Tag Archive - Colossians

Baptism, Part 3

January 24, 2009 in Water Baptism with 0 Comments

We are looking at the biblical teaching of water baptism. So far we have established:

  1. The word “baptism” means “immersion” or “to dip under” (Baptism, Part 1)
  2. The earliest Christians all baptized people by plunging them fully under water(Baptism, Part 2)
  3. Water baptism is a public symbol that a person has new life through Jesus Christ, and immersion best illustrates Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (Baptism, Part 2)

However, there is a teaching about baptism that contradicts what we have already seen. It is a well-known teaching, so prevalent, in fact, that the question comes up every time I teach at Hope Ministries. It is a teaching that I have discussed with many people over the years, and one that is hard to convince people who believe it otherwise. This teaching is that a person must be baptized in order to have salvation.

While there are many churches and denominations that hold this to be true, probably the most well-known is the Catholic Church. And its teachings on this are very clear. The following quotes come from the official Catechism of the Catholic Church (Second Edition). The bolding is all mine for emphasis.

Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit, and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: “Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word.” (p. 312)

The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude [bliss, happiness]… (p. 320)

By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. (p. 321)

Baptism is birth into the new life in Christ. In accordance with the Lord’s will, it is necessary for salvation, as is the Church herself, which we enter by Baptism. (p. 324)

There are several footnotes to the above quotes, but they are all from other Catholic documents, not from the Bible. However, there are references to the Scriptures throughout this section of the Catechism. Since the Bible is where we go to center our study, here are the passages most often used to support this teaching (all quotes are from the NET Bible unless otherwise noted).

Do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. Romans 6:3-4

Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:12

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:27

When the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:4-6

Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

Peter said to them, “Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16

Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you– not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience– through the resurrection of Jesus Christ 1 Peter 3:21 (New American Standard)

Let’s take these one at a time.

1. We have already seen in the first two passages (Romans 6:3-4 and Colossians 2:12) Paul’s teaching that water baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The person being baptized uses public water baptism to identify themselves with Christ and his church and committing to the new life offered by Christ’s salvation. Since this symbolism requires faith in Christ first, these passages do not support baptism as a means of salvation.

2. The answer to Galatians 3:27 (and many other misunderstood Bible teachings) comes from the context immediately surrounding the verse. Paul’s discussion in this chapter centers on the question, “Does salvation come through keeping the law or through faith?” His response is unashamedly “by faith.” In fact, in the previous verse he wrote, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.”

Notice also that he refers to being “baptized into Christ”, not “into water.” Upon faith in Christ, a person is added to the body of Christ, the church. He is “immersed” or “plunged” into new association with Christ and his people. Since this is the only reference to baptism in the whole letter, and since the context is about salvation through faith in Christ, not water baptism, this verse does not support baptism as a means of salvation.

3. In Titus 3:4-6 we find a similar instance to Galatians 3:27. In this letter we find no reference to baptism at all – into water or into Christ. The phrase “washing of the new birth” obviously refers to salvation, but it has no reference to water baptism.

Throughout the Scriptures salvation is referred to as a washing of sin, something that water – even water blessed by a person – cannot do. This is fact according to the writer of Hebrews: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

If baptism in water can wash away sins and give salvation, then traditional Christianity has major problems, including (but not limited to):

  • Hebrews 9:22 is wrong, and the Bible has been discredited.
  • Jesus’ death and bloodshed have no value whatsoever.
  • God is both a murderer and sadist, commanding the deaths of countless animals and Jesus, when water would have been sufficient.

Since the rest of the Bible teaches salvation is available only through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and baptism is not even mentioned here, this passage does not support baptism as a means of salvation.

4. Another verse commonly used to support this teaching is in Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:5. Once again, a look at the immediate context and the historical context makes the answer plain.

In this account, Jesus, an Old Testament Jew, was talking to Nicodemus, another Old Testament Jews, using Old Testament Jewish references and terminology. Jewish understanding did not (and still does not) allow for a suffering Messiah or a combination Jew-Gentile church. In Jewish teaching, the kingdom of God will be the Messiah’s literal reign on Earth, delivering the Jews from all outside government and oppression. It will be a time of complete peace under God’s headship.

When Nicodemus came to Jesus, he wondered if it was possible that Jesus was the Messiah and if the kingdom would be commencing soon. Jesus answered the (unasked) question by stating that entrance into the kingdom would be based on spiritual, not national or ethnic, criteria. This is why Nicodemus, not understanding, asked about being born – physically – again. His idea of the kingdom was purely physical.

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets used both wind (translated “spirit” here) and water to describe God’s Spirit. By using both, Jesus was emphasizing the spiritual nature of the kingdom, rather than just the physical (which it will also be). Jesus’ follow-up statement in verse 6 compares physical birth to spiritual birth: “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit” and emphasizes that entrance into the kingdom will be by spiritual birth.

