A Bible History of Baptism

by Samuel J. Baird

It is only to be farther considered, that as those only who are baptized of the Spirit are spiritually clean, so the Scriptures know nothing of ritual cleanness, except by baptism with water; and that the command, “Go, disciple all nations, baptizing them,” makes the baptizing co-extensive with the discipleship,—that is, with admission to the school of Christ, and pale of the covenant.

Section C.—Household Baptisms.

We have seen the grace of God expressed toward the children of his people, under the Mosaic economy, by their being embraced with their parents in the terms of the covenant. We have seen their admission thereto announced and confirmed by the seal of baptism. We have seen no token of the withdrawal of that grace by the Lord Jesus when in person on earth. We have heard, on the contrary, his confirmation of it in terms as strong as language can furnish. We have seen that same covenant, its terms unchanged, and its seal the same, thrown open, through the ministry of the apostles, to the Gentiles, and heard the testimony of the apostle, that our children are not unclean,—offensive to God, but holy,—acceptable before him. We now proceed to consider the facts and principles involved in the household baptisms, which are described in the New Testament. First, however, it is proper to make an important correction in the aspect in which the subject is commonly viewed and discussed. The principle which the Scriptures set forth and establish is not that of the baptism and membership of infants, as such. The fundamental element of the visible church, as conceived and set forth, in Scripture, is not the individual, but the family. As God planted the earth in families, so in the covenant with Abraham he laid down the family society as the foundation stone, on which, at Sinai, the church was builded; and hence the organization of the church of Israel upon the family principle, and its government by the eldership, the representatives of its families. Under this constitution, the infants, were of course included. But the designation and discussion of the subject, under their name, as if it were a question of infant baptism and infant membership, distinctively, does injustice to the subject, as it leaves out of sight and practically excludes the fundamental principle involved. That principle is, parental headship, and the consequent grace of God bestowed on the families of his people,—their children and bond servants,—as identified in and represented by them.

1. The first case of household baptism mentioned is that of Lydia,—“whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.”—Acts xvi, 14, 15. Here, the essential facts are, (1.) that the house of Lydia were by the inspired historian, recognized in no other capacity than as being (oikos autēs) her house. Their number, their names, their ages, their distinctive relation to her, whether as children or servants, their several or joint sentiments toward the gospel,—on all these points he is silent. The one single fact to which he directs our attention is Lydia’s property in them. (2.) Of Lydia alone it is said that the Lord opened her heart; and upon this fact exclusively is predicated her baptism and that of her house. Should any surmise that her house also believed, we do not object, provided the surmise is not to be made an essential part of the record. If it be insisted that they believed and therefore were baptized, we reply that had such been the conception of the sacred writer, it would have been as easy, and far more important for him to have stated their faith, as he has recorded their baptism. The supposition that they did in fact believe, only renders his silence on that point the more significant. (3.) These facts occurred in the ministry of that same Paul whom we have just seen to testify that the children of believers are holy. In a word Luke states the fact of the baptism, and the ground of it. Lydia believed, and she was baptized and her house. Because of her faith, to her and to her house the old, the everlasting, covenant was fulfilled,—“to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee.”

2. The baptism, which soon followed, of the jailer and his house is equally explicit on this point. He said to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and (ēgalliasato panoiki, pepisteukōs tō Theō,) rejoiced with his house, he believing in God.”—Acts xvi, 30-34. Here, again, we have a construction which remarkably ignores the question whether his house, as well as he, believed. It may he assumed that they were all of an age to hear and understand the gospel. It may be assumed that they, so understanding, believed also. But it may not be assumed that such knowledge and faith were the ground of their baptism, because the sacred writer puts it upon a different ground. It was as identified with him—as belonging to him, that they were included in the rite. “He was baptized,—he and all his.” Thus their relation to him is the defining term. “He and all that were his.”—He and none but his; and they because they were his. Such is the force of the expression as it stands. In the same direction looks the closing expression. “He rejoiced with all his house,—he believing.” That his house did not believe we neither assert nor deny. The point of importance is, that their faith is no element of the case, as stated on the record, upon which was grounded their baptism. The alternative is clear and inevitable. Either he, only, of all his house did in fact believe; or, if his household shared in his faith, the remarkable manner in which, in the narrative, they are associated with him in his baptism and joy, but omitted from the statement which describes him alone, as believing, was an express and designed intimation that his personal faith was the controlling element in the case, according to the terms of the everlasting covenant,—“to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee,” and the assurance given him by Paul,—“Believe, ... and thou shalt be saved and thy house.” He was recognized and dealt with as the head of his house, precisely as was Abraham.

