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© by L. L. Griffith, 09/03/96.
Summary: What does baptism mean, anyway? Simply put, it means that if you choose not to be baptized into the One Name of God, you die the Second Death by dying just one time. Having no hope in God, you have no resurrection from the dead either.
Receiving baptism, you may or may not live forever, depending upon what your judgment is at the resurrection of the dead. Your judgment's reward depends upon how you choose to live now; whether you choose to do the works of faith in God, or choose not do the works. If you do not do the works, at the judgment you will be "left outside" as unworthy of election, and to be claimed by the Second Death.
The whole object of one's calling to the holiness of God and the sanctification of the spirit: eternal life, is to make one's calling and election sure during this lifetime. This is God's commandment for obedience, per Exodus 19 and Leviticus 19:2-3.
This morning my son asked me, How does baptism work?, and, Why should I get baptized, anyway?
We had been sitting on the patio deck, drinking our morning coffee, and watching the progress of four ladies as they, two on either side of the street, made their way down the street toward our home. Yes, they were Jehovah's Witnesses! Their progress was rather rapid, and their timing also rather bad, since this morning was the first day of the beginning school year. Most mothers were apparently not inclined to set aside any time to talk with them. Also, we live in a predominately Catholic neighborhood.
At any rate, Claudia and her friend, arrived at our door. My son was mortified because he generally will not get involved in any religious discussion, even with a Christadelphian, and particularly with his mother! So he sat, trapped, listening, as Claudia explained her reasons why I should accept her magazine, and why I should 'get to know' what its content says about "the Promised Land."
Claudia was surprised that I already knew all about the promises, the promised land, and the promised kingdom of God - except not exactly what the Jehovah's Witnesses expect it to be like - as I explained it to her!
It appeared that she and her friend didn't have the time to spend in any lengthy discussion of these things; and she promised to return at a more propituous time. ...I did understand; our home is at the end of the street and the other women were already in the auto and waiting for their companions. So all the ladies departed together.
My son then asked, Mom, why do you even bother talking with them? Aha! said I to myself, another opportunity! ...This was the situation which led him to ask the questions posed above.
It has been written that, "He that cometh unto God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him out."(1) John, the baptizer, said - when examined for his rabbinic credentials by the Jews - "I am the Voice crying in the wilderness: 'Make the way of the LORD straight,' as said Isaiah, the prophet."(2) Thus when Jesus came to John for baptism, he said to John, "Suffer (it to be so) now, for thus it is becoming for us to fulfill all righteousness." (3)
It was the work of John and Jesus together to complete God's righteousness toward His chosen people. Thus baptism into the name of God and the belief of the gospel of Jesus Christ became the last indispensable parts of the LORD's work of salvation for His chosen people.
Baptism is but the first act of faith which is required of a person after he has decided to answer the call of God. This act of faith places him on the right hand, and in the straight way of the LORD; it is the visible evidence of his unseen conviction. It places the impress (i.e., the seal) of the Holy Spirit upon the mind of the individual so baptized. It marks him out as a prospect for adoption into the Name of God at the appointed time of the formal adoption proceeding.
Baptism, then, is the act of faith which is first required of a man who responds to his calling. There are other conditions attached to the calling of God. Those must be met, too, in order for the adoption into the Name to be carried out; to live in hope of the reward of the faith in God.
To many people, baptism is only looked upon as a ceremony of "the church." We cannot blame them for this nonchalant view; what change does it make to the many "church-goers" who accept the dogma without the work which it requires? So a judgment is consequently made by those who observe them that 'baptism changes nothing..,' and the judgment is true, but only as it is applied to the many "church-goers" who do not show the work of their professed faith in God. These are like the son who says, "I'll go,.." but does not perform the work he first promised to do.
Again, it is written, "...For, many are called, but few chosen." (4) This saying was particularly apt concerning the first-century Jews to whom the baptism of John and the gospel of the Christ was preached. Many among the prominent leaders of the people refused to be cleansed of their old sins or to accept that Jesus was their true Messiah. Consequently their preachers turned the believing people among the Jews aside from obeying the full righteousness required of God.
John's commandment for a baptism for the remission of sins was rejected, along with the Jew's long awaited king. Rejected too was the apostle's preaching in commandment from the Lord, who said just before he ascended up into the heavens; "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you."(5) Very few responded to it.
