This position has been recently advocated by some of our writers in the paper. One good brother gives it as his opinion, and requests some one to say whether he is right or not.

      Now, with the permission of our kind Editor, I will try to give you my understanding of the subject.

      1. I would say that I understand the Church of God to be a divine institution to which God can alone add, "And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be (or are) saved." (Acts ii: 47.) The door through which individuals are admitted is not subject to being frozen over so as to call into requisition the implements of man to open it. But, says Christ, "I am the door." (John x: 9.) "For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." (Eph. ii: 18.)

      2. The fellowship of the members by the Church in any locality is only recognizing and confessing them to be in the Church. We have no power to admit members into the Church, but are under obligations to receive into our communion all whom the Lord admits into the Church. "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us, to the glory of God." (Rom. xv: 7.) Here there is first a receiving by Christ into the Church, and, second, the duty of all thus admitted to receive one another, "as (upon the same conditions) Christ received us."

      Therefore, to find out whom we shall receive, it is only necessary to ascertain whom Christ has received. They are,

      1. Those that are saved. "By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." (John x: 9.) From this we learn that present salvation and an entering into the Church are inseparable. When our salvation is sealed it is valid and must be recognized. Now, the seal of our salvation, catechism, creeds and popular preaching tell us, is baptism; but the word teaches otherwise. "Ye were sealed, with that Holy Spirit of promise." (Eph. i: 13.) "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Eph. iv: 30.) Now, as our salvation is sealed by the Spirit of God, which is received prior to baptism, we are also in the Church before baptism. This all must admit; and we do no more by fellowshiping them than recognizing this fact. Should any, however, lose the seal of God's acceptance, and we cannot succeed in restoring them, we should disown them.

      2. All the children of God are in the Church. "Family" is only another name for the Church. It is used to show that Christians sustain the same relation to God that children do to their father. And "ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Gal. iii: 26.) "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believed on his name." (John i: 12.) "Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God." (1 John v: 1.) From these scriptures it is evident that we are born of God, or become "the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Now, as faith must go before baptism, and by faith we are the children of God, it follows that we must be such before baptism; and being children of the household of faith, we must confess them to be such, baptized or unbaptized. For being "predestinated unto the adoption of children," we are informed, "he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." (Eph. i: 5-6.) And we are commanded to "receive one another as Christ also received us." (Rom. xv: 7.) Therefore, we are compelled to receive into fellowship every child of God.

      3. All the pure are in the Church. "Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water, by the word." (Eph. v: 25, 26.) We are here informed that the Church only is "sanctified and cleansed;" by which we understand that persons being sanctified are thereby made a part of the Church. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (John xv: 3.) "According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." (Titus iii: 5.) The word and the Spirit are here said to be employed to effect this cleansing, both of which are received and their effects produced before baptism. Now, if they are holy before baptism, it must be admitted that they are a part of that "Holy Nation," the Church, before baptism. We have further testimony in Titus ii: 14, that all those whom Christ purifies are "purified unto himself;" which is the same as "added unto the Lord," meaning the Church. It was by this change that we are received by the Lord, and we are required to "receive one another as Christ also received us." Hence, all the pure in heart, on application, must be received by the local Churches.

      We will now examine the inspired history of the Church and learn upon what conditions members were fellowshiped. They were received, 1, As disciples. We are informed, Acts ix: 26-28, that when Saul returned to Jerusalem, and "essayed to join himself to the disciples," they having known him to be a persecutor, at first rejected him, because they "believed not that he was a disciples;" but when these apprehensions were removed by the testimony of Barnabas, they received him into their fellowship, "and he was with them going in and coming out at Jerusalem." V. 28. We hear no questions asked here concerning his baptism; neither did Barnabas mention it. But he was received upon the ground of being a disciple.

      "Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John." (John iv: 1.) Thus we see a person is a disciple before baptism, and as a disciple he may be fellowshiped whether he is baptized or not."

      2. They were fellowshiped as believers. "And all that believed were together and had all things common." (Acts ii: 44.) "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul; neither said any of them that aught of the things he possessed was his own, but they "had all things common." (Acts iv: 32.) Also the Church that was formed at Thessalonica: "And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. (Acts xvii: 4.)

      In all these scriptures faith is the only qualification of Church fellowship spoke of; nothing at all is said of the baptism of the Thessalonians, while that of the converts at Jerusalem is not alluded to as any condition of fellowship; but faith is distinctly pointed out as that which limited the number who "had all things common." And faith always precedes baptism; therefore, fellowship may also precede baptism.

      But it is asked, Is not obedience required of all Church members? Certainly it is; and we have no authority to invite to the fellowship of the Church any who are not willing to do the whole will of God. To be immersed, I believe, too, is the duty of converts as soon as they have an opportunity; but their right to recognition in a local Church begins at the moment when the Lord adds them to the Church in general.

