WATER BAPTISM NEW TESTAMENT WATER BAPTISM. Session 4 VISION & COMMITMENT SESSION 4 WATER BAPTISM 1

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1 Session 4 WATER BAPTISM... Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 This is Peter s answer to the question of what we should do in response to the gospel. First, he says we must repent, which we looked at in the previous session. Next, he says we must be baptized, which we will consider in depth in this session. With all of the mystery, confusion, debate, and division in the Church over the centuries regarding the necessity, method and effect of water baptism, someone unfamiliar with Scripture might be surprised to find out just how straightforward the Bible is on the subject. Why has this clear and simple command so often been the subject of contention? Perhaps because it s so important! From the beginning, the Devil s strategy has been to lead us to question and doubt God s commands, and ultimately to disobey Him. In fact, if we want to know the issues God considers of greatest importance in the advance of His Kingdom, it may be that we need look no further than those that the Devil has attacked most vigorously over the years. Thankfully, in every generation there have been saints who have stood for the truth on this issue, though in some cases it cost them everything. Water baptism is an issue that has produced many martyrs. As we approach this session, let us seek God for a glimpse of the revelation and conviction they had on this vital subject. NEW TESTAMENT WATER BAPTISM Water baptism in the Bible was simply a symbolic act of response whereby an individual was briefly but fully immersed into a body of water. The first time we encounter water baptism in the Scripture is in Matthew 3:5-6: People went out to [John the Baptist] from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 1

2 Here we find John the Baptist baptizing in the Jordan River those who had responded to his challenging message to repent. Curious though dunking people in a dirty river may seem to us, no one queried it at the time. Although it is the first biblical mention of water baptism, it was a practice well known to the Jewish people, albeit for a different reason. One of the conditions for those wishing to convert to Judaism (along with circumcision for males) was that they had to be ceremonially immersed in water, symbolic of cleansing. However, the surprising thing about John s baptism was that it was intended for his Jewish hearers. As part of John s prophetic calling to Prepare the way for the Lord, he was calling the people to repentance a change of mind resulting in a change of life symbolized by water baptism. He also made clear that this baptism was preparatory to a greater baptism: John answered them all, I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Luke 3:16 He was, of course, speaking of Jesus. We will look in a later session at baptism in the Holy Spirit, but for now we should note that Jesus was Himself baptized in water by John. This was not for the forgiveness of sin, as Jesus was without sin, but rather to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15) and to set an example for all that would follow Him. DOES BAPTISM HAVE TO BE BY FULL IMMERSION? Yes. The word baptize is a transliteration (a simple adaption of a word from one language to another) of the Greek word baptizo, primarily meaning to dip, immerse, submerge, or plunge into a liquid. It was used to describe the action of plunging a material into dye, and of the submerging of a ship. Baptism must, therefore, be by immersion. Furthermore, there is no biblical example of baptism by any other form. Nowhere in the New Testament is it suggested that a mere handful of water is sufficient. All the evidence is that there needed to be a large and plentiful supply of water enough, in fact, to entirely cover the person being baptized.... both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water... Acts 8:38-39 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water... John 3:23 WHAT ABOUT BAPTIZING INFANTS? Not once does the New Testament refer to such a practice. This is not surprising since, as we have seen, baptism is to follow repentance, which requires the ability to make a decision. In every instance, it was those who had become believers (which, again, requires a certain level of mental development) who were commanded to be baptized. It is not wrong for children, even young children, to be baptized, but only when they have a clear faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and because they want to obey Him by baptism. Therefore, the only babies to be baptized are spiritual babies, i.e., those who have just been born again. 2

