We dare not neglect our Lord's command to baptize, if we are to be faithful to the Word of God as we "Rethink the Great Commission."
Jack Barentsen, a missionary to Holland, e-mailed these comments:
In part III, when giving your expanded definition of the Great Commission, I miss any reference to evangelism and baptism. Of course, it could be argued that this is included in teaching them to obey all things Jesus commanded. But Jesus thought it necessary to spell that out, so perhaps this should also be included in your version of this important command.
Editorial Note: In Parts VI and VII we considered evangelism and discipleship in the ministry of a hypothetical missions organization, and in the lives of First Believer, Second Believer, and Third Believer. These hypothetical situations may have been helpful in showing that evangelism is only a first step to making disciples, but we have not discussed baptism. And, as this missionary suggests, it might be helpful to include both evangelism and baptism in an expanded paraphrase of Matthew 28:19-20.
As we consider baptism, it will be worthwhile to consider, also, some of the comments of David Benzel, a missionary to Far-East Russia, quoted previously in Part VI:
As quoted above, one missionary has suggested that our expanded paraphrase of Matthew 28:19-20 include evangelism and baptism, and another missionary has questioned whether individuals or groups should fulfill the commands of The Great Commission.
Personal evangelism by individual believers is recorded in the book of Acts (Acts 8:4), and at least one historian says that the known world was evangelized before 300 AD without an organized missions effort. Therefore, there is no question about the possibility of world evangelism being achieved again by means of person-to-person evangelism by believers obeying The Great Commission.
But what about baptism? Who is qualified to baptize another believer? If baptism can be performed only by certain individuals who have been given this authority by some higher authority, then The Great Commission cannot be obeyed, in its entirety, by individual believers.
In Parts VI and VII, we considered the hypothetical country of Large-Sparse, and the missionary activities of a hypothetical missions organization that we called TGC, International (The Great Commission, International). As a result of the evangelism efforts of TGC, International, First Believer came to saving faith, and as a result of the personal evangelism efforts of First Believer, using the evangelism materials of TGC, International, Second Believer came to saving faith.
Baptizing Them: Qualifications for Participants
As time went on, First Believer and Second Believer decided that obedience to their Lord required that they be baptized. They had read the Ethiopian eunuch's question: "What is there to keep me from being baptized?" and Philip's reply, "If you believe with all of your heart, you may" (Acts 8:36-37).
They were deeply grateful for the people in TGC, International whose radio broadcasts and Bible study lessons had lead them to their Lord, and they longed for someone from the missionary organization to baptize them. But the distance and financial cost was too great: TGC, International sadly informed them they would be unable to send anyone to baptize them. Who could baptize them?
As they continued to study the Scriptures, they came to understand that, in baptism, they are personally identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of their Lord. Pondering these truths, they became fully persuaded that it is their obedience to their Lord that is important, not the person or the ecclesiastical authority of the person who would baptize them. Following their convictions, they baptized each other.
In Part VII, the evangelistic efforts of Second Believer resulted in Third Believer coming to saving faith. First and Second Believer remembered the statement of Paul that Timothy was his spiritual son (1 Tim. 1:2). As First Believer and Second Believer pondered the biblical reference to spiritual sonship, they decided that, since Third Believer was the spiritual son of Second Believer, Second Believer should accept the responsibility of discipling Third Believer. But, who should baptize Third Believer? Following the principle of spiritual sonship, they decided that Second Believer should baptize Third Believer.
If baptism were thought to be the bestowing of some kind of blessing, such as salvation, on the one being baptized, then certain questions would flow logically out of that misconception, such as: Where is the efficacy in baptism? Is it in the particular words spoken? Is the efficacy in the baptism being performed in a special place set apart by some ecclesiastical authority? Is it using a particular water from a particular source, or is it in using a water that has been blessed by someone or some ecclesiastical authority? Or, is it in authority vested, by some ecclesiastical authority, in the one who does the baptizing?
If we believe that baptism is an act of obedience in which a believer symbolically identifies with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, then isn't the faith of the one being baptized the most important factor?
Philip was sent by an angel of the Lord to present the Gospel to an Ethiopian eunuch. As they came to a place where there was water, the eunuch asked, "What is there to prevent me from being baptized?" Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart you may." Philip then baptized the eunuch, and the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, taking him away so that the eunuch saw him no more (Acts 8:26-39).
Philip did not say, "If you believe, you can be baptized, but I don't know how to baptize you. I might not use the right words." He didn't say, "This water is not suitable for baptizing. You must go back to Jerusalem where the water has been blessed." He didn't say, "You can't be baptized here. You can only be baptized in a place that has been set apart for baptism by the church leaders." And, Philip didn't say, "I don't have the authority to baptize you. I am only a table servant. You will have to return to Jerusalem, and there someone with authority will baptize you."
As far as can be learned from the biblical account, Philip never questioned his authority to baptize the Ethiopian, no one gave him this authority, and no one questioned his authority to baptize. Instead, the ministry of Philip must have pleased God, because the Scriptures comment favorably on his ministry after he was snatched away from the Ethiopian eunuch.
Why didn't the angel of the Lord send someone with apostolic or clerical authority to present the Gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch? Interesting question isn't it? Could it have been to answer questions that would arise later? What does this passage teach?
In this one example recorded in the book of Acts, we learn that belief on Jesus Christ is an absolute requirement for baptism. In addition, the Holy Spirit answered "no" to all of these questions: Must baptism be performed in some special place set apart by some ecclesiastical authority? Must a special water be used that has been approved by, or provided by, some ecclesiastical authority? And/or must baptism be performed by someone who has been vested with authority by a higher ecclesiastical authority?
What If
What if local churches encouraged believers, not only to disciple, but also to baptize those that they evangelized? Do you suppose that the act of baptizing the one that he has led to saving faith would impress upon the believer his responsibility for discipling the new believer? Do you suppose that baptizing the new believer would be an experience that would result in his own spiritual growth and deepen his commitment? Do you suppose that discipling the one he has led to saving faith would also result in his own spiritual growth and deepen his commitment?
If we believe that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, if we acknowledge the fact that we do not understand the Bible perfectly, and if we believe that it is God-honoring to study His Word to establish our philosophies and methodologies of ministries, then, as we study the Scriptures further, isn't it God-honoring to rethink our previously-established philosophies and methodologies of ministries to be sure that they are consistent with His Word?
Copyright 1997 by Wendell E. Miller
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Coming Soon: Rethinking The Great Commission: Part IX
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