Democratic messenger., 1911-11-11


Apostle said not word about water
baptism. but mentioned specifically the
Baptism into Christ. into "the Body OF
Christ. which Is the Church"
The thought is that God has ordain-
ed the gathering OF the elect Church
during the Gospel Age. The Head OF
this Church was received up into glory
eighteen centuries ago. and since Pen
tecost one and another OF the true
footstep followers of Jesus have been
accepted OF God through His merit and
counted as members of the Body OF
Christ, which Is the Church" First
Jewish believers were transferred
from Moses into Christ.
Next the Message was extended TO
the Gentiles But these could not pass
from Moses into Christ because they
were not In Moses. never having come
under the Law Covenant arrangement.
Hence. these could come into Christ
only by direct baptism. All baptized
into Jesus Christ occupy n specially
preferred relationship TO God and. II
faithful to the end. will be received
to glory, honor and immortality on the
spirit or heavenly plane. But there is
not word OF Scripture 10 say that
the world. which misses this glorious
exaltation. Will on this account suffer
eternal torture. They will lose the
great prize. however.
Water Baptism Not the Door Into the
True Church
Our Baptist friends will agree to the
above statement. They will say. Yes,
that Is what we mean, only. In order
to be In Christ, we Baptists claim.
rdter immersion Is necessary.
We are glad to have their plain. can
did statement and TO meet the issue
squarely That is the Baptist mis-
take-supposing that water baptism In
ducts anybody into membership in the
rue Church. They may indeed make
water immersion the door into the
Baptist Church, but this does not
make 1t the door into 'the Church of
the Living God" st. Paul defines the
Baptism by which any Gentle may
come into membership in the Body OF
Christ. Note his words again: $50
many OF you ms were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into His
death" Our Baptist friends think of
this as though It read were baptized
in water" This is their mistake as
before stated.
But the question arises. Just what
is meant by these words. Baptized
into His dcGfht" Was His death In any
way different from the death of othersf
Most decidedly 1t was! Our race die
as sinners. children of wrath. under
Divine sentence Of death. But Jesus
was not sinner and hence was not
under Divine sentence of death. He
was "holy. harmless. undetiled and
separate from sinners and free from
AdamIc death. His death was a sac
rificial one-a surrender OF an unim.
paired life. Those. therefore. who
would become His footstep followers
and be baptized into His death. must
participate with Him In sdcriHcidl
death The Scriptures explain that
this would be impossible except as
those footstep followers should be
cleansed and made acceptable sacri-
fees through the merit OF Jesus. be-
cause "by nature we were oil children
of wrath, even as others"
Death was the real meaning of our
Lords baptism. John the Immerser
knew that Jesus was not sinner,
st.aa t.aA rts.e. u.
away. and at first he declined TO i'm
merse Him. And he did so only after
Jesus had assured him that 1t was
right and that the matter had deeper
significance Suffer it to be So"
Our Lords Baptism Finished at CAL
vary
Our Lord for three and half years
was carrying out the conservation vow
which In Jordan He symbolized-bap-
tism into death. Dag by day He be-
came more deeply immersed into death.
That real immersion into death was
finished on Calvary. In harmony with
this the day before His death Jesus
said. ~ have baptism TO be baptized
with. and how am | straltened until 1t
be accomplished" The next day IL was
accomplished. when He cried. 1T Is
tinished- His baptism into death was
finished.
The same thought the Master gave
to His followers. saying to two who
desired places on His right and His
left In the Kingdom: ''Ye know not
what ye ask" You do not know what
It requires TO secure exalta:ion to the
Kingdom. Are you able, are you will
ing to drink of my cup of sorrow.
self-denlal. etc? Are you willing ito
be baptized with the baptism that
am baptized with"-the baptism into
death? When the disciples replied that
they were willing. the Master assured
them that He would attend 10 the rest.
The terms OF discipleshIp have not
changed.