3 WHY SHOULD BELIEVERS BE BAPTIZED? A desire to follow the example of Jesus should be reason enough, but the most simple and straightforward answer to this question is that Jesus commands it! Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you... Matthew 28:19-20 This command of God is often referred to as The Great Commission and has always been accepted as a succinct description of the mission of the Church. Though the Lord brought many teachings during His ministry on earth, water baptism was one of the very few ordinances (i.e., commanded practices) that He gave to the Church. This is why we teach that every born again believer needs to be baptized. It is such an integral part of the right response to the gospel that in the New Testament professions of faith in Christ are usually followed more or less immediately by water baptism. Take the following verses for example: Those who accepted his message were baptized... Acts 2:41... many of the Corinthians who heard him believed and were baptized. Acts 18:8 So closely is water baptism linked with believing in Jesus that some scriptures, like Acts 2:38, place them side by side when talking of becoming a Christian. Here are other examples: And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name. Acts 22:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16 However, it is important to note that the balance of Scripture makes clear that an individual is not born again by being baptized. In nearly 200 scriptures, like the ones following, faith alone is referenced as the means to salvation. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 We don t get baptized to receive forgiveness and new life, but rather because we ve received forgiveness and new life. THE LOST RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL Although much confusion developed over the centuries regarding how water baptism might be practiced, its necessity for every professing Christian was not questioned until fairly recently in Church history. Bearing in mind the clear scriptural mandate for baptism, how is it that in our day it seems to have become merely an optional extra for many Christians? 3

4 Part of the problem, of course, has been the prevalence of infant baptism. Many who have subsequently come to faith in Christ have assumed that the act done for them as a baby can suffice in response to the command of Jesus. However, modern evangelistic methods have also (albeit perhaps unwittingly) served to diminish the importance of baptism in the eyes of many. In the early to mid 1700 s, men like John Wesley, George Whitfield and Jonathan Edwards emerged (in what became known as The Great Awakening ) with an emphasis on prayers of repentance/commitment, which came to be understood as the active response to the gospel and the means of conversion to Christ. This emphasis continued with the outstanding revivalists of the 1800 s such as Charles Finney, Dwight Moody and R.A. Torrey. In the twentieth century, the likes of Billy Graham have spearheaded what has become the standard practice of evangelistic crusades with altar calls leading to the refined and formularized Sinner s Prayer but little or no instruction on the need to respond with baptism. The required response to the gospel has ceased to be water baptism and become the prayer of commitment. All these ministries and evangelistic methods have been used by God to bring millions of people into an authentic salvation experience, and we do not believe that these servants of God in any way intentionally minimized the importance of water baptism as a response to the gospel. However, consideration of the development of this methodology does help us to understand why baptism has been relegated in its importance as a response to the gospel. WHAT DOES BAPTISM DO FOR THE BELIEVER? Having seen that baptism does not save us, one might ask whether it has any effect on us. Some church traditions believe that water baptism is sacramental i.e., that something is conveyed/imparted to the person being baptized irrespective of the state of their own mind or heart. However, water baptism is clearly intended to be an outward expression of an inward reality. It is both symbolic and an act of obedience. If the person being baptized is truly born again, there is nothing they receive in water baptism that has not already been given to them in the new birth. If a person not yet born again were to be baptized (an infant for example), they would simply go from being a dry sinner to a wet one! However, the fact that water baptism is symbolic in nature does not make it unimportant, nor does it mean that God does not use the practice as a means of conveying grace and revelation to those who approach it in faith. God in His wisdom gave us water baptism, and when rightly practiced, it imparts multiple blessings to the life of the believer. For many, it is water baptism that brings home the truths of the great salvation they received when first they believed. Consequently, they go on to experience a new measure of freedom and victory thereafter. Scripture has much to say of the symbolism and imagery connected to water baptism, and the truths of which it speaks so vividly. Let s look at some: DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION... don t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Romans 6:3-4 The immersion into the waters of baptism is described here as a picture of the death and resurrection of Jesus and our association with Him in it. We are buried under the water, marking the end of the old life. Then, just as Jesus came out of the tomb, we come up again to start a new life of victory. 4