That part of the conversation concludes with Jesus making reference to his crucifixion, “so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:15), making the case again that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Since this discussion is primarily about Jews, not Christians, and since baptism was not mentioned, this passage does not support baptism as a means of salvation.

 

The last three passages will take a little more time to explain, and this post is already long, so we’ll push those off to Part 4.

Baptism, Part 2

January 20, 2009 in Water Baptism with 0 Comments

We are answering questions that come up frequently about baptism. We introduced the word “baptism” in Part 1 and found out that it’s most natural meaning is “to dip, immerse, or plunge” under something, usually water.

Based on that information we should be able to answer these two questions:

  1. Is there a proper method for Christian baptism?
  2. What is the significance of water baptism?

Method

Baptism at Elisha's spring - Jericho. Picture by Jane DenboAccording to some of the best authorities available today on the old Greek language, baptisma means “to dip in or under water”, “to immerse”, and “to bathe”.

  • Four hundred years before the New Testament was written, Plato used the word to described something being “soaked in wine”.
  • It is used in the Greek Old Testament to described what Namaan did when he “went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times” (2 Kings 5:14).
  • There is a completely different word, rantizo, that means “to sprinkle”, that is never used in the context of baptism.
  • The verb form, baptizo, is used figuratively in Greek literature in phrases like “immersed in cares” and “plunged in grief”. Jesus also used it to describe his upcoming torture (Mark 10:38-39; Luke 12:50)
  • In the New Testament, 13 of its 19 occurrences are John’s baptism in the Jordan River.

These are just a few samples of the wealth of evidence showing that baptizo and baptisma mean full immersion into water. Trying to make it mean any other form of “baptism”, such as sprinkling or pouring, requires a stretch of the natural meaning of the word.

However, in the second century a document was published by the leaders of the church that many people use to allow baptism by a method other than full immersion. Although this is not a book of the Bible, it shows how Jesus’ early followers lived out his teachings. Here is the passage from The Didache, or “The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles” (translated by Cyril C. Richardson):

(Chapter 7) 1. Now about baptism: this is how to baptize. Give public instruction on all these points, and then “baptize” in running water, “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” 2. If you do not have running water, baptize in some other. 3. If you cannot in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, then pour water on the head three times “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” 4. Before the baptism, moreover, the one who baptizes and the one being baptized must fast, and any others who can. And you must tell the one being baptized to fast for one or two days beforehand.

(source: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.viii.i.iii.html)

From earliest times, baptism was done by immersing the person under cold, flowing water (like John did in the Jordan River). Because baptism was so important, in extreme cases they would be allowed to pour water over the person, but that was not the normal method.

Significance

So if baptism is just dunking a person completely under water, what’s the point? Kids do that in lakes and streams and swimming pools all summer long. What is the significance of a formal, church-celebrated, water baptism?

Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. Romans 6:4

According to Paul, water baptism is symbolic of the new life we have through our faith in Jesus Christ. The person’s submergence into and emergence out of the water symbolize the person’s death and burial to sin and the resurrection to his or her new life in Christ.

Notice that Paul does not say that the water baptism “gives new life,” but rather “so we may live a new life.” Every instance of baptism in Jesus’ name occurred after the person believed in Jesus Christ. Not before. Not in place of.

Consider another passage where Paul uses water baptism to link us symbolically to Christ.

Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:12

Baptism of 95 PeopleSo what does water baptism do? Well, first, it gets you wet. You can’t go under water and come back up dry. There is a physical aspect that shows you have been affected in some way by this. It’s uncomfortable, it’s cold.

But so was Jesus’ death. And when we choose to stand up in front of God’s people and willingly be plunged into a cold, wet, “grave”, we are identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ who did the same for us.

Secondly, it offers a fresh start. Water washes things, but only physical things. Water baptism can’t get to our sin; only Jesus can do that.

By taking the plunge with him into the cold “grave” we symbolically bury our sinful past. By coming back up out of the water we celebrate the new life that God has given us through Jesus’ resurrection and identify with Jesus’ body, the church.

By the way, of all of the different methods of baptism that people use, only complete immersion fits the symbolic identification with Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.

So, water baptism is for the purpose of publicly identifying with Jesus and his church, and it is to be done by full immersion into water, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

So if that’s what it is, what it baptism not? Well, look at that in Part 3.

Listen, Day 30: Philippians, Colossians

October 14, 2008 in Listen with 2 Comments

(Warning: long post ahead!)

Well, only ten days and one Sunday left in our LISTEN series. I’ve loved everyone’s comments on this blog and in person throughout the weeks.

Both Micah and David took notes on paper last night. David wrote (the best he could) some key words that he heard.

Micah’s asking some pretty good questions. As you’ll see in his questions below, he’s listening as if Paul was writing to him. (Of course, sometimes he’s just being funny. Still…) Can’t wait to help him understand over the next few important, formative years. Are you going to help me?

