To understand baptism and its relationship to the church, a candidate requires, first of all, an understanding of the relationship baptism has to salvation. For if there were no association between these two, then our concern with the subject in any form would be factitious.
The substance, purpose, and benefit of both of these experiences are established beyond a shadow of doubt in Holy Scripture. It is safe also to conclude that most Bible students accept the importance and necessity of each of these experiences. However, beyond this point of agreement there is a "breakdown" of understanding, procedure, and often conviction.
In an anxiety to hold or to increase the church's membership, some seem to lack a sense of real responsibility. It is always sad when persons are brought into the church who are actually unprepared for membership. This is indicative of a need for constant check-up on ourselves.
Naturally this focuses the spotlight on the ordained minister, and the conclusion is that whenever someone like that gets into the church, it is the result of either wrong thinking, irresponsibility, or both. It is evident that too little importance has been placed upon real conversion.
For the sake of stirring up our minds may I begin by saying that the relationship that baptism has to salvation is not actually a relationship. That is, they are nothing like first cousins. Neither are the words salvation and baptism—nor their individual experiences—synonymous or interchangeable. It is true that they are part of a whole, but they are not the sum and substance of each other. Salvation is not baptism. Neither is baptism salvation.
The ordinance of baptism was never designed to produce a miraculous change in the life of the creature. Nor was it ever intended to be applied in the expectancy of producing, through some magical quality, a lifelong obligation, and devotion to a set of codes. To attempt to place baptism in the armor and substance of conversion is to misrepresent its true significance.
To perform or receive this rite with the intent of its producing a true member for the church of Christ or a new creature with a changed heart is self-deception. To perform or receive it as the main requirement for church membership is equally regrettable. The "breakdown" in the mode of baptism, as well as in its full and real intent, is one of the Christian church's greatest problems today.
The minister who confuses or ignores the clear-cut Bible fulfillment for each of these provisions does himself and his cause a disservice. To do this willfully may mean that one is more interested in self and in numbers than in faithful stewardship.
The benefits and blessings of baptism and conversion are to be received by all who desire to be saved. The function and design of each are to be fulfilled in every child of God. Neither one is to be ignored, by-passed, or minimized. Neither one is to replace the other. Nor is their order to be rearranged. Only one of these can rightfully precede the other, and that one is conversion. This is by decree of Heaven. To tamper with this order, or the design of each, is to ignore God's full intent for each baptismal experience, and is to misrepresent the trust and responsibility invested upon each of us as ministers. This responsibility is rightfully expected by our employing organization, our church, and our God.
Salvation or conversion is not joining a church. It is not to be construed with a formal attachment to even the remnant church. Nor is it preaching. It is not to be confused with missionary endeavor. It is not mental assent to a compilation of doctrine. It is not something attained by "cornering" a person and urging him to say, "I believe in Jesus." Preparing a candidate for baptism is not simply convincing him to discontinue his evil habits. Nor can it be precluded that a person is converted simply because he requests baptism.
"Salvation is not to be baptized, not to have our names upon the church books, not to preach the truth. But it is a living union with Jesus Christ to be renewed in heart, doing the works of Christ in faith and labor of love, in patience, meekness, and hope. Every soul united to Christ will be a living missionary to all around him." —Evangelism, p. 319.
"All, high or low, if they are unconverted, are on one common platform. Men may turn from one doctrine to another. This is being done, and will be done. . .
Accepting new theories, and uniting with a church, do not bring new life to anyone, even though the church with which he unites may be established on the true foundation. Connection with a church does not take the place of conversion. To subscribe the name to a church creed is not of the least value to anyone if the heart is not truly changed."—Ibid., pp. 290, 291.
Being prepared to receive the rite of baptism, then, means more than an outward removal or a putting off of things. It is something more than making necessary adjustments to "qualify." It is the inward putting on of Jesus Christ.
Being fit for church membership involves a personal meeting with the Saviour of mankind. Jesus in the life is something real and obvious. It is not an intangible factor.
It is not something unidentifiable, hidden, or secret. It spills out over the born-again individual. It is very much recognizable to the recipient, as well as to all who behold. Heaven requires it of the baptismal candidate. So must the church. To fail here is to fail God.
"A laborer should never leave some portion of the work undone because it is not agreeable to perform, thinking that the minister coming next will do it for him. When this is the case, if a second minister follows the first, and presents the claims that God has upon His people, some draw back, saying, 'The minister who brought us the truth did not mention these things.' And they become offended because of the Word. Some refuse to accept the tithing system; they turn away, and no longer walk with those who believe and love the truth. When other lines are opened before them, they answer, 'It was not so taught us,' and they hesitate to move forward. How much better it would have been if the first messenger of truth had faithfully and thoroughly educated these converts in regard to all essential matters, even if fewer had been added to the church under his labors."—Gospel Workers, pp. 369, 370.
The keys to the church door have never been handed to the clergy or bestowed upon them as a divine right. It is not our prerogative to decree who shall enter therein or to grant membership to whomsoever we feel has sufficiently qualified himself to a standard of our own devising. God has never had this in mind for us. He settled the requirement of church membership a long time ago, and it has never been changed. A responsible ministry is duty bound to minister and serve only within heaven's framework.