5 CIRCUMCISION OF OUR HEARTS The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts... so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Deuteronomy 30:6 In Old Testament practice, Israelite boys were circumcised as a physical sign of belonging to the nation of Israel. But even in those days, God was clearly after His people s hearts, and He made promises that would be fulfilled in a better covenant that would come. In the new covenant, those who are born again receive a spiritual circumcision, or circumcision of the heart, which is confirmed in the waters of baptism. Through our faith in the finished work of the cross, the power of the old ways has been cut off. Like all God s blessings, this must be received by faith, if we are to live in the good of it. Again, it is water baptism that Scripture references to help us grasp this reality. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. Colossians 2:11-12 THE WATERS OF JUDGMENT AND RESCUE At times, God has used overwhelming waters to bring righteous judgment upon those who are unrelenting in sin and rebellion. Most drastically, this is seen in the account of Noah s life. God caused the whole earth to be engulfed in the flood, but through faithfulness and obedience to God s command, Noah and his family were rescued.... God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also... 1 Peter 3:20-21 Again, water is used in the dramatic escape of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt (see Exodus 13-15). God brings His absolute judgment upon the Egyptian slave masters as they try and pursue His people into the Red Sea: The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. Exodus 14:28 This is another prophetic picture of the total defeat of the Devil, who once held us all in the slavery of sin. Furthermore, the Apostle Paul specifically uses baptism terminology and imagery to describe the principle of God s people being rescued and united under Moses leadership: For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 Many see this as a foreshadowing of our union with Christ through baptism in water and the Holy Spirit. 5

6 REVELATION THROUGH OBEDIENCE Although there is great significance and revelation to be seen in these scriptures, it is important to note that God does not require that newly converted believers grasp all of this wonderful biblical imagery before they respond to the challenge of being baptized. God wants to establish in us a pattern of obedient response to Christ that is not conditional on understanding. Are we able to demonstrate that we know how to take orders from the Lord in this first, clear-cut command? We live in a culture that has deified knowledge and independence and that increasingly rejects the very idea of obedience, let alone obedience where there has not been a full and acceptable explanation of what is being required. However, we are challenged to live a different way: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding... Proverbs 3:5 Those that learn to live by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) understand that it is often the narrow door of obedience that leads to the broad place of revelation, and revelation is far greater than mere understanding. BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION In Hebrews 6:1-3, instruction about baptisms is one of the subjects listed as elementary and foundational to the life of the believer, which must be in place for there to be progress towards maturity. Baptism is foundational in that it establishes something significant in our lives and in our testimony, confirming our profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and our submission to Him as Lord. Memories of the occasion when we received the Lord may become a little hazy in time, but there can be no forgetting being plunged under the water! Baptism, therefore, sets up a spiritual milestone to which we can look back with assurance. In addition, it tells the other people who witness it or hear about it that we are serious about our faith. They may doubt our words, but when they see us submit to baptism, they know that we mean it. In closing this session, we leave you with six reasons we believe water baptism matters: It is the direct command of the Lord Jesus Christ It is clearly taught in Scripture as foundational It establishes a pattern of obedience in the life of the believer If practiced correctly, it conveys great revelation and blessing The Devil has vigorously attacked it over the centuries One day, we will encounter those who laid down their lives to maintain this New Testament practice 6

7 We are committed to seeing individual lives and the Body of Christ built according to the New Testament pattern. Because of this and for all the reasons given in this session, we would expect everyone who professes Jesus as Savior and Lord, and who wishes to be part of this congregation, to have been baptized in water as a believer, or to be baptized at the earliest opportunity. So, have you been baptized by immersion as a believer? RECOMMENDED READING Supplemental Handout: Water Baptism Within the Context of Church History One Church Ministries is the name of the apostolic ministry that cares for all of the churches we serve nationally and internationally. Learn more at 7