Baptism is therefore a commandment of Christ; and based upon the LORD's commission to both John the Baptist and to Jesus, in order to fulfill all righteousness! The principle of 'washings' is found in the Law of Moses, and is also mentioned by the apostle Paul in Hebrews 6:1-3 as one of the doctrinal foundations of a perfect faith in God.
The 'working' of the baptism is not an easy thing to explain, especially when so many people compare it to a thing which is done by or in the spirit, that being an area where other "Christian" dogma says is "very good" and even "immortal." But when the precept is taken back to its Hebraic roots, it is quite a bit easier to comprehend - One is completely washed in order to clean one's self from a pollution of the flesh; the whole body is dipped into the water.
The apostle Paul compared the 'work' of baptism with a re-birth of the holy spirit in a man. He said, "You heard... and were taught as the truth is in Jesus, for you to have put off according to the former conduct of your old man (which is corrupt according to the deceitful desires) to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to have put on the new man which according to God, was created in righteousness and holiness of truth." (6)
Paul was the appointed minister to the Gentiles. His letters, therefore, contain quite a few points which elaborate upon the underlying precepts of the faith in God, and baptism. In his second letter to the church at Corinth, he states, "Now He who confirms us with you for Christ, and anointed us, is God, Who also sealed us and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts." (7) Further on in the same letter, Paul declares, "Now He Who worked out this same thing for us is God, Who also gave to us the earnest of the Spirit."(8)
Above we alluded to the LORD's work of salvation for His chosen people. This "... salvation" Jesus had before declared to the woman of Samaria, "is of the Jews." (9) The nature of this salvation had most recently been announced, indeed, at the time of the birth of John the Baptist by his father Zacharias. This salvation was later proclaimed by John when he came, baptizing..,
"And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant; the oath which He sware to our father Abraham, that He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways; to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (10)
And Paul said: "John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus."(11)
And Peter likewise, under the power of the Holy Spirit, had earlier declared to the council of the Jews: "...There is no other name given under heaven whereby men may be saved."(12)
Thus the Savior came, according to the utterances of the LORD's holy prophets, was baptized to fulfill the righteousness and holiness of his Father's name,per Exodus 19 and Leviticus 19:2-3, and to remit the sins of his people in order to save them from the judgment of Death which befalls all mankind. Israel having rejected it, this same Word of God has now been offered to the Gentiles.
The salvation of the world is the object of God's mercy. "God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten son, so that everyone who believes on him may not be destroyed but may have everlasting life. For God did not send the Son into the world so that He might judge the world, but so that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on him is not judged - for he that believes not already has been judged - because he has not believed upon the name of the only-begotten Son of God." (13) Thus salvation is judged through belief for believers, and also, as the end of "the faith" in God. But unbelievers are already judged of God for the destruction in the Second Death -- from which there is no resurrection and which is everlasting.
Baptism therefore is by the Word of God a requirement for membership into the family of God. But God Who, by extending the "earnest" of the spirit -- a small gift (or gifts) of favor -- to one at his baptism, works (conditionally, for the sloth who does not work cannot receive help for not working!) together with the baptized person through the power of His holy Spirit, to redeem him to a place of righteousness and holiness, according to all His covenants, oaths, and promises, and this occurs only by faith, in and through the name of Christ Jesus, His Son. God does not leave a person alone; on account of the righteousness of Christ, the Comforter, His spirit of truth, works with us by His Word!
The real questions here are, Do I want to live or die? Do I desire to have a better way of life? Do I want to be saved from death? Do I actually believe that God exists, and that He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him out? If the answer to them is in the affirmative, then the only right answer to the queries is baptism.
Peter said, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." (14)
Paul elaborated upon Peter's statement, this way: "...all we who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death..."(15) Our 'washing' into Christ also 'washed away' our pollution of sin and freed us from the burial of the dead who are held by sin and death.
Our life is renewable, day-by-day, to right works; as sin-after-sin is repented and forgiven. We have found a way out - an exodus - from the wilderness of the old man's way, of hopelessness and of despair for life!
Why should one not get baptized, anyway? Except, only for the freedom which is given us in Jesus Christ's name. For ever-lasting life , and not death!