Some maintain that water baptism is a means of Grace. Others define it
as an outward and visible sign of inward and spiritual Grace.
We have no record that our Saviour ever taught any such doctrines.
Grace is mentioned in the New Testament more than one hundred times but
water baptism is never once alluded to in connection with Grace in any
way whatever.
We cannot believe that our Saviour ordained water baptism as a means or
sign of Grace to his children forever, when neither He nor his disciples
ever mentioned it or even remotely alluded to it--so far as Scripture
informs--in all of those one hundred texts wherein Grace is so variously
and impressively commended to us.
We are forced to believe that this whole theory of baptismal grace was
conceived by man; was modified by the reformation and now might be
entirely abandoned as adverse to the teachings of Christ and repugnant
to sound reason.