- A Review of (documentary) "Logic On Fire: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones" -- "Rest assured that “Logic On Fire” will not disappoint."
- Book Review – A Lost God in a Lost World -- "...Tinker addresses a number of problems that exist in the church and the solution that is rooted in God."
- Book Review – Biblical Counseling and the Church -- "...overall the book did an excellent job of presenting the case and providing the means for seeing counseling be an every-member ministry of the local church."
- Book Review: Nathan Bedford Forrest’s Redemption by Shane E. Kastler -- "The book, like Forrest’s life itself, is a testimony to the power and mercy of our forgiving and redeeming God, the God whose grace, as wrote a more famous Baptist pastor, abounds even to the chief of sinners."
- Book Review: Neither Complementarian nor Egalitarian -- "...the terms we are using are the product of cultural forces of the era in which we live."
- Book Review of "End The Fed" By Ron Paul -- "Regardless of where you come down regarding your opinion, you will have much more information for deciding your position after reading this short, but informative book."
- Book Reviews: Remembering Two Baptist Pioneer Preachers of Texas -- "The book is well-illustrated and contains considerable genealogy."
- Book: The Other Worldview -- "Peter Jones’...concept is that there are not an infinite number of worldviews. Instead, he posits the existence of exactly two worldviews."
- Review: Domestic Slavery Considered As a Scriptural Institution -- "The letters of Wayland and Fuller are a good and fascinating read and as the editors indicated, an illustration of how two public figures differed on a volatile topic..."
- Review of Spending God's Money -- "The most disturbing attribute of Branson's book for me was what I didn't read in it."
- Review: The Greatest Hoax on Earth? Refuting Dawkins on Evolution -- "It is informative, encouraging, and gratifying to see the arguments of the world’s foremost evolutionist smashed to smithereens."
- Review: Unholy Charade - Unmasking the Domestic Abuser in the Church -- "Unholy Charade makes for uncomfortable reading."
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Logic on Fire, and other reviews
The posting of book reviews does not constitute endorsement of the books or book reviews that are linked.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Deeper than the stain has gone
Nearly 10 years ago I posted two stanzas of the hymn Dark the stain that soiled man’s nature. Since then I have found that it has four stanzas and a chorus. Here they are:
1. Dark the stain that soiled man’s nature,
Long the distance that he fell.
Far removed from hope and heaven,
Into deep despair and hell.
But there was a fountain opened,
And the blood of God’s own Son,
Purifies the soul and reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
2. Conscious of the deep pollution,
Sinners wander in the night,
Tho’ they hear the Shepherd calling,
They still fear to face the light.
This the blessed consolation,
That can melt the heart of stone,
That sweet Balm of Gilead reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
3. All unworthy we who’ve wandered,
And our eyes are wet with tears;
As we think of love that sought us
Through the weary wasted years.
Yet we walk the holy highway,
Walking by God’s grace alone
Knowing Calv’ry’s fountain reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
4. When with holy choirs we’re standing
In the presence of the King,
And our souls are lost in wonder,
While the white robed choirs sing;
Then we’ll praise the name of Jesus,
With the millions round the throne;
Praise Him for the pow’r that reaches,
Deeper than the stain has gone!
Chorus:
Praise the Lord for full salvation,
God still reigns upon His throne.
And I know the blood still reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone.
I also found it being sung HERE and HERE. My source attributed the song to Raymond Browning (so also in The Sanctified South: John Lakin Brasher and the Holiness Movement). On other hand, several online mentions of the song attribute it to Adger M. Pace. The resolution is that Raymond Browning wrote the words and Adger M. Pace wrote or arranged the music. There is a 1956 copyright renewal by Browning’s wife in Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series that attributes it this way.
--
“The Rev. Raymond Browning, 74, former pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Asheville, died Friday night at this home in Bethany, Oklahoma, after a heart attack.
“The funeral service will be held there on Tuesday.
“Dr. Browning served as pastor of the Asheville church from 1949 until May 1952. He was a native of North Carolina and had been a minister of both Methodist and Nazarene churches. He received his doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene College at Nashville, Tenn. He was a song writer and poet.
“Surviving are the widow; a son, David, missionary to British Honduras, and four daughters.”
(“Nazarene Minister Victim of Death,” The Times-News, Hendersonville, NC, Monday August 24, 1953, page 4)
1. Dark the stain that soiled man’s nature,
Long the distance that he fell.
Far removed from hope and heaven,
Into deep despair and hell.
But there was a fountain opened,
And the blood of God’s own Son,
Purifies the soul and reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
2. Conscious of the deep pollution,
Sinners wander in the night,
Tho’ they hear the Shepherd calling,
They still fear to face the light.
This the blessed consolation,
That can melt the heart of stone,
That sweet Balm of Gilead reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
3. All unworthy we who’ve wandered,
And our eyes are wet with tears;
As we think of love that sought us
Through the weary wasted years.
Yet we walk the holy highway,
Walking by God’s grace alone
Knowing Calv’ry’s fountain reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone!
4. When with holy choirs we’re standing
In the presence of the King,
And our souls are lost in wonder,
While the white robed choirs sing;
Then we’ll praise the name of Jesus,
With the millions round the throne;
Praise Him for the pow’r that reaches,
Deeper than the stain has gone!
Chorus:
Praise the Lord for full salvation,
God still reigns upon His throne.
And I know the blood still reaches
Deeper than the stain has gone.
I also found it being sung HERE and HERE. My source attributed the song to Raymond Browning (so also in The Sanctified South: John Lakin Brasher and the Holiness Movement). On other hand, several online mentions of the song attribute it to Adger M. Pace. The resolution is that Raymond Browning wrote the words and Adger M. Pace wrote or arranged the music. There is a 1956 copyright renewal by Browning’s wife in Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series that attributes it this way.
--
“The Rev. Raymond Browning, 74, former pastor of the Church of the Nazarene in Asheville, died Friday night at this home in Bethany, Oklahoma, after a heart attack.
“The funeral service will be held there on Tuesday.
“Dr. Browning served as pastor of the Asheville church from 1949 until May 1952. He was a native of North Carolina and had been a minister of both Methodist and Nazarene churches. He received his doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene College at Nashville, Tenn. He was a song writer and poet.
“Surviving are the widow; a son, David, missionary to British Honduras, and four daughters.”
(“Nazarene Minister Victim of Death,” The Times-News, Hendersonville, NC, Monday August 24, 1953, page 4)
Thursday, June 09, 2016
Baptisms described, AD 100—400
Below are some examples of the understanding of baptism among early Christian writers. I do not advocate all of their theology, some with which I would widely differ. But their incidental and deliberate statements on baptism suggest immersion was the standard and predominant mode among them -- as well as confirming the early ties of the theology of baptism with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The quotes are arranged in roughly alphabetical order. Links are provided for those who would like to research the source material.
