The Most Intimate Sign
By F. L. Lemley
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The most intimate sign of belonging to Christ which we call baptism indeed means something if one keeps all the commandments of Christ. But if one flouts the other commandments and does not produce the fruit of the Spirit he is to all intents and purposes "unbaptizing" himself. Conversely, if an unbaptized man keeps the commandments of Christ and produces the fruit of the Spirit, does he not thereby "baptize" himself? Moreover, those who are unscripturally baptized and yet keep the commandments and produce the fruit of the Spirit are a continual judgment upon those who, for all of their correctness on baptism and knowledge of the commandments, break them.
I have come to the conclusion that a true Christian is not a man who is one outwardly, and real baptism is not just a matter of immersing the body outwardly. The true Christian is one who belongs to God in heart, whose baptism is not just an outward physical affair, but a God-made sign upon the heart and soul, and results in a life lived not for the approval of men, but for the approval of God. (This is a paraphrased adaptation of Romans 2:25-29 from J. B. Phillips).
The intent of this imitation is to point out the fact that those today who seek justification on the basis of commandment-keeping, who have made the gospel of Christ into a re-vamped law of Moses, are placing the same undue emphasis upon baptism that the ancient Pharisees placed upon circumcision. No command is clearer in the Old Testament than that of circumcision (Gen. 17:9-14). No command is clearer in the New Testament than that of baptism, yet Paul said, "Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel" (1 Cor. 1:17). It is not our intent to belittle, negate, or in any manner diminish the importance of any command of Christ, but rather to place them all in proper perspective.
In the legalistic view, keeping the commandments is a means by which we are justified, and since baptism is in order to the remission of sins, this command occupies a place of supreme importance. Many are more meticulous about it than any other command in all of Christ's teaching. One must correctly understand the purpose, design and action of baptism, and the correct formula must be pronounced over the candidate, or the baptism is void. While baptism is for the remission of sins it is not the exclusive command involved in the remission.
Faith is for the remission of sins also (Acts 10:43). Repentance is also for the remission of sins (Acts 3:19). But did you ever hear of anyone giving a candidate the third degree on his faith and repentance? Suppose a man's faith and repentance are defective and incomplete, will baptism secure his remission? Conversely, if one's faith and repentance are beyond question, but his baptism is defective, could his faith and repentance secure his remission? If the legalist is consistent he must contend for perfection in all three. But whoever heard of a consistent legalist? To a legalist there is no such thing as incomplete obedience. It is either perfect or it is not obedience and he makes no distinction in the importance of the commands. One had as well refuse to be baptized as to forsake the assembly on Wednesday night!
This meticulous concern for the correctness of baptism, in the restoration movement history, dates back to the days of David Lipscomb and Austin McGary. Lipscomb was baptized at the age of fourteen by Tolbert Fanning. Fanning asked why he wanted to be baptized. He replied, "To obey God." Forty years later Lipscomb said he could not improve upon that answer.
A lady who had been associated with the Baptists presented herself to Lipscomb during a meeting and asked to unite with the disciples. Lipscomb asked her if she
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Austin McGary disagreed with these brethren very strongly and accused them of "shaking in the Baptists." He moved to Texas and in autumn of 1884 started a new paper called Firm Foundation, for the avowed purpose, among other things, of opposing those who "shook in the Baptists." McGary was denounced by W. H. Bagby who wrote the Texas news for the Christian Standard. He called McGary's position "the rebaptism hobby." The fight raged for almost fifteen years through the pages of Firm Foundation and the Gospel Advocate. In areas today where the former has a strong influence, McGary's concept is taught and imposed. One can hear preachers saying that one cannot be taught wrong and baptized right, referring to the purpose of remission of sins. In many places ripples of discontent and doubt are experienced if one is received who has not been baptized by "a Church of Christ man" according to "the Church of Christ" formula. We do not seem to be able to leave the matter up to the individual and his God. We must sectarianize the rite. Actually "Church of Christ baptism" is no better than "Baptist baptism." Scriptural baptism is what matters, and in this the administrator is not important.
