A long-time friend who preaches for a Church of Christ responds to my expressed convictions that gospel baptism is by immersion and for believers, but that I accept as brothers and sisters those who trust Christ for salvation and follow him as Lord, although their conclusions and consciences concerning baptism differ from mine. He calls the popular "sinner's prayer" a "false take," asking whether I "so desperately want more to be saved" that I "water down" gospel teaching. "We won't save souls by diluting the obedience that saves us," he cautions, but "will only make matters worse." * * … [Read more...]
EVANGELICALS AND WATER BAPTISM
A preacher from my own faith heritage of Churches of Christ asks, "What about those who actually and deliberately give false directives, such as the evangelicals who deny that baptism is essential?" * * * We should take care not to misrepresent other Christians in this matter. With the exception of Quakers (Society of Friends), Salvationists (The Salvation Army), and certain Pauline dispensationalists, all evangelicals of whom I know believe, teach and practice the Great Commission as Jesus himself gave it. They neither actually nor deliberately give "false directives," and they certainly do … [Read more...]
CORRECT BAPTISM AND FELLOWSHIP
A gracEmail subscriber in the Far East writes, "My study convinces me that the doctrine of baptism 'for the remission of sins' is biblical (Acts 2:38). Yet when someone hears the gospel of Christ in many evangelistic campaigns and responds by praying to receive Jesus into his heart, he is declared saved. Should I congratulate him as a brother or should I say to him, 'Wait a minute, don't be happy so soon. You've not yet been saved?'" * * * If Acts 2:38 were the only text in Acts that mentioned baptism in a larger sequence of events, or if all other texts had the same sequence, we might … [Read more...]
BAPTISM AND CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
A gracEmail subscriber asks, "How can you teach baptism by immersion for believers, yet enjoy Christian fellowship with those who were baptized as infants or by sprinkling or pouring?" * * * I always instruct new believers to express their repentance and faith by being baptized, in obedience to Jesus Christ himself (Matt. 28:18-20). And, based on my personal study of the Greek language, of early Christian history, and of New Testament teaching concerning baptism's meaning and significance, I always baptize by immersion. That said, I must also respect the individual … [Read more...]
FELLOWSHIP, BAPTISM & CONSCIENCE
Two couples who were baptized as infants by sprinkling wish to join a congregation that baptizes only believers and always by immersion. The congregation's preacher, a gracEmail subscriber, regards these people as fully Christian and wonders if he can rightly refuse them fellowship although they have not been immersed. * * * Part 1 Let me respond to this in three gracEmails. I begin in this gracEmail with some undisputed observations, specifically about the various understandings of baptism that exist within the universal church. Those differences involve the action or form of baptism, … [Read more...]
CAN A NON-CHRISTIAN NURSE BAPTIZE A BABY?
A sister on the West Coast writes that 40 years ago, as a practicing nurse, she witnessed the spontaneous delivery of a baby, and the infant died within minutes. Sensing the situation, she reached for a cup of water and poured it over the baby's head to baptize it before it died. Was that baptism valid, she wonders, since it was not immersion and since she did not consider herself a Christian at the time? *** Since you then were not a Christian yourself, I am curious why you even thought to do what you did. Was the motive superstitious or mere cultural impulse? Or was it related in your mind … [Read more...]
TWO CONVERSION STORIES
A gracEmail subscriber writes: "You seem to say that people are initiated into the church in different ways, suggesting that Acts 2 is a pattern for Jewish conversions and Acts 10 is a pattern for Gentile conversions." *** I am sorry if I left that impression. I am not suggesting a sepaate "pattern" for Jews and Gentiles -- or any pattern at all in the sense of a formula stating "man's part" in some do-it-yourself salvation scheme. Acts 2 is the story of the first conversion of Jews to Jesus as resurrected and ascended Messiah. Acts 10 is the story of the first conversion of Gentiles … [Read more...]
CIRCUMCISION AND BAPTISM
A gracEmail subscriber writes, "You recall that male babies in Israel were circumcised as a sign of God's covenant with his chosen people. When Christ ushered in the new covenant, did he instruct us to exclude infants from receiving baptism as the new covenant sign?" *** Although circumcision and water baptism both serve as covenant signs, one for Jews and the other for Christians, baptism, unlike circumcision, is intended for all nations and for both males and females (Gen. 17:9-14; see Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 16:14-15). A person entered the "old covenant" community of Israel by natural birth. … [Read more...]
INFANT’S BAPTISM RAISES QUESTIONS (2)
A gracEmail subscriber writes that his infant grandson is soon to be baptized, although Grandpa raised the baby's mother in a church that baptizes only confessing believers. This grandfather requests more information on the subject. *** Whether babies ought to be baptized or not, their situation clearly differs from that of adult converts to Christianity. Christians on both sides of this issue agree that believing parents bear primary responsibility to nurture their children in such a way that with God's blessing the children will grow to personal faith and consciously commit their lives to … [Read more...]
BAPTIZING CHILDREN (1)
A scholarly minister writes, "I am leading a study this summer with five other families, all having children who have expressed an interest in baptism or a desire to be baptized. The children range from seven to 13 years of age. What are your thoughts on this subject?" *** On this question, gracEmail readers (like Christians for the past 16 centuries), do not all share the same understanding. I would like to call attention first to a few historical details. Although some believe they see infant baptism implied in the New Testament, it explicitly originated among early Roman Catholics who … [Read more...]
