Is Baptism simply an inert, ineffectual action or rite? A ritual act that accomplishes nothing, that God never uses for anything? Perhaps symbolizing stuff or reminding of stuff but ineffectual of anything, actually accomplishing and doing nothing? Or does Scripture suggest that it actually can accomplish something, that God can use it for something?
I can find no Scriptures that state or indicate Baptism is just a symbol or is inert. But there are several, that when taken together, suggest something quite different. Let's look at those (hopefully the program here will bring them up for you to read)...
Acts 22:16
Acts 23:8
Romans 6:3-4
1 Corinthians 6:11
1 Corinthians 12:13
Galatians 3:26-27
Ephesians 5:25-27
Colossians 2:11-12
Titus 3:5
1 Peter 3:18-22
Certainly no ONE verse above is indisputable or perspicuous, but together there is a strong indication. And of course we find nothing that indicates that it is a inert, ineffectual, useless ritual.
We need to also consider that Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church gave great importance to this! Jesus places it along side of (and seemingly equal to) teaching in the Great Commission, for example. It seems less likely that it would be regarded as so critical if it is an inert, ineffectual ritual that changes and accomplishes nothing at all. Jesus instituted foot washing... yet it was even no significance (quite contrary to Baptism) because it was viewed as symbolic.... but why is Baptism SO stressed, including in the Great Commission on how to
Of course, we should also look to Tradition (especially early tradition) to see the witness of Christians. Indeed, we find none who view Baptism as just an inert ritual, but great things are ascribed to it. Below is just a tiny sample....
The Epistle of Barnabas (A.D. 130) “This means that we go down into the water full of sins and foulness, and we come up bearing fruit in our hearts, fear and hope in Jesus and in the Spirit.”
Shepherd of Hermas (A.D. 140?): "they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive.”
St. Justin Martyr (A.D. 160?) "And we, who have approached God through Him, have received not carnal, but spiritual circumcision, which Enoch and those like him observed. And we have received it through baptism, since we were sinners, by God’s mercy; and all men may equally obtain it."
St. Irenaeus (A.D. 190?). "And when we come to refute them [i.e. those heretics], we shall show in its fitting-place, that this class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole [Christian] faith."
St. Irenaeus (A.D. 190?) "“Now, this is what faith does for us, as the elders, the disciples of the apostles, have handed down to us. First of all, it admonishes us to remember that we have received baptism for the remission of sins in the name of God the Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became incarnate and died and raised."
St. Clement of Alexandra (A.D. 215?) "The same also takes place in our case, whose exemplar Christ became. Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become sons; being made sons, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal."
St. Clement of Alexandra (A.D. 215?) "For it is said, “Put on him the best robe,” which was his the moment he obtained baptism. I mean the glory of baptism, the remission of sins, and the communication of the other blessings, which he obtained immediately he had touched the font."
St. Cyprian (A.D. 255) responding to a man who was asking him the specific question of whether or not the pouring of water in baptism would be valid: "You have asked also, dearest son, what I thought about those who obtain the grace of God while they are weakened by illness – whether or not they are to be reckoned as legitimate Christians who have not been bathed with the saving water, but have had it poured over them."
There are countless more. My point here is not the individual things here said, but the unavoidable and universal affirmation that Baptism is not an inert, ineffectual, mere ritual... and nowhere do we see any sense of it as some "outward ritual indicating an inward decision." Universally, baptism is seen as something God uses to accomplish something.
Where are the Scriptures.... where are the testimonies of early Christians.... stating "Baptism does nothing" "Baptism is just a symbol"
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