For those who seek to be justified by command-keeping, not only is a proper understanding and proper execution of the baptism command essential, but a correct understanding and execution of every other command is essential to salvation. There is no such thing as incomplete obedience. It is either complete or it is not obedience. Thus, to forsake one Wednesday night service is just as serious as rebellion against Acts 2:38. To offend in one point is to become guilty of all (James 2:10). Under this legal system grace is extended only after one completes his obedience.
The system is this. When man disobeyed in Eden God could have let him perish and been justified in so doing. But God loved him and by His grace provided a legal plan whereby man could once again enter into his presence. After one has tried to keep all the commandments in this legal plan, and has failed (for all will surely fail), he then must eventually stand before God in judgment hoping, but not knowing, if God will again extend His grace and give him a passing grade in commandment-keeping. With this device the elders have a convenient tool for keeping the congregation in subjection, and preachers who are skilled in creating neurotic guilt feelings can restore hundreds in gospel(?) meetings, for all have sinned and come short of the law! By this system, grace is for those who successfully obey, that is, who make what God considers a passing grade.
In a legal system, works are procurative in nature, just like working for wages. We work to procure our wages. By this system one is compelled to live a life of frustration and die in fear. He can never be sure of his salvation. He cannot know until the judgment if he is lost or saved. So he needs the "extreme unction" of prayer just before death to guarantee that when he gets to the judgment, all of his sins will be accounted for. If he forgets just one (God perish the thought!) that one will hurl him into the lower realms.
By the "grace-faith" system taught in Romans we are relieved of all such fears. Like Abraham, we enter the domain of God's grace at the beginning of our obedience instead of at the end. We enter this relationship of grace, by faith (Romans 5:1, 2), not by successful obedience. God imputed righteousness to Abraham because of his faith, not because he successfully completed his obedience, for Abraham did not successfully complete his obedience. Neither can we! But if we exhibit a faith and trust like that of Abraham, God will no more impute unrighteousness to us than he did to Abraham (Romans 4:23, 24).
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Under the "grace-faith" system works become declarative and not procurative in nature. By our works we declare our faith and a faith undeclared will not save. James says, "Faith without works is dead, being alone." Faith and works are inseparable! When we are motivated by love we strive to keep all of the commandments, and it is by keeping the commandments we show that we love God (1 John 2:3,4). A sincerely surrendered soul purposes to keep all of God's commandments to the extent of knowledge and ability. He may fall far short of his intentions, but as with Abraham, God imputes righteousness on the basis of faith.
One enters the domain of God's grace at the beginning of obedience and not after he successfully completes it. To illustrate, an insurance policy protects us from the time we affix our signature and make the first deposit. We do not have to wait until it is paid up to enjoy its protection. Abraham proved his faith when he began to move to obey and righteousness was imputed to him long before he finished his obedience, for he never finished it! God's grace protects us while we are in the process of obeying.
How does baptism fit into this system? It is a means of declaring our acceptance of Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:26, 27). It is a symbol (Romans 6:3-7). It is for the remission of sins along with faith, repentance, and a number of other things. It is a command of Christ, an act of discipling (Matthew 28: 18-20). It is not an end, but one of many things involved in accomplishing an end (1 Cor. 1:17). "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel." Paul did not have a legal emphasis.
Baptism is to becoming a Christian what the marriage ceremony is to becoming married. The legalist would argue that if God could save one soul without his being correctly baptized he could save all, and so he would throw out the whole command! The "grace-faith" system would make allowance for a truly surrendered and obedient heart in one who, for some reason beyond his control, did not thoroughly and correctly understand. A mistaken heart is not a rebellious heart. An error in judgment is not apostacy. So we must keep right on preaching and teaching what we sincerely believe the scriptures to teach on baptism as well as other subjects, and stay out of God's judgment seat.
We must allow God to exercise His grace, and while we are not commissioned to dispense it, we can leave room for Him to do so. Such an attitude does not weaken our position but strengthens it. It does not negate the commandments. It only places them in proper perspective. The commandments are established as a means of declaring and demonstrating our faith which is the basis of our salvation.
Editor's Note: Those who wish to correspond with the author about the content of this article may address F. L. Lemley, 28 Riverdale Avenue E., New Shrewsbury, New Jersey 07724.