The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-05-26

W as, InereIOre
we are buried with Him by baptism
into death; that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory
Of the Father, even so we also should
walk In newness of life Romans GA.
On opening his discourse, the Pastor
called attention to the fact that his
text did not read buried by baptism
into water, or sprinkled with water,
but buried by baptism into death" In
the context, the Apostle says not one
word about water baptism. Water
baptism, the Pastor declared, is mere
ly symbol, or picture, of the real bap-
tism; and the Apostle Paul explains
from various points of view the real
baptism, without which the symbol is
a mere form. Whoever receives the
real baptism thereby becomes a mem
Der Of the Body Of Christ, q member 81
the New Creation. But whoever has
not the real baptism is not a New
Creature, not member of the Body
Of Christ, though he were baptized in
water a thousand times
The Pastor next showed that the real
baptism is baptism into Christs
death. This baptism takes place at
the moment when one consecrates him
self fully to the I.ord-making COM
plete surrender of his will to God,
thenceforth to follow His leadings and
to render obedience even unto death.
AS the Scriptures sometimes represent
it. we give our hearts to the Lord
This burial of our wills into the Will Of
God is reckoned to be our death as hu-
man beings Therefore, the Apostle
says, "Ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in Cod From the mo-
counted as human beings, of the earth
earthly, with earthly hopes, aims ana
objects. but as New Creatures IN
Christ. This burial of our wills into
the Divine will is instantly followed
by our begetting to newness of Iife-io
q new nature.
Water Baptism as Symbol.
The Pastor next discussed the sub
.
pie, he declared. are unit in under
standing that the New Testament
teaches baptism, but there is great CON
fusion of thought respecting its mode
and significance. By the second cen
fury of our Era, he asserted, the great
falling away from the faith. predicted
by the apostles, had gained such head
way that very superstitious views were
held by the church nominal Water
baptism was supposed not only to can
Gel sins that were past, but also to
bring its recipient certain fayors from
God which could not otherwise be Sc
cured. Not only did believers seek
baptism for themselves, but they
brought their children for baptism; and
since these We're too young to enter
into covenant relationship with God
for themselves, an arrangement was
made whereby others than the parents
might become sponsors for such chill
dren.
Continuing his theme, the Pastor re-
viewed briefly the various theories on
the subject of baptism held by the diff
ferent denominations. He then ex-
planned wherein these are not in har-
mony with the Scriptures. Neither
sprinkling nor pouring could in any
sense of the word be considered Il
picture of death and burial. He call
ed attention to the fact that the Greek
word signifying baptism-bdptis0-h has
the significance of immersing, cover
ing, plunging; and that wholly differ
ent words are used in the Greek when
sprinkling, pouring or raining is meant.
So fully did he cover every phase of
this subject that he left no doubt that
immersion is the Scriptural form of
baptism.
The Pastor then discussed the doe
trine of baptism as set forth in the
Baptist and Disciple denominations
He showed that our Disciple friends
are preaching the baptism of John the
Baptist, not baptism into Christ: and
that our Baptist friends, while they
have the right form, as have also the
Disciples, have emphasized the SYM
Dol rather than the reality-consecra-
ton unto death. This portion of the
discourse was especially interesting and
profitable. Apparently the Pastor sus-
tanned his point fully; for he har-
mOnizsd all the Scriptures bearing
upon the subject. 1t is only after we
see clearly the confusion involved in
the various theories of Christendom
that we are prepared to appreciate the
simplicity of the Scriptural teaching
The Real Baptism Into Christ.
Having established the facts that
water baptism is a figure, a symbolical
picture, of conservation. and that i'm
mersion is the Scriptural form of bap-
tism, the Pastor then dwelt upon the
subject as presented in Romans 6.
There the Apostle sets forth the deep
significance of burial with Jesus
From the time that the Christian gives
his heart to the Lord he is reckoned
dead. Thenceforth as a New Creature
In Christ he should walk in newness
of life-that is to say, his daily course
should be altogether different from
that Of the world The Christian is
under laws much higher than any hui
man law. His is the highest standard
there is-the Law of God
The Pastor then explained in what
way the Christian who is buried in
baptism with Christ rises to walk in
newness of life. To the consecrdted
Christian, ''Old things have passed
away''-old ambitions. old motives, the
thought of making Il great name. of
owning the earth or of accomplishing
something noteworthy of worldly
kind. etc All these have given place
TO higher ambitions, new motives-the
hope of having favor with God. being
now His dear children. anxious to
the first general Law is given-the
Golden Rule-which is the least of all
the Divine laws. do unto others as
We would have them do unto you,' is
the primary Law of God for all Chris
tians. To be a representative of the
Lord every Christian must love his
neighbor as himself, must deal with
him as kindly and as generously as he
would have that neighbor deal with
him.
But the Christian must do much more
than observe the Golden Rule, contin-
ned the Pastor. Had Jesus done no more
than keep the Golden Rule, mankind
would not have been redeemed by the
precious blood of Gods dear Son. He
could have done Just as much for 9th