This is a rejoinder to the article published in TheNiche on January 11, titled “Much ado about infant baptism?”
Violators punished
In the Old Testament, God never took kindly to those who did not abide by His commands (Numbers 26:9-10).
Moses violated the directive of God to “speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water” (Numbers 20:8 KJV). Moses struck the rock in anger; it still achieved the intended purpose, but God was not pleased. The Lord refused him entry into the Promised Land because of that singular act of disobedience (Numbers 20:11-12). In 1 Chronicles 13:9-10, God struck Uzza when he tried to stop the Ark of God from hitting the floor, because he violated the command that the Ark was to be carried by poles on the shoulders of Levites, who should not look at or touch it (Exodus 25:14; Numbers 4:15, 19-20). God killed Uzza even though he was trying to do the right thing humanly.
Christian era requirements
We are told that those “things [that] were written aforetime were written for our
learning” (Romans 15:4). God overlooked some acts of disobedience in the past, but today “commandeth all men every where to repent ….” (Acts 17:30-31). What does the Christian era require from us who claim to believe in the risen Lord? Jesus Christ says, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17 KJV). This means He came to complete all that the Law promised to bring. So it is only relevant for us to learn from it, and not to practise it (Galatians 3:24-25; Hebrews 8:13). When something promised has been fulfilled everything about it has been completed and need only be used for historical reference.
What is water baptism?
Baptism, as translated from the original Greek text, means “to submerge or deep”. If the process was not important the word baptizo would not have been used to illustrate the end result. The word cheno or Raino which is Greek for sprinkling or pouring is nowhere found in the original Greek text translated into English in the Bible.
There is “one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5), indicating there is only one type of baptism.
The word baptism as used in the Bible is immersion into Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:27). This is the purpose of God for unity in membership (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3-5). The Lord uses this one true baptism to add a believer to the one church, as on the Day of Pentecost and after (Acts 2:41, 47).The belief that ‘Christ baptising in a river doesn’t invalidate sprinkling’ is an error! The example of what baptism symbolises is clear, and from the account of Romans 6:2-5 we understand that it represents how the “burial” with Jesus Christ is carried out.
First, one dies to sin. When we die, we must be buried; but this time with Jesus Christ in death before our sins can be wiped out (Romans 6:3). Second, we have to rise again to “newness of life”, as the risen Lord did, which is vividly stated in (Romans 6:4-5).
Who undergoes water baptism?
The Bible makes it clear who should be baptised in the New Testament, beginning at Mark 16:16, which says, “He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved”. This shows that a conviction for sin, and confession of Jesus Christ as the son of God is required before one can be baptised (Acts 8:37-38).
A child cannot comprehend sin, and confess Jesus Christ as God from the heart, so why baptise him? Compare the response of Jesus Christ to the question of who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven – He used a child to illustrate a pure spiritual state (Mark 9:37; Luke 9:47-48).
This further indicates that little children are without sin and when they die theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The Bible equally teaches that if a son does not commit the sins of his father he will not bear the guilt of the sins of his father, and if a father does not commit the sins of his son, he will not bear the guilt of the sins of his son (Ezekiel 18:4-20).
Why did John the Baptist ‘use much water’?
John 3:23 highlights the important message that John the Baptist was at Aenon near Salim “because there was much water there.” If immersion was not vital, he would have just asked for water in a jar or any other container where it was convenient.
Obedience is what God requires
The Bible says water “baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21).
In other words, water symbolises the medium used for burial with Jesus Christ when we repent of sin and become dead to sin (Romans 6:4-6). Water itself is not the factor to forgive sins but the answer of a good conscience toward God.
It is sufficient to obey the directives of the Lord with regard to the tenets of salvation without including human wisdom because it seems convenient.
The argument that water in large quantity may not be available for full immersion is not cogent. We know of oasis in desert lands, which is not a new phenomenon. We see in Acts 8:36 that “as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water”. Where did water appear from in that desert?
When Naaman was angry at the response of Elisha to his plight, Naaman’s servant asked, “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” (2 Kings 5:13).
A believer should obey the strict command of Jesus Christ Himself rather than play on convenience to the destruction of his soul.
No example of infant baptism in the Bible
There is no example of infant baptism in the Bible. Jesus Christ was not baptised with water when Mary took Him to the Temple as a baby. He was presented (dedicated) to God with prayer (Luke 2:22-39).
Jesus Christ did not commit sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). But, as an adult, He did water baptism “to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15) and to set “an example” for believers “that [we] should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
Do not deviate from the Bible
God forgives sins acknowledged and repented (1 John 1:9). But sins resulting from manipulated Bible verses cannot nullify the Word of God (Proverbs 30:6).
Obedience is what God requires from all who want to be saved. “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
• Abu wrote in from Lagos