Baptismal remission
or regeneration teaches that a person is regenerated born again,– saved by
the act of water baptism.
Alexander Campbell, founder of the Church
of Christ states:
"Immersion, is that act by which our state is
changed... Christian immersion, frequently called conversion is an act,
inseparably connected with the remission of sins."(Millennial Harbinger, V-1
"Extra")
"If so, then, who will not concur with me in saying that
Christian immersion is the Gospel in water." (Alexander Campbell, Campbell –
Rice debate, p.443)
"The New Testament teaches baptism as an act which is
essential to salvation..."(Introducing The Church Of Christ,
p.107)
Alexander Campbell states: "The preposition [FOR] "eis" here means
in order to - in order to the remission of sins." (Campbell, Walker
debate, 1823 p.124)
Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ FOR (in order to) the remission of your
sins."
What Campbell failed to mention was that the preposition "eis" has
several shades of meaning. In the KJV “eis” is translated in this way:
Against -- 25 times
Among -- 16 times
At -- 20 times
Concerning -- 5 times
For -- 91 times
In -- 131 times
Into -- 571 times
That -- 30 times
On -- 57 times
To -- 282 times
Toward -- 32 times
Unto -- 208 times
Upon -- 25 times
In Dana and Manty's, A Manual Grammar Of
The Greek New Testament"eis" classified in five of eight categories
as:
Direction: into, unto, to.
Position: in, among,
upon.
Relation: as, for, against, in respect to.
Cause: because
of.
Purpose: for the purpose of.
Some examples of the english
usage of the preposition FOR(eis) are:
I asked the lawyer FOR(in order to
get)some advise.
I talked to the lawyer FOR(in behalf of) my
son.
I consulted the lawyer FOR(because of) the trouble I was
in.
I phoned the lawyer FOR(with respect to) the bill he
sent.
Other examples:
John was beheaded FOR his
faithfulness.
The criminal was hung FOR his crime.
The people
laughed FOR joy.
Christ died FOR our sins, etc.
I took an aspirin
FOR a headache.
Examples of the "eis" in the Scriptures
Matthew
12:41
"The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this
generation and condemn it; for they repented AT (eis) the preaching of Jonah,
and now one greater than Jonah is here."
"...for they repented "eis"
the preaching of Jonah..."
"in order to" ? or "because of" the
preaching of Jonah?
Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with
water UNTO repentance..."
The "unto" in the KJV is a translation of
"eis".
If translated "in order to" the verse does not make
sense.
"I baptize you with water (in order to) repentance..." ?
"I
baptize you with water (because of - concerning) repentance..."
Acts 2:25
"For David speaketh CONCERNING him (Christ)" "Concerning" is a translation of
"eis" If translated "in order to" the error is obvious.
"For David
speaketh (in order to) him..." ?
Luke 5: 12-14
"While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was
covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground
and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." Jesus
reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"
And immediately the leprosy left him. Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell
anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that
Moses commanded FOR (because of) thy cleansing, as a testimony to
them."
"...show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that
Moses commanded FOR [here the greek word “eis” means BECAUSE OF)thy cleansing,
as a testimony to them." It should be noted that the leper was healed before he
offered a sacrifice. The offering was "for thy cleansing" or because of - not to
obtain it, but a formal declaration in ceremony that it has already happened and
testimony to what God has done.
Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water
UNTO (in order to) repentance." ?
or…
"I baptize you with water
UNTO (with reference to) repentance."
"I baptize you with reference to
that exercising of it, is what John means. Or, as Tyndale, in his version says,
`I baptize you in token of your repentance.' That makes fine sense." (B.H.
Carroll, An Interpretation of the English Bible. Vol. 12 p.91)
More uses
of eis in the Scriptures:
Matthew 28:19
"Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them eis in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
Mark 1:9 "At that time Jesus came from
Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John eis the Jordan."
Acts 8:16
"...they had simply been baptized eis the name of the Lord
Jesus."
