On the Essentials
It’s date night. On occasion Carol and I want to take a special night so we can enjoy a date together. Where to go, and what to do, are options which we love to explore. Go to the movies? Go to the ballet (Yes, guys I once took her to see The Nutcracker!)? We have done some things several times, and other things only once or twice. It’s our choice. These things we enjoy the liberty of our relationship to rule.
However, for a real date, there are some essentials which have to happen. A smile toward each other. A meal at one of our favorite spots. A promise to not discuss the troubles of life. These, and one or two others, are all essential parts of our date.
While we can choose many options of where and/or what we want to do, the essentials seem pretty simple. Yet they are so understood from the start, we don’t even have to discuss their inclusion. They are foundational parts of our date night which we include in our close relationship.
The Restoration movement continues to pioneer in ways to reach American as well as international populations of the ethne. Denominations continue to marvel over our unity, without being a "recognized" denomination ourselves. It becomes more and more obvious that Alexander Campbell and Warren Stone had it right; "On essentials, unity. On non-essentials, liberty."
It was clear from the founders of this great movement, they initially had total agreement on what was essential. This left all other issues of faith, as "non-essentials." In searching for a way to explain the differences between "essentials" and "non-essentials" I came up with this: There is a great hydrology law which says, "Water will flow to its point of least resistance." This means that water, not unlike essentials of the faith, will move from a point of consistency and stability, to a flowing, turbid quagmire. Therein, lies the problem of staying consistent with what the founding fathers of The Restoration agreed upon as unity of faith. The ESSENTIAL teachings of the Bible, must be defended constantly, or else they fall away into the "non-essential" category. This happens usually because of a trend or wave of influence which runs through the denominational world (and others such as the silliness of the Emerging Church theology.).
Though Campbell initially wrestled internally with the inclusion of baptism as an essential, his later writings make it clear that Acts 2:38 and Paul’s account of his baptism, (Acts 22:6-16, esp. 22:16) seal the understanding of immersion in water, as a part of the list of essentials.
When Jesus said, "Those who believe and are baptized will be saved, and those who do not believe, will be lost." is when baptism (immersion in water) took its rightful place within the lock box of essentials. But, dogmas from many denominations, have sprung up over the years. Many dogmas have confused Paul’s writings over being saved by grace, not by works. It often is applied to baptism by many who embrace the exclusion of baptism as an essential part of salvation. Brethren who would not resist the temptation to align with the denominations, became the point of least resistance for the inward flow of this dogma.
The statement often repeated is, "…baptism is a work." (Eph 2:9 uses the Greek term "ergon" which commonly means a way of earning wages or accomplishing through labor; as in a job or occupation for pay.) If so, then why did Jesus include it in His statement? A "work," as it is used in Paul’s scripture mentioned above, is directed toward "earning" a salvation which cannot be purchased or bartered or negotiated in any form, outside the atonement provided by the Lord Jesus Himself. Baptism is not collateral, or payment. It is a command. It is, as far as Paul is concerned, the point in which sins are forgiven. If it were a work, then Jesus would be saying, "Those who earn salvation through believing and immersion, will be saved. Those who do not earn salvation through believing, will be lost." When we inject the word "earn" into the equation, we see how doubtful it is that Jesus considered baptism anything which is a "work."
It is indeed, by grace we are saved. That grace is applied when other essentials are followed; hear the Word, believe in your heart, repent of your sins, confess Jesus’ lordship, be immersed in water for the forgiveness of sins, rise to a new life in Christ, stay faithful to the end. These are not inventions! These are clear ESSENTIAL parts of salvation which is shown clearly in scripture.
Why is immersion treated so shabbily? Why is there no dogma discounting "believe?" Isn’t believing something you put effort into as well? For a person to believe, doesn’t he have to take time and contemplation with great effort? Can a person believe and not put effort into it? Of course not! It is an effort to sit down, and study. Ask any physician or psychiatrist if study and understanding doesn’t take effort…sometimes more effort than the physical body can endure! Even this results in earning a degree or license to practice. Couldn’t believing be a "work" under the same ospices by which baptism is discounted? The same can be said of "repent" and "confess" and "remaining faithful." Yet, baptism, for some reason, is culled away as if it is a disease of faith.
Some have said, "So what about those who believe…truly believe, yet have no way to be baptized?" Examples such as; "death bed confessions" and "people living in desert lands where there is barely enough water to drink." are given. The rationale given is, "If water baptism is essential, do these people go to punishment because of where they live?"
The Lord God, surely has a provision by which He has not left in His Word…at least that is what I pray for. It seems only right, but plainly speaking…it is not in the Word…the Bible is silent about this matter. But, for those who have full access to water immersion, and allow pride, dogma, or intellectual dishonesty, keep them from this essential rite, they should remember…God will not be mocked. But, on the teachings given from the Word, baptism is essential in salvation, and remains an essential by which the Stone/Campbell union continues to be unified and the spearhead of evangelism. And may I boast in the Lord only this once by saying…and standing steadfast ON THE ESSENTIALS!