Immersion or Sprinkling and Pouring?

Purpose: To confirm within us the proper mode of baptism.

Note: A good portion of the sermon is borrowed from Hugo McCord "The ‘How’ of Baptism" In The Spiritual Sword. Vol. 25, Jan. 94, No. 2, pp. 7-10.

Introduction:

1. The first recorded case of "pouring" was of Novation in A.D. 251 as he lay sick in bed.

a. At first, affusion was the exception to the rule, administered only to invalids.

b. In 1311 sprinkling was legalized in the Roman Catholic Church by the Council of Ravenna.

c. In 1643 the Westminister Assembly voted on which made of baptism would be required. A vote of 26 to 25 was in favor of sprinkling over immersion (one vote!) This vote set an important precedent for many Protestant groups which sprinkle as a mode of baptism in the 20th century.

3. Many sincere people are taught the "how" of baptism is merely optional. Whether sprinkling, pouring or immersion is up to the individual or situation.

4. The scripture contains very strict warnings of how we are to handle God’s Word.

a. We are to rightly divide God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15).

b. We are not to add to or take away from God’s Word (Deut. 4:2; Prv. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19).

5. Let us investigate the Scripture in the question of "Immersion or Sprinkling and/Pouring?" and assure ourselves that we have truly obeyed the Lord in the "how" of baptism.

Discussion:

I. ATTEMPTS TO JUSTIFY SPRINKLING AND POURING

A. Psalm 77:15-17 is often applied to I Cor. 10:2 (The claim is that the "baptism of Moses" = "the clouds poured out water," and, therefore baptism = sprinkling and pouring.)

1. Does it connect though?

a. That on which the Isrealites walked through the Red Sea was "dry ground" (Exo. 14:21-22). Therefore, no clouds "poured out water" during the crossing of the Red Sea.

b. Clouds (plural) were not over the Israelites during the crossing, but rather one cloud, and it was a "fiery pillar" in their night time crossing (Exo. 13:22; 14:21; Deut. 16:1).

c. The psalmist Asaph is not referring to the incident at the Red Sea, to some later point in time of the crossing.

2. The statement "clouds puring out water" more appropriately applies to one of two possibilities:

a. Mount Sinai (Psa. 68:8-9).

b. When the children of Israel were in the land of Edom (Judges 5:4).

B. Isaiah prophesied regarding the Messiah "so shall he sprinkle many nations" (Isa. 52:15).

1. The New Testament makes no mention of Jesus sprinkling many nations with water, but it does state that he would wash (not sprinkle) our bodies with pure water, and sprinkle our hearts from an evil conscience (Heb. 10:22).

2. The context of Isaiah’s "sprinkle" passage suggest that Jesus would astonish his listeners with his teaching and his works.

a. The LXX (Septigent - The Greek translations often used by the New inspired writers) translates this passage "So many nations will marvel at him".

b. His teaching was shocking - like water splashed on the face.

1) On one occasion when Jesus finished speaking the Bible says, "the multitude were astonished at his teaching" (Mat. 7:28-29).

2) "When hath this man this wisdom" (Matt. 13:54)?

3) "Never man spake like this man" (John 7:46).

4) "As soon as he had said unto them, I am, they went backward, and fell to the ground" (John 18:6).

II. THE SCRIPTURES AND IMMERSION

A. Webster defines "baptism" as "a rite of admitting a person into a Christian church by dipping him in water or sprinkling water on him."

1. If this definition is correct then the scriptures should very well teach this.

2. The mode of baptism would then be optional.

3. However, the only mode of baptism the Bible teaches is immersion. In fact it is commanded.

B. Three reasons Webster’s definition is in error.

1. Modern dictionaries only define words according to their common usage.

a. To know exactly what was meant by Jesus and His apostles, we must consult those authorities who define how words were used in the times in which they were written.

b. "To immerse, submerge, plunge, dip" (Thayer; Liddle & Scott).

c. "the process of immersion, submersion and emergence" (Vine’s).

d. In fact, not one standard Greek Lexicon defines the oringinal word as "sprinkle" or "pour."

2. The words "sprinkle" and "pour" do not fit grammatically.

a. Harry W. Dahlstrom, a devout Luthern for 39 years, but now simply a Christian, has published "A Letter to Lutherans" out "of deep concern for the souls of human beings," in which he says:

The true test of any translated word is to interchange it with the oringinal word whenever used. If you will try this, you will readily see that sprinkling and pouring cannot be interchanged with baptism, whereas immersion can be (p. 5).

b. Brother Hugo McCord applies this test: John "saw many" coming "to his baptism" (Mt. 3:7) - to his sprinkling? his pouring? his immersion?

"We were buried" through "baptism" (Rom. 6:4) - sprinkling, pouring, or immersion?

"One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph 5:4) - sprinkling, pouring, or immersion?

c. Harry Dahlstrom further states: "You can immerse a person, but you cannot pour him or sprinkle him without first dissolving is body into a liquid."

3. The descriptions of baptism clearly show that baptism is an immersion.

a. Thankfully one does not have to know the original language to obey the "how" of baptism.

b. The "how" of baptism is crystal clear in its descriptions.

1) Much water was required (John 3:23).

2) The one asking to be baptized went "to" the water (Matt. 3:13).

3) Both the condidate and the baptizer "went down into the water" (Acts 8:38).

4) The candidate was "buried" (Col. 2:12).

5) The buried person was "raised" (Col. 2:12).

6) The one now baptized and the baptizer "came up out of the water" (Acts 8:39).

Conclusion:

1. Is the "how" of baptism optional? Just ask Jesus.

a. He said, "But I have a baptism to be baptized with; andhow am I straitened what stress I am under, MWC) till it be accomplished" (Lk. 12:50).

b. This is called his "baptism of suffering".

c. Did he who "endured the cross, despising the shame undergo a sprinkling or a pouring or an immersion of suffering?

2. Let us assure ourselves that we have truly obeyed our Lord in the "how" of baptism.