Baptism is by immersion, but by pouring if the water is insufficient for immersion *
Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism. And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before. – Didache (parts of original possibly before AD 100, with other material added later; it was rediscovered in 1873)
Baptism is by immersion, but by pouring if the water is insufficient for immersion
VII 1. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὕτω βαπτίσατε· ταῦτα πάντα πρειπόντες, βαπτίσατε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐν ὕδατι ζῶντι. 2. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἔχῃς ὕδωρ ζῶν, εἰς ἄλλο ὕδωρ βάπτισον· εἰ δ’ οὐ δύνασαι ἐν ψυχρῷ, ἐν θερμῷ. 3. ἐὰν δὲ ἀμφότερα μὴ ἔχῃς, ἔκχεον εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν τρὶς ὕδωρ εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος. 4. πρὸ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσμος προνηστευσάτω ὁ βαπτίζων καὶ ὁ βαπτιζόμενος καὶ εἴ τινες ἄλλοι δύναται· κελεύεις δὲ νηστεῦσαι τὸν βαπτιζόμενον πρὸ μιᾶς ἢ δύο. Didache (in Greek)
Baptism, descending and coming up
This means, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit. -- The Epistle of Barnabas (ca. 70-100), Chapter 11, translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1
Baptism, descending into the water
And I said, "I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins." He said to me, "That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case..." -- The Shepherd of Hermas (1st or 2nd century)
Baptism, descending in death and rising in life
The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive. And to them, accordingly, was this seal preached, and they made use of it that they might enter into the kingdom of God." "Why, sir," I asked, "did the forty stones also ascend with them out of the pit, having already received the seal?" "Because," he said, "these apostles and teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after falling asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached it not only to those who were asleep, but themselves also gave them the seal of the preaching. Accordingly they descended with them into the water, and again ascended. -- The Shepherd of Hermas (1st or 2nd century)
Baptism, a washing with water
Chapter 61. I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. -- Justin Martyr (ca. 100-165), The First Apology
Baptism, bringing persons to water as opposed to pouring on oil and water
21.4 But there are some of them who assert that it is superfluous to bring persons to the water, but mixing oil and water together, they place this mixture on the heads of those who are to be initiated, with the use of some such expressions as we have already mentioned. -- Irenaeus of Lyons (130-200), Book I
Baptism, immersion three times
Luke 23:46 After His resurrection He promises in a pledge to His disciples that He will send them the promise of His Father; Luke 24:49 and lastly, He commands them to baptize into the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, not into a unipersonal God. And indeed it is not once only, but three times, that we are immersed into the Three Persons, at each several mention of Their names. -- Tertullian (ca. 160-230), Against Praxeas, Chapter 26, translated by Peter Holmes, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism – thrice immersed
To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little before, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel. – Tertullian (ca. 160-230, De Corona, Chapter 3, translated by S. Thelwall, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism, plunged in water
Thus, too, in our case, the unction runs carnally, (i.e. on the body,) but profits spiritually; in the same way as the act of baptism itself too is carnal, in that we are plunged in water, but the effect spiritual, in that we are freed from sins. – Tertullian (ca. 160-230, On Baptism, translated by S. Thelwall, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism, a bath or laver of regeneration
(trans. 1) The ropes that stretch around her [the ship of the church] are the love of Christ, which binds the church. The net that she bears with her is the bath of the regeneration that renews the believing, from which too are these glories.
(trans. 2) and the ropes that stretch around her are the love of Christ, which binds the Church; and the net which she bears with her is the laver of the regeneration which renews the believing, whence too are these glories. -- Hippolytus (170-236), Translation 1 as found in Worshipping with the Church Fathers (Christopher A. Hall, Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009 page 44) and Translation 2 as found in On Christ and Antichrist
Baptism includes descending in the water
16. ...And some of them try to argue that they only administer a sound and perfect, not as we, a mutilated and curtailed baptism, which they are in such wise said to designate, that immediately they have descended into the water, fire at once appears upon the water. -- A Treatise on Re-Baptism (ca. 255)
Baptism different from sprinkling or affusion, though allowing the latter for the infirm
12. You have asked also, dearest son, what I thought of those who obtain God's grace in sickness and weakness, whether they are to be accounted legitimate Christians, for that they are not to be washed, but sprinkled, with the saving water. In this point, my diffidence and modesty prejudges none, so as to prevent any from feeling what he thinks right, and from doing what he feels to be right...13...And therefore, as far as it is allowed me by faith to conceive and to think, this is my opinion, that any one should be esteemed a legitimate Christian, who by the law and right of faith shall have obtained the grace of God in the Church. Or if any one think that those have gained nothing by having only been sprinkled with the saving water, but that they are still empty and void, let them not be deceived, so as if they escape the evil of their sickness, and get well, they should seek to be baptized. But if they cannot be baptized who have already been sanctified by ecclesiastical baptism, why are they offended in respect of their faith and the mercy of the Lord? -- Cyprian of Carthage (d. 258), Epistle 75, To Magnus
Baptism a sinking down and rising up, signifying burial and resurrection
In these benefits you were baptized, O newly-enlightened one. The initiation in grace, O newly-enlightened one, has become to you a guarantee of resurrection; you have baptism as a pledge of life in heaven. In the sinking down you imitated the burial of the Master; but you rose up from there, beholding beforehand the works of the resurrection. -- Discourse on the Holy Passover (attributed to Athansius, ca. 296–373) as quoted in Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, by Everett Ferguson (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2009, pp. 492-493)
Baptism a dipping in water
3.XVI. You therefore, O bishop, according to that type, shall anoint the head of those that are to be baptized, whether they be men or women, with the holy oil, for a type of the spiritual baptism. After that, either you, O bishop, or a presbyter that is under you, shall in the solemn form name over them the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, and shall dip them in the water; and let a deacon receive the man, and a deaconess the woman, that so the conferring of this inviolable seal may take place with a becoming decency. And after that, let the bishop anoint those that are baptized with ointment. Apostolic Constitutions, Book III (ca. 375)
Baptism by three immersions, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
8.50. If any bishop or presbyter does not perform the three immersions of the one admission, but one immersion, which is given into the death of Christ, let him be deprived; for the Lord did not say, Baptize into my death, but, Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, O bishops, baptize thrice into one Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the will of Christ, and our constitution by the Spirit. -- Apostolic Constitutions, Book VIII (ca. 375)
Baptism in a pool, consisting of descending into and ascending from water
20.4 After these things, you were led to the holy pool of Divine Baptism, as Christ was carried from the Cross to the Sepulchre which is before our eyes. And each of you was asked, whether he believed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and you made that saving confession, and descended three times into the water, and ascended again; here also hinting by a symbol at the three days burial of Christ. -- Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 313–386 AD), Catechetical Lecture 20
Baptism a going down and coming up
3.12 For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace , having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness. For if you have been united with the likeness of the Saviour's death Romans 6:5, you shall also be deemed worthy of His Resurrection. For as Jesus took upon Him the sins of the world, and died, that by putting sin to death He might rise again in righteousness; so thou by going down into the water, and being in a manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again walking in newness of life. -- Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 313–386 AD), Catechetical Lecture 3
Baptism consists of three immersions
15.35 This then is what it is to be born again of water and of the Spirit, the being made dead being effected in the water, while our life is wrought in us through the Spirit. In three immersions, then, and with three invocations, the great mystery of baptism is performed, to the end that the type of death may be fully figured, and that by the tradition of the divine knowledge the baptized may have their souls enlightened. -- Basil the Great (ca. 329-379), De Spiritu Sancto
Baptism, burial and resurrection, descending and rising
We call it the Gift, because it is given to us in return for nothing on our part; Grace, because it is conferred even on debtors; Baptism, because sin is buried with it in the water...Let us then be buried with Christ by Baptism, that we may also rise with Him; let us descend with Him, that we may also be exalted with Him; let us ascend with Him, that we may also be glorified together. -- Gregory Nazianzen (ca. 329–390), Oration 40, on holy Baptism
Baptism, a dipping and burial
11. The water, then, is that in which the flesh is dipped, that all carnal sin may be washed away. All wickedness is there buried... 21. So that Syrian dipped himself seven times under the law, but you were baptized in the Name of the Trinity, you confessed the Father. Call to mind what you did: you confessed the Son, you confessed the Holy Spirit. Mark well the order of things in this faith: you died to the world, and rose again to God. And as though buried to the world in that element, being dead to sin, you rose again to eternal life. Believe, therefore, that these waters are not void of power. Ambrose (340-397), On the Mysteries
Baptism immersion
How and in what manner? By the water. For the being baptized and immersed and then emerging, is a symbol of the descent into Hades and return thence. Wherefore also Paul calls baptism a burial, saying, Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. -- John Chrysostom (ca. 349–407) Homily 40 on First Corinthians
The above examples are not considered authoritative (only the Holy Scriptures are), but are presumed to be historically accurate and representative of the faith and practice of the writer. There seems to be a fairly consistent thread of immersion that runs through the writings of the early "Church Fathers".
Archaelogy
"The predominant number of baptismal fonts permitted immersion, and many were so large as to defy any reason for their existence other than immersion." (Baptism in the Early Church, Everett Ferguson p. 883)
* It is generally conceded that parts of the Didache have an origin as early as AD 100 (or even earlier), with later editing. This work was discovered in 1873 in the Constantinople Manuscripts by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Philotheus Bryennios. It was published 1883. It is dated as copied in 1056. In his notes on translation in 1937, J. Louis Guthrie stated that he believed that the instruction on baptism by pouring was a late addition, "for it shows the insertion of a different scribe." He says, "The direction concerning pouring is the worst possible Greek. It is so bad, it does not make sense. He gives the literal translation as "But, if you may not have both, pour out into the head three water into a name Father and Son and Holy Spirit." (The Didache of the Twelve Apostles, J. Louis Guthrie, 1938, pp. 10, 19) Schaff appears to disagree with this assessment (that the pouring reference is late). See The Oldest Church Manual Called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles: Didachē, p. 35.
