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Word from Scotland

    by Sandy Shaw

Discussion Paper on Baptism
Date Posted: October 5, 2020

Shortly after my ‘Ordination’ to the Church of Scotland ministry in May 1968, I experienced increasing difficulty in ‘baptising’ infants – and this had arisen from a careful study of the Scriptures, where baptism is only administered following Repentance, and Faith in Jesus Christ. The following Biblical passages have been the basis of this careful study.

Acts 2 verses 37 to 41. People having heard Peter preach on the Day of Pentecost wish to respond. They want to do something, and genuinely ask, “What shall we do?”

Peter answers – “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.”

Believing was not enough. They knew it. So did the apostles.

Peter continues – “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off – for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

The promise refers to the promise of the Holy Spirit spoken of in verse 33 – and spoken of by Jesus Himself in Acts 1 verses 4,5.

The promise refers to receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit – or as Jesus says, “you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”. This reference is not connected directly with water baptism.

And, significantly, the word “children” in verse 39, is not the word for babies or infants, but the word used for older children – or even descendents.

Verse 41 specifically states that those who accepted his message were baptised.

This principle has never changed as Scripture makes very clear.

Acts 8 verse 12. Those who were baptised had heard the message and had come to believe. They were baptised right away. Later, they received the Holy Spirit. From the content of Philip’s preaching we know that Repentance was one element.

Acts 8 verses 34 – 39. The Ethiopian eunuch, having heard Philip speak to him about Jesus, on seeing water, requested to be baptised. They went down into the water and came up out of the water.

Acts 9 verse 18. After Paul is confronted by the living Jesus on the Damascus Road, Ananias visits him in Damascus, and after he is filled with the Holy Spirit he is baptised. The account of this in Acts 22 verse 16 is most enlightening.

“And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.”

This is Paul speaking of that day, some years later. Again, we see that believing in Jesus Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit is not enough. There has to be baptism – and for good reasons.

Acts Chapter 10. Cornelius has Peter visit his home and speak with him and his family. We know from verse 2, that there were no babies or infants. They all had the ability to be devout and the capacity to fear God.

In verse 44, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message of Peter.

They heard – they received the Holy Spirit – they spoke in tongues – and they were baptised. Some were astonished at this, and it caused trouble back in Jerusalem as we read in Chapter 11, because these people were Gentiles, not Jews.

Peter had to face the leadership in Jerusalem and explain everything precisely. In this case the leadership was open to hear, receive, and accept what Peter was doing – and what Jesus was doing through Peter – no matter how unusual or revolutionary this might be. Peter ordered that they be baptised.

When the leadership in Jerusalem understood, they had ‘no further objections’.

Acts 16 verses 25 to 34. Paul and Silas, having been imprisoned in Philippi speak to the jailor and his household. The jailor and all his household heard the word of the Lord and were baptised. The whole family was filled with joy – and why? The whole family had had come to believe in God.

Acts 19 verses 1 to 6. Paul meets with 12 men and speaks with 12 men and teaches 12 men and baptises 12 men. They had been through another form of baptism, but not Christian baptism. Paul was concerned that those whom he met were properly initiated into the Christian Faith – or properly and fully and adequately ‘born again’.

Even after their baptism, Paul still noticed and observed that something was missing. He took time to ensure that they had received the Holy Spirit.

Paul laid his hands on them – the Holy Spirit came on them – and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

Their initiation was now complete. They had been adequately birthed – in as much as they had Repented, Believed, been Baptised, and received the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20. The risen Lord Jesus Christ tells His disciples – Go – make disciples – baptise them – teach. Who is “them”? Those who have become disciples. Then, teach them. They are even told what to teach.

We have no right or authority to amend or change this command and instruction of Jesus Christ.

Mark 16 verse 16. Baptism is a sealing of our commitment to becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.

From the Scriptures we have read, the New Testament tends to indicate that believing and being baptised is an integral part of salvation.

Romans 6 verses 1 to 7. Paul is describing and explaining to baptised people what happened when they were baptised. The New Testament appears to know nothing of unbaptised disciples.

Paul refers to our being buried and rising – and buried means buried.

We do this in obedience to Jesus Christ, who commanded it. We surrender and submit to Jesus Christ as the hands of men.

I read of no one in the New Testament rebelling against baptism. To do so would have probably raised questions regarding the first two steps – how real was your Repentance – and – how genuine is your faith in Jesus Christ?

There is no hint whatsoever or babies or infants being baptised. Baptism is only administered following Repentance and Faith in Jesus Christ.

What of “The Covenant of Grace”? I read of no such phrase in Scripture. I see nothing that would imply such a concept. The Old Covenant was with a nation – the New Covenant is with individuals.

The Old Covenant is obsolete – Hebrews Chapter 8 verse 13.

What is the meaning of this word ‘baptise’? It is a Greek word which has never been translated in our English Bible. The word has only been transliterated and this has caused much difficulty. It implies total immersion – used of a piece of cloth dipped in dye. (I used to work in ‘Pullars of Perth’, the dyers.)

Other comparable words would be – soak, saturate, steep, plunge, dip, dunk, drench, deluge. It is enlightening to re-read the biblical passages on ‘baptism’, using these words.

If John had been called ‘John the Plunger’ or ‘John the Dipper’ much confusion might have been avoided.

New Testament evangelism appears to incorporate these four aspects – Repentance, Believing in Jesus Christ, being Baptised and Receiving the Holy Spirit.

“Gracious God – we thank You that in the Scriptures You show us how we come into the Church of Jesus Christ – and how to act and behave once we come into the Church. We thank You for bringing us through the various struggles and battles – and for giving us a testimony that is real and lasting – and can be supported by the Scriptures. We thank You and praise You in and through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord. Amen.”

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Biography Information:

Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!

Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.

Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.

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