      Baptism, too, like all other duties, must be done in faith, for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. xiv: 23.) It is certain that no act can be done in faith until the mind is fully assured that it is commanded by God. In the days of the apostles, when all spoke the same thing, their teaching was of such authority that a few words were sufficient to enjoin this duty upon every convert. They had but to say, "Be baptized," and no room was left to choose between modes. The act itself was required, and was well understood for 1500 years, which was about the time the Greek language had been in use. No other idea but that of immerse, dip, plunge or overwhelm had been associated with the word baptizo. It was not till during the dark ages that man, who is still "seeking out many inventions," had proceeded so far as to connect the ideas of sprinkle, pour; of bowls, infants and godfathers, with baptism. These traditions have been taught to many by their parents, and practiced in their presence from childhood up; and many of them have been compelled to take an oath to adhere to them as long as they live. Popular preaching, much of which is aimed to support creeds with but little regard for truth, leads them still further into the wilderness of error, and leaves them blindfolded to feel their way out of the jungle of human traditions, which "make void the commands of God."

      Now, when any of those unfortunate creatures make their way well nigh out of Babylon, and come seeking refuge on "the pillar and ground of the truth," how shall we treat them? This is a question that demands serious consideration. We have seen them soundly converted, and we must acknowledge that God has admitted them into his Church. If we reject them, we often push them back into the pit from which God had delivered them. If we receive them, it must be with an unsettled mind concerning baptism; and can we wonder at this, or even blame them for it, under the circumstances? I have found no scripture forbidding their recognition.

      It is true, that the scriptures lay down but one rule of faith and practice for the whole Church; but is there no provision made for such as do not yet comprehend all the commandments of Christ? I think there is. "Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing." (Phil. iii. 15-16.) This certainly teaches that persons were received into fellowship who did not yet comprehend all the duties of the Church relation, and that compliance with the rule was only required of them so far as they had attained unto a knowledge of the same. We are further assured that wherein they lack, "God shall reveal even this unto them." The time necessary to effect this is varied by the different circumstances under which they have lived, and the capacity of the mind to discern truth and throw off error. But the same knowledge of duty is always essential to the proper observance of the ordinance of immersion, whether that knowledge is attained at once or after months and years have been spent in shaking themselves from the dust of fatherly traditions. Those who are detained long in these perplexities are generally weak in the faith, and Paul says, Rom. xiv: 1, "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations." The margin reads, "Not to judge his doubtful thoughts." This is about the condition of one who had been sprinkled, and after conversion is in doubts, concerning his duty to be baptized. Receive him, "for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand." (v. 3, 4.) "Leaving the (first) principles of the doctrine of Christ," they will "go on unto perfection *   *   * of the doctrine of baptism," etc. (Heb. xi: 1-2.) These scriptures certainly allow a person time to "grow in the knowledge of the truth" before he is required to walk in the same. By receiving such, according to Paul's directions, we sever the cords with which they are bound to many errors; and the truth being plainly taught them will speedily bring them all to its great center of attraction. Thus the Church become workers together with God in saving souls from superstition and error. If we arrogate to ourselves the right of making a Church of our own we should likewise exercise the right of prescribing the entrance thereto. But as we claim no such power, but profess to be members of God's Church, he only can admit thereto; and all thus born into the Church we must call brother or sister, and confessing them by our words, would it not be inconsistent to deny them by our acts?

      I desire much to see uniformity in the faith and practice of the Church of God, but I can see no particular relation between immersion and fellowship. Both sustain a relation to conversion. Baptism is to follow conversion as soon as possible; recognition, any time after conversion. Therefore, I understand the Scriptures to lay down the following rules:

      1. Teach all converts to be immersed as soon after conversion as is practicable.

      2. When a proper time arrives to "receive one another" by the right hand of fellowship, the invitation should extend to all believers, though this may include some who have not attained to a knowledge of true baptism, and others who have had no opportunity to obey. If I am in error in this, I hope some one will give the scripture, showing the right way, and I will gladly walk therein.

      New Washington, Ohio, June 8, 1871.

[The Church Advocate 36 (June 21, 1871): 1.]

      Daniel S. Warner's "Is Immersion a Prerequisite to Church Fellowship?" was first published in The Church Advocate, Vol. 36, No. 8 (June 21, 1871), p. 1. The electronic version has been transcribed from a copy of the article provided by Jean Leathers, Archivist of the Churches of God Historical Society.

      I have let stand variations and inconsistencies in the author's (or editor's) use of italics, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Emendations of accidental errors are as follows:

                  Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 1:            "he hath make us [ "he hath made us
                  but they had all [ but they "had all
                  receive, ye but [ receive ye, but
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 5 February 1998.
Updated 15 July 2003.