46 - THE ORDINANCES OF THE CHURCH
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. Acts 2:42
INTRODUCTION
One of the characteristics of most religious institutions is their symbols. The basic symbols recognized by Christianity are baptism and the Lord’s Supper. But within Christianity, churches of particular denominations may vary in their understanding of the number and nature of these symbols. They are primarily called memorials, ordinances, or sacraments. Some look on the sacraments and interpret them as a means of obtaining grace or favor with God. A member of a Roman Catholic church might argue he had received forgiveness of sins through the mass in which he took part, when in fact the Bible teaches there are no works a man can do to gain the forgiveness of sins or gain merit from God. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are outward symbols of an inner reality. When they are called memorials, they are simply acts whereby we remember what God has done for us. The Bible teaches that two rites were given to the church by God, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Christians are obliged to celebrate these two outward symbols because God has accomplished the real work in their hearts. Technically, the Christian observes them in obedience to the Lord’s commandment. The keeping of these memorials does not provide any special grace to the observer, yet God does honor those who obey his commands. At the very heart of these two symbols is the atoning death of Christ.
BAPTISM
Baptism should be practiced by every Christian after conversion, hence it is called the first step of faith. There are many contemporary ideas regarding the nature and the correct mode of baptism. There are many good reasons why every Christian should be baptized, but perhaps the example of Christ is a compelling one. As a new believer is baptized, he follows the example of Christ who began his public ministry with baptism.
Definition. The word baptizo is a Greek word transliterated into the English, "baptize." The word could be better translated "to dip or immerse." The Greek word is a form of the word bapto, which means "to dip," as in dyeing cloth. In the New Testament, when the Holy Spirit places a believer into the Body of Christ so that he is identified with his death, burial, and resurrection, it is called "baptism." Water baptism is the act of placing the new believer in water as a testimony that he has experienced the reality of the conversion experience. The act in itself should not be equated with salvation, as some groups teach. Baptism does not wash away sin. It is rather a symbol of the candidate’s cleansing in the blood of Christ (Revelation 1:5). The symbolic significance of baptism is threefold, as explained by the apostle Paul. First, it is a symbol of redemption, picturing the gospel. "Therefore 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 6:4). Everyone who is baptized is testifying to the fact "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Second, baptism is a symbol of the future resurrection. "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Romans 6:5). This was an important concern of New Testament Christians. Some mistakenly believed that those who died prior to the return of Christ would not enjoy his presence for eternity. Paul had to teach at least two churches that the saved would be raised at the return of Christ. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 Thessalonians 4:16).
Finally, baptism is a symbol of regeneration. Everyone who is baptized testifies to the knowledge that "our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin" (Romans 6:6). In another place, the apostle explained: "I am crucified "with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the :flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
Immersion. Most Bible-believing churches practice baptism by immersion. One of the chief reasons to immerse in water is because of the meaning of the word baptizo, which means "to immerse or dip." The Scriptures, however, clearly show the word sometimes to refer to ceremonial washings when no immersion was involved. "The Pharisee . . . marvelled that he [Jesus] had not washed [baptizo] before dinner" (Luke 11:38; Mark 7:4). Throughout the history of the church the emphasis has been placed on the significance of the rite rather than the mode of its ministration. From the same biblical passages Bible expositors draw different conclusions. Some say at Jesus’ baptism that John immersed him in water. Others say that John stood with him in the river and poured or sprinkled water on him. These interpreters claim that the use of the term was to signify the religious rite practiced in the Old Testament and later by the Christian church and is not the classical meaning of the terms baptizo or bapto. They interpret Jesus coming "straightway . . . up out of the water" to be a description of his climbing the banks of the stream. When Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch, "they were come up out of the water" (Acts 8:30). In these two instances, Jesus and the Ethiopian, it is clear that the candidates for baptism were standing in a stream of water.
Another reason for baptism by immersion is because of its clarity in representing the symbol of death, burial, and resurrection. As we are baptized, we are placed in water to symbolize the grave, then brought up to symbolize resurrection. Hence, a threefold message of death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:4-6) is symbolized in baptism.
Candidate. The Bible does not teach infant baptism nor the baptism of any other age as part of a step in the plan of salvation. The Bible teaches only believers were baptized after they were converted. On the day of Pentecost, people were saved before they were baptized and added to the church (Acts 2:41, Acts 2:47). This pattern was repeated continuously in the New Testament.
Some groups argue that the candidate should be baptized in the name of Jesus only, based upon their interpretation of Acts 2:38 : "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The phrase "in the name of Jesus Christ" modifies both the verb "repent" and "be baptized." Only as one repents can he experience the remission of sins and receive the Holy Spirit. In other places in the Book of Acts where people were "baptized in the name of Jesus," the expression is used to distinguish Christian baptism from the baptism of John the Baptist or some other group (cf. Acts 19:1-5). The formula by which the candidate is baptized is found in the Great Commission, "baptizing theme in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matthew 28:19). Some immerse three times because of the mention of the three Persons of the Trinity, a practice dating back to Augustine. However, the word "name" is singular. The candidate is baptized once in the singular name of, the triune God.
