Is Sprinkling Baptism?

Is Sprinkling Baptism?

InnovatInnovation?ion?AuthoriAuthorized?zed?

OROR

Commands for Baptism

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16)“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38)“And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)

We establish that baptism is essential

Origin of Sprinkling

251 A.D. – First example of sprinkling recorded by Novatian

753 A.D. – Pope Stephen II proclaimed sprinkling admissible only in cases of necessity

1311 A.D. – Council of Ravenna declared the form of baptism of no importance

1550 A.D. – By this date sprinkling was more common than immersion

Sprinkling not practiced in 1st century

John Calvin on Sprinkling

“It is of no consequence at all whether the person baptized is totally immersed or whether he is merely sprinkled by an effusion of water. This should be a matter of choice to churches in different regions, although the word baptize signifies to immerse, and the rite of immersion was practiced by the ancient church.”

Sprinkling not practiced in 1st century

We MustRemain True to God’s Word

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Col. 3:17)

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim. 1:13)

The Importance of Proper Definitions

Two considerations to establish usage: 1) Definition or Definitions; 2) Context“He that hath an opinion and is sprinkled shall be pickled.” (Mark 16:16?)What is the proper use of the word “baptize” in New Testament scripture?

Definition of Baptism

(Thayer – baptidzo) – “to dip repeatedly, to imerge, submerge, overwhelm.”

(Pickering) – “to dip, immerse, submerge, plunge, sink, overwhelm, to step, to soak.”

(Martin Luther) – subjects “ought to be wholly immersed, and immediately to be drawn out again, for the etymology of the word seems to require it.”

Lexicons

Definition of Baptism

Sea Battle: “They made continued assaults and submergedsubmerged (baptidzo) many of the vessels” (Polybius, 205 B.C.)Murder of Aristobulus: “And there, according to command, being immersedimmersed (baptidzo) by the Gauls in a swimming bath, he dies” (Josephus, 37 A.D.)Storm: “The ships which were in the Tiber… were submergedsubmerged (baptidzo)” (Cassius, 155 A.D.)

Greek Literature

Grammatical Absurdity

“Sprinkle means ‘to scatter into drops.’ Grammatical accuracy denies the possibility of sprinkling someone. You cannot scatter someone into drops. You can scatter liquid into drops, but not a person. However, a person can be immersed, which fits the accurate definition of baptism.”

(Kevin Maxey, Truth Magazine, July 3, 2003, page 7)

Jesus, Mark 1:9-10

“It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. {10} And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.”

Immersion!Immersion!

Baptism Examples

John, John 3:23

“Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.”

Immersion!Immersion!

Baptism Examples

Ethiopian, Acts 8:38-39

“So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. {39} Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.”

Immersion!Immersion!

Baptism Examples

Have you Been Immersed?

Excuses and hypothetical examples do not change what God requires of us.

“… that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written…” (1 Corinthians 4:6)

Have you been immersed in water Have you been immersed in water for the remission of your sins?for the remission of your sins?