3. Paul declares that he “baptized (ton Stephana oikon) the house of Stephanas.”—1 Cor. i, 16. Here, again, there is no discrimination of individuals. The characteristic upon which he predicates the baptism is the relation which he indicates. It was the house of Stephanas, as such, whom he baptized.

Respecting these cases, it may be admitted that if taken separately, they would constitute no conclusive evidence to the present purpose. But such is not their position. They stand as one element in a series of facts and principles which together present a cumulative argument conclusive and unanswerable. These begin with the Abrahamic covenant and the family principle there established. They include[include] the Sinai constitution, in which the same principle was ineffaceably engraved. They comprehend the opening of the doors of the church thereon founded, to the Gentile world, with this principle unimpaired. They reveal the love of Christ to the babes, in the history and instructions of his personal ministry, and in his parting commission to Peter. They hold up the testimony of Paul, that the babes of believers are “saints.” It is in the presence of these great facts, inscribed in letters of light upon the records of fifteen hundred years; and in the absence of any thing whatever to contravene their testimonies, or to set aside the conclusions thence following, that the household baptisms in question are to be considered. The children and household were once unquestionably embraced in God’s covenant with his church. “Everlasting,” was by His finger written on the face of that covenant. (Gen. xvii, 7.) In its terms, as announced at Sinai, place for the Gentiles was expressly reserved; and upon their ultimate admission, no trace of change, in these respects, appears in the record. On the contrary, in the cases just examined, we have the most conclusive evidence, in view of the foregoing facts, that the position of the family has not been changed by the coming of Christ, and the giving of the gospel to the Gentiles. It still continues a unit under the parental head; and the same grace which blessed the seed of Abraham because of his faith,—the same which, at Sinai, embraced the children with their parents, in the covenant and the fold, still extends those privileges to the children of Gentiles who believe. They are holy.

Conclusion.

And now, at the goal, we turn to survey the broad field of our explorations, and to note the accumulated results. From this vantage point, many things appear in a light of peculiar instructiveness and beauty. But one feature stands out in proportions of loftiness, and glory, which cast all else into the shade of insignificance. As with rapt spirits, we gaze, the high throne is revealed where sits the Son of man,—his human form robed in the Father’s glory,—his countenance blending the infinite majesty of God, with the fullness of grace and truth,—his brow adorned with a diadem of many crowns, and all power in heaven and earth, in his hand. The heavens are astonished at the presence of his glory, and the adoring angels, prostrate, await his bidding. The fullness of the Spirit is his; and his office thus exalted it is, to baptize us sinners with that Spirit,—to give us thus, repentance and remission of sins and sanctifying grace, and to raise us up from the dead and make us sit with him in the heavenly places where he reigns. This is the central sun of the system which we have explored. From this baptism of the Spirit all the ordinances here examined, derive their instructive light and beauty. It is the original,—the heavenly pattern whence their form and office were divinely transcribed. It is, therefore, the rule and standard to which all baptismal rites and doctrines must be brought.

Tried by this rule, the figment of baptismal regeneration stands exposed in naked falsehood and dishonor; arrogating to men a share of the sovereign prerogatives of our glorious Baptizer; subordinating the functions of his grace to their will and wisdom, their fidelity and zeal.