Baptism is by immersion, but by pouring if the water is insufficient for immersion *
Chapter 7. Concerning Baptism. And concerning baptism, baptize this way: Having first said all these things, baptize into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living water. But if you have no living water, baptize into other water; and if you cannot do so in cold water, do so in warm. But if you have neither, pour out water three times upon the head into the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. But before the baptism let the baptizer fast, and the baptized, and whoever else can; but you shall order the baptized to fast one or two days before. – Didache (parts of original possibly before AD 100, with other material added later; it was rediscovered in 1873)
Baptism is by immersion, but by pouring if the water is insufficient for immersion
VII 1. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, οὕτω βαπτίσατε· ταῦτα πάντα πρειπόντες, βαπτίσατε εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος ἐν ὕδατι ζῶντι. 2. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἔχῃς ὕδωρ ζῶν, εἰς ἄλλο ὕδωρ βάπτισον· εἰ δ’ οὐ δύνασαι ἐν ψυχρῷ, ἐν θερμῷ. 3. ἐὰν δὲ ἀμφότερα μὴ ἔχῃς, ἔκχεον εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν τρὶς ὕδωρ εἰς ὄνομα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος. 4. πρὸ δὲ τοῦ βαπτίσμος προνηστευσάτω ὁ βαπτίζων καὶ ὁ βαπτιζόμενος καὶ εἴ τινες ἄλλοι δύναται· κελεύεις δὲ νηστεῦσαι τὸν βαπτιζόμενον πρὸ μιᾶς ἢ δύο. Didache (in Greek)
Baptism, descending and coming up
This means, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit. -- The Epistle of Barnabas (ca. 70-100), Chapter 11, translated by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1
Baptism, descending into the water
And I said, "I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins." He said to me, "That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case..." -- The Shepherd of Hermas (1st or 2nd century)
Baptism, descending in death and rising in life
The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive. And to them, accordingly, was this seal preached, and they made use of it that they might enter into the kingdom of God." "Why, sir," I asked, "did the forty stones also ascend with them out of the pit, having already received the seal?" "Because," he said, "these apostles and teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after falling asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached it not only to those who were asleep, but themselves also gave them the seal of the preaching. Accordingly they descended with them into the water, and again ascended. -- The Shepherd of Hermas (1st or 2nd century)
Baptism, a washing with water
Chapter 61. I will also relate the manner in which we dedicated ourselves to God when we had been made new through Christ; lest, if we omit this, we seem to be unfair in the explanation we are making. As many as are persuaded and believe that what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray and to entreat God with fasting, for the remission of their sins that are past, we praying and fasting with them. Then they are brought by us where there is water, and are regenerated in the same manner in which we were ourselves regenerated. For, in the name of God, the Father and Lord of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of the Holy Spirit, they then receive the washing with water. -- Justin Martyr (ca. 100-165), The First Apology
Baptism, bringing persons to water as opposed to pouring on oil and water
21.4 But there are some of them who assert that it is superfluous to bring persons to the water, but mixing oil and water together, they place this mixture on the heads of those who are to be initiated, with the use of some such expressions as we have already mentioned. -- Irenaeus of Lyons (130-200), Book I
Baptism, immersion three times
Luke 23:46 After His resurrection He promises in a pledge to His disciples that He will send them the promise of His Father; Luke 24:49 and lastly, He commands them to baptize into the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, not into a unipersonal God. And indeed it is not once only, but three times, that we are immersed into the Three Persons, at each several mention of Their names. -- Tertullian (ca. 160-230), Against Praxeas, Chapter 26, translated by Peter Holmes, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism – thrice immersed
To deal with this matter briefly, I shall begin with baptism. When we are going to enter the water, but a little before, in the presence of the congregation and under the hand of the president, we solemnly profess that we disown the devil, and his pomp, and his angels. Hereupon we are thrice immersed, making a somewhat ampler pledge than the Lord has appointed in the Gospel. – Tertullian (ca. 160-230, De Corona, Chapter 3, translated by S. Thelwall, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism, plunged in water
Thus, too, in our case, the unction runs carnally, (i.e. on the body,) but profits spiritually; in the same way as the act of baptism itself too is carnal, in that we are plunged in water, but the effect spiritual, in that we are freed from sins. – Tertullian (ca. 160-230, On Baptism, translated by S. Thelwall, from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 3
Baptism, a bath or laver of regeneration
(trans. 1) The ropes that stretch around her [the ship of the church] are the love of Christ, which binds the church. The net that she bears with her is the bath of the regeneration that renews the believing, from which too are these glories.
(trans. 2) and the ropes that stretch around her are the love of Christ, which binds the Church; and the net which she bears with her is the laver of the regeneration which renews the believing, whence too are these glories. -- Hippolytus (170-236), Translation 1 as found in Worshipping with the Church Fathers (Christopher A. Hall, Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009 page 44) and Translation 2 as found in On Christ and Antichrist
Baptism includes descending in the water
16. ...And some of them try to argue that they only administer a sound and perfect, not as we, a mutilated and curtailed baptism, which they are in such wise said to designate, that immediately they have descended into the water, fire at once appears upon the water. -- A Treatise on Re-Baptism (ca. 255)
Baptism different from sprinkling or affusion, though allowing the latter for the infirm
12. You have asked also, dearest son, what I thought of those who obtain God's grace in sickness and weakness, whether they are to be accounted legitimate Christians, for that they are not to be washed, but sprinkled, with the saving water. In this point, my diffidence and modesty prejudges none, so as to prevent any from feeling what he thinks right, and from doing what he feels to be right...13...And therefore, as far as it is allowed me by faith to conceive and to think, this is my opinion, that any one should be esteemed a legitimate Christian, who by the law and right of faith shall have obtained the grace of God in the Church. Or if any one think that those have gained nothing by having only been sprinkled with the saving water, but that they are still empty and void, let them not be deceived, so as if they escape the evil of their sickness, and get well, they should seek to be baptized. But if they cannot be baptized who have already been sanctified by ecclesiastical baptism, why are they offended in respect of their faith and the mercy of the Lord? -- Cyprian of Carthage (d. 258), Epistle 75, To Magnus
Baptism a sinking down and rising up, signifying burial and resurrection
In these benefits you were baptized, O newly-enlightened one. The initiation in grace, O newly-enlightened one, has become to you a guarantee of resurrection; you have baptism as a pledge of life in heaven. In the sinking down you imitated the burial of the Master; but you rose up from there, beholding beforehand the works of the resurrection. -- Discourse on the Holy Passover (attributed to Athansius, ca. 296–373) as quoted in Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, by Everett Ferguson (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2009, pp. 492-493)
Baptism a dipping in water
3.XVI. You therefore, O bishop, according to that type, shall anoint the head of those that are to be baptized, whether they be men or women, with the holy oil, for a type of the spiritual baptism. After that, either you, O bishop, or a presbyter that is under you, shall in the solemn form name over them the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, and shall dip them in the water; and let a deacon receive the man, and a deaconess the woman, that so the conferring of this inviolable seal may take place with a becoming decency. And after that, let the bishop anoint those that are baptized with ointment. Apostolic Constitutions, Book III (ca. 375)
Baptism by three immersions, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
8.50. If any bishop or presbyter does not perform the three immersions of the one admission, but one immersion, which is given into the death of Christ, let him be deprived; for the Lord did not say, Baptize into my death, but, Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, O bishops, baptize thrice into one Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost, according to the will of Christ, and our constitution by the Spirit. -- Apostolic Constitutions, Book VIII (ca. 375)
Baptism in a pool, consisting of descending into and ascending from water
20.4 After these things, you were led to the holy pool of Divine Baptism, as Christ was carried from the Cross to the Sepulchre which is before our eyes. And each of you was asked, whether he believed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and you made that saving confession, and descended three times into the water, and ascended again; here also hinting by a symbol at the three days burial of Christ. -- Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 313–386 AD), Catechetical Lecture 20
Baptism a going down and coming up
3.12 For you go down into the water, bearing your sins, but the invocation of grace , having sealed your soul, suffers you not afterwards to be swallowed up by the terrible dragon. Having gone down dead in sins, you come up quickened in righteousness. For if you have been united with the likeness of the Saviour's death Romans 6:5, you shall also be deemed worthy of His Resurrection. For as Jesus took upon Him the sins of the world, and died, that by putting sin to death He might rise again in righteousness; so thou by going down into the water, and being in a manner buried in the waters, as He was in the rock, art raised again walking in newness of life. -- Cyril of Jerusalem (ca. 313–386 AD), Catechetical Lecture 3
Baptism consists of three immersions
15.35 This then is what it is to be born again of water and of the Spirit, the being made dead being effected in the water, while our life is wrought in us through the Spirit. In three immersions, then, and with three invocations, the great mystery of baptism is performed, to the end that the type of death may be fully figured, and that by the tradition of the divine knowledge the baptized may have their souls enlightened. -- Basil the Great (ca. 329-379), De Spiritu Sancto
Baptism, burial and resurrection, descending and rising
We call it the Gift, because it is given to us in return for nothing on our part; Grace, because it is conferred even on debtors; Baptism, because sin is buried with it in the water...Let us then be buried with Christ by Baptism, that we may also rise with Him; let us descend with Him, that we may also be exalted with Him; let us ascend with Him, that we may also be glorified together. -- Gregory Nazianzen (ca. 329–390), Oration 40, on holy Baptism
Baptism, a dipping and burial
11. The water, then, is that in which the flesh is dipped, that all carnal sin may be washed away. All wickedness is there buried... 21. So that Syrian dipped himself seven times under the law, but you were baptized in the Name of the Trinity, you confessed the Father. Call to mind what you did: you confessed the Son, you confessed the Holy Spirit. Mark well the order of things in this faith: you died to the world, and rose again to God. And as though buried to the world in that element, being dead to sin, you rose again to eternal life. Believe, therefore, that these waters are not void of power. Ambrose (340-397), On the Mysteries
Baptism immersion
How and in what manner? By the water. For the being baptized and immersed and then emerging, is a symbol of the descent into Hades and return thence. Wherefore also Paul calls baptism a burial, saying, Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death. -- John Chrysostom (ca. 349–407) Homily 40 on First Corinthians
The above examples are not considered authoritative (only the Holy Scriptures are), but are presumed to be historically accurate and representative of the faith and practice of the writer. There seems to be a fairly consistent thread of immersion that runs through the writings of the early "Church Fathers".
