Here Is Water: The Ritual of Baptism

by   Rev. David Johnson                                                                                                                                Vol. V, No. 4, August 1992

Having dealt with the Roots of Baptism and the Relationship between the Baptisms of the New Testament in previous Banners, we now turn our thoughts to one of the most controversial subjects in the whole of Christendom. The mode of baptism has divided Christians into different groups, each intent on vigorously advocating and defending its particular view. Unfortunately, an ordinance, which the Scriptures describe as part of the sevenfold unity of Believers (Eph. 4:3-6), has been allowed to become a cause of division. Thus in this article we will focus our attention on the act of baptism as depicted in the New Testament and practiced in the early church.

THE RITUAL OF BAPTISM

Differences in the Practice of Baptism

There are a number of different modes of baptism practiced throughout Christendom: there are those who teach and practice "believer's baptism" and who strongly maintain that mode to be immersion. There are others who also teach and practice "believer's baptism" but who maintain that the mode is pouring. Then there are those who teach and practice "infant baptism," maintaining that sprinkling is the biblical mode. Another much smaller group teach and believe that baptism is necessary for salvation.

The question that faces us is simply this, which group is correct according to the Scriptures and the practice of the early church? In an attempt to answer this we will look at baptism in three ways: linguistically, biblically, and historically.

The Linguistic Approach

The word "baptize" comes from the noun form of the Greek word "baptisma." The verb form is "baptizo," and both these are derived from the word "bapto" which means "to dip or dye." In one form or another it occurs eighty times in the New Testament.

In looking at other words linked with the use of liquids in the New Testament, we note that there are five: "bullo," to throw, is used in the pouring of liquids (Matt. 26:12, John 13:5); "kutacheo," to pour down (Matt. 26:7, Mark 14:30); "ekcheo," to pour out, used of Christ's act concerning the money changers (John 2:15), of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:17), and of the emptying of the contents of the bowls (Rev. 16:1-4); "ekchuno," also meaning to pour out, is used of the blood of Christ (Luke 22:20) and of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:45); and "epicheo," to pour upon, used in the context of the oil and wine used by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:34).

Another word used in the baptismal controversy is "sprinkle," and we note that the Greek uses three words: "rhantizo," to sprinkle, used in the sprinkling of blood upon the unclean, a token of the efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 9:13); "rhantismos," again used of the sprinkling of Christ's blood (Heb. 12:24, 1 Peter 1:2); "proschusis," a pouring or sprinkling upon, used in the sense of the blood of the Passover Lamb (Heb. 11:28).

Thus we conclude that linguistically the act of baptism was an act of immersion because the words for "pour" and "sprinkle" are never used within the context of the act of baptism.

The Biblical Approach

Having looked at the word "baptize" in the Greek and concluded that it means "immerse," we have evidence of ten acts of immersion in the Acts of the Apostles: the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:37-47), the Samaritan believers (Acts 8:5-25), the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:26-39), Simon Magnus (Acts 8:13), Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-20), Cornelius (Acts 10:1-48), Lydia (Acts 16:11-15), the Jailer (Acts 16:22-34), the Corinthian believers (Acts 18:8), and the Disciples of John (Acts 19:1-7). According to the New Testament the one prerequisite for baptism is belief. Mark 16:16 says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." The obvious inference is that belief and baptism go together, but while this is so, we must avoid the trap of saying that baptism is necessary for salvation. The emphasis of salvation rests on belief; the emphasis of baptism rests on obedience. We have the same inference from the words of the Great Commission and again at the end of Peter's sermon on the Day of Pentecost. The New Testament leaves us in little doubt that baptism always followed and never preceded a profession of faith in Christ. Any departure from this order must be regarded as an innovation introduced by man.

The Historical Approach

How far back can we trace the various baptismal practices? The basic answer is that even among the early church fathers there was conflict and disagreement, and yet it is only with the passage of time that the argument for practices other than believer's baptism by immersion becomes stronger. Tertullian, for instance, one of the quotes closest in time to the New Testament period (A.D. 200-206) that we have, argues strongly that those being baptized should understand what it is they are undertaking. Thus we note that historically as we trace the stream of evidence back, it becomes stronger in favor of believer's baptism by immersion and weaker in its support of other baptismal practices.

Thus, all in all, the body and strength of evidence in all three areas support the belief that the ritual of baptism is that of believer's baptism by immersion.