Immersion, pouring, sprinkling, baptism

Email reply to Steve Finnell of  "A Christian View". 

 

"​Mr. Finnell,

It looks like you like to "hit, run, and hide"

.....you sent me your comments with your erroneous exegesis of Ephesians 5:25-26 (the thought of inserting water baptism into a washing done by the word!) and then were unwilling to discuss salvation and baptism. All you have done is mindlessly sent me your short/sad blog posts that quote Acts 2:38 and parts of Mark 16:16 with 1 Peter 3:21. I have given you plain scriptures that completely refute your baptismal regeneration position.

As for your post on the definition of "baptism" which you incorrectly defined as "immerse", let me set you straight.

The first "baptism" in the Bible did not involve ANYONE getting wet. It was purely a DRY identification.

1 Corinthians 10:

[1] Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
[2] And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

There is certainly no "immersion" there.

Next is the baptism with the Holy Ghost....which is plainly called a pouring/falling rather than an immersion.

Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Acts 2:

[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God,I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Acts 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

Also, I was not impressed with your information about Greek/transliterate/translate saying as that is all common knowledge to any serious Bible student. However, I suppose you did impress your lost followers by making them think that you knew about Greek and translation. (which we both know you don't)

You falsely stated in your post that "immerse" was the proper translation of "baptize". But that is a lie. The Greek word "βαπτισμους" just as easily means "wash". (I have already proved that some baptisms are just an identification)

Examples:

#1.) Mark  7:4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

"και απο αγορας εαν μη βαπτισωνται ουκ εσθιουσιν και αλλα πολλα εστιν α παρελαβον κρατειν βαπτισμους ποτηριων και ξεστων και χαλκιων και κλινων "

#2.) Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

"αφεντες γαρ την εντολην του θεου κρατειτε την παραδοσιν των ανθρωπων βαπτισμους ξεστων και ποτηριων και αλλα παρομοια τοιαυτα πολλα ποιειτε "

#3.) Hebrews 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

"μονον επι βρωμασιν και πομασιν και διαφοροις βαπτισμοις και δικαιωμασιν σαρκος μεχρι καιρου διορθωσεως επικειμενα "

As you can see, "immerse" would not fit these verses. That is why it does not say "immerse", it says WASH. Mark 7:4--nobody immersed a table...they washed, sprinkled, or poured on a table!

So what about water baptism for the believer under the gospel of the circumcision/gospel of the kingdom??? Was that by immersion, pouring, or sprinkling?

Well according to 1 Peter 3:21 and Acts 22:16, water baptism was a "like figure" of salvation/washing away of sins--but it did not actually put away the filth of the flesh. It was a FIGURE of the WASHING AWAY OF SINS. Which seems to indicate that sprinkling was the mode of baptism.....

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

That is a sprinkling.....

Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

 

Hebrews 10:

[19] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
[20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
[21] And having an high priest over the house of God;
[22] Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

Water baptism was a figurative cleansing--which came by the blood of Christ. This is connected with SPRINKLING--not immersion. In Isaiah 52:14-15 we see a prophecy of Christ suffering and shedding His blood for us--also connected with sprinkling.

 

Isaiah 52:

[14] As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
[15] So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

 

Compare with these:

 

John 4:

[1] When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
[2] (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

 

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

 

1 Peter 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 

1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

 

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

 

Hebrews 10:

[19] Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
[20] By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
[21] And having an high priest over the house of God;
[22] Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

No scripture says that water baptism was by immersion. The evidence indicates sprinkling. The idea that water baptism was by immersion came by a misinterpretation of baptism into Christ to be the same thing as water baptism--when it is not. The Holy Spirit baptizes believers into Christ through the faith of the operation of God (1 Cor. 12:12-13, Col. 2:10-12, Gal. 3:1-3, Gal 3:26-28, Rom. 6:3-4). "

 

--Eli "Hoss" Caldwell