8 Living Light Christian Church Worshipping God Nurturing Believers Evangelizing the World Vision & Commitment Course Addendum Water Baptism Within the Context of Church History In order for us to understand how the practice of water baptism has become so confused, we must see it within the context of Church history. For the first two hundred years of Church history (during what was known as the Apostolic Age A.D. and the Ante-Nicene Age A.D. 1 ), water baptism was practiced in the way we have described in these notes with little variance or debate, that is, for believers only and by full immersion. The earliest known extra-biblical teaching and discipleship manual produced by the Church around 100 A.D. was called the Didache. It clearly taught that baptism was for believers only and gave no indication that the practice of baptizing infants was part of the life of the Church. Over the next 150 years, the leaders of the Church were attempting to develop a methodology of Church life and ministry in the absence of a clear New Testament canon. Being highly influenced by Old Testament patterns of priesthood and circumcision, a new approach to baptism began to emerge which viewed it as the Christian equivalent of circumcision. The practice of baptizing infants began to gain some prominence in the time of Irenaeus ( A.D.) and Origen ( A.D.), and it is in their writings that we find the first clear endorsement by a Church leader of infant baptism. Even then, it would take until the Council of Carthage in 253 A.D. before the practice was recognized as common or legitimate. Despite this development, the Church over this time period remained similar in many ways to what we see in the New Testament. The Church was primarily made up of radical converts who would have had no motive for belonging to the Church other than an authentic conversion, since becoming a Christian would typically mean extreme persecution, even martyrdom. To the Roman-dominated culture of the time, Christians, if recognized at all, would have been seen as a grouping within Judaism. However within Judaism, they were rejected as an unorthodox, renegade cult and were completely removed from synagogue life around 70 A.D. In terms of respectability and social standing, one didn t get much lower than being a Christian over this period. However, at the turn of the fourth century, this was all about to change. 1 The Ante-Nicene Period (literally meaning "before Nicaea"), or Post-Apostolic Period, of the history of early Christianity spanned the late first century to the early fourth century, with the end marked by the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. 1

9 In 313 A.D., a Roman Emperor called Constantine had a vision of a cross of light suspended before him. Shortly after this, he was victorious in a crucial battle and attributed his victory to the vision. Following this, Constantine had disturbing dreams that caused him to explore the meaning of the cross he had seen, and this ultimately led to a professed conversion to Christianity. The authenticity of Constantine s conversion has been the subject of much debate by historians over the years, but whether genuine or not, it was certainly considered to be so by Constantine himself, and it led to dramatic changes for the Church. Christianity, now championed by the most powerful man in the world at that time, went from what was generally perceived as an obscure cult to the most highly favored national religion. With this came the end of persecution and the beginning of significant benefits for the Church, including tax exemption, wealth, power, and influence on every level, all of this being symbolized by the raising up of huge and elaborate church buildings. With Constantine s endorsement, the Church became increasingly institutional in its practices and political in its interests, as an official union between Church and State began to emerge. In addition, a complete reversal of fortunes took place for professing Christians. Embracing Christianity no longer brought persecution, but now gave social standing and political favor. While the desire of some parents to have their children baptized was due to fear for their eternal destiny, others were more concerned that their children would suffer limitation of opportunity or loss of status by not being seen as Christian. Since water baptism was recognized as the formal act of conversion to Christianity, the practice of baptizing infants (in effect, Christianizing them) began to escalate. It took even longer for the Church to drift completely from the practice of immersion to an official endorsement of sprinkling as a legitimate method of baptism. The preference for sprinkling was no doubt in part because it would be far less traumatic to both child and parent than immersion. It wasn t until 754 A.D. that Pope Stephen III first gave authority for afflusion (pouring water over) rather than immersion, but even then only in extreme cases. The first law requiring infant baptism was made by the Roman emperor Charlemagne in 789 A.D. Its objective was to swell the number of (nominal) adherents to Christianity. As time went on and access to Scripture became highly restricted, the Biblical approach to water baptism diminished into virtual non-existence. Over the centuries following Constantine s involvement, the Church (which apart from the similarly institutional Eastern Orthodox expression was now essentially the Roman Catholic Church) would grow to become the most powerful organization in the world, exerting more influence than any individual country. Whether one believes this was the best or worst thing that could have happened to the Church, one cannot ignore the sovereignty of God over such a monumental development. There is no denying that much good came of the strengthening of the Church, for example the gathering and maintaining of the Scriptures. Nevertheless, great evil came through the religious hypocrisy and corruption that so often accompany wealth and power. 2

