Steve Atkerson escribe sobre el bautismo Toward a House Church Theology

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Steve Atkerson 29 " a!ti"ed #ith #ater"

$ Ac %&:'(

#hat is the !ur!ose o) baptism* +ohn the a!tist e,!licitly stated the !ur!ose o) his baptism when he said- ". ba!ti"e you with water )or re!entance" /0t 1:%%23 4id +ohn ba!ti"e them so that they could re!ent or because they already had re!ented* #as +ohn5s baptism a means to re!entance or the result o) re!entance* .n both English and 6reek- ")or" /eis2 can re)er to either an ob7ective /. le)t ")or" home 2 or a cause /. cried ")or" 7oy23 .n 0t 1:%%- ")or" denotes a cause8 +ohn5s baptism came because they had already re!ented3 .t was an outward sign o) an inward act3 9or instance- when many o) the :harisees came to be ba!ti"ed- +ohn condemned them as a "brood o) vi!ers" because they had not yet re!ented /0t 1:($ %&23 Thus- when ;uke wrote that +ohn was "!reaching a baptism o) re!entance )or the )orgiveness o) sins" /1:12- he meant that +ohn5s baptism was symbolic o) a !erson5s re!entance in order to be )orgiven3 .t was not a "baptism )or )orgiveness" but rather a baptism that e,!ressed "re!entance )or )orgiveness3" .ncidentally- "re!ent" is )rom metanoia and means "a change o) thinking3" As such- it is a close !arallel to )aith8 one never occurs without the other3 +ohn urged men to change their thinking about sin /0t 1:<2 and to believe in the one coming a)ter him- that is +esus /+n %:<$98 Ac %9:'23 However- +ohn5s baptism was !re!aratory and- as such- was not a )ull Christian baptism3 .n Ac %9:%$(:aul re=uired those in E!hesus who had received only +ohn5s baptism to be re$ba!ti"ed in the name o) the ;ord +esus3 #hat then is the !ur!ose o) this Christian baptism* At the very least it serves as a sort o) "rite o) initiation" /New Testament Theology- 43 6uthrie- (1>2 into the )ellowshi! o) those who have believed in +esus /New Bible Dictionary, +34363 4unn- %2223 However- beyond its )unction as a mere rite o) entry- there are certain other im!lications3 . use the word "im!lications" because as ?3 ;3 4abney observed- there is "an absence o) all set e,!lanations o) its meaning in the @ew Testament- and at the same time- o) all a!!earance o) sur!rise at its novelty" /Lectures in Systematic Theology- (A923 This4abney believed- is because the meaning o) baptism is rooted in Bld Covenant ceremonial law and symboli"es !uri)ication )rom sins3 The BT is re!lete with e,am!les o) ceremonial cleansings accom!lished through the use o) water /@u %9:%%$2%8 1%:2%$2'23 Thus- the +ews were not sur!rised that +ohn the a!tist used water gra!hically to !ortray re!entance and )orgiveness o) sins /0k %:'23 9urtherwater is nature5s detergent- a cleansing agent well suited to the symbolism o) !uri)ication3 @otice how Ananias told :aul to "be ba!ti"ed and wash your sins away" /Ac 22:%<2- and that :eter associated baptism with )orgiveness in Ac 2:383 :erha!s the most telling !ur!ose o) water baptism is )ound in such !assages as 0t 1:%%: ". ba!ti"e /baptizo2 you with water )or re!entance3 ut a)ter me will come one who is more !ower)ul than . 3 3 3 He will ba!ti"e /baptizo2 you with the Holy S!irit3" Baptism into water also symboli"es our baptism into the Holy S!irit3 .n Ac %:A +esus told his disci!les- "+ohn ba!ti"ed /baptizo2 with water- but in a )ew days you will be ba!ti"ed /baptizo2 with the Holy S!irit3" This !romised baptism into the S!irit began on the day o) :entecost3 :eter =uoted +oel5s !rediction that Cahweh would "!our out" /ekcheo2 His S!irit on His !eo!le and declared it )ul)illed /Ac 2:%(8 1123 A similar declaration was made by :eter in Ac %%:%A$%( when the Holy S!irit "came on" the 6entiles and he remembered what the ;ord had said in Ac %:A3 :eter then asked- "Can anyone kee! those !eo!le )rom being ba!ti"ed with water* They have received the Holy S!irit 7ust as we have" /Ac %&:'(23 ased on ?omans <- some grou!s have contended that baptism into water !ortrays our s!iritual deathburial- and resurrection with Christ3 B)ten re!eated during baptism is the !hrase- "buried with Him through baptism into death- we are raised to walk in newness o) li)e3" This- however- is not really an a!!ro!riate association with baptism into water3 9irst- notice the com!lete absence o) the word "water" in

