A new life
So baptism, as it is presented in the Bible, is a most significant event. In this way the believer recognises that he needs saving from death, and at the same time signifies his desire to live in the spirit of Christ. He embarks upon a new course of life, in faith that God will receive him as one of His children. All this is something that an infant of a few days cannot possibly do. The child is quite incapable of understanding and responding. Nor can anyone else “stand in” for him as a sort of sponsor. In the scriptures no substitutes are acceptable. We have to “work out our own salvation” (Philippians 2:12) – no one else can do it for us.
This is why there are no examples in the New Testament of infants being baptized; they are all of adults who fully understood what they were doing. In the early Church writings there are no references to infant baptism before about 150 AD. The account of Justin Martyr (who died in 165 AD) clearly applies to adults:
“As many as are persuaded and believe what we teach and say is true, and undertake to be able to live accordingly, are instructed to pray … for the remission of their sins … (We) become children of choice and knowledge and obtain in the water the remission of sins … (The believer) chooses to be born again and has repented of his sins (Ante-Nicene Christian Library, volume ii, page 59).
Tertullian (about 200 AD) is said to be the first person in history to mention infant baptism. He had the reputation of upholding apostolic traditions. It is significant therefore that he wrote against the growing practice of infant baptism; he was “a zealous opponent” of it, says Neander, the historian (Church History, volume 1, page 425).
Infant baptism unscriptural
All through the centuries since those days, and especially since the renewed interest in the teaching of the Bible at the Reformation in the 16th century, the practice of infant baptism has been a matter of dispute. The Roman Catholic Church has justified the practice because it was the tradition of the Church – an unreliable basis; others on the ground that the child is by this sacrament saved from condemnation and “regenerated by the Holy Spirit” – “sacramental regeneration” as it is called. This teaching cannot be justified from the scriptures and is a clear case of “salvation by ceremony” – just what Biblical baptism is not.
Dr. L. Lange, a leading German theologian, said frankly:
“It must be granted by every unprejudiced reader of Holy Scripture and Christian antiquity that the baptism of newborn children was altogether unknown to primitive Christianity” (History of Protestantism, page 221).
Dean Stanley, in another article, writes that:
“The practice of immersion, apostolic and primitive as it was … was peculiarly unsuitable to the taste, the convenience and the feelings of the North and the West … Not by any decree of Council … but by the general sentiment of Christian liberty, this great change (to infant sprinkling) was effected … It is a striking example of the triumph of common sense over the bondage of form and custom” (The Nineteenth Century Review, October 1879).
In other words, the Church has radically changed the original, scriptural form of baptism sanctioned by the practice of the apostles of Jesus, because it was found inconvenient or unacceptable, or distasteful.
Hesitations
There are at least two fairly common reactions to what we have said so far, which deserve some consideration.
First, there are those who say: “I admit that all this is true, but I don’t feel the urge to be baptized.” Now this attitude arises principally in those who expect to be able to see religion mainly in emotional terms. If they feel a certain lack of response in themselves, they may conclude that they are not yet fit for baptism.
But this is a mistake. What God desires of us in the first place is that we set our minds to understand His word, and then to accept the truths He has set out in it, and to decide to try and serve Him. There is an important reason why this is the constant method of the word of God. The man who understands certain important truths and then sets out to allow them to influence his life, becomes a different person. If he persists in the course, he will become a different character, by the “renewing of the spirit of his mind”, as Paul put it. The change will be permanent. God will be able to use the new person in His service, both now and in the age to come.
God’s command
But ultimately, if we know God’s command is that we should be baptized, then we should obey it. Otherwise we are rejecting the word of God itself. The really deep appreciation of what we have done will come later, as we experience in our own lives the truth of God’s view of our sins, and are better able to appreciate “the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7) in His forgiveness of them. But the first necessary step is to humble ourselves before His word and do what it says.
Then there are some who say, “I agree that all this is true, but I can’t live the life”, implying “So I don’t want to start”. Of course – let us be frank – this could be just an excuse, a way of evading a clear command. If the person so saying admits the truth of the scriptural case for baptism, then he is plainly rejecting the will of God.
But it could be that he is conscious of the life of truth and mercy and holiness involved in trying to follow Christ, and feels he would never be able to live up to it. And so he would be condemned. But this is based upon a serious misunderstanding – the idea that God is expecting us to live perfect lives. God is well aware of the weaknesses of our nature. The psalmist has put it so well in Psalm 103:
“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him (that is, reverence and worship him) … Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.” (verses 11-14)
We are not dealing with a cold Dictator, but with a merciful Father, who does not desire that any should perish, but that all should be saved and come “to the knowledge of the truth” and to “repentance” (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). In short, He is ready to forgive the failings of those who confess them and earnestly desire to serve Him. For their encouragement Jesus is their intercessor at the Father’s right hand.
We should believe in the mercy of God and set out to obey His commands. Baptism is the first decisive step.
The privilege
Our baptism is the sign that we have understood “the truth”, that revelation of God’s will for us. It opens out before us a life with new prospects: a new way of regarding our own life, a new path to tread in an uncertain and troubled world; a new sense of strength to make the important decisions of life; a new sense of peace with God, who will “reconcile us to himself in Jesus Christ”. For when we believe the Gospel, our status is changed. We are no longer alienated from God by our sins, but become His sons and daughters, precious in His sight, and heirs of the kingdom that Jesus will establish on the earth when he returns.
It is an outstanding prospect. We should not carelessly cast it away.