Church membership represents entrance to the family of God, the gateway to His fold. It is a privilege and responsibility granted only by the God of heaven, through Jesus our Lord and His church, to him alone whose life has been changed by the indwelling Spirit.
The minister of God, in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, is responsible to lead the individual sinner to Jesus and to the foot of the cross, where he is to surrender in submission and obedience to the divine Spirit's conviction, confessing his sinfulness in true repentance. Once this submission and change has been wrought in the knowledge of truth, baptism is to be administered.
Baptism by immersion, solemnly administered, is the declaration of a new life. It is testimony to the world that Christ lives within. It should be administered only by those and to those who understand its true significance.
To prematurely baptize someone is also a serious error. Occasionally this is done. Its authorization is vainly buttressed by the oft-used and misused account of Philip and the eunuch, the assumption being that the eunuch "did not need to be run through a long series of public or private instruction" or that "he was not obliged to make public acknowledgement before the church or the board of elders," et cetera. Frankly, I'm not concerned about refuting these conclusions. Some of the detail is unknown. However, one thing I do know: the candidate was converted. He was converted before he was baptized.
The question is not whether conversion and baptism can be experienced and applied in three hours, three weeks, or six months. The point is that the candidate for baptism must first be converted. Baptism devoid of salvation is worthless. It remains an absolute meaningless performance.
"Apart from Christ, baptism, like any other service, is a worthless form."—Evangelism , p. 318. People are not converted by baptism, neither does it make Christians of them.
In a general sense baptism is not a vehicle of production. It is more an acknowledgment. An acknowledgment of an already-changed life. It is an outward sign confirming that something has happened inside. It is more the graduation robe than the course of study. As neither the diploma nor the graduation exercise can produce the years of application or the course of study, so neither can baptism or conversion produce the other. Each needs its time—the time being determined by each candidate's individual experience. To push here is to fail here. To lead here is to succeed. To move ahead of the Holy Spirit's working in the candidate is to baptize an unfit person. To cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit (as minister and candidate) is to establish the candidate a true member in the fold of God.
"Baptism is a most sacred and important ordinance, and there should be a thorough understanding as to its meaning. . . There should be no undue haste to receive the ordinance."—Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 93.
Conversions are not alike nor are they precise or methodical. But conversion taking place when it may and in the degree it chooses, it must be experienced before the rite of baptism is applied. The combined accumulated spirituality of our denomination at any given point is determined to a great extent by the church pastor and the district leader. Think this through. The future of this people—whether it shall remain strong or become weakened—rests, in a large degree, in our hands. Though we of ourselves hold no "keys" nor possess any personal authority, it remains that we almost alone do all the baptizing. Without any question this places upon each of us a tremendous and most solemn responsibility.
This is certainly no time to become lax. This is no time to let down, no time to compromise. On the contrary, it is most vital, as we enter the closing hours of time, to be most faithful, careful, and thorough, moving only as the Holy Spirit directs and how He directs. To have any other concern is to be misdirected.
"Our ministering brethren make a decided failure of doing their work in a manner directed by the Lord. They fail to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. They have not gained an experience through personal communion with God, or a true knowledge of what constitutes Christian character; therefore many are baptized who have no fitness for this sacred ordinance, but who are knit to self and the world. They have not seen Christ or received Him by faith." . . .
"The accession of members who have not been renewed in heart and reformed in life is a source of weakness to the church. . . . Some ministers and churches are so desirous of securing an increase of numbers that they do not bear faithful testimony against unchristian habits and practices. . . . In this Satan triumphs. Such converts are his most efficient agents. They serve as decoys to other souls. They are false lights, luring the unwary to perdition. It is in vain that men seek to make the Christian's path broad and pleasant for worldlings. God has not smoothed or widened the rugged, narrow way. If we would enter into life, we must follow the same path which Jesus and His disciples trod,—the path of humility, self-denial, and sacrifice."—Evangelism, pp. 319, 320.
Our goal concerning truly converted members is also explained: "Ministers who labor in towns and cities to present the truth should not feel content, nor that their work is ended, until those who have accepted the theory of the truth realize indeed the effect of its sanctifying power, and are truly converted to God. God would be better pleased to have six truly converted to the truth as the result of their labors, than to have sixty make a nominal profession, and yet not be thoroughly converted." —Ibid., p. 320.
Lest someone conclude that thoroughness would indicate a slowing up of our work, let me quickly point out that on the contrary it can do nothing but speed up its growth. Neither should we conclude that we should be satisfied with fewer accessions to the church or slacken our pace or fervor. Nor should we ever forget that if we allow our time to be spent on nonproductive things we may at a given point of pressure to produce ("report") unwittingly become involved with ill-prepared accessions. Consistency of purpose and thoroughness go hand in hand. Thoroughness does not place a restraint on the work of the gospel ministry. Not in the least. It is the tool of the Holy Spirit. This church was begun and launched by the full Spirit's conviction and direction. It will accomplish its mission in the same setting. God grant His blessing upon each of us as we continue to seek to serve Him faithfully—"not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord."