/el autor 7uega a la ley del embudo: cuando )alta la !alabra )e- dice =ue arre!entimiento es un !aralelo cercano- !ero si no dice agua aun=ue a!are"ca la !alabra bautismo- entonces no se !uede re)erir al bautismo3 AdemDs ni en 0t 2>-%(s- ni en 0c %<-%< a!arece la !alabra agua- y sin embargo sabemos a =ue bautismo se re)iere28 the baptism o) ?o < is "into His death" and re)ers to our
?o < s!iritual baptism /the regenerating work o) the S!irit wherein we are !laced into Christ2- not water

(la negativa no se fundamenta con ningn texto)3 Second- burials in the ?oman world were ty!ically in tombs that could be re!eatedly
baptism accessed- not si, )eet underground and covered with dirt3 #ater may !ortray a modern "li=uid grave" but it is not like a )irst century tomb /hewn above ground out o) rock and sealed with a boulder23 Thus- baptism is an act that serves as a rite o) initiation /or entry2 into the )ellowshi! o) believers- and it

Having observed what baptism is /habiendo observado =ue no o)rece ningEn !asa7e bFblico ni !atrFstico =ue sustente el "wingliano !unto de vista3 GdHnde dice =ue el bautismo es mero sFmbolo*2- it remains to e,amine what it is
symboli"es re!entance- !uri)ication )rom sins- and immersion into the Holy S!irit3 not- i3e3- a means o) salvation3 Those who believe in ba!tismal regeneration teach that there is no )orgiveness a!art )rom baptism3 B)ten =uoted in su!!ort o) this view are 0t %<:%<8 Ac 2:388 22:%<8 ?o A:%$(8 Tit 1:A- and % :e 1:%>$2%3

The essential problem with this view is the failure to see that baptism (like any other act of obedience ) is not a means to salvation, it is the result of salvation3 Entonces si es un acto de obediencia- entonces ser bauti"ado es !ara salvaciHn!ues +esEs es )uente de salvaciHn !ara los =ue lo obedecen Heb A-9 GIuJ entienden !or ordenan"as*
.t is symbolic- not saving3 Admittedly one would wonder about the genuineness o) someone claiming to believe in Christ yet re)using baptism3 Still- the )act remains that baptism is a )ruit- not the root3 .nterestingly- every grou! that believes in ba!tismal regeneration also holds to either a :elagian or Armenian view o) human nature and 6od5s grace3 As 4abney said- "These )acts are too uni)orm )or chance: they betray a causation" /Lectures- ('223 Those who teach ba!tismal regeneration believe that there is no )orgiveness a!art )rom water baptism3 9aith in +esus is im!ortant as well- they say- but mere )aith is not enough to save8 it must be accom!anied by water baptism /either one without the other is useless23 The crushing bulk o) scri!tural evidence !oints to 7usti)ication by )aith alone as the only means o)

/ni un solo te,to de la iblia dice =ue la salvaciHn es solo !or la )e GdHnde estD la !alabra sola*- Gno e,igFa la !alabra agua !ara ace!tar =ue ?m < se trataba sobre el bautismo Ken aguaL* 3 +ohn wrote
salvation that eternal li)e belongs to "whoever believes" /+n 1:%<23

