Baptism According to Scripture

by E. H. Hoare

(1.) That it is a sign of spiritual blessings. Of Abraham we are told, that he “received the sign of circumcision.” (Rom. iv. 11.) This Ordinance represented “the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh.” Baptism with water also signifies the washing of the soul from sin;—both from the guilt of it by forgiveness and from the pollution of it. When Saul of Tarsus was bidden to “be baptized, and wash away his sins,” this twofold purification was visibly represented. And so it is in all cases. “The putting away of the filth of the flesh” by the application of “pure water” to the body, does in a very simple and intelligible, yet striking and significant manner, represent the purging of the conscience by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, and the cleansing of the heart from its filthiness and idols by God’s Holy Spirit. It symbolizes both pardon and purity:—especially the latter;—the soul’s death unto sin and its new birth unto righteousness.

(2.) Like circumcision, baptism is also a seal. “Abraham” (as we also read in Rom. iv. 11,) “received circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcised.” A seal ratifies a Deed, and is a token and pledge that the engagements of it will be fulfilled by all the contracting parties. When Abraham submitted to circumcision, he ratified or confirmed his former faith in God and obedience to Him; and God, by the same pledge, assured Abraham of his justification—of his adoption into His family—and that he should finally inherit a better country, that is, Heaven.

Baptism, in like manner, is a seal on the part of those who receive it rightly, that they believe in God through Christ, and regard themselves as bound to forsake all sin, and to serve Him unto their lives’ end: and God thereby visibly assures them of the remission of their sins and of their adoption as His children, and that, as He gives them grace, so He will give them glory. And if this visible seal of the Covenant had not been serviceable, the wise and gracious God would never, either in the case of circumcision or baptism, have caused it to be affixed unto it.

(3.) Circumcision had this “profit” also connected with it,—that the different means of grace, which God from time to time appointed, followed in its train. St. Paul, having distinctly declared at the end of the iind Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, that the circumcision of the flesh and of the heart did not necessarily accompany each other, supposes some, who were “Jews outwardly,” to exclaim,—If this be so,—if the inward grace does not always attend the outward sign,—and that the want of the inward grace puts us circumcised Jews on the same level spiritually with uncircumcised Gentiles, then, “What advantage hath the Jew? Or what profit is thereof circumcision?” (iii. 1.) Is the same question asked respecting baptism, when a like separation is made between the water and the Holy Spirit? The Apostle’s answer shall suffice for both:—“Much every way; chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” It is here evident, that God regards the possession of a Revelation from Heaven as highly advantageous, considered in itself; so that for the neglect or misuse of it men are deeply responsible. In the beginning of the ixth Chapter, St. Paul again takes up the subject, and enumerates several other “advantages” as belonging to the Jews;—“the adoption, and the glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, and the fathers, and that Christ, as concerning His human nature, was born a Jew;”—and though the circumcision of the heart together with that of the flesh is not found among these, yet the Apostle maintains, that the possession of them did set the Israelites, in point of religious privileges, far above all the other nations of the earth. And it is the same with those who are admitted into Christ’s Church by baptism. Having free access to the word of God and instruction in its sacred truths—the enjoyment of His Sabbaths and Service—having His promises and threatenings, and the experience of their fulfilment in time past, together with the examples of faith and godliness and the blessed effects of them in such as have gone before—all these are so many means of improvement, as will leave speechless at the last those who had them and did not profit by them. While all who use them aright, and sincerely seek to derive benefit from them, find to their exceeding great comfort, that God hath “not said to the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain.” It was no small advantage to Abraham’s family to be “commanded by him to keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment:” (Gen. xviii. 19,) and that children should be “brought up” by Christian parents “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” and be taught what was done for them at their baptism, united too with earnest prayers on their behalf,—is a privilege, for which many will to all eternity have cause to bless Him, who gave them so “goodly a heritage.” (Ps. xvi. 6.)

Lastly. We would refer again, concerning the advantages and uses of baptism, to that practical application of it which we have seen may be made throughout the whole course of the Christian’s life upon earth. He is to remember, that he was “baptized into the death of Christ and buried with Him,” that so he may die unto sin, and have, as much as possible, done with it. “Risen with Christ in baptism,” his “affections should be set on things above,” and he should “walk in newness of life.” “Baptized into one body,” strife and divisions should not be seen among Christians, and “the unity of the spirit should be kept in the bond of peace.” “Baptized into Christ, and having put on Christ,” they should appear in the beautiful clothing of His mind and Spirit. They should seek and pray daily to be more and more “sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word,” that they may be “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” Thus baptism, if used as the Scripture uses it, would be of great practical influence. And when this is the case, it may be productive of much comfort; for, like the bow in the cloud, it is a token of God’s Covenant to save and not destroy. The water of baptism, in the case of every true believer, “is as the waters of Noah unto the Lord: for as He hath sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth,” so in this Sacrament He hath, as it were, added His oath to His word of promise, that “he that believeth and is baptized shall he saved.” (Is. liv. 9. Mark xvi 16.)

APPENDIX.

Note (A.) page [27].