Archaelogy
"The predominant number of baptismal fonts permitted immersion, and many were so large as to defy any reason for their existence other than immersion." (Baptism in the Early Church, Everett Ferguson p. 883)
* It is generally conceded that parts of the Didache have an origin as early as AD 100 (or even earlier), with later editing. This work was discovered in 1873 in the Constantinople Manuscripts by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Philotheus Bryennios. It was published 1883. It is dated as copied in 1056. In his notes on translation in 1937, J. Louis Guthrie stated that he believed that the instruction on baptism by pouring was a late addition, "for it shows the insertion of a different scribe." He says, "The direction concerning pouring is the worst possible Greek. It is so bad, it does not make sense. He gives the literal translation as "But, if you may not have both, pour out into the head three water into a name Father and Son and Holy Spirit." (The Didache of the Twelve Apostles, J. Louis Guthrie, 1938, pp. 10, 19) Schaff appears to disagree with this assessment (that the pouring reference is late). See The Oldest Church Manual Called The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles: Didachē, p. 35.
Wednesday, June 08, 2016
Rebaptism
A few years ago I wrote about the "rebaptisms" of Acts 19. Rebaptism is a word that can be hard to satisfactorily define, because its use depends on one's theological convictions. Collins English Dictionary says it is a Christian word meaning "a new or second baptism."
The predominant use of the term is an attempt to describe the baptism of a person who has received a prior baptism that is considered invalid. Almost always, if not always, those who are performing "a new or second baptism" are doing so because they believe there was never a baptism in the first place! J. D. Hall puts it this way -- It’s Not “Re-Baptism”: It’s Baptism writing, "I refuse to the word ‘baptism’ in defining that ritual [i.e. pouring water on the head of an unrepentant unbeliever]." If a church believes the candidate for baptism must be a professed believer, then a water ritual with an infant does not qualify for recognition as baptism. If a church believes the mode of baptism must be immersion, then a water ritual of affusion (pouring) or ablution or dispersion (sprinkling) does not qualify.
Baptists have traditionally understood the idea of rebaptism as a misnomer we use because it is tied into the subject under discussion -- when someone thinks a person has already been baptized and then receives "a new or second baptism."
* Baptists and others who hold believer's baptism are often dubbed "Anabaptists" or "Re-Baptizers" by those who practice infant baptism.
The predominant use of the term is an attempt to describe the baptism of a person who has received a prior baptism that is considered invalid. Almost always, if not always, those who are performing "a new or second baptism" are doing so because they believe there was never a baptism in the first place! J. D. Hall puts it this way -- It’s Not “Re-Baptism”: It’s Baptism writing, "I refuse to the word ‘baptism’ in defining that ritual [i.e. pouring water on the head of an unrepentant unbeliever]." If a church believes the candidate for baptism must be a professed believer, then a water ritual with an infant does not qualify for recognition as baptism. If a church believes the mode of baptism must be immersion, then a water ritual of affusion (pouring) or ablution or dispersion (sprinkling) does not qualify.
Baptists have traditionally understood the idea of rebaptism as a misnomer we use because it is tied into the subject under discussion -- when someone thinks a person has already been baptized and then receives "a new or second baptism."
* Baptists and others who hold believer's baptism are often dubbed "Anabaptists" or "Re-Baptizers" by those who practice infant baptism.
Closet annihilationist, and other links
The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.
- Are you a closet annihilationist? -- "National Geographic has an interesting article on the doctrine of Hell...The gist of it is that evangelical belief in the traditional doctrine of hell is in decline."
- A Subjective Definition of ‘Death’ Would Unleash Great Evil -- "Legally, human death is declared when medical testing discerns the irreversible cessation of one of two biological functions that must work for a human being to be considered an integrated functioning organism."
- British Baptist Historians: E. A. Payne -- "1951-1967 General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain"
- College boots ex-Delta Force hero after complaint from LGBT activists -- "I was not given an opportunity to explain myself."
- Deaf Cashier Photographed as Patrons Patiently Write Down Food Orders -- "... after seeing so many people bully others on a daily basis, I can't tell you how refreshing it was to see these small acts of kindness demonstrated from so many different people."
- Elder Plurality in Baptist Congregationalism: A Response to Dr. Bart Barber -- "Although he and I take different approaches as to what this better polity looks like, we both desire to see congregations exercising healthy congregationalism and pastoral leaders giving solid leadership..."
- Fuller on Passages that Seem Contradictory -- "The statement in these two passages contains a variety, but no contrariety..."
- God And Evil: Problem Solved (Excerpts) -- "If God is all-good, and if God is all-powerful, why are sin and suffering in the world?"
- Hellers or No-Hellers? -- "Because Primite Baptist Universalists do believe in hell in the temporal world, they strongly reject the No-Heller label that others have given them."
- James Patterson’s New Book -- "James Robinson Graves: Staking the Boundaries of Baptist Identity"
- John R. Sampey: Professor, Pastor and President -- "A native Alabaman born in the midst of the American Civil War, and of Huguenot and Methodist-turned-Baptist stock, John was well-versed in Scripture as a youth."
- Observations Regarding Baptism -- "There is no hint of any sort that those disciples who had been immersed by John were re-immersed when they began following Jesus."
- On “Landmark” Doctrines and Historical Ignorance -- "...it is ridiculous how many contemporary Baptists have no clue what Landmarkism is but fashion themselves as experts on the subject."
- Only a Church that Loves Truth Will Validate and Help an Abuse Victim -- "Even if that truth involves the revealing of evil hiding like a snake in the grass, the real Christian who yearns for Christ’s truth and justice, who thirsts to see victims delivered will receive that news and crave to shine further light upon it."
- Science points to a Divine Creator -- "Theoretical physicist Paul Davies has said that “the appearance of design is overwhelming.”"
- The Danger of Tolerance -- "The churches have ceased to demand that their members act like dedicated Christians whose lives have been changed by the Spirit of the Lord."
- The old, old story: Lottie Moon and Crawford Toy -- "Much of the story is not in dispute: Lottie Moon and Crawford Toy were engaged to be married. They did not marry."
- The Other Side of William Whitsitt -- "Before reading this book, I had seen Whitsitt as a good man and conservative scholar who became involved in an unfortunate controversy over Baptist history."
- Water Works: Why Baptism Is Essential -- "Some churches say Baptism is optional, but the New Testament teaches it is integral to the life of faith."
- What is the Internet’s Favorite Book? -- "...the first installment of The Hunger Games...sits atop a Goodreads crowdsourced list of “Best Books Ever”."