#hen the :hili!!ian 7ailer asked how to be saved- ;uke recorded that he was told " elieve in the ;ord +esus Christ and you will be saved- you and your household" /Ac %<:1%23 The gos!el is "the !ower o) 6od )or the salvation o) everyone who believes" /?o %:%<23 :aul wrote- "to the man who does not work but trusts 6od who 7usti)ies the wicked- his )aith is credited as righteousness" /?o ':A$<23 The letter to the E!hesian church reveals that "it is by grace you have been saved- through )aithMand this not )rom yourselves- it is the gi)t o) 6odMnot o) works- so that no one can boast" /2:>$923 So thoroughly is salvation )rom the ;ord /and not as a result o) anything we do2 that the word "grace" is re!eatedly used in Scri!ture to describe the means o) )orgiveness3 9rom charis- "grace" means "undeserved kindness"8 it is "the action o) one who volunteers to do something to which he is not bound"8 it is ")avor" / A64- >((23 6race is the o!!osite o) that which is deserved or earned3 9or instance- in ?o ':' :aul wrote that "when a man works- his wages are not credited to him as charis- but as an obligation3" .) we must "do" anything to =uali)y )or 6od5s grace- then grace is no longer grace /an undeserved )avor !recludes any !rere=uisites8 c!3 ?o %%:A$<23 @ot even )aith is a !rere=uisite to receiving graceN .ndeed)aith itsel) is the result o) having )irst e,!erienced grace3 #hen @icodemus asked +esus how to be born again- +esus said- "The wind blows wherever it !leases3 Cou hear its sound- but you cannot tell where it comes )rom or where it is going3 So it is with everyone born o) the S!irit" /+n 1:>23 .n other words- we have as much control over being born o) the S!irit as we do over the wind3 +esus told the +ews that "no one can come to me unless the 9ather who sent me draws him" /+n <:''- <A23 +ust !rior to this +esus had said- "all that the 9ather gives to me will come to me 3 3 3 and . shall lose none o) all that he has given me" /vv 1A$''23 Concerning the unbelie) o) the +ewish leaders- +esus stated- "you do not believe because you are not o) my shee!" /+n %&:2<23 .t is not the case that they were not shee! because they did not believe8 being one o) the shee! was !rere=uisite to believing- something over which they had no control3 #hen the a!ostles !reached the gos!el to the 6entiles at :isidian Antioch- ;uke commented that "all who were a!!ointed to eternal li)e believed" /Ac %':'>23 The :hili!!ian Christians were told that it had been "granted" to them to believe /:h! %:2923 As E!h 2:> teaches- every ingredient in being saved is a gi)t )rom 6od- including the ingredients o) grace and )aith3 Su))ice it to echo :aul5s words that "it does notthere)ore- de!end on man5s desire or e))ort- but on 6od5s mercy" /?o 9:%<23 ut what o) those verses that seem to teach )aith !lus baptism as a means o) salvation* 0k %<:%< states"whoever believes and is ba!ti"ed will be saved- but whoever does not believe will be condemned3" The @T certainly assumes that every believer will be ba!ti"ed- and this is re)lected in the )irst hal) o) %<:%<3 However- we should note that according to the second hal) o) the verse- condemnation comes as a result o) unbelie)- not the lack o) any ritual activity /e3g3- baptism23 Taken in isolation someone might !ossibly misunderstand %<:%< as teaching ba!tismal regeneration- but- when com!ared with the rest o) Scri!turethis misunderstanding eva!orates3 .n any event- "whoever does not believe will be condemned" !uts the em!hasis on )aith- not baptism3 A train conductor might similarly state- "whoever boards this train and takes his seat will go to Chicago8 whoever does not board this train will not go to Chicago3" #ould anyone misunderstand the conductor to be saying that i) someone boarded the train but did not take his seat that somehow he would not get to Chicago* Clearly the conductor adds "take his seat" merely )or the com)ort o) the !assenger3 The !assenger could stand u! the entire tri! to Chicago i) he so desired8 he wouldn5t be very com)ortable- but he would still get to Chicago3 Similarly- a Christian who never gets ba!ti"ed will still reach his heavenly destination3 Some !oint to +n 1:A to 7usti)y ba!tismal regeneration /". tell you the truth no one can enter the kingdom o) 6od unless he is born o) water and the S!irit"23 The !roblem with this is that the word "baptism" is never mentioned in the conversation between +esus and @icodemus- nor is the term "water" used anywhere in Scri!ture as a synonym )or baptism3 9urthermore- the natural sense o) the !assage clearly !arallels "water" with being born out o) a mother5s womb /1:'2 and with ")lesh" /1:<23 Sim!ly stated+esus told @icodemus that in order to see the kingdom o) 6od two births are necessary3 The )irst is a