10 The Church in the West would essentially be held under the control of Roman Catholicism for a period of 1,200 years. Over this time, the formal leadership of the Church, known as clergy, became increasingly separated from the common man, both by education and wealth. The Magisterium 2 of the Roman Catholic Church came to establish itself as the voice of God to the common man, who had neither access to Scripture nor the educational ability to read it. The result of this was that Scripture alone was no longer considered authoritative for the life of the Christian, but rather Scripture as interpreted by the tradition of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church also constructed the elaborate administration of sacraments (including the practice of infant baptism by sprinkling) by clergy in a style reminiscent of the Levitical priesthood. Even the gospel itself had become obscured, as gifted scholars found ways of devising arguments to defend a salvation that was now dispensed by the Church on the basis of works and donations. By the beginning of the 1500 s, the Roman Catholic Church had reached such a level of political corruption and falsehood in doctrine that it had become intolerable to many. In 1517, there was a major fund-raising initiative for the building of St Peter s Basilica in Rome, and the selling of indulgences was employed to great effect. The Roman Catholic Church had developed an unbiblical teaching regarding a place called purgatory, where people went if they were not righteous enough for heaven but not unrighteous enough for hell! The Church taught that one could buy an indulgence, literally a signed, get out of purgatory certificate, for oneself or a loved one. This was the straw that broke the camel s back for a young German Catholic Monk called Martin Luther. He was an outstanding scholar and teacher and had access to the Scriptures, from which he was able to see the many doctrinal errors in the Church. Deeply troubled by these errors, Luther wrote a document outlining 95 doctrinal issues that he felt needed to be addressed in the Church. This would be the start of what would become known as the Reformation. It should be noted that Luther s goal was not to rebel against the Roman Catholic Church, which he very much believed in, but rather to bring about reform, hence the name Reformation (the movement also became known as Protestantism, as its adherents were protesting against the unbiblical teachings of the Roman Catholic Church). To Luther s shock and dismay, his desire for debate and reform was met very negatively by the hierarchy of the Church, and it quickly devolved into accusations of heresy and subsequent assassination attempts upon Luther. However, this was not to be the end of the story. The rulers of some European countries had become disgruntled with the power of the Roman Catholic Church and saw an opportunity to sever that control, while appearing spiritually pious, by lending military force to Luther s Protestantism. Consequently, many a bloody battle ensued, eventually freeing much of the Church from the tyranny and abuses of Roman Catholicism. Above all else, this freedom would, in time and through tremendous sacrifice, lead to the glorious recovery and accessibility of the Bible. Thanks to the invention of the printing 2 In the Roman Catholic Church, the word "Magisterium" refers to the teaching authority of the church. i.e., the current bishops led by the Pope. 3

11 press and the Reformers passion to translate the Bible into the languages of the people, it became available not just to Church leaders but to the common man as well. The authentic gospel of salvation through grace alone and justification through faith alone, lost for centuries, began to ring out. The truth concerning the priesthood of all believers would now begin to dismantle unbiblical concepts of leadership and bridge the division between clergy and laity. This was a truly wonderful new era for the Church, a time of restoration of many Biblical truths. The Reformers proclaimed a return to the life of the Church found in the New Testament. They rallied under a five-part battle cry: Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone) - Scripture alone is our authority, not tradition; Sola gratia (by grace alone) - Salvation is by grace alone, not merit; Sola fide (by faith alone) - Justification is received by faith alone, not by works; Sola Christus (through Christ alone) - Christ is the only mediator between God and man, not clergy; Soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone) - Glory is due to God alone, not to ecclesiastical authorities. Within such an environment, one would think that the errors of doctrine and practice regarding water baptism would be glaringly obvious, and that the outstanding theologians at the forefront of the Reformation would address the matter with their characteristic clarity. In fact, they did seem to acknowledge the strength of the Biblical evidence for baptism of believers by immersion. Here are some of their own words on the subject: Martin Luther: Without personal faith no one should be baptized. Where we cannot be sure that young children are themselves believers and themselves have faith, my advice and judgment are that it is better to delay, and even better that we baptize no more children, so that we do not with such foolery and tricks make a mockery of or outrage the blessed majesty of God. (Sermon for Third Sunday after Epiphany) John Calvin: As Christ enjoins them to teach before baptizing, and desires that none but believers shall be admitted to baptism, it would appear that baptism is not properly administered unless it is preceded by faith. (Harmony of the Gospels, vol. 3.p. 386, commenting on Matthew 28) Baptism is, as it were, an appurtenance of faith and therefore it is later in order; secondly, if it is given without faith, whose seal it is, it is both wicked and too gross a profanation. (Commentary on Acts, Vol. 1, p. 362) Shockingly however, these statements are in the context of elaborately constructed arguments (thin on Biblical reference and heavy on tradition) to defend the sprinkling of infants. 4