Tuesday, June 07, 2016
Unbelieving spouses and unbaptized children
The text – 1 Corinthians 7:14
The context – biblical marriage instructions, 1 Corinthians 7
The subtext pretext – infant baptism
1 Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Some words used
Some paedobaptists confidently cite this Scripture as incontrovertible evidence of infant baptism. According to Jonathan Culley this scripture establishes “that God deals covenantally with the children of professing believers.”[1] In fact, baptism is nowhere in view in the text. One who advocates infant baptism can argue the text supports the view, but in the end this text will prove fatal to their view.
The statement of Paul in verse 14 is set in the larger context of instruction on marriage found in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Narrowed down, in verses 12 through 24 he is addressing questions on the marriages of believers and unbelievers. Should Christian believers stay married to unbelievers? A need for separation because of unbelief on the part of one spouse suggests the marriage is improper and that it would be wrong for the believer and unbeliever to live together as husband and wife. Paul stresses that coming to faith in Christ does not dissolve natural bonds or blood relationship. They should remain married.
The unbelieving here is a man or a woman who is an unbeliever -- not a follower of Christ -- who is married to a believer -- a follower of Christ. Whatever sanctified or holy may mean, the unbeliever who is in a marriage relation to a believer is sanctified by that relation. It is not the marriage that is sanctified, but the person. Marriage is an institution of God (Gen. 2:18-25) and is honourable in all (Heb. 13:4). Further, whatever the marriage relation provides in relation to an unbelieving spouse it also does in relation to a child. The words and meaning are the same. If the first were not true (else), the second would not be. Else (epei) is also translated “otherwise,” “since,” “for then,” etc. Finally, this should settle once for all any ideas the believer might have of departing or dissolving the marriage (Cf. verses 12-13). It should not be done. The unbeliever would be removed from whatever sanctification received, and the same would be true for a child also.
What the statement does not mean
An unbeliever, by virtue of his or her being married to a believer, is set apart or holy. A child of a believer, by virtue of being the child of a believer, is set apart or holy. Both the unbelieving spouse/parent and unknowing child are sanctified by their relationships to the believer. The unbelieving spouse and unknowing child enjoy temporal life blessings by sharing in the blessings available to the believer, because of their being in a relationship with that believer. The unbelieving spouse and the unknowing child have the same sanctified relation to the believer.[2] This relation is in the marriage covenant, not in the church covenant. In the Old Testament, Abraham’s physical seed were Israel. Under the New Testament, those who are in Christ by faith are Abraham’s spiritual seed. Notice Paul does not say that the child is not holy (hagios) but unclean (akathartos) until he or she is baptized. No, the child is holy in the familial relationship.
If Paul is making a cause and effect argument -- because of this, then this -- one parent must be a believer in order to sanctify the unbelieving parent, which in turn sanctifies the unknowing child. Else were children unclean that is, if the marriage did not sanctify the unbeliever, the children would be unclean rather than holy. So through a series of causes, first the believing parent, and then the sanctified unbeliever, the child is holy. In this type of cause and effect arrangement, the sanctification of the unbeliever comes first and is therefore more directly tied to the believer than is the sanctification of the child (which is removed by one more step). Such is not the belief or practice of any paedobaptists, even though they refer to this Scripture as proof of their belief and practice. For them it is agreeable to baptize infants whether or not the parents were separated. Paul would not use such a flawed argument to discourage separation.[3]
It is clear that this is not a cause and effect argument -- but if not, then what? In this letter, Paul is writing “unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” In his address to the whole church, he directly addresses them in the second person plural like “ye” and “your” (e.g. 1:4; 3:2-3; 5:6; 5:12) -- and sometimes including himself by using the first person plural “we” and “us” (e.g. 3:9; 6:14; 8:4). When he writes to the church about a specific grouping within the church, he uses the third person. For example, in 6:16-17 he writes of “he which is joined to an harlot” and “he that is joined unto the Lord.” When he comes to the groups of chapter 7, he writes of the unmarried and widows as “them” and “they”(8-9); and the married wife as “her” and “she” (10-11). The same manner can be observed in 7:12-13, where Paul speaks of the believing and unbelieving spouses in the third person singular -- “he” and “him”, “she” and “her”. Yet when he addresses the children -- else were your children unclean -- he does not speak of “their” children (that is, the children of the husband and wife addressed) but rather of “your” children -- the children generally of the people of the church of Corinth.[4]
Understanding this statement cues us to the fact that Paul is not making a cause and effect argument, but rather is comparing the like status of different individuals in the family. The holiness of the children is not an effect of the sanctification of the unbelieving spouse; it is a situation like it. Children are unclean with the exception of the same kind of holiness as the unbelieving adult parent has. If the unbelieving spouse were not sanctified by the marriage, it would be true also that an unknowing and unbelieving child, born by nature a sinner, is not sanctified by the relationship to a believing parent (not because of it, but for the same kind of reason). If unbelieving spouses should be cast off from with their believing spouses, then children also ought to be severed from familial connection to believing parents as well. Such is unthinkable! The whole of family and society would thereby be disrupted. As such, this is a strong argument for the maintaining the marriages of believers and unbelievers. It says nothing of infant baptism.[5]
[1] Though he admits that there “is no explicit statement anywhere in the Scriptures that infants were to be baptized or that they were commanded to be baptized.” Neither does he explain why the unbelieving spouse’s sanctification does not entitle him or her to covenant baptism. (A Biblical and Historical Case for Infant Baptism, Jonathan Culley, Palm Bay, FL: Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2008, pp. 11,16)
[2] If the sanctification of the child qualifies the child for baptism, the like sanctification would also qualify the adult for baptism.
[3] Under this interpretation the children are holy only as long as the believing parent remains in the marriage to the unbelieving parent. Ra McLaughlin, a Reformed believer and an advocate of infant baptism, recognizes this problem, writing “But the odd thing about both these arguments is that they make the children’s holiness dependent upon the marital status of their parents rather than on the children’s participation in the covenant community.” (Holy Children of Unbelievers)
[4] “Your children” refers to the children of all Corinthian believers, not just children of a mixed marriage between a believer and an unbeliever.
[5] According to John Leadley Dagg in A Decisive Argument Against Infant Baptism: Furnished by One of Its Own Proof-texts, Paul’s insight here provides proof that infant baptism was not practiced by the church at Corinth. For example, he writes, “The church at Corinth was a Pedobaptist church, or it was not. If it was a Pedobaptist church, the argument of Paul was invalid; because it was based on the false assumption, that the children sealed with the seal of God’s covenant, dedicated to Him in the holy rite of baptism, and admitted within the pale of the church, were in like circumstances with unbelieving and unbaptized adults, who were out of the covenant, and out of the church. But Paul did not use an invalid argument: therefore this church was not Pedobaptist; and the same must be true of all the churches planted by the Apostles, since they were, doubtless, all similarly organized.” (A Decisive Argument Against Infant Baptism [1850] in Tracts on Important Subjects, Charleston SC: Southern Baptist Publication Society, 1854, p. 50) Similarly Anders Wiberg writes, “...if infant baptism had been introduced by the Apostle into the Corinthian church, he could not, under any circumstances, have questioned whether the children might not have been “unclean,” because baptism would have made them "holy.” (Christian Baptism: Set Forth in the Words of the Bible, (Philadelphia, PA: American Baptist Publication Society, n.d., p. 166)
The context – biblical marriage instructions, 1 Corinthians 7
The subtext pretext – infant baptism
1 Corinthians 7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
Some words used
- unbelieving - Gk apistos ἄπιστος (faithless, without trust) that is, not a believer in Jesus Christ
- husband - Gk. 1st aner ἀνὴρ (male, husband) 2nd adelpho ἀδελφῷ (brother)
- wife - Gk. gune 1st γυναικί 2nd γυνὴ (woman, wife)
- children - Gk. teknon τέκνα (offspring, children)
- unclean - Gk. akatharta ἀκάθαρτά from akathartos (impure, unclean, not cleansed), and opposite of kathartos (clean). It is used of unclean spirits (e.g. Acts 8:7), unclean people (e.g Eph. 5:5), and that which is legally or cermonially unclean (e.g. Acts 10:14, 28).
- sanctified - Gk. hegiastai ἡγίασται from hagiazo and related to hagios (saint, holy); separated, consecrated, regarded as holy, cleansed. It can mean internal (e.g. Heb. 10:10-14), external (e.g. 1 Pet. 3:15; 1 Cor. 7:34) or separated, set apart for a specific use (e.g. 1 Tim. 4:4-5).
