Every year, part of my vacation is a study of a word or phrase in the Scriptures. This year I settled on 1 Peter. I confess, I only made it through the first three chapters. I spent a lot of time meditating on a passage in chapter 2 and that slowed me down. Driving home on Saturday I was meditating on this passage:
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
I was so absorbed in thought about this that I think this contributed to my missing of the I-77 exit in Columbia!
I came to a rather startling conclusion. But first a little background. No evangelical would ever use this phraseology, The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us. This verse is never used in gospel tracts or preaching. When someone does bring it up, evangelicals go into defensive mode, “What this verse really means…” I don’t know that they would actually say this, but I suspect it is secretly thought, “What an unfortunate choice of words…”
You see this verse conflicts with evangelical theology. So, even when teaching on baptism, or preparing someone for baptism, it is rarely (never?) used.
I thought about other problematic passages on baptism:
Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
What was my rather startling conclusion? Whatever these passages mean, whatever they teach about baptism, if my theology/doctrine doesn’t allow me to speak this way about baptism, doesn’t allow me to routinely quote them in reference to baptism or use them when inviting people to come to Christ, my view of baptism is not biblical.
This is what I have been struggling with. L has been asking questions about baptism and I don't know how to answer those questions! I don't believe it's so absolute as we often hear and I never have believed that, but beyond what I don't think it is, I don't have an answer.
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