(el paralelo de agua= lquido amnitico con los v ! y v " ignora que los vv ! y " contienen elementos con los que #es$s se quiere
!hysical- literal- ")lesh" birth /which is- o) course- accom!anied by amniotic "water"2

distanciar en su conocido dualismo8 the second is a

meta!horical- "S!irit" birth into 6od5s )amily /c!3 +n %:%2$%123 :erha!s the most !o!ular te,t o) ba!tismal regenerationists is Ac 2:38- "?e!ent and be ba!ti"ed- every one o) you- in the name o) +esus Christ )or the )orgiveness o) your sins3" The cru, o) :eter5s intended meaning lies in the word ")or3" This one little !re!osition /eis2 is translated )orty$seven di))erent ways in the @AS 8 it would be unwise to build a theology o) ba!tismal regeneration on a single word with such a broad range o) meaningsN Even i) one wants to maintain that eis here connotes a goal- it still does not )ollow that baptism is necessarily involved3 This can be shown )rom a grammatical stand!oint in the 6reek te,t3 The !hrase ")or the )orgiveness o) your sins" /lit3- "the sins o) all o) you"2 agrees in !erson and number with the command to "re!ent" /"all o) you re!ent"28 both are second$!erson !lural3 The !hrase "let each o) you be ba!ti"ed-" on the other hand- stands alone grammatically since it is in the third !erson singular /"let each one"23 The word order o) the 6reek makes little di))erence8 it is the grammatical agreement that matters3 Thus- the te,t should be translated- "?e!ent- all o) you- )or the )orgiveness o) your sins8 and let each one o) you be ba!ti"ed3" .n Ac 22:%<- Ananias told Saul- "6et u!- be ba!ti"ed and wash your sins away- calling on His name3" Taken in isolation this too could be taken to teach ba!tismal regeneration3 There are- however- better alternative e,!lanations )or this verse3 .t is )ully conceivable that the te,t is to be translated- "be ba!ti"edand wash away your sins by calling on his name-" hence connecting "washing" with "calling" and not with "baptism" /which merely symboli"es the washing e))ected by calling on his name23 AlternatelyAnanias may sim!ly be s!eaking meta!horically o) that which baptism symboli"esMthe washing away o) sins3 Another e,egetical blunder is to read water baptism into ?o <:%$%&3 Baptizo sim!ly means "immersion"8 the element into which that occurs must be observed )rom conte,t3 There are several kinds o) immersion in the @T- including immersion into the Holy S!irit /+n %:112- )ire /0t 1:%%2- Christ /6a 1:2(2- 0oses /% Co %&:22- and- o) course- water3 #hereas in English the word "ba!ti"e" has e,clusively religious connotations- it was not so with the 6reek word baptizo /which evoked as much religious imagery as the words "di!" or "!lunge under" would today23 Thus- it is a mistake to read the word "ba!ti"e" in the ible and always think o) a religious ritual involving water3 ?o < s!eaks o) immersion into Christ +esus and his death- which occurs by grace through )aith /?o A:%(23 The word "water" is com!letely absent3 The same is true o) 6a 1:2<$29- which re)ers to being "ba!ti"ed into Christ" /not water23 .t is a s!iritual baptism that !laces us into Christ- not a water baptism3 ;iterally translated- 6a 1:2<$2( states- "you are all sons o) 6od through faith in Christ +esus- all o) you who were immersed into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ3" Clearly- being immersed into Christ is !aralleled with having )aith in Christ