- holy - Gk. hagia ἅγιά from hagios (saint, holy) and related to hagiazo (sanctify); dedicated, separated, hallowed. The difference of “holy” and “sanctified” in verse 14 is the difference of noun and verb.
- your - Gk. humon ὑμῶν (your, genitive plural)
- else - epei ἐπεὶ (else, since, because)
Some paedobaptists confidently cite this Scripture as incontrovertible evidence of infant baptism. According to Jonathan Culley this scripture establishes “that God deals covenantally with the children of professing believers.”[1] In fact, baptism is nowhere in view in the text. One who advocates infant baptism can argue the text supports the view, but in the end this text will prove fatal to their view.
The statement of Paul in verse 14 is set in the larger context of instruction on marriage found in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Narrowed down, in verses 12 through 24 he is addressing questions on the marriages of believers and unbelievers. Should Christian believers stay married to unbelievers? A need for separation because of unbelief on the part of one spouse suggests the marriage is improper and that it would be wrong for the believer and unbeliever to live together as husband and wife. Paul stresses that coming to faith in Christ does not dissolve natural bonds or blood relationship. They should remain married.
The unbelieving here is a man or a woman who is an unbeliever -- not a follower of Christ -- who is married to a believer -- a follower of Christ. Whatever sanctified or holy may mean, the unbeliever who is in a marriage relation to a believer is sanctified by that relation. It is not the marriage that is sanctified, but the person. Marriage is an institution of God (Gen. 2:18-25) and is honourable in all (Heb. 13:4). Further, whatever the marriage relation provides in relation to an unbelieving spouse it also does in relation to a child. The words and meaning are the same. If the first were not true (else), the second would not be. Else (epei) is also translated “otherwise,” “since,” “for then,” etc. Finally, this should settle once for all any ideas the believer might have of departing or dissolving the marriage (Cf. verses 12-13). It should not be done. The unbeliever would be removed from whatever sanctification received, and the same would be true for a child also.
What the statement does not mean
- Sanctified and holy cannot mean children or unbelieving spouses are saved (internally sanctified) by their relationship to the parent/spouse. This would be the works of man for salvation rather than the grace of God.
- Sanctified and holy cannot mean external sanctification. The spouse or child is not more moral or ethical just because the marriage relationship exists -- though the believing spouse/parent can be a good influence on either of them.
- Sanctified and holy cannot mean sinlessness or final sanctification. That contradicts the rest of the Bible and does not fit the context.
- Sanctified and holy cannot mean that the marriage and offspring are legitimate in a legal sense, else all marriages contracted by unbelievers are null and void, and all their children illegitimate.
- Unclean or impure versus sanctified and holy cannot just refer to original sin (inherited sin nature), or else original sin would be negated by the marital relationship.
An unbeliever, by virtue of his or her being married to a believer, is set apart or holy. A child of a believer, by virtue of being the child of a believer, is set apart or holy. Both the unbelieving spouse/parent and unknowing child are sanctified by their relationships to the believer. The unbelieving spouse and unknowing child enjoy temporal life blessings by sharing in the blessings available to the believer, because of their being in a relationship with that believer. The unbelieving spouse and the unknowing child have the same sanctified relation to the believer.[2] This relation is in the marriage covenant, not in the church covenant. In the Old Testament, Abraham’s physical seed were Israel. Under the New Testament, those who are in Christ by faith are Abraham’s spiritual seed. Notice Paul does not say that the child is not holy (hagios) but unclean (akathartos) until he or she is baptized. No, the child is holy in the familial relationship.
If Paul is making a cause and effect argument -- because of this, then this -- one parent must be a believer in order to sanctify the unbelieving parent, which in turn sanctifies the unknowing child. Else were children unclean that is, if the marriage did not sanctify the unbeliever, the children would be unclean rather than holy. So through a series of causes, first the believing parent, and then the sanctified unbeliever, the child is holy. In this type of cause and effect arrangement, the sanctification of the unbeliever comes first and is therefore more directly tied to the believer than is the sanctification of the child (which is removed by one more step). Such is not the belief or practice of any paedobaptists, even though they refer to this Scripture as proof of their belief and practice. For them it is agreeable to baptize infants whether or not the parents were separated. Paul would not use such a flawed argument to discourage separation.[3]
It is clear that this is not a cause and effect argument -- but if not, then what? In this letter, Paul is writing “unto the church of God which is at Corinth.” In his address to the whole church, he directly addresses them in the second person plural like “ye” and “your” (e.g. 1:4; 3:2-3; 5:6; 5:12) -- and sometimes including himself by using the first person plural “we” and “us” (e.g. 3:9; 6:14; 8:4). When he writes to the church about a specific grouping within the church, he uses the third person. For example, in 6:16-17 he writes of “he which is joined to an harlot” and “he that is joined unto the Lord.” When he comes to the groups of chapter 7, he writes of the unmarried and widows as “them” and “they”(8-9); and the married wife as “her” and “she” (10-11). The same manner can be observed in 7:12-13, where Paul speaks of the believing and unbelieving spouses in the third person singular -- “he” and “him”, “she” and “her”. Yet when he addresses the children -- else were your children unclean -- he does not speak of “their” children (that is, the children of the husband and wife addressed) but rather of “your” children -- the children generally of the people of the church of Corinth.[4]
Understanding this statement cues us to the fact that Paul is not making a cause and effect argument, but rather is comparing the like status of different individuals in the family. The holiness of the children is not an effect of the sanctification of the unbelieving spouse; it is a situation like it. Children are unclean with the exception of the same kind of holiness as the unbelieving adult parent has. If the unbelieving spouse were not sanctified by the marriage, it would be true also that an unknowing and unbelieving child, born by nature a sinner, is not sanctified by the relationship to a believing parent (not because of it, but for the same kind of reason). If unbelieving spouses should be cast off from with their believing spouses, then children also ought to be severed from familial connection to believing parents as well. Such is unthinkable! The whole of family and society would thereby be disrupted. As such, this is a strong argument for the maintaining the marriages of believers and unbelievers. It says nothing of infant baptism.[5]
[1] Though he admits that there “is no explicit statement anywhere in the Scriptures that infants were to be baptized or that they were commanded to be baptized.” Neither does he explain why the unbelieving spouse’s sanctification does not entitle him or her to covenant baptism. (A Biblical and Historical Case for Infant Baptism, Jonathan Culley, Palm Bay, FL: Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2008, pp. 11,16)
[2] If the sanctification of the child qualifies the child for baptism, the like sanctification would also qualify the adult for baptism.
[3] Under this interpretation the children are holy only as long as the believing parent remains in the marriage to the unbelieving parent. Ra McLaughlin, a Reformed believer and an advocate of infant baptism, recognizes this problem, writing “But the odd thing about both these arguments is that they make the children’s holiness dependent upon the marital status of their parents rather than on the children’s participation in the covenant community.” (Holy Children of Unbelievers)
[4] “Your children” refers to the children of all Corinthian believers, not just children of a mixed marriage between a believer and an unbeliever.
[5] According to John Leadley Dagg in A Decisive Argument Against Infant Baptism: Furnished by One of Its Own Proof-texts, Paul’s insight here provides proof that infant baptism was not practiced by the church at Corinth. For example, he writes, “The church at Corinth was a Pedobaptist church, or it was not. If it was a Pedobaptist church, the argument of Paul was invalid; because it was based on the false assumption, that the children sealed with the seal of God’s covenant, dedicated to Him in the holy rite of baptism, and admitted within the pale of the church, were in like circumstances with unbelieving and unbaptized adults, who were out of the covenant, and out of the church. But Paul did not use an invalid argument: therefore this church was not Pedobaptist; and the same must be true of all the churches planted by the Apostles, since they were, doubtless, all similarly organized.” (A Decisive Argument Against Infant Baptism [1850] in Tracts on Important Subjects, Charleston SC: Southern Baptist Publication Society, 1854, p. 50) Similarly Anders Wiberg writes, “...if infant baptism had been introduced by the Apostle into the Corinthian church, he could not, under any circumstances, have questioned whether the children might not have been “unclean,” because baptism would have made them "holy.” (Christian Baptism: Set Forth in the Words of the Bible, (Philadelphia, PA: American Baptist Publication Society, n.d., p. 166)
Monday, June 06, 2016
Baptism, word and significance
The significance of baptism -
Baptism is the sign of the righteousness which is by faith.