David’s key words (edited for spelling):

  • jail
  • worthy
  • followers
  • obey your parents
  • group (as in we have group at our house on Sundays)
  • Jesus

Micah:

  • I know why Paul was in jail – because he believed in God
  • How come we have to suffer the same way?
  • We will bow down to God even when we don’t want to because angels will knock our knees (I think we’ll have to talk about this one!)
  • How can you send Timothy to us when you are dead?
  • People are like dogs!
  • All things were made in seven days
  • How is Paul thinking about us?
  • How did I die with God when I’m still alive?
  • How are we becoming more like God? (Anyone else asking this one?)
  • Don’t be hard on your children – did you hear that? (Yes, he actually wrote that!)
  • Luke is a doctor. I didn’t know that.

Saralynn:

  • It doesn’t matter why they preach as long as it’s the true gospel
  • Obeying the rules doesn’t matter if you don’t have the heart-change to go with it

Dan’l:

  • How many of us would be able (or bold enough!) to say that we care for someone in the same way Jesus does?
  • A while back I noted that Jesus said that he didn’t care why people believed in him, just that they did. Now Paul writes that it doesn’t matter how they hear about Jesus, just that they do. So either God is really sloppy about this whole salvation thing, or he desperately wants as many to believe as possible. I’m pretty sure I know which it is.
  • “Work…to discover what it really means to be saved” – this is a great understanding of the meaning of this verse
  • I wonder who he was referring to who didn’t care about Christ.
  • Many Christians are concerned about using words that have alternative crass meanings. While it’s true that we should watch what we say, two other things are true as well:
      1. We cannot expect unbelievers to necessarily think the same way about those words. Clean language without a clean heart is useless (as we’ll see in a minute).
      2. Apparently Paul thought that sometimes it’s OK to use them for shock value to make a point. Here are a couple of examples from Philippians 3 where he used harsh language and bad words: dogs (harsh – an apostle calling names?); garbage (bad word; check out the footnote here). [Bonus: did you catch the one in Galatians 5:12?]
  • I love the fact that Paul used the term “Christ-follower” instead of “Christian”. In fact, Paul never used “Christian” in any of his letters. (Bonus points if you can find the only three places it does show up in the NT!)
  • This was not a church that Paul had started; he had not even met them yet (if he ever did)
  • In the Bible a “mystery” is something that had been hidden, but now has been revealed. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we fully understand it yet – just that God’s not hiding it anymore. Case in point: Does someone want to explain the mystery “that Christ lives in you“? I believe that if you can’t explain something well, you don’t really understand it well.
  • Love the great theology of the cross!
  • Outside rules don’t change the inside
  • Colossians has a lot in common with Ephesians. Remember this one? “Put up with each other.” (Side note: some people think that the letter to Laodicea is our book of Ephesians.)
  • Everybody has their favorite “method” of evangelism. Some want fiery preaching. Some like to knock on strangers’ doors. Others prefer to just try to live good lives. I think I like Paul’s method the best. It really fits my personality, and it seems to fit just about every culture.

Reasons our church should grow, Part 2

September 9, 2008 in Vision with 1 Comment

This week, leading up to our big fall series, “Listen,” I’m giving reasons why our church should grow. As you come up with reasons, I’ll post them here, too. Let’s try for “100 reasons our church should grow”. You can read the previous posts here:

Part 1

4. Sarah writes:

I think God wants us to grow as a statement to this community what God can do in difficult times.  With the media attention we get with the airport issue, showing God still at work in our “little” church shows how much God is still involved even in the little things.

5. Church growth stretches believers. Yesterday, I mentioned that God wants us to become mature believers. People can mature in smaller churches, too (though in different ways), but there is some growth that can happen only in a growing church.

As a church grows both numerically and spiritually, the demands and relationships of the church change. People get uncomfortable with the changes and choose to either step up to the new responsibilities (grow up), complain, or leave. Growing churches shake us out of our comfort zones.

How many ways do you think this can happen? What comfort zones might a growing church upset?

6. Church growth honors Christ. The very first mention of “church” in the Bible is Jesus’ prediction, “I will build my church” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus said that he would personally construct it. Since the true church is a certain group of people, not a building, “construction” would include both numerical and spiritual growth, such as growing up leaders for the stability and structure of the church.

7. Church growth is God’s plan. According to Colossians 2:19, the church is described as a body (Jesus Christ being the head). When in proper alignment with the head, the church “grows with a growth that is from God.” (See also 1 Corinthians 3:6.)

8. Growth signifies a healthy church. Of course, that means that it has to be in alignment. As Rick Warren put it,

Lack of growth [in children] usually indicates an unhealthy situation, possibly a disease. In the same way, since the church is a living organism, it is natural for it to grow if it is healthy. … It is alive. If a church is not growing, it is dying. (The Purpose-Driven Church, p. 16)

 

That’s all for today. Keep sending in your reasons why our church should grow. Even if it sounds like something that’s already been listed, send it anyway.

And don’t forget to answer the questions in number 5 above.