Motives. Christians are baptized to testify to what Christ has done in their lives. Baptism is a "symbolic confession" (Romans 10:9). Everyone who has been converted should be willing to tell others what Christ has done for him (Acts 1:8).
Baptism is also a testimony of identification with Christ. Theologian A. H. Strong wrote, "Baptism symbolizes the previous entrance of the believer into the communion of Christ’s death and resurrection-or, in other words, regeneration through union with Christ." This was what Paul taught the Romans when he explained the significance of this symbol (Romans 6:3-5).
Christians are also baptized in obedience to Christ’s command. Jesus commanded baptism in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). On the day of Pentecost, baptism was the first command for the Christian to obey (Acts 2:38). A Christian who does not obey this command calls into question his love for the Lord (John 14:23). Obedience to this command is "the answer of a good conscience toward God" (1 Peter 3:21). THE LORD’S SUPPER The other sacrament of the church is the Lord’s Supper. It is called the final step of faith because it represents the ultimate communion of the believer and Christ. Also, it continues until we are taken home to be with Christ at the rapture.
After Jesus had eaten the Passover supper with his disciples, he instituted this ordinance of the church (1 Corinthians 11:23). It is also a symbol representing the atonement for sin, specifically containing bread to represent the body of Christ and the fruit of the vine to represent his blood. It goes by the name of the Lord’s supper (1 Corinthians 11:20), communion (1 Corinthians 10:16), the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 10:21), and ordinance (1 Corinthians 11:2).
Definition. The Lord’s Supper is the distinctive symbol of Christian worship instituted by the Lord on the eve of his death, being a spiritual partaking of the fruit of the vine and bread. These elements are presented in thankful memorial of Christ’s sacrifice and are taken by those in good fellowship with him and one another. It is conducted as a memorial in remembrance of the atoning death of Christ and in anticipation of his return to earth.
Symbols. The two symbols in this ordinance are the bread and the cup. Jesus said concerning the bread, "This is my body, which is broken for you" (1 Corinthians 11:24). Later in the meal he said, "This cup is the new testament in my blood" (1 Corinthians 11:25). This does not mean, as some Christians teach, that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Jesus. Jesus was clearly speaking symbolically in this context. When a grandfather unfolds his wallet to show off pictures of his grandchildren, he might say, "This is my grandson." Calling the photos his grandchildren is a figure of speech, meaning that the photo is an image of his grandchildren. This is what Jesus meant when lie said, "This is my body." He could have said, "This is a representation of my body," but that was unnecessary in the context. These two symbols represent several things.
Practice. The Bible gives no specific instructions regarding how often the Lord’s Supper should be observed, only that it should be observed regularly (1 Corinthians 11:26). It seems that in the beginning it was observed daily. Some churches observe it every week, others at the beginning or end of the month, and some quarterly. When it is observed, there are three kinds of communion practiced: open, closed, and close. Each of these groups will conduct a similar service closely following Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34.
Open communion allows all believers access to the Lord’s Supper. The chief argument supporting this position is that communion is the Lord’s Supper, not that of some religious denomination (1 Corinthians 11:20, 1 Corinthians 11:23). Jesus is the one that invites Christians to his supper. Those who hold this position teach that communion should not be controlled by a church. Open communion tends to reflect a believer-centered Christianity rather than an ’institutional-centered Christianity. It also gives everyone the opportunity to worship God and go deeper with the Lord. The believer himself judges whether or not he is to participate.
Closed communion is practiced by many denominations, whereby communion is made available only to a member of the church who is in good standing. The Lord’s Supper is a time of examination and those who have sin in their lives should confess it. Those who have sin in their lives are not given access to the Lord’s Supper because God will judge them. As only the church knows who is walking with God, it should not allow a person to eat or drink judgment on his head. Therefore, only members are invited to participate. To avoid the problems of Corinth, a church can be kept pure through closed communion and those who practice closed communion testify to spiritual power as a result.
Close communion is an attempt to have the best of both systems. He the role of the church is recognized, yet the place of fellowship among Christians is also recognized. In close communion, the pastor acknowledges the responsibility of the individual in self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28). The church, possessing executive but not legislative authority, is charged with the
duty, not of reinforcing rules for the administering and guarding of the ordinance but of discovering and applying the practice given in the New Testament. Most churches which practice close communion usually warn the participants that they should be baptized and in fellowship with a New Testament church before they partake of communion. But the church leaves the determination up to the individual.
CONCLUSION
God established the church for his people. He gave that church two memorials to help his people better live for him. When a person is baptized, he identifies with both Christ and his church. As he then begins observing the Lord’s Supper, he is given a regular opportunity to examine his own life and relation with the Lord. Also, he is constantly reminded of the sacrifice of Christ for his sin. This reminder, together with the opportunity to regularly examine ourselves, will help us as we seek to live consistent Christian lives.
DAILY READINGS Monday: Romans 6:1-13 Tuesday: Acts 8:26-40 Wednesday: John 1:15-34 Thursday: 1 Corinthians 10:16-33 Friday: 1 Corinthians 11:1-22 Saturday: 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 Sunday: Matthew 26:20-46