ACTS 2:38
Campbell: "The preposition "eis" here means
in order to - in order to the remission of sins." Acts 2:38 is the cornerstone
of Campbell's theory re: baptismal regeneration, it says: "Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ FOR (Campbell, in order to
-to get) the remission of your sins."
"eis" if translated "in order to"
in this verse would in fact teach baptismal regeneration. The verse should be
rendered:
Acts 2:38 "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ FOR (on account of )the remission of your sins."
"The word "eis" is simply a preposition of reference. Baptism has
a reference to remission of sins. It is a ceremonial ordinance, or act,
which refers to the remission of sins through Christ's redemption (Matt.
26:28) Remission is procured by Christ; remission is received by faith. (Acts
10:43), and remission is professed by baptism (Acts 2:38)." (Bob L. Ross, The
Restoration Movement. p.48)
The Scriptures teach that it is by Grace
through faith that one is saved. NOT a result of works - including
baptism.
Eph 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through
faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works,
so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Luke 7:50
"Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in
peace."
John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life,
but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on
him."
John 5:24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and
believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has
crossed over from death to life."
John 6:29 "Jesus answered, "The work of
God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."
John 6:40 "For my
Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall
have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."
John
6:47 "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting
life."
Acts 10:43 "All the prophets testify about him that everyone
who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his
name."
Romans 3:28 "For we maintain that a man is justified by faith
apart from observing the law."
Romans 4:5 "However, to the man who
does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited
as righteousness."
Gal 3:26 "You are all sons of God through faith
in Christ Jesus."
THE THIEF ON THE
CROSS
Luke 23:39-43
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him:
"Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked
him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We
are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man
has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into
your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be
with me in paradise."
The Church of Christ publication "The
Spiritual Sword" States:
"The thief lived and died during the period that
the law of Moses was still in force." (SS/April 1976, p.35)
The Church of
Christs argues that the thief died under the Old Testament Law and therefore did
not have to be baptized. Yet when one turns to John’s Gospel 19:32,33 we find
that this is not so.
THE THIEF DIED AFTER JESUS AND WAS UNDER
GRACE!
“The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first
man, and of the other man who was crucified with Him; but coming to
Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs;”
!!!!!!!!
Therefore:
Acts 13:39 "Through him everyone who
believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law
of Moses."
Romans 4:3 "What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed
God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
The thief also
believed God and it was credited to him as
righteousness.
Cornelius and his household
Acts
10:44-48 "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on
all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter
were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the
Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then
Peter said,"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water?
They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them
for a few days.
Once again in diametric opposition to the clear teachings
of scripture,the Church of Christ teaches that Cornelius and his household
"received the Holy Spirit baptism" but were "not saved". (SS/April 1976
p.15)
How does one receive the Holy Spirit, speak in tongues and praise
God without being saved??? The testimony of Scripture is clear. Baptism does NOT
SAVE YOU.
"Since only people baptized to remit sins are baptized
properly, then Mormons, Catholics and Campbellites are the only ones who ever
please God. John Wesley and other great saints were ungodly wretches, according
to their doctrine. The church of Christ says that a man cannot love God 'til he
is baptized (1 John 4:7) and they teach that being born of God is baptism. Thus
they baptize haters of God and claim to make them lovers of God. What power in
their water.
They teach that man and water are the saviour instead of
Christ. A mancan repent, believe, confess, and live a perfect life, but is still
lost unless he is baptized. Then baptism is what saves him, according to their
doctrine. Two things are essential to baptism - water and somebody to do it.
Then these two things are what saves a man's soul. God does not do it. Christ
does not. Grace does not. The cross does not. It is the waters of baptism.
Imagine a man shipwrecked alone on an island who finds a New Testament and
believes and trusts the Lord to save him, but he cannot go to Heaven because he
does not have a Campbellite preacher there to save him. How sad." (R.A. Long,
The Truth About The Church Of Christ, p.36)