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Syllabus the Meaning of Baptism Seminar SYLLABUS FOR THE MEANING OF BAPTISM SEMINAR DR. JACK COTTRELL -- 2016 I. RATIONALE: Why is it important for Christians to have a clear and complete understanding of Christian baptism? A. Because baptism is a crucial and unique step in the process of becoming a Christian (i.e., it is directly related to one’s salvation). 1. If your own salvation is important to you, then it is very important that you understand what happened to you when you were baptized. 2. If you are concerned about the salvation of others, and if you want to help them come to an understanding of how to be saved, then you must know how baptism fits into the salvation scenario. B. Because baptism is one of the most misunderstood doctrines of the Christian faith. 1. A large portion of the Christian world rejects the Biblical teaching about the connection between baptism and salvation. This is both ironic and tragic, given baptism’s obvious importance. 2. It is thus crucial that we understand not only the true New Testament teaching about baptism, but also the “doctrines of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1) that are so prevalent about this subject. 3. We must be able not only to explain the true Biblical view of baptism, but also to show how it differs from most of the views in Christendom today (Titus 1:9). II. OBJECTIVES: After this seminar, you should – A. Have a clear understanding of what the New Testament teaches about baptism, especially with regard to its meaning. B. Understand why so much of Christendom has rejected this teaching. C. Have a deeper appreciation for your own experience of Christian baptism. D. Be able to explain the Biblical teaching on baptism, to answer objections thereto, and to refute false interpretations. PART ONE: FIRST PRINCIPLES1 PRINCIPLE #1 – A RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF BAPTISM IS IMPORTANT. 1 Here we will lay the foundation for a detailed look at the Bible’s specific teachings about baptism. 1 A. All doctrine is important. (Acts 2:42; Eph. 2:20) B. The doctrine of salvation is especially important. C. In this seminar, we are focusing on how baptism is relation to salvation. So it is important! PRINCIPLE #2 – ALL DOCTRINE, INCLUDING BAPTISM, IS BASED ON SCRIPTURE FIRST, NOT EXPERIENCE. A. Many try to base their doctrine (especially of salvation) on experience (e.g., Gal. 5:22-23). B. But experience can be ambiguous as to origin and meaning. Thus it cannot be a premise for doctrinal conclusions. C. See Matt. 7:21-23; Luke 13:23-27; 2 Peter 1:16-21; Luke 16:27-31. PRINCIPLE #3 – THE DOCTRINE OF BAPTISM CANNOT BE BASED ON NON-BIBLICAL SOURCES A. It cannot be based on non-Biblical baptisms (e.g., Essene baptism, Jewish proselyte baptism). B. Our understanding of baptism cannot be based on the Latin word sacramentum. 1. In non-Christian Latin culture the word often meant “an oath, a pledge.” 2. Zwingli applied this meaning to baptism, which has influenced modern Protestantism. PRINCIPLE #4 – THERE ARE THREE MAIN ISSUES REGARDING BAPTISM. A. SUBJECTS: adults or infants? B. FORM (or ACTION): immersion or sprinkling? C. MEANING (or DESIGN): for salvation or not? Our seminar focuses on this last one. PRINCIPLE #5 – CHRISTIAN BAPTISM BEGAN ON PENTECOST (ACTS 2). WE CANNOT BASE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BAPTISM ON ANY PRE-PENTECOSTAL BIBLICAL PRACTICES. A. Baptism does not get its meaning from OT circumcision. (See #9 below.) B. Christian baptism does not get its meaning from John’s baptism. 1. Those baptized by John were required to receive Christian baptism. (Acts 2:38-39; 19:1-7) 2. The purpose of John’s baptism was to prepare Israel for the immediate coming of Christ. C. Christian baptism does not get its meaning from the baptism of Jesus (See later). D. All of this shows that the situation of “the thief on the cross” proves nothing about baptism. PRINCIPLE #6 – THERE IS ONLY ONE BAPTISM FOR CHRISTIANS (EPH. 4:5). A. The NT does refer to TWO baptisms: in Spirit; in water. How can we reconcile this with Eph. 4:5? 1. Extreme dispensationalism (“mid-Acts dispensationalism”) says the New Covenant began with Paul; only Spirit baptism is for the church, and that is the “one baptism.” 2. Most Evangelicals say Spirit baptism (as part of salvation) comes as soon as faith does; water baptism comes later. The “one baptism” refers only to the former—the important one. 3. Many Restorationists say Spirit baptism refers only to Pentecost and Cornelius (Acts 2 & 10). The only baptism (the “one baptism”) that applies to the church is water baptism. B. Contrary to all the above, the one baptism given to every Christian is a combination of Spirit baptism and water baptism. The one baptism has TWO aspects that are simultaneous. 