essential." * * * Saving "faith" is not something we do in a series of events. It is what motivates and enables everything that we do in response to God's kindness. Saving faith means trusting Jesus' atonement as sufficient to bridge the gap our sins have caused between us and God, and entrusting ourselves to God to be his people out of gratitude for what he did for us in Jesus Christ long before we were even born. Baptism is one way -- indeed, the … [Read more...]
FAITH & BAPTISM — IMPORTANT BUT DIFFERENT (1)
Someone writes, "I seem to hear you saying that baptism is not essential, or, if it is, that it is not essential in the same way that faith is essential." * * * The Bible does not contain the word "essential," since it is written in the language of story rather than of theology or debate. The word "essential" is ambiguous, anyway, and capable of several meanings. Literally, it means that something is "of the essence" of something else. Surely all Christians can agree that baptism relates to the essence of the gospel, for it points to and expresses trust in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ which … [Read more...]
SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION
A gracEmail subscriber asks when we are "circumcised" spiritually as mentioned in Colossians 2:11-12. He wonders if it occurs simultaneously with baptism in water. * * * Paul says that the true "removal of the body of the flesh" occurred when "in [Jesus] you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands by the circumcision of Christ" (Col. 2:11). Jesus our representative was circumcised physically (the covenant sign of a Jewish male) and God viewed that literal circumcision in spiritual terms for those whom Jesus represents. Because Jesus faithfully obeyed … [Read more...]
JEWISH BACKGROUNDS OF BAPTISM
A gracEmail subscriber inquires, "Is there biblical or historical mention of proselyte baptism among the Jews? What did a Gentile do to become a proselyte?" Another subscriber asks for information about pre-Christian Jewish washing ceremonies, and how those who first heard John the Baptist and Jesus would have understood the significance of baptism in that light. * * * The Rabbis formulated a procedure for receiving Gentile proselytes, including sacrifice, immersion and circumcision (of males). We cannot know for sure when these rules began, since the Babylonian Talmud which reports them was … [Read more...]
BAPTISM AND DISCIPLESHIP
A gracEmail subscriber in the Northeast writes that she believes that we are saved by the grace of God and the actions of Jesus -- not by anything we do here on earth. She also understands Scripture to teach that baptism is for believers and that it is by immersion. "How I can embrace any others as Christian siblings," she asks, "and still teach credibly what I see as biblical baptism?" * * * Jesus commissioned his people to make disciples of all nations, to baptize those disciples and to instruct them in his ways (Matt. 28:19). A disciple is an apprentice, a personal … [Read more...]
DEFINING CONVERSION (TWO GRACEMAILS)
In reading the Book of Acts, I am impressed that Dr. Luke most frequently reports what we call conversions by saying that people "believed" or "believed on the Lord." Sad to say, I do not know any folks today who regularly talk that way. Most evangelicals say that people "got saved" or "accepted Christ." Others report that people "obeyed the gospel," "were baptized," or "became members of the church." Luke does not use any of those terms by themselves in the book of Acts to report conversions during the first gospel generation. What must one know in order to "believe on" the Lord Jesus? … [Read more...]