12 One of the fathers of the Reformation in Switzerland did unequivocally affirm the Biblical practice of baptism and was surprisingly honest as to why he was compromising on this issue: Ulrich Zwingli: Nothing grieves me more than that at the present I have to baptize children, for I know it ought not to be done. If, however, I were to terminate the practice then I fear that I would lose my prebend [salary]. (Quellen IV, p. 184) It is hard to know with certainty why the Reformers, who were so Bible-based in their convictions and willing to risk so much, failed either to see or to restore so clear a New Testament practice. Zwingli believed that part of the reason for the compromise was the constant social pressure from church members who wanted nothing more from their leaders than to uphold the tradition of baptizing their children. Adding greater weight to this pressure was the fact that the rulers who had supported the Reformation wanted to retain the practice of infant baptism, as it had become far more than merely a religious issue. For centuries it had been taught that an infant was not just baptized into Christ and the Church, but also into servitude to the God-ordained sovereign of that nation. The corrupting influence of secular politics and government in connection with water baptism was also evident in relation to the translation of Scripture into the common languages. Whereas typically the early translators did a wonderfully accurate word-forword conversion from the original Greek manuscripts to English, for some curious reason the Greek word baptizo, which as we saw earlier means to dip, immerse or submerge into a liquid, was given no such translation and was instead transliterated to baptize. This allowed the new Protestant Churches the liberty to continue the practice of sprinkling without question. These compromises and failures on the part of those at the forefront of the Reformation obviously robbed the Church of a full restoration to New Testament-based practice; but worse than that, they also resulted in one of the darkest and most shameful episodes in Church history. A number of believers were not prepared to compromise in their commitment to a return to the Biblical practice of water baptism. They were known as Radical Reformers or Anabaptists, ana coming from the Greek word meaning again. The fact that Anabaptists were being baptized again was in itself a rejection of the validity of their infant baptism. The Anabaptists were persecuted mercilessly, most being unwilling to confess as heresy what they knew to be Biblical truth. Many were martyred along with their family members, sometimes (in a cruel mockery of their convictions) by being drowned or even baptized alive in cauldrons of boiling oil. Terrible as this was, what made it worse was that it could not have happened without the signed approval of leaders within the Reformation. Because of this persecution, thousands fled for their lives, embarking on hazardous trips as pilgrims in search of religious freedom. Of course, many of them found this in the New World, America, where today there is a huge and thriving Baptist Church, and other groups that originated from the Anabaptists. 5

13 Typically, many of the churches and colleges that have evolved out of the Reformation tradition have remained theologically strong, but in much of their style and practice tend to be very formal and are in some ways virtually undistinguishable from the Roman Catholic Church. What is even more striking is the theological blindness and centuries of drought that these branches of the Church have experienced with regard to the dynamic of the Holy Spirit. In contrast to this, many of those who escaped the persecution and settled in America became foundational to movements that have known frequent outpourings of the Holy Spirit, as well as a number of revivals that have had world impact. In the end, we can only speculate over the reasons why many of the key figures of the early Reformers conceded on the issue of baptism. Perhaps in the balance of the many great truths they laid down their lives to restore, the unbiblical practice of water baptism did not seem to matter enough to jeopardize what had been won. The question before us now is, Does the Biblical practice of water baptism matter? As a church leadership, we have answered this with a resounding YES! But the question must be answered by you on an individual level, too. 6