Baptism

I am deeply aware of the total chaos of the professing Church around us, with Bible ministers tip-toeing softly about. Baptism, and all that it represents, is not explained as it needs to be and its importance is tragically overlooked. Let Truth be thundered with the Power of The Holy Spirit of God and with the infinite Authority of Almighty God!! I fail to relate to a Church that ignores The Great Commission; and will not obey God! I believe the living Christ does, also. Further, I am stunned at the doctrines, activities, and indulgences that have been broadly and freely used by the ‘church’.
Even Augustine, in his anti-Donatistic writings defends ‘heretical’ baptism (baptizo) by the following course of argument: “Baptism (baptizo) is an institution of Christ, shortly before his ascension, to be performed in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It took the place of circumcision and was a sign and seal of church membership. It is the outward mark of Christian discipleship, the rite of initiation into the covenant of grace. It is the sacrament of repentance (conversion), of remission of sins and of regeneration by the power of the Holy Spirit. In the nature of the case it is to be received but once. It incorporates the penitent sinner in the visible church, and entitles him to all the privileges, and binds him to all the duties of this communion.” HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, Philip Schaff, Vol. 1, p.466-467.
We must understand that there are a number of things in Augustine’s statement that we would want to discuss with him; but, to try to make him an endorser of sprinkling for baptism, would hardly pass muster; and, to assume that he was an advocate of such procedure must be totally incorrect. I see nothing in Augustine that endorses sprinkling and immersion was not called into question until long after Augustine’s time. You will please note there is no Scripture that states ‘It (baptism) took the place of circumcision’, or ‘It is the sacrament of repentance (conversion).’ A sacrament means that these things help to save the sinner, which is not true.
“And Jesus came and Spake unto them, saying , All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing (Baptizontes) them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK
WHEREAS “JESUS CAME and spoke unto them, saying, All
Authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen, and,
WHEREAS The Book of Revelation, Chapters two and three, provide The beautiful Biblical Outline of The Church Age, providing Infinite warning of Church apostasy; and, that this apostasy was persistent to near the point of infinity, as verified in the New Testament in many places, with the strong heralding of it in II Thessalonians 2:3-12, II Timothy 3, etc. sounding that alert like the blaring of a fog-horn; and,
WHEREAS I was stunned to read a book of 657 pages entitled “The Fundamentals’ without a single reference to baptism, and, I mean NO reference, and,
WHEREAS The Great Commission is THE MISSION OF HIS CHURCH, through this age, as ordered of God, (Matthew 28:l8-20), with the Church drifting madly from its moorings of ordered faith, from its very inception; and ordination, and,
WHEREAS in the current Church is tragic evidence that Satan, the destroyer, is daily using every weapon at his command to stop, hinder, distort and defy the Infinite eternal Work of God, I seek in this effort to counter as much of such destructive work as possible; and,
WHEREAS, knowing that I stand accountable to The Eternal God to make those facts known with the vehemence of infinity,
THEREFORE, be it resolved with full heart and voice, to give diligent attention to The Great Commission in all of its parts, particularly baptism,
that the pages which follow shall provide in very concise and efficient way, The Holy Scriptures relative to Baptism and the reasons for martyrdom. We, therefore, very prayerfully send forth these pages!!
“The Unity of The Spirit” (Ephesians 4:1-3) is always to be sought in every part of The Church Age; making the vivid, living, vital message of the Gospel of The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ the illuminating glow of Glory that it is! The Majesty, and Light that should surround His Holy Name which is above every name, and, at which every knee shall bow, this, Friend, most certainly must be seen!!
ON THAT PREMISE; AND, ON THAT ALONE, IT IS MOST CERTAINLY IN ORDER THAT HIS OWN CHURCH BE OBEDIENT TO IT’S HIGH, Phil.3:14 HOLY II Tim. 1:9 AND HEAVENLY CALLING Heb. 3:1, TO LOGICALLY PROCEED IN MAKING TRUTH KNOWN TO OUR LOST WORLD! FOR EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO HIM AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO GOD! Isaiah 45:23,24; Romans 14:11,12; Philippians 2:9-11.
How can a disobedient Church call the world to The Obedience of Christ??