The Followers of Christ teach that only
certain people have the authority to baptize. Only a preacher – an
apostle on par with the Apostle Paul – can perform a legitimate
baptism. Followers believe that salvation can be obtained only
through baptism by an Apostle.
Since their apostle – Walter White –
has been dead since 1969, baptism is no longer possible. The children
and grandchildren of the baptized are told they are born holy – and
may have an opportunity to be baptized on Judgment Day. Outsiders –
“worldy people” – cannot be saved. What happened to the Great
Commission? What happened to the Good News? I never heard of these
things until long after I left.
Followers take Jesus' statement to
Nicodemus in John 3:5: “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the
kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit” to
mean that you must be baptized with water to be saved. While the
understanding of most Christians and Biblical scholars is that being
“born of water” happens to us at birth, and being born of the
Spirit happens when we accept the free gift of salvation through
Jesus Christ.
In today's message, Jerry Patton
addresses the question of who can baptize.
* * * * *
In my last post, I mentioned how
baptism is not owned by anyone. This is true, however, through some
church doctrines and traditions, access to baptism has been strictly
controlled and sadly - even prohibited.
In my studies, I have never read
anything that grants a particular type of disciple an exclusive
authority to baptize. In the New Testament we hear Paul talk about
deacons and elders (also known as shepherds or bishops) who hold an
office of service within a church and their overall charge is to
serve the flock. We also hear Paul talk about the Apostles and the
work they engaged in, which in his case, was to be a herald of the
gospel to the gentiles (the pagan world). Not even Paul as an Apostle
claimed exclusive authority to baptize. In I Corinthians, he counsels
the disciples at Corinth about unity within the body of Christ:
My brothers and sisters, some from
Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among
you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;
another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”;
still another, “I follow Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified
for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I
did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can
say that you were baptized in my name. (Yes, I also baptized the
household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized
anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach
the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ
be emptied of its power. 1 Corinthians 1:10-17
Paul says that he did not baptize
anyone other than Crispus, Gaius, and the household of Stephanas. It
doesn’t stipulate who baptized the others. If it were important to
stipulate a restriction concerning baptism, he would have stated it
somewhere. But even here, in this case, when he’s discussing who
baptized who – it isn’t addressed. It isn’t addressed because
there was no restriction. There wasn’t then and there isn’t now.
Paul spells out in his letter to the Romans and Galatians that we are
free in Christ, not to sin, but to serve – for we are no longer
under law, but under grace.
The short of it is that any disciple of
Christ can baptize a non-believer into the Kingdom as they repent of
their sins and confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Any
disciple can study with a non-believer and when that non-believer
decides and is ready to start their walk with Christ, the disciple
can baptize that non-believer. Every disciple has a ministry for they
are part of “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
God’s special possession.” I Peter 2:9
The true light that gives light to
everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though
the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He
came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet
to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he
gave the right to become children of God— children born not of
natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but
born of God. John 1:6-13
The Prophet/Apostle thing cuts both
ways. With the authority they were claiming, they had an inside track
on being in good with God and if you were a good boy or girl, they
would give you access to a real church family and things flourished.
While many of them were not even born or very young, these guys were
building their own church-lore and ingrained it into their offspring.
No one ever thought to ask, "What happens when Walter dies?"
So who's gonna feed this monster. God isn't. Who has the guts to
stand up and say, "I've been called (as the new church
Prophet)"?
As with any group, over a period of
time, factions form and they slap anyone down that tries to take
over. So they're dying a slow death. They're cut off in so many ways.
They flourished because of a Prophet and now they are dying because
of him. Their savior is in Carus cemetary rotting, mine is in heaven
reigning.
Don’t let any man stand in the way of
your relationship with God.
