Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Baptism by Sprinkling

Here is the best, most concise treatment for baptism by "sprinkling" or pouring I've ever read: Baptism by Sprinkling by Ben Rose.  I really appreciated his introduction.
This article is not written in the spirit of controversy. It is worthy to note that the Lord Jesus twice avoided a controversy on the subject of baptism (Mark 7:1-6; John 4:1), that He Himself refrained from baptizing (John 4:3,"Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples”), and that nowhere does He directly discuss baptism, its mode or its subjects.  It is worthy of note also that the Apostle Paul reprimanded a controversy on the issue in the Corinthian Church (I Cor. 1:13), that he says, "I thank God that I baptized none of you ..." (I Cor.1:14), and that, while he discussed nearly every other subject of Christian doctrine, nowhere does he treat directly the subject of baptism. What we learn from Paul about baptism we learn from remarks which he drops as he discusses other matters.  Both Jesus and Paul therefore did not consider the subject important enough to allow it to create controversy or divisions among Christians. This material, therefore, is written only that Presbyterians might be satisfied concerning their own baptism and that they might be able to give to anyone who asks the reason for the mode of their baptism.
And, if anyone is interested for further study, the best book length treatment of baptism I've found is Holy Baptism: Word Keys Which Unlock the Covenant  by Duane Spencer.

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