7ustamente como 0c %<-%<

Cet another e,am!le o) a non$water immersion is % Co %2:%1- "9or we were all immersed by one S!irit into one body 3 3 3 and we were all given the one S!irit to drink3" Here the ba!ti"er is the S!irit and the element into which we are immersed is the body o) Christ- not water3 Bne should no more associate this baptism with water than one would associate the "drink" o) %2:%1 with water3 Tit 1:Ab /"He saved us through the washing o) rebirth and renewal by the Holy S!irit"2 has been used to 7usti)y the necessity o) water baptism in order to be saved3 4oes the word "water" a!!ear anywhere in the cha!ter* .ndeed- where is the word "baptism"* "?ebirth" actually does have a "washing" e))ect /it washes away our sins2- but to read water baptism into this !assage is truly to )orce into it something that is not there3 .n )act- 1:Aa states- "he saved us- not because o) righteous things we have done3" #hat is water baptism but one o) the "righteous things" which we might do* Oerse ( goes on to reveal clearly that we have been "7usti)ied by his grace" /not by water baptism23 ut what o) the seemingly irre)utable verse- "baptism now saves you" /% :e 1:2%2* Having 7ust written o) @oah and the )lood /1:2&2- :eter was reminded o) the water o) baptism and stated that it constitutes a ")igure" or a "likeness3" The 6reek )or ")igure" is antitupos /)rom which we derive our word "antity!e"2 and means "co!y" or "re!resentation" /the counter!art o) reality23 Briginally antitupos connoted the

e,actness o) corres!ondence between the stam! and the die /?ienecker- Linguistic Key- (<&23 Thus the baptism that :eter mentioned is !urely symbolic8 it is the counter!art o) reality and not the reality itsel) /Henderson- irst !eter- <>23 As has been !ointed out in this cha!ter- water baptism is indeed symbolic o) being saved3 :eter goes on to e,!lain that what actually saves us is not "the removal o) dirt )rom the body" /i3e3- "water baptism"2- but rather the answer o) a good conscience toward 6od through the resurrection o) +esus3 As a counter!art to actual salvation- water baptism "saves" the believer only in ty!e /#uest- "ord Studies- Ool3 2- %&>23 .) water baptism really were a necessary condition to being )orgiven- then baptism would have to be included as a !art o) the gos!el message 3 However- regarding baptism :aul wrote- ")or Christ did not send me to ba!ti"e- but to !reach the gos!el" /% Co %:%(23 :rior to this he had written- ". am thank)ul that . did not ba!ti"e any o) you e,ce!t Cris!us and 6aius" /v %'23 4o these sound like statements )rom a man who believed in ba!tismal regeneration* Clearly baptism is not a !art o) the gos!el- nor re=uired in order to be saved3 6od5s !eo!le have always and only been saved by grace through )aith3 Abraham was 7usti)ied by believing 6od /6e %A:<2- and this is the !attern )or @T believers as well /?o ':9$%2- see also Heb %&:'8 Heb %%8 ;k (:1<$A&8 ;k %>:%1$%'8 ;k 21:19$'123 y way o) balance- it should be !ointed out that any !erson who has e,!erienced 6od5s grace will res!ond with both )aith and a desire to obey his commands3 Thus- every true believer will naturally want to be ba!ti"ed3 Bne o) the re)ormers correctly said- "we are saved by )aith alone- but a )aith that saves is never alone" /it is always accom!anied by good works23 There)ore- while baptism is unnecessary )or )orgiveness- a !erson claiming to believe- but re)using baptism- is o) =uestionable genuineness3 The error o) ba!tismal regeneration is that it re=uires man to do something /in this case- be ba!ti"ed2 in order to be saved3 #ater baptism is certainly an im!ortant result o) salvation- but not a means to salvation3 The theology o) ba!tismal regeneration is the result o) not truly understanding the gos!el o) grace3 The !erverted "gos!el" condemned in 6alatia was that o) )aith in Christ !lus circumcision3 The lesson derived )rom this is that a "gos!el" o) )aith in Christ !lus anything is really "no gos!el at all" /6a %:(23

/0c %<-%<- 0t 2>-%(s8 +n 1-A2

%os fundamentalistas cristianos dicen que e&isten dos bautismos cristianos' lo que ellos llaman (bautismo en agua) y el (bautismo en el *spritu +anto) ,e estos dos bautismos nos habla la -iblia en .c /,0 en donde leemos' (1o a la verdad os he bauti2ado con agua3 pero 4l os bauti2ar5 con *spritu +anto) (.c /,0 6ersin 7eina 8 6alera /9":) ;ero fundamentar la e&istencia de dos bautismos cristianos en .c /,0 en particular o en cualquier pasa<e del =T es un error, pues en .c /,0 el bautismo en agua es el bautismo de #uan -autista, => el bautismo cristiano, por lo que hablar de (bautismo en agua) para referirse al sacramento del -autismo como lo hacen los fundamentalistas es emplear una frase equivocada, que revela la errada manera como entienden la -iblia *l e&egeta protestante 7 T ?rance en su comentario al *vangelio seg$n san .arcos denuncia lo errado que es la ense@an2a pentecostal que distingue dos bautismos cristianos, ense@an2a que es com$n en el resto del (evangelicalismo) y nos dice que el -autismo en *spritu +anto (no es a una segunda etapa de la e&periencia cristiana, sino que es una referencia a la aut4ntica e&periencia cristiana en contraste con la e&periencia preliminar (pre 8 cristiana) representada por el bautismo de agua de #uan *sto sugiere que cualesquiera que sean los m4ritos del modelo ;entecostal para la e&periencia cristiana A-autismo en *spritu +antoB no es un t4rmino apropiado para 4l y

