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"BAPTISM"
Sprinkling, Pouring, Or Immersion?
INTRODUCTION
1. In the preaching and teaching of the apostles, we saw that baptism
is essential to:
a. Salvation - Mk 16:16; Ac 2:38; 22:16
b. Becoming disciples of Christ - Mt 28:19-20; Ga 3:27
2. But even when the necessity of baptism has been established,
questions often remain:
a. Is baptism to be immersion, pouring, or sprinkling?
b. Should infants be baptized?
c. Is there every any reason to be "re-baptized?"
[This lesson examines the first of these questions: "Is baptism to be
sprinkling, pouring or immersion?" Let's begin by examining...]
I. THE GREEK WORDS FOR "BAPTIZE" AND "BAPTISM"
A. THE WORDS ARE "BAPTIZO" AND "BAPTISMA"...
1. Note that the words "baptize" and "baptism" are not actually
TRANSLATIONS of the Greek words
2. They are TRANSLITERATIONS (where Greek letters in a word are
simply given their English equivalents)
3. To confirm the actual meaning, we must go to authorities on
the Greek language
B. THE FOLLOWING GREEK LEXICONS DEFINE "BAPTIZE" AS "TO IMMERSE, TO
PLUNGE, TO DIP"...
1. Greek-English Lexicon Of The N.T. (THAYER)
2. Greek-English Lexicon, 7th Edition (LIDDEL & SCOTT)
3. Greek Lexicon Of The Roman And Byzantine Periods (SOPHOCLES)
4. Biblio-Theological Lexicon Of N.T. Words (CREMER)
5. To quote VINE'S EXPOSITORY DICTIONARY OF N.T. WORDS: "baptism,
consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and
emergence"
C. NOT ONE STANDARD GREEK LEXICON DEFINES "BAPTIZO" AS "SPRINKLE" OR
"POUR"...
1. In fact, there are completely different words in Greek for
"pouring" (CHENO) and "sprinkling" (RAINO)
2. It is important to keep in mind concerning "baptize" and
"baptism":
a. That they are simply "transliterations"
b. That they were transliterated instead of translated in our
Bibles to avoid offending those who practice pouring or
sprinkling
c. But when translated into English, they can only mean "to
immerse" and "immersion"!
D. WHAT ABOUT MODERN ENGLISH DICTIONARIES?
1. It is true that they define baptism as sprinkling, pouring, or
immersion
2. But their definitions reflect common usage of words by people
TODAY
3. To know exactly what was meant by Jesus and His apostles, we
must consult authorities who define how words were used IN
BIBLICAL TIMES!
[That of course is where Greek lexicons like those referenced to above
are helpful. They define words according to their meaning at the time
used by the New Testament writers. Now let's consider...]
II. FIGURES OF SPEECH USED TO DESCRIBE BAPTISM
A. BY PAUL IN ROMANS...
1. In baptism, we are "buried with Him...into death" - Ro 6:3-4
2. Baptism is a "likeness of his death" - Ro 6:5
B. BY PAUL IN COLOSSIANS...
1. In baptism, we are "buried with Him"
2. "in which, you were also raised with Him" - Co 2:12
C. WHICH ACTION (IMMERSION, POURING, SPRINKLING) IS:
1. A "burial?"
2. A "likeness of His death?"
3. A "likeness of His resurrection?"
-- Only immersion (followed by an emersion) fits Paul's
description of baptism
[Paul's use of such figures of speech would make no sense if baptism
were either pouring or sprinkling. It is also interesting to note...]
III. THE TESTIMONY OF VARIOUS SCHOLARS
A. WHOSE DENOMINATIONS PRACTICE POURING OR SPRINKLING...
1. EPISCOPALIAN
a. "This passage (Ro 6:4) cannot be understood unless it be
borne in mind that the primitive baptism was by immersion"
- CONYBEARE & HOWSON (Life And Epistles Of St. Paul)
b. "Baptism means immersion; and it was immersion...Unless it
had been so, Paul's analogical argument about our being
buried with Christ in baptism would have had no meaning.