1. Parallels: the one Lord has two natures—divine, human; the one faith has two aspects— assent, trust; Jesus’ one death had two parts—outward (crucifixion), inward (propitiation). 2. Whenever the NT refers to Christian baptism, it refers to the one event of water & Spirit. 3. From J. Cottrell, Power from on High, pp. 330-331 – “We must stop dividing the one baptism into two events; it is one event with two distinct aspects. Also, we must stop dividing the 2 biblical texts about baptism into two separate lists, i.e., one with references to water baptism and the other with references to Spirit baptism. There is only one Christian baptism. Whenever baptism is mentioned in the NT in the context of the church, it is WATER baptism; and is also SPIRIT baptism.” PRINCIPLE #7 – BAPTISM IS THE TIME WHEN GOD GIVES THE DOUBLE CURE OF SALVATION. A. The “double cure” includes forgiveness of our legal guilt, and regeneration of our sinful nature. B. Baptism is the time or occasion when both are received. See Acts 2:38; Col. 2:12. C. This view was taught consistently by Christendom for its first 1,500 years. PRINCIPLE #8 – BAPTISM IS FUNDAMENTALLY A WORK OF GOD, NOT A WORK OF MAN. A. Only “the working of God” causes the double cure – in baptism (Col. 2:12). B. In baptism the saving activity is not caused by the water, by the act, or by the baptizer. C. This means there is no such thing as “baptismal regeneration,” in that term’s historical sense. PRINCIPLE #9 – BAPTISM IN THE NT IS NOT THE SAME AS CIRCUMCISION IN THE OT. A. That baptism takes the place of circumcision is a commonly-held false idea, part of the false system called “covenant theology” as originated by Huldreich Zwingli. 1. This view says the church is under the covenant God made with Abraham, and thus must have a sign equivalent to the sign of circumcision instituted in Gen. 17:9-14. Baptism is this sign. 2. But Acts 13:32-33 says that that covenant was fulfilled by Christ; we are under a new covenant. B. But what about Col. 2:11? Doesn’t this relate circumcision to baptism in v. 12? 1. The OT speaks of two different circumcisions: physical (the covenant sign) and spiritual (inward circumcision of the heart) – e.g., Ezek. 44:7, 9; Jer. 4:4; Deut. 30:6. 2. The only connection between the two was that the former was an illustration of the latter. 3. Col. 2:11 is obviously relating baptism only to the spiritual circumcision (regeneration, new birth). PRINCIPLE #10 – BAPTISM IS FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS, BUT NOT FOR PAST SINS ONLY. A. In the second century A.D. the idea arose that in baptism only past sins are forgiven, with no forgiveness available for post-baptismal sins. E.g., Justin Martyr, “First Apology,” ¶61: We are baptized so that we “may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed.” See also “Shepherd of Hermas, Mandate 4:3.” B. Around A.D. 203 Tertullian confirmed this but said God gives one more opportunity after baptism (“On Repentance,” ¶7, 9). He says it is true that “the gate of forgiveness has been shut and fastened up with the bar of baptism,” but God “has permitted it to still to stand somewhat open” for ONE MORE repentance after baptism. But the second one has to be demonstrated with extreme public humiliation. C. The Catholic Church expanded this into the sacrament of penance: regular opportunities to receive forgiveness for post-baptismal sins. D. This idea was incorporated into the Restoration Movement early, e.g., Alexander Campbell (see his Christian Baptism [Gospel Advocate, 1951], pp. 202-3, 217-218). It is found almost everywhere among us today, along with the idea that post-baptismal sins are forgiven according to 1 John 1:9. E. This is false. It misunderstands what it means to be forgiven (justified) by faith. When we are baptized, we are baptized into an ongoing relationship with Christ that is maintained by ongoing faith. We live as forgiven persons. In baptism we receive not just forgiveness of sins, but the state of forgiven-ness. F. Why is this false idea so serious? It robs Christians of the blessing of assurance of salvation. 3 1. When combined with a false understanding of 1 John 1:9, it causes us to think of ourselves as going round-and-round through a revolving door: baptism / saved / commit a sin / lost again / confess sin and pray / saved again / sin again / confess & pray again / saved again / sin again / etc. 2. This causes one to live in fear of dying after committing a sin and before being able to confess it and pray for forgiveness.
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