Acts 2:38: Baptism announces or exhibits the remission of sins.
Act 22:16: Baptism announces or exhibits washing away of sin.
Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12: Baptism announces or exhibits renewal in Christ (we die to sin with Christ and rise with Him to walk in newness of life).
Galatians 3 :28: Baptism announces or exhibits putting on Christ (being new or renewed in Him).
1 Peter 3:21 Baptism announces or exhibits the answer of a good conscience toward God.
--
A few dips in the Old Testament (Greek Septuagint)
Exodus 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
Exodus 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and having dipped it into some of the blood that is by the door, ye shall touch the lintel, and [shall put it] upon both door-posts, even of the blood which is by the door; but ye shall not go out every one from the door of his house till the morning.
Exodus 12:22 λήψεσθε δὲ δέσμην ὑσσώπου, καὶ βάψαντες (from βάπτω, translated dip) ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ παρὰ τὴν θύραν καθίξετε τῆς φλιᾶς καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν σταθμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος, ὅ ἐστι παρὰ τὴν θύραν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐξελεύσεσθε ἕκαστος τὴν θύραν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ.
2 Kings 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
2 Kings 5:14 So Naiman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the word of Elisaie: and his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed.
2 Kings 5:14 καὶ κατέβη Ναιμὰν καὶ ἐβαπτίσατο (from βαπτίζω, translated dip) ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ ἑπτάκις κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα ῾Ελισαιέ, καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ἡ σάρξ αὐτοῦ ὡς σάρξ παιδαρίου μικροῦ, καὶ ἐκαθαρίσθη.
2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and put it on his face, and he died: and Azael reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 8:15 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον, καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ μαχμὰ καὶ ἔβαψεν (from βάπτω, translated dip) ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ περιέβαλεν ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέθανε, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αζαὴλ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Daniel 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Daniel 4:30 In the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor: and he was driven forth from men, and he ate grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like lions’ [hairs], and his nails as birds’ [claws].
Daniel 4:30 αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ὁ λόγος συνετελέσθη ἐπὶ Ναβουχοδονόσορ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξεδιώχθη καὶ χόρτον ὡς βοῦς ἤσθιε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δρόσου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐβάφη (from βάπτω, translated bathed), ἕως οὗ αἱ τρίχες αὐτοῦ ὡς λεόντων ἐμεγαλύνθησαν καὶ οἱ ὄνυχες αὐτοῦ ὡς ὀρνέων.
Baptism is the sign of the righteousness which is by faith.
Acts 2:38: Baptism announces or exhibits the remission of sins.
Act 22:16: Baptism announces or exhibits washing away of sin.
Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12: Baptism announces or exhibits renewal in Christ (we die to sin with Christ and rise with Him to walk in newness of life).
Galatians 3 :28: Baptism announces or exhibits putting on Christ (being new or renewed in Him).
1 Peter 3:21 Baptism announces or exhibits the answer of a good conscience toward God.
--
A few dips in the Old Testament (Greek Septuagint)
- King James translation of the Bible
- English translation of the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton
- Greek Septuagint text used by the Church of Greece/Greek Orthodox
Exodus 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
Exodus 12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and having dipped it into some of the blood that is by the door, ye shall touch the lintel, and [shall put it] upon both door-posts, even of the blood which is by the door; but ye shall not go out every one from the door of his house till the morning.
Exodus 12:22 λήψεσθε δὲ δέσμην ὑσσώπου, καὶ βάψαντες (from βάπτω, translated dip) ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ παρὰ τὴν θύραν καθίξετε τῆς φλιᾶς καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν σταθμῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος, ὅ ἐστι παρὰ τὴν θύραν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐξελεύσεσθε ἕκαστος τὴν θύραν τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ ἕως πρωΐ.
2 Kings 5:14 So Naiman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the word of Elisaie: and his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed.
2 Kings 5:14 καὶ κατέβη Ναιμὰν καὶ ἐβαπτίσατο (from βαπτίζω, translated dip) ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ ἑπτάκις κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα ῾Ελισαιέ, καὶ ἐπέστρεψεν ἡ σάρξ αὐτοῦ ὡς σάρξ παιδαρίου μικροῦ, καὶ ἐκαθαρίσθη.
2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 8:15 And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and put it on his face, and he died: and Azael reigned in his stead.
2 Kings 8:15 καὶ ἐγένετο τῇ ἐπαύριον, καὶ ἔλαβε τὸ μαχμὰ καὶ ἔβαψεν (from βάπτω, translated dip) ἐν τῷ ὕδατι καὶ περιέβαλεν ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέθανε, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν ᾿Αζαὴλ ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ.
Daniel 4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws.
Daniel 4:30 In the same hour the word was fulfilled upon Nabuchodonosor: and he was driven forth from men, and he ate grass as an ox, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hairs were grown like lions’ [hairs], and his nails as birds’ [claws].
Daniel 4:30 αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ὁ λόγος συνετελέσθη ἐπὶ Ναβουχοδονόσορ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξεδιώχθη καὶ χόρτον ὡς βοῦς ἤσθιε, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δρόσου τοῦ οὐρανοῦ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐβάφη (from βάπτω, translated bathed), ἕως οὗ αἱ τρίχες αὐτοῦ ὡς λεόντων ἐμεγαλύνθησαν καὶ οἱ ὄνυχες αὐτοῦ ὡς ὀρνέων.
Sunday, June 05, 2016
A rigid master was the law
Back in October 2006, I posted a bit of poetry on Law and Grace, possibly written by John Bunyan, Ralph Erskine or John Fischer. Last month I happened upon a post -- Run, John, Run -- The author wrote, "I’m not sure, however, Bunyan ever wrote this profound and pithy summary."
I found similar poems to the one I posted that October, but have not found an original source showing this is by Bunyan. Ralph Erskine has four lines that are similar, plus two lines in another poem with the same sentiment:
I'm not sure when Gospel Sonnets; Or, Spiritual Songs was first published, but Ralph Erskine died in 1752, so what he wrote must have been written before then! "Faith, without trouble or fighting, is a suspicious faith; for true faith is a fighting, wrestling faith."
"Run, John, and work" appears as part of a 5 stanza hymn by John Berridge in his Sion's Songs, or Hymns: Composed for the Use of them that love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity (John Berridge, London: Vallance and Conder, 1785, Hymn 150, Page 203). When Charles H. Spurgeon mentioned this hymn, he credited it to Berridge (as did William Gadsby in his hymn book). Both Spurgeon and Gadsby were quite familiar with Bunyan's works. It would seem they wouldn't have mentioned that if it were by him.
I found similar poems to the one I posted that October, but have not found an original source showing this is by Bunyan. Ralph Erskine has four lines that are similar, plus two lines in another poem with the same sentiment:
A rigid master was the law,Gospel Sonnets; Or, Spiritual Songs, In Six Parts, (The Eighteenth Edition, Ralph Erksine, Edinburgh: W. Darling, 1782, p. 305.)
Demanding brick, denying straw;
But when with gospel-tongue it sings,
It bids me fly, and gives me wings.
By promised aid, but lo; the grievous law(The Sermons, and Other Practical Works, Volume X, Ralph Erskine, London: R. Baynes, 1821, p. 26; the "rigid master" poem is on p. 221)
demanding brick, won't aid her with straw
I'm not sure when Gospel Sonnets; Or, Spiritual Songs was first published, but Ralph Erskine died in 1752, so what he wrote must have been written before then! "Faith, without trouble or fighting, is a suspicious faith; for true faith is a fighting, wrestling faith."
"Run, John, and work" appears as part of a 5 stanza hymn by John Berridge in his Sion's Songs, or Hymns: Composed for the Use of them that love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity (John Berridge, London: Vallance and Conder, 1785, Hymn 150, Page 203). When Charles H. Spurgeon mentioned this hymn, he credited it to Berridge (as did William Gadsby in his hymn book). Both Spurgeon and Gadsby were quite familiar with Bunyan's works. It would seem they wouldn't have mentioned that if it were by him.
Hymn 150
1. The law demands a weighty debt,
And not a single mite will bate;
But gospel sings of Jesu’s blood,
And says it made the payment good.
2. The law provokes men oft to ill,
And churlish hearts makes harder still;
But gospel acts a kinder part,
And melts a most obdurate heart.
