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Whatever
conclusion is reached in this article, it is evident at the outset
that our two leading pioneers did not take a hard-line view of
immersion, even though they were staunch immersionists.
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And
this is an affirmation I will make early on, that I too, like Stone
and Campbell, am a staunch immersionist in that I was myself
immersed and I teach others that this is the mode of baptism as
revealed in the Scriptures, as I understand it.
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There
is what might be called “a divine order” of
faith,
repentance,
and
baptism
(immersion)
in the New Testament. It is evident in Mk. 16:16: “He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved” —faith,
repentance (implied), and baptism. And in acts 2:38: “Repent
and be baptized for the remission of sins” —faith
(implied), repentance, baptism. This passage further reveals that
remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit follow baptism.
And so the “order” could be made to read: faith,
repentance, baptism, remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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This
conclusion is supported by numerous passages, such as Acts 18:8
“Many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were
baptized,” the story of the eunuch in Acts 8, who when he
became a believer was baptized, the going down into the water
implying immersion (verse 38), and Acts 22:16, which may be the most
persuasive reference of all: “And now why do you wait? Rise
and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”
The order in the case of Paul’s response was faith,
repentance, baptism, which we may conclude was by immersion,
especially in the light of Rom. 6:4, where he includes his own
experience: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into
death.”
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The
“order” or “plan” that our people have
pointed to since the time of Walter Scott,
faith,
repentance, baptism, forgiveness of sins, Holy Spirit,
can
be defended as
usually
the
way it is in Scripture. But this may be one reason why many of us
have been dogmatic on this subject when the likes of Stone and
Campbell were not. We have taken the
usual
instances
of Scripture and made an unbending rule of them.
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It
appears, for instance, that Paul received the Holy Spirit
before
he
was baptized. See Acts 9:17-19. It is clear that in the case of
Cornelius the order is different, for they received the Spirit so
gloriously (before being baptized) that there was some question as
to whether they needed baptism. See Acts 10:47-48. This example is
an important testimonial to the significance of baptism since an
apostle goes on to
command
baptism.
But still the order changes to faith, Holy Spirit, baptism. The case
of the Samaritans is still different, for they believed and were
baptized but did not receive the Spirit, not at least until further
apostolic action. See Acts 8:14-17.
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Surely
we have to concede that one is a Christian if he has received the
Holy Spirit. Paul is willing to define the Christian on this basis,
one who has the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9). And yet some in the New
Testament received the Spirit before they were baptized, which would
make them Christians before they were baptized.
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It
is risky, in the light of Scripture, to make immersion absolutely
necessary to becoming a Christian. We can contend with good reason
that believers were
usually
immersed
and then received the gift of the Holy Spirit, but we must allow for
exceptions. It should be enough to urge people to become Christians
in the manner
usually
set
forth in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts. We can
grant that there are exceptions while contending for “the
usual order.”
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With
this more balanced view we, too, can glory in the salvation of the
thief on the cross, and we don’t have to argue with the
Baptists that he may have already been baptized (as I was taught
back in my college days) or that he did not have to be since he
lived before Christ died on the cross and the beginning of the New
Covenant.
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Why
can’t we just admit - gloriously! - that
of
course
the
thief was saved without baptism and died a Christian unimmersed? His
Was not the usual way one became a disciple (or Christian) even
before Christ died on the cross. John the Baptist had preached
baptism (immersion) unto repentance for the remission of sins (see
Mk. 1:4), and he and his disciples, as well as the disciples of
Jesus, were continually baptizing
before
Jesus
died on the cross (Jn. 4:1-2). Those who became believers were
baptized of John’s baptism, and those who rejected that
baptism rejected the will of God, according to Lk. 7:29-30.
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Ordinarily
a believer like the thief would have been baptized, like all the
others, but he couldn’t be baptized. He was nailed to a cross!
But still he became a Christian and died a Christian.
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So,
if our friends point to the thief as an excuse for not being
baptized, we can assure them that God is a God of love and mercy who
does not expect anyone to do what is impossible, and that if they
are nailed to a cross God does not expect them to be baptized, just
as with the thief. But we can implore them to follow the “usual”
course of becoming a Christian. Ordinarily sinners are not nailed to
a cross and are free to make a faithful response to baptism. But if
they are somehow confined and cannot be baptized, then of course the
Lord does not expect it.
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We
must be cautious about drawing hard and fast lines as to precisely
when one becomes a Christian. The safest definition of a Christian
seems to be
a
follower of Christ,
which
would make
disciple
of Christ
and
Christian
synonymous,
which I believe to be the teaching of Scripture. Nor can we say
there were no Christians until Pentecost, for wherever you have a
disciple of Christ, one determined to take up his cross and follow
Jesus (Lk. 9:23), you have a Christian.
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The
twelve apostles could say to Jesus “We have left all and
followed you” (Lk. 18:28), which is as good a definition for a
disciple of Christ or a Christian as you will find. By the way, do
we
know
those
twelve apostles were ever baptized (immersed)? It might be one’s
opinion, a
good
opinion,
that they were baptized of John’s baptism, but we can’t
prove it. But we do know that those who became followers of Christ,
even before Pentecost, were
usually
baptized.
But not always. The apostles, due to their special call, may not
have been. Since we don’t know we should avoid being
dogmatists on the relationship between discipleship and baptism.
Again, it should be enough to show that Christians or disciples,
whether before or after Pentecost, were
usually
baptized.
