Doulos Iesou
Member
- Mar 22, 2013
- 3,498
- 32
Introduction:
If you were to go into a Church service at many locations around the world, you'd observe that the invitation for sinners to come into the kingdom and come unto union with Christ looks a bit like this:
Personally, I have observed this kind of "altar call" across many modern Churches in America. The question is, is it Biblical?
What I find to be missing in most of these (not to mention what doesn't need to be there) is Baptism. If you look throughout Acts, every single time someone comes to Christ there is usually an immediate baptism that happens once someone affirms Christ as Lord.
Just how integral is Baptism to our union with Christ, to being born again?
Baptism and Union With Christ
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4(ESV)
The picture here is that Baptism represents our participation in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. That when we are submerged into the water, that represents the burial with Jesus, and that rising from that water is where we enter into newness of life.
The question is, is this just a symbolic representation of something that has already happened. Has the Christian already been united with Christ in this way prior to Baptism, or does this happen at Baptism?
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27(ESV)
This passage seems to point to the latter option, that as many or ὅσοι, the Greek word has this use elsewhere:
and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. Matthew 14:36(ESV)
Only those who touched the garments were made well here, or rather as many as did touch it, were made well. This seems to then be true about baptism, as in both Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27 this relative pronoun ὅσοι seems to indicate that only those who are baptized have been united with Christ.
In Paul's mind how else is Baptism envisaged?
For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 1 Corinthians 10:1-2
The Exodus through the Red Sea is another picture of baptism, but rather instead of the Israelites leaving from the slavery of the Egyptians and Pharaoh. The Christians when they are united with Jesus are to leave slavery from sin and death, and walk in the newness of life.
Practical Example:
Many take this view to be "salvation by works" and this comes from I believe, an overly systematic theology rather than a narrative theology. We try to fit and and organize things into an ordo salutis, where salvation is logically ordered out but don't stop to ask whether making up such and order of salvation is helpful to understand Scriptures teaching.
The example I want to offer is marriage:
Marriage is a Covenant that we enter into out of love and commitment, the love and affection shared by the man and woman are surely real going into Marriage, but the union is not fully realized until that ceremony happens, and the two are made one.
Baptism, I believe is closely related to this, that though we believe before we are baptized and are justified by faith, the union with Christ is not fully realized until that ceremony, that sacrament of Baptism.
Conclusion:
Baptism, then should not be a secondary action, but closely related and cherished by the Christian as they know this was the moment when they had their new exodus. When they walked into the waters of baptism to leave the life of slavery to sin and death, and to live now to righteousness and newness of life in relationship with Jesus.
This isn't merely a "super spiritual" action either, we are to now therefore consider ourselves, and put our minds on the things are above.. where Christ is seated. Baptism, is however, the foundation of the new life lived but of course there much more to work out.
Protestants (as I myself am one) have historically diminished the role of Baptism, but does Scripture?
Blessings in Christ,
Servant of Jesus
If you were to go into a Church service at many locations around the world, you'd observe that the invitation for sinners to come into the kingdom and come unto union with Christ looks a bit like this:
"Now with no one looking around, if anyone is far off and needs salvation, or if you have been wandering around and want to come home to Jesus, again with no eyes looking around.. raise your hand." Hands raise around the room. "I see that hand, and that one.. The sinners prayer is then recited, and at the end of the prayer the Pastor will likely said, now if you raised your hand and prayed that prayer, the Bible says you are now born again and are eternally saved.
Personally, I have observed this kind of "altar call" across many modern Churches in America. The question is, is it Biblical?
What I find to be missing in most of these (not to mention what doesn't need to be there) is Baptism. If you look throughout Acts, every single time someone comes to Christ there is usually an immediate baptism that happens once someone affirms Christ as Lord.
Just how integral is Baptism to our union with Christ, to being born again?
Baptism and Union With Christ
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:3-4(ESV)
The picture here is that Baptism represents our participation in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. That when we are submerged into the water, that represents the burial with Jesus, and that rising from that water is where we enter into newness of life.
The question is, is this just a symbolic representation of something that has already happened. Has the Christian already been united with Christ in this way prior to Baptism, or does this happen at Baptism?
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:27(ESV)
This passage seems to point to the latter option, that as many or ὅσοι, the Greek word has this use elsewhere:
and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. Matthew 14:36(ESV)
Only those who touched the garments were made well here, or rather as many as did touch it, were made well. This seems to then be true about baptism, as in both Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27 this relative pronoun ὅσοι seems to indicate that only those who are baptized have been united with Christ.
In Paul's mind how else is Baptism envisaged?
For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 1 Corinthians 10:1-2
The Exodus through the Red Sea is another picture of baptism, but rather instead of the Israelites leaving from the slavery of the Egyptians and Pharaoh. The Christians when they are united with Jesus are to leave slavery from sin and death, and walk in the newness of life.
Practical Example:
Many take this view to be "salvation by works" and this comes from I believe, an overly systematic theology rather than a narrative theology. We try to fit and and organize things into an ordo salutis, where salvation is logically ordered out but don't stop to ask whether making up such and order of salvation is helpful to understand Scriptures teaching.
The example I want to offer is marriage:
Marriage is a Covenant that we enter into out of love and commitment, the love and affection shared by the man and woman are surely real going into Marriage, but the union is not fully realized until that ceremony happens, and the two are made one.
Baptism, I believe is closely related to this, that though we believe before we are baptized and are justified by faith, the union with Christ is not fully realized until that ceremony, that sacrament of Baptism.
Conclusion:
Baptism, then should not be a secondary action, but closely related and cherished by the Christian as they know this was the moment when they had their new exodus. When they walked into the waters of baptism to leave the life of slavery to sin and death, and to live now to righteousness and newness of life in relationship with Jesus.
This isn't merely a "super spiritual" action either, we are to now therefore consider ourselves, and put our minds on the things are above.. where Christ is seated. Baptism, is however, the foundation of the new life lived but of course there much more to work out.
Protestants (as I myself am one) have historically diminished the role of Baptism, but does Scripture?
Blessings in Christ,
Servant of Jesus
:amen