When God said to Abraham, (Gen. xvii. 7.) “I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee, in their generations for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee,” His meaning was, that as He was the God of believing Abraham, so He would be the God of all Abraham’s believing children and descendants. And when He farther promised to “give unto Abraham and to his seed after him, the land in which he was a stranger, even all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession,” the same limitation as to “his seed” was also intended. That these, and these only, are the “seed” referred to, is as clear as the declarations of Holy Scripture can make it. In the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians this matter is placed beyond a doubt. The “seed” must partake of the character of the father, and then the promises were theirs, as well as his. In the ivth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans and the 12th verse, the Apostle, speaking of Abraham, says, that he was to be “the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, (that is, who are not only circumcised in the flesh) but also walk in the steps of that faith of Abraham, which he had yet being uncircumcised.” Could any thing be plainer than this? St. Paul is here speaking of the circumcised Jews, (he had spoken of the uncircumcised Gentiles in the former verse, the 11th,) and he says distinctly, that Abraham was a father to those circumcised ones who should “walk in the steps of his faith.” So that the following is evidently the Apostle’s meaning in the 11th and 12th verses: ‘Both Jew and Gentile may see, in God’s dealings with Abraham, an exhibition of the plan in which each is to seek the imputation of righteousness. Let the uncircumcised believe in God, as Abraham, when yet uncircumcised, believed in God; and his faith shall be counted to him for righteousness, as Abraham’s was. Let the Jews, too, learn from the case before them, that though, like circumcised Abraham, they bear in their bodies the seal of the Covenant, yet the sign of circumcision alone will not ensure the blessing signified, unless at the same time they are found resembling Abraham in the exercise of that faith, in consequence of which the seal was fixed upon him.’ [88] These, then,—believers,—are the “seed” of Abraham, with whom the Covenant was made, and to whom the promises were given. And this is confirmed by what follows. In the next verse the Apostle goes on to say; “For the promise that he should be the heir of the world,”—(which is the inspired exposition of the other part or promise of God’s Covenant with Abraham; “And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, for an everlasting possession;”)—“For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith:” and again, in the 16th verse; “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, (believing circumcised Jews) but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, (believing uncircumcised Gentiles) who is the father of us all,”—that is, of all believers, whether circumcised or not,—“before Him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead.” “The promise,” then, “that he should be the heir of the world” (evidently meaning the better world, that is, the heavenly,) “was to Abraham and to his seed through the righteousness of faith.” Not to his unbelieving descendants, but to those only who were partakers of his faith;—to all of whom, the promise was and still is “sure.” We pass over the ixth Chapter of this Epistle, though it is full of evidence to the same effect; and proceed to the Epistle to the Galatians; where we shall find the description of Abraham’s “seed” given in language, if possible, still plainer and stronger. In the iiird Chapter and the 6th verse the Apostle begins the subject: “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye, therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” And then in the 14th verse, the Apostle tells us more of this blessing of Abraham: “That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” “The promise of the Spirit” is here said to be “received through faith;”—that is, by them that believe. But in the 16th verse, the account given of the “seed” of Abraham is as distinct and decisive as words can make it. Referring to the Covenant made by God with Abraham, (contained in Gen. xvii.) St. Paul says, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed which is Christ.” By “Christ” here (it is scarcely necessary to remark) is not meant Christ personal, but Christ mystical;—His mystical Body, consisting of Christ himself, the Head, and true believers, both Jews and Gentiles, “all one in Him.” (v. 28.) The same expression is used in 1 Cor. xii. 12: “For as the body (the natural body) is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.” Believers in Christ, then, who compose His mystical Body, are the seed of Abraham, to whom with himself,—“the father of all them that believe,”—the promises of the Covenant were made. And, intent upon inforcing this truth, and leaving no possibility of mistaking his meaning, the Apostle concludes the subject with these words; (v. 29.) “And if ye be Christ’s,” (by believing in Him and by being baptized by One Spirit into his One Body) “then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” A clearer and a fuller description of the persons, to whom the promises of the Covenant were made, could not possibly have been given! God did not promise to be a God, and to give the inheritance of which Canaan was a type, to all the natural descendants of Abraham, though they were all to be circumcised; but to those only who should “walk in the steps of his faith.” For this limitation of the meaning of the “seed” of Abraham does no more violence to the text, than the extension of the meaning of “Canaan” to the heavenly world. But there is (as we have seen) inspired authority for both interpretations. These, then, were the “seed,” to whom the promises were made. And it is the same still. The children of professing believers are baptized; but the outward form of baptism does not secure to them the blessings thereby sealed to the believer, unless they also have a true and lively faith. Then the promises are theirs. The Scripture warrants us to go thus far, but no farther. And when man attempts to put benefits into Ordinances, which God has not revealed to him, he makes himself wise “above that which is written;” and thus does in effect what the Jews did,—and for which they were so justly reproved by the Lord Jesus Himself;—he “teaches for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. xv. 9.)

Note (B.) page 50.

It is expressly said in the 32nd verse, that Paul and Silas “spake the word of the Lord to all that were in the jailor’s house.” This was before they were baptized. All that were in his house were capable therefore of instruction; and thus their “faith came by hearing.” And to show more decidedly the existence of faith in the family, not only is the fact itself stated, but also the fruit which it produced: namely, its adding to the jailor’s joy. He rejoiced—of course the more—because that his house believed, as well as himself.