.arcos /'0 y otros pasa<es del =T que hablan de bauti2ar en *spritu +anto no son lugares adecuados para fundamentarlo en el =T)/ *s decir, llamar (bautismo en agua) al bautismo cristiano, no tiene nada de evang4lico, pues en el *vangelio seg$n san .arcos el bautismo en agua es el bautismo de #uan -autista %os cristianos recibimos el bautismo en el *spritu +anto al recibir el sacramento del -autismo %os hermanos denominacionales insisten una y otra ve2 que e&iste un solo mediador entre ,ios y los hombres, enfati2ando el t4rmino (uno), pero el mismo san ;ablo nos dice enf5ticamente que e&iste (un +e@or, una fe, un bautismo) (*f !,C 6ersin 7eina 6alera /9":) Ds como los cristianos tenemos un solo mediador entre ,ios y los hombres, Eristo #es$s, pues slo Fl muri por nuestros pecados, tambi4n tenemos G= +>%> -DGTH+.> => ,>+ *sta es la ense@an2a Dpostlica, por eso la ense@an2a seudo evang4lica de nuestros hermanos fundamentalistas debe ser recha2ada, y podr5n emplear todas las toneladas de papel e intentar hacer malabares con diferentes pasa<es de la -iblia y apelar al te&to griego, pero eso no va a cambiar la verdad de san ;ablo' Eomo hay un solo +e@or #es$s, no hay m5s que un solo bautismo, el sacramento del bautismo en donde #es$s nos da +u *spritu, nos bauti2a con el *spritu +anto 7obert -aker, bautista, en su obra (%os -autistas en la Iistoria) nos da una muestra clara del grado de desconocimiento y por ende de desinformacin fundamentalista *ste autor dice que el bautismo por infusin, es decir, derramando agua en la cabe2a del bauti2ado naci reci4n en el siglo tres con =ovaciano (Dl principio hubo serias dudas acerca de la valide2 de tal bautismo' pero se argumentaba, si la eficacia del bautismo est5 en el agua Jqu4 importa entonces si el cuerpo est5 enteramente sumergido, o solamente un poco de agua se derrama sobre el cuerpoK)L *l autor demuestra al mismo tiempo la ya indicada falta de conocimiento de la historia, y de la doctrina catlica acerca del bautismo *n primer lugar, que el bautismo por infusin es bastante anterior al siglo HHH d E es demostrado por que en el documento llamado (,ida<4) que data de fines del siglo H d E dice lo siguiente' (+i no tienes agua viva, bauti2a con otra agua (M) , ek<eon derrama agua en la cabe2a tres veces en el nombre del ;adre del Ii<o y del *spritu +anto) (,id N,Ls)O >tro autor bautista, D T 7obertson, e&perto en griego niega el bautismo por infusin apelando a la lengua griega =adie puede discutir las credenciales del profesor 7obertson, pero el conocimiento de los sabios protestantes tiene como lmite precisamente su fe protestante, que per<udica su gran saber Ds 7obertson al comentar este pasa<e de la ,ida<4 nos dice esto lo siguiente' (,ebe notarse que para derramar se emplea otra palabra griega (ek<eo) mostrando claramente que bapti2o no significa derramar %a misma e&cepcin demuestra la posicin bautista respecto de bapti2o)!
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(The Pospel of .ark) 6olumen de (The =ew Hnternational Preek Testament ) +ub %oco *erdmansQ The ;ater =oster ;ress Prand 7apids 8 Earlisle L::L 2 (%os -autistas en la Iistoria) ; L9 Easa -autista de ;ublicaciones =o se indica el lugar de publicacin /9N! *l autor da signos de conocer un tipo de bautismo distinto al de inmersin, pues indica que este bautismo ($nico generalmente aceptado), sin embargo es claro en la supuesta novedad del bautismo por inmersin al datarlo en el siglo HHH d E 1 *n (;adres Dpostlicos) *dicin bilingRe por ,aniel 7ui2 -ueno ; 0! -iblioteca de Dutores Eristianos .adrid /9N9 ' Drtculo (-autismo) en el (Hnternational +tandard -ible *nciclopedia) *dicin 7evisada Tomo / ; !/"

