HOW SHOULD YOU BE BAPTIZED?

HOW SHOULD YOU BE BAPTIZED?

(#20 in this series about the Restoration Movement)

Long before “the prayer of salvation” and “asking Jesus into your heart” were introduced to the religious world in the 1800s, the big issue was: should a person be baptized by sprinkling or by immersion? It was such a divisive issue that several denominations in Europe would drown those who preferred adult immersion over sprinkling of children. “You like water… we’ll give lots of water.”

But the question for honest students of Scripture isn’t whether religious leaders believe in immersion or sprinkling. The question is… what does the word “baptism” really mean?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

In John 3:23 we read, "And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, BECAUSE THERE WAS MUCH WATER THERE: and they came, and were baptized."

In Mark 1:9-10, we read, "Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway COMING UP OUT OF THE WATER, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him"

And Romans 6:4 says, "Therefore WE WERE BURIED with him by baptism into death."

WHAT ARE THE THOUGHTS OF VARIOUS CHURCH LEADERS?

· Cardinal Gibbons, an American, was the author of several books on Roman Catholicism. He stated, "For several centuries after the establishment of Christianity, baptism was usually conferred by IMMERSION; but since the 12th Century the practice by sprinkling has prevailed in the Catholic Church, as the manner is attended with less inconvenience than baptism by immersion."

· John Calvin, Presbyterian: "The word baptize signifies to IMMERSE. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the primitive church."

· Martin Luther, Lutheran: "Baptism is a Greek word and may be translated IMMERSE. I would have those who are to be baptized to be altogether dipped."

· John Wesley, Methodist: "Buried with him in baptism-alluding to the ancient manner of baptizing by IMMERSION."

WHAT DID THE JEWS DO?

The Jews built pools throughout Judea to hold sizable amounts of water. These were called “mikvehs” (a word meaning “immersion pools”). In fact, recent archeological excavation on the south side of Jerusalem have uncovered over 60 of these mikvehs where priests and worshippers would immerse themselves to wash away impurities before entering the Temple. If a Jew were to purchase an item from a Gentile (who they considered “unclean”) they would take it home and immerse it in a mikveh to wash away the impurities of Gentile hands.

WHAT DOES THE GREEK LANGUAGE SAY?

The word “baptism” is actually an anglicized version of the Greek “bapto” or “baptizo”

and it always means “to immerse.” For example, Josephus use of baptizo included to “sink” a ship; to “drown” an enemy; to “plunge” a sword into someone.

By contrast, the Greek word "rantizo" means to sprinkle. The word for “pour” is “epicheo” (to ‘pour upon’) and is found in the story where the good Samaritan “bound up his wounds, POURING on oil and wine...” (Luke 10:34). And the Greek “Nipto” is the word for “washing” (especially the hands or the feet or the face); found in Matthew 6:17; John 9:7; John 13:6.

Thus, there are words in the Greek for sprinkling, pouring and general washing with water, but if “baptize” doesn’t mean immersion… there’s no other word in that language that does.

WHEN DID SPRINKLING “REPLACE” IMMERSION?

In AD 753, Pope Stephen was driven from Rome by Adolphus, King of the Lombards. He fled to Pipen. While he was there, he was asked by the monks of Cressy, in Brittany, if, in the case of necessity, baptism poured on the head would be lawful, in place of immersion. This was 723 years after the beginning of Christian baptism in AD 30 (Acts 2:38). Even then, it was allowed only in the case of extreme emergency. The common practice remained immersion.

In 1311 AD, the Counsel of Ravenna declared sprinkling or immersion to be valid. There was no claim that sprinkling was scriptural. The change was made by a majority vote of the College of Cardinals. It was the product of the superstitious theology of the Middle Ages which had long since lost sight of the Biblical reasons for baptism. (P.H. Welshimer in his tract “Why I Did Not Baptize The Baby.”)

A STORY IN CLOSING:

In passing a Methodist camp meeting one day in September, a preacher named Raccoon John Smith stopped to watch a young Methodist preacher baptize a howling, rebellious infant by sprinkling water on the squirming body. When the service was concluded, he stepped to the front of the crowd and, identifying himself, took the preacher firmly by the arm and attempted to lead him toward the creek a few yards away.

"What are you trying to, Brother Smith?" the young preacher protested. "Are you out of your mind?"

"What am I trying to do?" John affected deep surprise. "Why, sir, I going to baptize you by immersion into the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to His commandment."

"But I have no desire for such baptism. I know of you; you are called 'The dipper.' But you are not going to dip me. I'm a Methodist; let me go!"

John tightened his hold on the man's arm while the crowd watched, some in dismay, others in amusement. "That is a scoffer's blasphemy of a holy ordinance," he said sternly. "Are you a believer?"

"Of course, I'm a believer," the preacher said indignantly. "But I'm not willing to be immersed. It would do no good for you to baptize me against my will. It would be wrong."

"I don't understand," John said. "Only a few minutes ago, you baptized a helpless baby against its will, although it screamed and kicked. Did you get its consent first? Come along sir, we will have no more of this foolishness."

The crowd broke into open laughter, and John gave the young preacher a quick pull toward the creek, and then as suddenly released him. He waved to the people for silence.

"Brethren and friends, I shall be in the neighborhood for a little while visiting among you; let me know if this poor, misguided man ever again baptizes another without his consent. For you have heard him say that it would do no good, that it would be wrong."

Jeff Strite.