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But
now you may ask whether they became Christians before or after
baptism. Do we have to draw the line that hard and fast? It is
enough to say that sinners became disciples of Christ by believing,
repenting, and being baptized —in that order —usually!
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Going
back to the founding fathers of the Stone-Campbell Movement, it is
apparent that they were aware of the problems I have raised, and so
they were reluctant to make immersion absolutely essential to being
a Christian and to being accepted into Christian fellowship.
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Notice
how they defined a Christian:
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Barton
W. Stone:
“Let
us still acknowledge all to be our brethren, who believe in the Lord
Jesus, and humbly and honestly obey him, as far as they know his
will, and their duty.”
(Chris.
Mess.,
Vol.
5 (1831), p. 21).
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Alexander
Campbell:
“Who
is a Christian? I answer, Everyone that believes in his heart that
Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God; repents of his
sins, and obeys him in all things according to his measure of’
knowledge of his will.”
(Mill.
Harb.,
1837,
p. 411).
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Even
though these two men championed the doctrine of baptism by immersion
for remission of sins, they stopped short of including it as an
absolute in their definition of a Christian. Yet they immersed their
thousands and tens of thousands. While Stone never preached baptism
as an absolute, he could nonetheless say that “There is not
one in 500 among us who has not been immersed.” While Campbell
was sprinkled a Presbyterian and considered himself a Christian all
the years of his youth before he was immersed, he nonetheless, when
he was convinced that baptism should be by immersion, submitted to
that ordinance at about age 25.
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I
am convinced that our position today should be what theirs was then,
for this reflects the balance that we find in Scripture. We
ourselves should submit to baptism by immersion and urge this upon
others as the apostolic way of becoming a Christian, as we
understand it. But we must realize that all through the centuries
there has been much confusion and misunderstanding on this subject.
You will observe that Stone, in the opening quotation, accepted his
position on baptism as an opinion. We may make baptism itself a
matter of faith for all, but the church has been so divided over the
design and mode of baptism that we would do well to follow Stone and
accept our position as our opinion or our interpretation, and thus
recognize that devout, intelligent Christians differ with us.
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This
means that we should not make our understanding of baptism a test of
fellowship or church membership. We should not because the New
Testament does not. Nor did the early church. While immersion was
almost certainly the practice in all the New Testament churches
(since they did not have the problem with this subject that we have
had since apostolic times), it was not baptism that was the basis of
their unity and fellowship. The basis of union was the Spirit of
Christ, which was reflected in their devotion to Jesus as Lord.
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In
referring to one of the great promises Jesus would say to them, “You
who have followed me …” (Mt. 19:28). This is the
essence of being a Christian.
You
who have followed me!
should
be our only test of fellowship, or loyalty to Jesus Christ as Lord.
This is what Campbell was saying in seeing the Christian as one who
believes in Christ and obeys him insofar as he understands.
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The
ideal of “leaving our nets and following Christ” will
give us a loftier basis for fellowship than baptism, for we may well
have churches full of folk who have been baptized who are
not
followers
of Jesus Christ. As old Isaac Errett put it, another of our
pioneers, let Christlikeness be the test.
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This
was the greatest adventure of all to the early church, to follow
Jesus Christ as Lord. This was their confession and their only
creed,
Jesus
is
Lord!
It
was a confession that sometimes led to martyrdom. It stood in
contrast to the cry of rejection sometimes heard from a Jewish
synagogue,
Jesus
is
cursed!
(which
in Corinth seemed to have been next door to where Christians met,
Acts 18:7). Paul explains in 1 Cor. 12:3 that no one can utter such
a disclaimer of faith by the Spirit of God, but if one sincerely
proclaims that Jesus is Lord it means that he has the Holy Spirit.
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This
cannot of course be a mere profession of the lips, but when one is a
loyal disciple and confesses, perhaps even at the pain of death,
that Jesus is Lord, this confirms that he is a faithful Christian
and that the Holy Spirit inspires his faith. This confession is
referred to also in Rom. 10:9 where the apostle expresses certitude
that anyone who confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes that God
raised him from the dead will be saved. While this takes nothing
away from the importance of baptism, it shows what they considered
crucial. If there were exceptions to baptism, there was none to this
grand confession of the early church.
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When
I meet one who loves Jesus Christ and is following him the best he
knows how, allowing for the weaknesses of the flesh (an allowance we
reserve for ourselves!), I have met a Christian or a disciple. I
should accept him as such, including a place at our side at church
as my brother in the Lord, unconditionally.
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In
our ongoing acceptance of each other, we will help each other to
grow closer and closer to the Lord. We will share all truth
together, compromising at no point, but neither of us will call for
parity in understanding or obedience in our common walk in the Lord.
If his obedience is imperfect, he will make it right as he grows in
the Lord. I am to give him room and time and not be pushy. If I find
myself overly concerned about the fact that he has not yet been
immersed, I am to remember that it is loyalty to Christ, in
reference to where one is at any given point, that is the essence of
being a Christian, and not immersion. And I should remember that
while I may be thinking of the norm in reference to baptism, that
even in the New Testament there are exceptions, as we have seen. I
cannot therefore afford to conclude that only the immersed have
received the Spirit of Christ.
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If
we have this more workable, more reasonable, more balanced, more
scriptural, and certainly less sectarian and less legalistic view of
baptism by immersion, we are likely to immerse more people, not
fewer. It seemed to have worked that way with Barton Stone. But most
of all we will be more Christian and we will have a position that
will make possible an effective plea for the unity of all believers
in Christ. —the
Editor