Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 04:2 (Summer 1961)
Article: 7 The Ordinance Of Baptism
Author: Anonymous

---

CenQ 4:2 (Summer 1961) p. 39

7 The Ordinance Of Baptism

The Ordinance of Baptism, like Communion, is a memorial, a symbol, and a prophecy.

A. The Testimony of Scholarship as to Baptism:

1. Who was baptized in the New Testament Church?

a. A Presbyterian, Dr. John Watson, in Doctrines of Grace: “Without doubt the perfect idea of baptism is realized when one comes to the years of discretion, makes a profession of faith in the Lord, knowing what he has done and has counted the cost, and then is immersed in the waters of baptism.”

b. Dr. Forsyth, the Congregationalist, writing in the “Christian World: “I am obliged to concede, with, I believe, the best and most distinguished scholars, that there is no infant baptism practiced in the New Testament, nor long after; there are only points of attachment for it.. . I think any traces of New Testament usage are not found there, but are imported.”

CenQ 4:2 (Summer 1961) p. 40

c. Professor P. Lange, a Lutheran:

“Would the Protestant Church fulfill and attain its final destiny, the baptism of infants must of necessity be abolished. It cannot from any point of view, be justified by the Holy Scriptures.” And the same author says again: “It must merely be granted by every unprejudiced reader of Holy Scripture and Christian antiquity that the baptism of new-born infants was altogether unknown to primitive Christianity.”

d. Dr. Agar Beet, a Methodist scholar:

“It must be admitted that the New Testament contains no proof that infants were baptized in the days of the apostles.”

e. Brenner, a Roman Catholic:

“For thirteen hundred years was baptism generally and regularly an immersion of the person under water, and only in extraordinary cases, a sprinkling or pouring with water. The latter was moreover disputed as a mode of baptism, nay even forbidden.” (Historical Exhibition of the Administration of Baptism, p. 306)

f. Romans 6:1–5 interpreted:

(1) John Wesley, the founder of Methodism:

“ ‘Buried with Him’ allud&d to the ancient manner of baptism by immersion.”

(2) John Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism: “Among the ancients, they immersed the whole body in water. It is certain that immersion was the practice of the ancient church.” (See Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book IV, Ch. 15.)

(3) Martin Luther, the founder of Lutheranism: “Baptism is a Greek word, and may be translated immersion.” “I would have those who wou...

visitor : : uid: ()