Bible Doctrines

Discover profound truth for everyday living

P. C. Nelson

• Publisher: Gospel Publishing House
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9781607311973
• Topic: Teología y religión
• Subtopic: Teología cristiana

P.C. Nelson's down-to-earth, conversational tone takes you step-by-step through Scripture to carefully and logically explain what Pentecostals believe and why. Doctrines include the Scriptures inspired, the one true God, the deity of Christ, the fall of man, salvation, the Church, the Holy Spirit, sanctification, divine healing, and more.

6

The Ordinances of the Church

The Ordinances of the Church

a. Baptism in Water. The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded in the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Savior and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:16; Acts 10:47,48; Romans 6:4).

b. Holy Communion. The Lord’s Supper, consisting of the elements—bread and the fruit of the vine—is the symbol expressing our sharing the divine nature of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:4); a memorial of His suffering and death (1 Corinthians 11:26); and a prophecy of His second coming (1 Corinthians 11:26); and is enjoined on all believers “till He come!”

Constitution of the Assemblies of God, Article V.6

Baptism in Water

There are four questions that are frequently asked concerning the ordinance of baptism: (1) What was the mode of baptism in Bible times? (2) What is the significance, or symbolism, of baptism? (3) What is the right formula for administering the ordinance? and, (4) Who is scripturally qualified to be baptized? Let us consider these questions in the order given.

1. What Was the Mode of Baptism in Bible Times?

More properly, it is the act of baptism. There is great confusion on this subject because too many follow tradition instead of the Bible.

The Assemblies of God, as well as most of the other Pentecostal groups, practices immersion in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit makes us so pliable in the hands of God that we are willing to receive instructions direct from the Word of God on this subject as on all others; we have been loosed from the bonds of tradition.

Suppose a Bible were dropped on an island which had never been touched by a missionary, and that the people were able to read and understand this Bible, and that some of them were actually converted by reading this Book, and therefore desired to do all the will of God. A diligent reading of the New Testament would show that believers were to be baptized. But the people have never seen anyone baptized and must learn from the Bible how it is to be done. They would soon discover:

a. That the ordinance requires water: “As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?’” (Acts 8:36).

b. That baptism requires much water: “Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized” (John 3:23).

c. That baptism requires the administrator and the candidate to go down into the water: “Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him” (Acts 8:38).

d. That baptism requires burial in water: “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death” (Romans 6:4); “buried with him in baptism” (Colossians 2:12).

e. That baptism requires coming up out of the water: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water” (Matthew 3:16). “When they came up out of the water” (Acts 8:39).

2. What Is the Significance, or Symbolism, of Baptism?

This was beautiful and wonderful. It pictures the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, and of the believer in fellowship with Him.

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection (Romans 6:4,5).

Having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God (Colossians 2:12).

As most great scholars of all branches of Christendom, even those who practice infant baptism and sprinkling and pouring, specifically declare, the original mode was immersion, as the Greek words translated “baptism” and “baptize” clearly signify.¹ Moreover, nearly all the translations into modern languages convey the same meaning. It is no more difficult for a Greek scholar to tell you the meaning of the words used in the Greek New Testament for this ordinance than it is for someone who speaks English to tell the meaning of the word dip or immerse.

Faithfulness to Christ demands that we do exactly what His Word teaches, and that we do not substitute some other mode for water baptism. In loyalty to the Lord, we must keep the ordinances as they were delivered to us by the apostles.

3. What Is the Right Formula for Administering the Ordinance?

Our Lord himself gave His apostles the formula in Matthew 28:18,19, which Worrell in his excellent original translation of the New Testament correctly renders:

“All authority was given to Me in Heaven and on earth: going, therefore, disciple ye all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you; and, behold, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age.”

We are not left to speculate on the proper formula—“into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” ² The American Standard Version, as well as Worrell’s translation, has into, instead of in, and this is the correct translation from the Greek. Into fellowship with the name of the Holy Trinity—and we do this in the name of (by the authority and command of) Jesus Christ.

4. Who Is Scripturally Qualified to Be Baptized?

Before leaving this fascinating study, let us consider the proper candidates or subjects for baptism. The divine order is very simple. The sinner must first repent and believe:

“Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins” (Acts 2:38).

Believers, and believers only, are to be baptized:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

This excludes children who are too young to repent and believe, and invalidates the “baptism” of those who were not regenerated when they submitted to the ordinance. Does this explain why the twelve men at Ephesus were rebaptized by Paul?

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all (Acts 19:1–7).

Some hold that the baptism in the Holy Spirit precludes the necessity of submitting to this ordinance. This position is flatly contradicted by Peter:

“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days (Acts 10:47,48).

If you will read through the New Testament to see what stress was laid upon the ordinance, you will be struck with the suddenness with which believers were baptized after conversion, and the great emphasis placed on the ordinance by Christ and the apostles. Note in particular the following passages:

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” . . . Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day (Acts 2:38, 41).

But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women (Acts 8:12; see also verse 13).

Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized (Acts 9:18; compare this with Acts 22:16: “And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name”).

“Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days (Acts 10:47,48; note that this was the very first service that Peter held in the home of Cornelius, and that he commanded them to be baptized).

One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, . . . The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us (Acts 16:14,15).

Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized (Acts 16:32,33).

Holy Communion

This holy ordinance symbolizes the broken body and the shed blood of our Lord, our participation in the benefits of His atoning death, and the covenant which He sealed with His own blood. It represents our union with Him who is the sustenance of our spiritual life. It is a memorial of His death, and looks forward to His coming again.

1. The Ordinance Was Instituted by Our Lord Himself on the Eve of His Betrayal.

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

Let us with bowed heads approach the Upper Room where Christ and His apostles, reclining around the table, were observing for the last time together the Paschal Supper, which prefigured His sacrificial death as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and instituted this memorial ordinance, which was ever to point back to the death of our Lord on the cross, and forward to His coming again in the clouds of glory. The words spoken on this occasion seem to have been few, but came from the depth of our Savior’s heart and burned their way into the hearts of His disciples, who were not able to understand what the Lord said about His death, burial, and resurrection.

Moreover, the tenderest feelings of which our natures are capable under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are awakened when we meditate on the death of our Lord, partaking of the elements which our Lord himself chose to symbolize His broken body and shed blood.

2. We Are Instructed to Search Our Hearts Diligently.

The apostle Paul wrote that each of us should examine him- or herself carefully before coming to this holy ordinance, and to approach it with reverence and understanding (1 Corinthians 11:27–32).

Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the bod...