Bible Truths Illustrated by J. C. Ferdinand Pittman

BIBLE TRUTHS ILLUSTRATED
Father, so we also might walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4).
The Subjects of Baptism.—Belief and repentance must precede
baptism. In the great commission which Christ gave to
His apostles, He said : "Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to the whole creation. He that believeth and is baptised
shall be saved" (Mark 16:15, 16). Peter said, at Pentecost:
"Repent ye, and be baptised every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins" (Acts 2:38).
Baptism, therefore, is for the penitent believer, not the babe.
The Design of Baptism.—Our Lord calls it a birth. "Except
a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God" (John 3:5). Peter declared baptism in the
name of Jesus to be for the remission of sins. Paul says that
we are raised "to newness of life," and asserts that "as many of
you as were baptised into Christ did put on Christ." Baptism
is thus shown to be a burial in water, for the penitent believer,
in
the name of Jesus for the remission of sins.
For the first thirteen centuries after Christ immersion was
well-nigh universally practised. Men have professed to be wiser
than their Lord, and repudiated this ordinance. Remember, "He
who despises an ordinance of God despises the God of the ordinance."
Our Lord was baptised. Can the disciple be above his
master? Instead, "every one when he is perfected shall be as
his master" (Luke 6:40).
59. "It is only an ordinance !" So say many persons, when
their non-observance of immersion is pointed out to them.
"Only an ordinance," indeed ! Strange. Why, does not an
ordinance signify something ordained, appointed, decreed? Were
it not so serious a matter, it would be quite farcical to hear
individuals thus excusing themselves by virtually saying, "Oh, it
is only an ordained matter!" Could they say, "It is not an
ordained matter," that would be something like an excuse.
Besides, it must be remembered that such persons do not
deny that it is God's ordination of which they are speaking,
otherwise the form of their statement would be instantly changed
to something like the following: "This is not a divine ordinance,
but a human, therefore my conscience refuses submission to it."
As it is, the excuser says, either thoughtlessly or wantonly, "Oh!
it is only God's appointment !" What, we ask, would be thought
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