339. Baptism

The Scriptures speak about the baptism of John and the baptism of Jesus Christ, the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire.

The Baptism of John

Jesus asked the chief priests and the elders of the people: “The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

“But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” Matt. 21:25-27.

For their part, they made the counsel of God of no effect. Everything about God, even the simplest thing, gets this response from the priests and the elders of the people: “We do not know where this comes from!” They are afraid of the reproach of Christ.

“While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the Word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’” Luke 3:2-6.

But the chief priests and the elders of the people could not see it. They were too cowardly to proclaim it. It would have diminished their honor in the eyes of the people if John and Jesus were esteemed above them. That is why they said: “We do not know where this is from.” By saying this, they made themselves more stupid than the common people and the most stupid of all flesh because “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

John preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

Do you suppose the people in our day who baptize infants eight days old baptize them to repentance for the remission of sins? Or what do they baptize them to? Have these little babies sinned? Do they need repentance? Is this infant baptism from God or from man? Perhaps it is one of the old traditions which nullify the Word of God?

If a specific age was set when a person could be baptized, I am sure not many would choose baptism. But then we would get a whole flock of heathens to work with. Everyone comes to the place where they really belong. The idea of Christianizing the whole world through infant baptism is a concept that is really hard to make sense of. However, it is very meaningful for believing parents to bless their little children just like Jesus did; that is something we ought to do.

Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately about Jesus, even though he knew only the baptism of John. Acts 18:25.

In other words, there was a baptism that went deeper than the baptism of John.

In Ephesus Paul found some disciples, and he said to them: “‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’ So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’

“And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’

“Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.” Acts 19:1-7.

This was the baptism of Jesus Christ because the Holy Spirit came upon them. They were baptized with one Spirit to become one body, the body of Christ. It was a simple matter for these twelve because they had already become disciples.

In Romans 6 the apostle speaks about baptism in the context of not continuing in sin.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?

“Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death?

“Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life.”

How can this baptism of Jesus Christ be reconciled with infant baptism? Are these infants now to walk in the newness of life? Have they formerly lived an old life? We are baptized into the death of Christ for the sake of sin. Are these infants now to reckon themselves dead unto sin? Are they even conscious of the concept of sin?

In Colossians 2:11-12 it is written about baptism:

“In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”

The body of flesh was put off and buried. What is this body of flesh? It is that body which committed works of the flesh. Gal. 5:19.

How does this apply to infants eight days old? Have they committed works of the flesh? And do they have a body of flesh which must be put off and buried? Can they believe in the power of God which raised Christ from the dead?

Is this gospel preached to them, since faith comes by hearing?

1 Peter 3 from verse 18:

Here Peter explains about the spirits who were imprisoned during the days of Noah; those who were disobedient and went under the water. But those who received Noah were saved by water because they went into the ark. This is an anti-type of baptism.

Here the apostle says that baptism is the covenant of a good conscience before God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Do you think God makes a covenant of a good conscience with infants a few days old?

All baptisms are a covenant between God and an individual. John says to some who came to him to be baptized: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” If they had been willing to live a life that was worthy of repentance, they could have truly been saved. Then baptism would testify to a covenant that had been established between them and God. That is why those who ask to be baptized should be mature individuals who are fully conscious of what they are undertaking.