Nothing could have been simpler than baptism in its first
form. When a convert declared his faith in Christ, he was
taken at once to the nearest pool or stream of water and
plunged into it, and henceforward he was recognized as one
of the Christian community." - CUNNINGHAM (The Growth Of
The Church)
c. "Baptism is the grave of the old man and the birth of the
new. As he sinks beneath the baptismal waters, the believer
buries there all his corrupt affections and past sins; as
he emerges thence he rises regenerate, quickened to new
hopes and a new life. This baptism is an image of his
participation both in the death and resurrection of
Christ." - BISHOP LIGHTFOOT (Commentary)
2. METHODIST
a. "Alluding to the 'immersion' practiced in the case of
'adults,' wherein the person appeared to be buried under
the water, as Christ was buried in the heart of the earth;
His rising again the third day, and their emerging from the
water, was an emblem of the resurrection of the body."
- ADAM CLARKE (Commentary on Colossians 2:12)
b. "'We are buried with him.' Alluding to the ancient manner
of baptizing by immersion." - JOHN WESLEY (Notes)
3. LUTHERAN
a. "The sacrament of baptism was administered in this century
(the first) without the public assemblies, in places
appointed and prepared for that purpose, and was performed
by an immersion of the whole body in the baptismal font."
- MOSHEIM (Mosheim's Church History)
b. "For the explanation of this figurative description of the
baptismal rite, it is necessary to call attention to the
well-known circumstance that in the early days of the
church, persons, when baptized, were first plunged below
and then raised above the water." - THOLUCK (Commentary on
Romans)
4. CATHOLIC - "For thirteen hundred years was baptism an
immersion of the person under water." - BRENNER
B. HOW DO THEY RECONCILE WITH THEIR DENOMINATIONS' PRACTICE?
1. Since these scholars (and many others) admit and affirm that
immersion is the only "form" of baptism taught in the Bible,
are they to be charged with dishonesty and insincerity because
they practiced "sprinkling" or "pouring"?
2. Not necessarily; rather, they fell into the fallacy of
assuming:
a. Apostolic commands and examples are not binding
b. Human wisdom may alter specific Bible teaching in what they
call "rites" or "customs"
3. But Jesus condemned the religious leaders of His day for
making the same mistake! - Mt 15:1-9; Mk 7:1-13
a. Laying aside the commandments of God, they were keeping
traditions of men
b. By keeping certain traditions, they were not keeping the
commandments of God!
4. When one practices pouring or sprinkling...
a. They are keeping traditions of men, not the commandments of
God
b. They render the commandment of God to be immersed
(baptized) of no effect!
5. Though sincere, one is not necessarily right; we are right
only when we do the Father's will! - Mt 7:21-23
a. Love for Jesus will be manifested by keeping His
commandments - Jn 14:15; 15:10,14
b. Love for God is manifested the same way - 1 Jn 5:3
CONCLUSION
1. What have we learned?
a. That the Greek words mean "immersion"
b. That "sprinkling" or "pouring" is inconsistent with the FIGURES
OF SPEECH used in the Bible to describe baptism
c. That there is no question "immersion" was the mode of baptism in
the Bible and the early church
2. As a final confirmation, consider the account of Philip and the
Ethiopian eunuch - Ac 8:35-39
a. "both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water"
b. "he baptized (immersed) him"
c. "they came up out of the water"
3. What of yourself?
a. Was your baptism like that described in Ac 8:38-39?
b. If you were sprinkled or had water poured upon you...
1) You were keeping a tradition of man
2) You have not yet kept the commandment of God!
4. If you have not been baptized (immersed) as commanded by Jesus and
His apostles...
a. You are still in your sins! - Ac 2:38; 22:16
b. You have not yet put on Christ and become His disciple! - Ga 3:
27; Mt 28:18-20
'And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash
away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' (Acts 22:16)
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© Mark A. Copeland, 2001
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