MUST WE BAPTIZE AGAIN?
A Primer on Practical Church Practice
Elder R. Keith Hamilton
Baptism is a practice which the Lord Jesus Christ
established for His followers to enjoin.1 It is essential to the Christian
Experience and true fellowship among God’s people, for it symbolizes the death,
burial and resurrection of Christ.2
Those who are baptized fulfill the practice as a testimony of Faith in
the Deity of Christ and His ability to Redeem the Child of God from sinful
death.
For the Believer, Baptism is the first manifestation
of Faith. It also symbolizes the death
and burial of the old, unrepentant life and the “resurrection” of the faithful
believer into the new life of Faith. It
is the public profession of Faith in Christ as the Son of God, and the only
scriptural requirement for fellowship in the Church (Kingdom) of Jesus Christ.3
Scripture is very specific about the essential
elements and purpose of Baptism. A
“valid” baptism is achieved only when all elements of Scripture concerning the
means and motive of Baptism are satisfied.
Perhaps the most important aspect of a valid Baptism is the Scriptural
Statement of Purpose as found in I Peter3:21, “The like figure whereunto even
Baptism doth also now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ.” Therefore, the believer is to
participate in Baptism only as an Act of Obedience, with Faith and Love for
God, and must not confound Baptism as an act of Redemption or means of Eternal
Salvation.
The elements of a valid
Baptism as presented in Scripture are that Baptism is accomplished only:
- As a result of Faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, the only Savior and Redeemer.4
- When declared in the Name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit.5
- By Immersion.6
- When administered by a man called of God to be a
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.7
For all things to be done decently and in order within
a church body8, all members of that body must stand unified in the
same Hope and Faith. As part of this,
the church family must be able to testify that the Baptism of each member
within that fellowship is scripturally valid. Such testimony is required when the church
must answer to God for her actions while in the Earth and to give answer to all
men for the reason of hope that is Christian Faith.9
There is a great diversity of teachings among
Christian people, many varying widely from true Scripture. Because of this, Primitive Baptists require
individuals of other faiths seeking to be united in our fellowship to be
Re-Baptized. This is required that the
church may retain a Good Conscience in answering to God and a strong order of
fellowship.
When an individual is baptized, that person is taking
such a step under the pretext of some belief (faith). Baptism is a practical profession of that
Faith. The Baptism and Faith must be
considered consistent, but if that Faith cannot be reconciled to the whole of
Scripture, the Baptism is invalid as a Christian Experience.10
The greatest tragedy among the teachings of most
Christian Orders is a weakening of the authority and power of Christ and God
the Father. Most often this occurs
through an errant emphasis on the value of human work and ability.11 The Practice of Re-Baptism is enjoined
among the Primitive Baptists to establish the unique authority of Jesus Christ
as Savior and Redeemer.
The precedent for Re-Baptism is established in Acts
chapter 19. The believers at Ephesus
were re-baptized due to the absence of Total Authority for Christ as Savior,
thus their previous Baptism was founded upon a false faith and void of christian hope. Further, the first baptism was administered
by one not teaching the whole of Scripture and pronouncing it as a means to an
end. Apollos
had taught Baptism as being synonymous with Redemption. Having been baptized believing such, the
Faith they held denied Christ and excluded the Sovereignty of God. Redemption became a result of their own actions.
The elements of most Faiths which invalidate Baptism
are very subtle but nonetheless significant.
At other times, a Faith (belief) may be in blatant defiance of
Scripture.
For instance, there are many which teach “Saved by
Grace” but require a believer to “accept” Christ before they can be Baptized
and “be saved”. Though subtle and
seemingly innocent, this teaching illustrates very well the undermining of the
Authority of Christ. It subjugates the
Office of Christ as Redeemer to the intellectual and emotional charge of
humans. Scripture will not support such
teaching for Christian Faith, but rather emphatically expresses that Man cannot
be redeemed, and thereby “saved” by any action, thought, or process of his own
will. To “accept” as it is taught, is an
intellectual process of man, a “work” of man’s intellect. This makes Redemption a process of Salvation
by Works.12
Any Faith in Redemption through human effort must be completely
rejected in light of Scripture.
Likewise, any Baptism exercised under the pretext of such a hope must
also be rejected.
Further, we hold very closely to the belief that a
valid Baptism may be exercised only by immersion. The word baptism itself means to be
“completely covered”. Any substitution
such as anointing or sprinkling the body with water does not accurately portray
the full purpose and commission of true Baptism. Baptism is expressly the shadow of the death,
burial, and resurrection of Christ. It
does not cleanse or purify the believer from sin; It is only an act of Faith
commemorating the process which did succeed in cleansing.
Also, we hold to a strong belief that anyone who
administers the Ordinance of Baptism should be one called of God as a minister
and proclaimer of the Gospel. Scripture teaches the Office of a Pastor or
Minister is not to be considered simply a profession. Any man who stands in defense of the Gospel
does so truthfully only at the initiation of the Spirit of God and when
sustained by the Grace of God. Many men
stand as ministers having only the qualification of a man’s education without
the testimony and witness of God upon him.
Such are not sufficient for leading and teaching God’s people, and
cannot in all sincerity administer the likeness of Redemption as established by
the Lord’s Christ.
1 Matthew 3:13-17
2 Luke 12:50
3 Acts 8:34-38
4 John 3:3-8
5 Matthew 28:19
6 Matthew 3:16 / Acts
8:38
7 Acts 8:26-27
8 I Corinthians 14:40
9 I Peter 3:15
10 Ephesians 4:4-6
11 Romans 11:5-6 /
Ephesians 2:8-9
12 Titus 3:4-5