17. Mode of Baptism 2

This morning I have the privilege of baptizing [older child]. She has already made a profession of faith, and because she was not baptized earlier, she will be baptized and admitted to the Lord’s Table on the same Sunday. So it’s a very special day for her, and it is always a joy for me when our young people make profession of faith and come to the Lord’s Table. And if there are other young people who have not yet put your faith in Jesus, we would urge you to do so and be admitted to communion.

But before she comes up to make the covenant vows, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Acts and I want to give a brief explanation of why we baptize either by sprinkling or pouring rather than by immersing the person in a lake or in a bathtub. We accept immersion as valid. I was immersed. But we don’t believe that was the way that they baptized in the Bible. If we had time, we could look at over fifty references in the Bible that prove this — like Mark 7 that talks about Jews baptizing their couches every day — and the Jewish scholar, Edersheim, says that they did it by sprinkling. Or we could look at Hebrews 9-10 which compares Old Testament baptism with New Testament baptism and specifically calls several Old Testament sprinklings baptisms and then says that we too have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with water. The outward water symbolizes the inward sprinkling. And there are a lot of other passages. But I’m just going to stick to the way God the Father baptized by the Spirit in the book of Acts. Look first at Acts 1:5.

Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

John’s water baptism pointed to Spirit baptism. When John baptized with water, he didn’t save people. He pointed out that only Jesus can do that. Only Jesus can baptize with the Spirit. And there are other passages that say that all water baptism symbolizes Spirit baptism and points to Spirit baptism. It’s the sign, not the reality.

Some people say that Romans 6 shows that water baptism symbolizes union with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection. Logically they have to say that water baptism therefore saves people, because everyone baptized in Romans 6 is regenerated by that baptism. Now here’s the thing – there’s not a drop of water in Romans 6. It isn’t talking about what water baptism does or symbolizes. It is talking about what Spirit baptism actually does. But since it symbolizes Spirit baptism, let’s look at how God the Father baptizes with the Spirit. Look at Acts 1:8:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Notice that the movement is with the Spirit, not with the person going down and coming up again. And this shows that we are saved by God’s grace alone and not by our actions. The Spirit baptism comes from above and comes upon the person. Now look at how it actually happened in Acts 2:2-3:

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven

Notice the direction from which this Spirit baptism is coming - from heaven. The people aren’t moving down into the Spirit. Rather, the Spirit is coming from heaven. Continuing to read in verse 2:

…there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Acts 2:3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

This was the baptism by the Spirit and the baptism by fire promised by John. Notice that the baptism by fire was something coming upon their heads. Look at verses 16-17:

Acts 2:16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Acts 2:17 “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh…”

Notice that the method God the Father uses is by pouring. Look at Peter’s explanation of this baptism of the Spirit in verse 33:

Acts 2:33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

In verses 38-39 Peter promises that if they repent and believe they will receive the same Holy Spirit and they can be baptized. Just a couple more references. Turn to Acts 10:44 where Peter has been preaching to Cornelius and his household and friends:

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

Again, notice that the baptism of the Spirit was by the movement of the Holy Spirit coming down upon them, not the movement of the people being baptized. This symbolizes that it is all of grace. God takes the first steps, not us. Verse 45:

Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Notice again that God’s method of baptism was by pouring.

Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, Acts 10:47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Acts 10:48] And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

They were baptized with water because water baptism symbolizes this baptism of the Spirit that had already happened. And in verse 47 it says, “Can anyone forbid water…”? The word forbid translates the Greek word koluo which means more literally “to hold back water.” The idea is that the water would be brought to the people rather than the people being brought to the water. In water baptism the movement is with the water just as with Spirit baptism the movement had been with the Spirit. Look at chapter 11:15-16. And this will be the last one we will look at.

Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Acts 11:16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, “John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Do you get it? Water baptism symbolizes Spirit baptism, and if God baptized by pouring or sprinkling 100% of the time, I think it is the safest way for us to do so as well. You may have your objection passages, and I will be happy to discuss them after the service. I don’t think there are any exceptions to this pattern, including John’s baptism and Philip’s baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. It was always by pouring or sprinkling. But whether you believe that or not, hopefully I have demonstrated that this is at least an acceptable alternative and a beautiful symbol of God’s grace coming from heaven. And I’m going to ask [older child] to come up at this time and to answer the covenant questions.