With such hopeful prospects for Judaism we cannot wonder that Ananias
and many apostles devoutly believed it to be in order and necessary that
water baptism, circumcision, &c., be continued and that Paul and other
converts be so baptized.
That they should so believe is no more remarkable than that upon two
occasions eight years apart they should pronounce it necessary that
Gentile believers abstain from meat offered to idols and from things
strangled and from blood as Jews did.[183]
Paul was sent a special apostle to the Gentiles. Peter and others more
to the Jews. To Paul therefore we turn for light upon the duty of
Gentiles.[184]
Paul taught Gentile believers: Unless ye be told that meat is offered to
idols, eat whatever is set before you or is sold on the shambles, asking
no questions for conscience sake.[185] Let no man judge you in meat or
in drink, or in regard to an holy day, or the new moon, or the sabbath
days which are shadows of things to come.[186]
Without claiming perfection for Paul, should we not all as believing
Gentiles accept his teaching about meat, eating, water, baptism, etc.,
that Christ did not send his apostles to baptize with water, but preach
the Gospel, and that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to
all who believe.[187]
After Pentecost, believers were baptized presumably with water.[188]
They sold their possessions and gave to apostles and had all things in
common and continued daily in the Jewish temple, and in breaking bread
from house to house.
Shall we sell our lands, live in common, frequent Jewish temples and
break bread daily from house to house? We see as much authority for
doing so as for baptizing with water.
If the example of apostles and believers is Scripture authority for
water baptism, it is also Scripture authority to sell our lands, live in
common, frequent Jewish temples, etc.
We cannot believe that we are required by Scripture or otherwise to do
all things which the apostles and believers did, however good and proper
it may have been for them at that time. Much less should we gratify our
own predilections by electing to follow their example in water baptism
and to reject it in other particulars.
By Peter's preaching the household of Cornelius was baptized with the
Holy Spirit.[189] Peter then asked his Jewish brethren if any could
forbid water that these Gentiles should not be baptized as well as we
Jews. Peter hesitated about baptizing Gentiles as Jews baptized, yet he
commanded it to be done.
Peter claimed authority from Christ for the Holy Spirit baptism, but no
authority for the water baptism only the silence of the six Jewish
brethren who were with him from Jerusalem.[190]
Upon another occasion Peter, with others, pronounced it necessary that
Gentile believers abstain from certain meats as Jews did.[191]
We recognize no distinction in Peter's authority, whether he restrained
Gentile believers from the use of certain meats or had them baptized
with water. In both cases Peter's Jewish education was his impulse and
not Christ.
As the Eunuch rode in his chariot he read from Esaias the prophet.
Philip went up into the chariot and preached unto him Jesus. The Eunuch
was baptized by the wayside. The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip.
The Eunuch went on his way rejoicing.[192]
This appears to have been John's decreasing water baptism without
formula, but nevertheless to have been blessed to the Eunuch's dawning
condition of belief. Had the Eunuch been reading Christ's Sermon on the
Mount with the veil which was rent on Calvary clear lifted from his
eyes, he might not have stopped that chariot to baptize with water. But
he did not so read. The New Testament was not written at that time. He
read from the Old Testament, from Esaias the prophet.
Many years after Paul said, until that day the veil remained upon the
hearts of some when the Old Testament was read.[193]
Divine condescension to the dawning belief of this Jewish proselyte in
those transition times established no precedent which should induce us
to linger in the border land of Judaism.
We hear some wonder why many apostles and believers adhered so
tenaciously to circumcision, abstinence from certain meats, etc.
Future generations may still more wonder why many believers in our day
hold so persistently to water baptism, etc.
The day is surely dawning, the ranks are filling with those who realize
that these shadows are all foreign to the Christian dispensation.
There is less excuse for now baptizing with water than there was for
those Jewish believers continuing to observe the law of Moses generally.
The law was given to Moses amid the thunders of Sinai. When Israel
obeyed that law they triumphed over their enemies. When they disobeyed
they fell before them.[194]
How could they abandon that time-honored law of Moses and their fathers
and at once embrace Christianity in its fulness?
John the Baptist foretold that this transition would be gradual when he
said, "He must increase, but I must decrease."[195]
Our Saviour was very tender of his disciples in their transition state
and is yet equally mindful of his sincere children who are still in the
same condition.[196] He said, I have many things to say unto you but you
cannot bear them now. Some things which he did say few can bear even
yet; still, we long to know what were those suppressed and holy things
which he did not say because his disciples could not bear them.
By the teaching of the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, we have
access ever-more to this sacred knowledge.[197] But only as we are able
to bear it will he teach us all things.[198] Not to the wise and prudent
of this world, but to babes in Christ.[199]