3. Run, John, and work, the law commands,
Yet finds me neither feet nor hands;
But sweeter news the gospel brings;
It bids me fly, and lends me wings.
4. Such needful wings, O Lord, impart,
To brace my feet, and brace my heart;
Good wings of faith, and wings of love
Will make a cripple sprightly move.
5. With these a lumpish soul may fly,It is possible that both Erskine and Berridge based their pieces on an earlier work, or perhaps this portion of Berridge's hymn is derived from Erskine.
And soar aloft, and reach the sky;
Nor faint nor falter in the race,
But cheerly work, and sing of grace.
Saturday, June 04, 2016
By the grace of God
"I am not what I ought to be — ah, how imperfect and deficient! I am not what I wish to be — I abhor what is evil, and I would cleave to what is good! I am not what I hope to be — soon, soon shall I put off mortality, and with mortality all sin and imperfection. Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say, I am not what I once was; a slave to sin and Satan; and I can heartily join with the apostle, and acknowledge, 'By the grace of God I am what I am.'" -- John Newton, related in The Christian Spectator, Volume 3, p. 186
Friday, June 03, 2016
ACLU leader resigns
Georgia ACLU leader resigns over Obama’s transgender bathroom directive
Ms. Smith explained that the last straw for her was when her young daughters ran into three transgender adults in the women’s bathroom. “I have shared my personal experience of having taken my elementary school age daughters into a women’s restroom when shortly after three transgender young adults over six feet with deep voices entered. My children were visibly frightened, concerned about their safety and left asking lots of questions for which I, like many parents, was ill-prepared to answer.”
Ms. Smith explained that the last straw for her was when her young daughters ran into three transgender adults in the women’s bathroom. “I have shared my personal experience of having taken my elementary school age daughters into a women’s restroom when shortly after three transgender young adults over six feet with deep voices entered. My children were visibly frightened, concerned about their safety and left asking lots of questions for which I, like many parents, was ill-prepared to answer.”
A Confession of Liberal Intolerance, and other links
The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.
- A Confession of Liberal Intolerance -- "We’re fine with people who don’t look like us, as long as they think like us."
- A look inside the Creation Museum's cabinet of curiosities -- "Treating the Creation Museum too readily as an outlier and isolated case, “Righting America” never quite gets around to engaging these kinds of questions — leaving its subject matter behind glass for us to gawk at."
- A Mathematician's View of Evolution -- "...a good many mathematicians, physicists and computer scientists...are appalled that Darwin's explanation for the development of life is so widely accepted in the life sciences. Few of them ever speak out or write on this issue, however..."
- A Word to Young Preachers about Pride -- "If you’re not willing to preach in the basement, you have no business preaching in the bay window."
- Atheists abandon "religion causes war" argument -- "Scott Atran is the first atheist to publicly come out and admit the historical nonexistence of the oft-claimed connection between religion and war..."
- Black Pastors Slam Obama Admin’s Equivalence of Gender Identity Ideology with Black Civil Rights -- "Owens referred to attempts by the Obama administration to make the LGBT political and social engineering agendas the equivalent of civil rights a theft and outrageous extortion and usurpation of the Civil Rights Movement."
- Brief Survey of Historical Background to Church Discipline in Baptist Churches -- "Baptist churches have especially been concerned about the issue of church discipline because of our commitment to a regenerate church membership."
- Leftward to Scofield: the Eclipse of the Kingdom in Post-Conservative Evangelical Theology -- "To understand the project of “post-conservative” theology, one must examine the context of the emergence of the postwar evangelical movement as a theological enterprise."
- New Reformed Baptist Group in the Works: Reformed Baptist Network -- "…In the end, we agreed that the Network would be based around subscription to the 1689 Confession, and would be formally organized for fellowship and cooperation in Missions. "
- Seven Theological Issues Confronting the Local Church -- "...the church must reassert the primacy of the ordinances."
- The Mathematical Impossibility Of Evolution -- "...because it still seems to show in a very simple way that evolution is impossible—no one, to my knowledge, has ever tried to refute it."
- Top Ten Favorite Reads in 2015 -- "I list these books in no particular order, just ten of my favorite reads in 2015."
- Touch Not God’s Anointed and Don’t Talk To Him Either -- "Reading the tone of Rainer’s articles you almost get the sense that you, pew sitter, simply do not need to even be talking with your pastor."
- What Happens When Character Matters Less than Talent? -- "The thing about Manziel is that he has a ton of talent. He’s also got amazing passion. But..."
- Why Does the Bible Teach that Human Life is Sacred? -- "All human life is stamped with the Image of God."
- 13 Key Events of Church History -- "It is an interesting exercise for sure."
Thursday, June 02, 2016
What Wesley didn't say
Some Wesleyans have spent time trying to correct the historical record.
- Twice-Told Tales -- "So we misquote Wesley as saying 'The world is my parish,' and use the phrase as a motto for world missions, which Wesley was reticent to support in his day."
- Wesley Didn’t Say It: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can... -- "You may have seen this quote in a nice frame on the wall of a Methodist Church, or even published in a book, citing John Wesley as its author."
- Wesley Didn’t Say It: Set Myself on Fire...Watch Me Burn -- "...look for that quote in Wesley as long as you want, you won’t find it."
- Wesley Didn’t Say It: Unity, Liberty, Charity -- "Wesley didn’t say that, we should stop saying that he did."
Little Sisters Win, and other links
The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.
- A one-legged man trapped inside a two-legged man’s body. Amputate? -- "He has suffered psychological angst his entire life because of his two legs."
- Born Again This Way -- "...as a Christian my sexual desires did not have the final say in defining my identity and my life. That fell to God and his word."
- 'But seriously folks': Humor's role in pulpit assessed -- "...transitions can be awkward from humor to 'the weighty issues of Christ crucified and resurrected, of eternity, of Judgment Day.'"
- Down with the Homogeneous Unit Principle? -- "In the recent past, the Homogeneous Unit Principle (HUP) was viewed positively as the rationale for starting churches of demographically similar people."
- FlushTarget campaign launches: truck to visit every Target store in Minnesota -- "A #FlushTarget truck, bearing an image of a little girl being surprised by a man in the women’s bathroom, and the text “What about her rights to privacy and protection?” will be visting every single Target store in Target's home state over the next few weeks."
- Guided by God and Disney, life-size ark rises in Kentucky -- "Ark Encounter could generate up to 21,000 jobs for the region over 10 years and up to $4 billion in revenue for Kentucky..."
- Illinois Bible Colleges Sue State's Higher Education Board -- "We don't think there can be state regulation of a religious program."
- Little Sisters Win: Unanimous SCOTUS Decision a Big Victory for Religious Freedom -- "While various parties challenged whether providing free contraception and abortifacients really constitutes a “compelling governmental interest,” the real argument was whether the Obama administration had chosen the least-restrictive means."
- Obama’s Threat to Defund Schools Over Trans Bathroom Issue Violates Federal Law -- "...for athletics, a boy who feels he should be a “transgender girl” could be excluded from the girls’ basketball team, but not put out of the girl’s locker room."
- The Pasadena Consultation: Homogeneous Unit Principle -- "A discussion of the “homogeneous unit principle” of Church Growth theory was held under the auspices of the Lausanne Theology and Education Group from May 31 to June 2, 1977, in Pasadena, California."
- The Seven Deadly Social Networks -- "Every crime against the divine will has its own corresponding digital brand...Social networks do best when they tap into one of the seven deadly sins."
Wednesday, June 01, 2016
John baptized no infants
John was sent from God to baptize. John 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me...
John's baptism was the counsel of God. Luke 7:29-30 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Jesus received John's baptism. Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
John's baptism:
John's baptism was the counsel of God. Luke 7:29-30 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Jesus received John's baptism. Matthew 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
John's baptism:
- Was associated with a warning to flee from the wrath to come, Matthew 3:7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Infants cannot comprehend such a warning.
- Proceeded on principle of individual responsibility rather than physical descent, Matthew 3:9. And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Infants are incapable of such responsibility.
- Was a baptism of repentance unto remission of sins, Mark 1:4. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. Matt. 3:11) Infants cannot repent.
- Was accompanied by confession of sins, Matthew 3:6. And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Infants cannot confess their sins.
- Was preceded by evidence of repentance, Matthew 3:8. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: Infants cannot produce such fruit.
- Related to a belief on Him which should come after John, Acts 19:4. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. (Cf. John 1:29) Infants cannot believe or disbelieve.
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