D T 7obertson acepta la posicin cl5sica bautista al considerar al bautismo por inmersin como el $nico bautismo v5lido, por eso solo a este lo llama (el bautismo verdadero)C Fl nos dice que el verbo griego bapti2o significa siempre (sumergir), y que bapti2o es algo bien distinto que ek<eo, (derramar) el cual, seg$n 4l, nunca se usa para referirse al bautismo ;ero aqu el dogmatismo bautista se estrella precisamente con el Te&to Priego del =T y es que en el conte&to del relato de ;entecost4s, san ;edro interpreta as el -autismo en el *spritu +anto que acababan de recibir' En los ltimos das, dice Dios ekjeo, derramar mi Espritu sobre toda carne (Hch 2,1 ! "oel 2,2# $%%&' *s revelador que contrariamente a los gustos (bautistas) en ninguna parte de la narracin del cumplimiento de la promesa del -autismo en el *spritu +anto, san %ucas emplea el verbo bapti2o, bauti2ar sino que emplea el verbo ek<eo, derramar para describir que este cumplimiento lo reali2 ,ios en ;entecost4s *s decir que la e&periencia del bautismo, contrariamente a la ense@an2a del e&perto en griego (bautista) D T 7obertson, bien puede ser e&presada tanto con el verbo bapti2o, (bauti2ar) como con el verbo ek<eo, (derramar) y es esta $ltima opcin que eligieron san %ucas en Ich L,/N como el autor de la ,ida<4 para describir el bautismo cristiano *sto nos ense@a a los catlicos a no confiarnos de los fundamentalistas, sin importar cuales sean e&pertos en -iblia y recurran a la -iblia en su lengua original, o para darnos clases de historia de la Hglesia Eatlica de los primeros siglos ", pues los errores protestantes son capaces de estropear la me<or erudicin ;or cierto, el protestante T . %indsay nos hace saber un punto importante de la historia bautista' (*s interesante recordar que cuando los anabaptistas del siglo /" insistan en el bautismo tras una confesin de fe, no fue la inmersin el m4todo practicado por ellos ,urante la gran escena bautismal en el mercado de .Rnster, la ordenan2a fue reali2ada por ministros derramando tres latas de agua sobre la cabe2a de los bauti2ados *sta tambi4n era la pr5ctica entre los menonitas o bautistas primitivos *s ese doble modo de administrar el sacramento fue el que prevaleci en las iglesias de los primeros doce siglos)N %a Hglesia Eatlica contempla de manera oficial y en la pr5ctica ambas formas de celebrar el sacramento del -autismo, por infusin, pero tambi4n por inmersin, pues como leemos en el .isal del 6aticano HH para la celebracin del -autismo' (= 1o te bauti2o en el nombre del ;adre ;rimera inmersin o efusin de agua)0 ;ero lo m5s importante no es la forma del bautismo, sino el significado de este *n apariencia el bautismo com$nmente celebrado por los fundamentalistas parecera estar m5s conforme con lo que una ligera lectura de la -iblia indicara sobre el bautismo, pero %D+ D;D7H*=EHD+ *=PDSD=, pues los fundamentalistas en su gran mayora ven en el bautismo una simple ordenan2a, y seg$n ellos ,ios no nos da

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>b cit Hbid *s interesante notar que la edicin posterior de este artculo de 7obertson omite esta frase de la edicin anterior de la misma obra' (Dhora bien, en el =uevo Testamento bapti2o es la palabra usada para el bautismo *k<eo nunca es usada) %a eliminacin es correcta, pues como vimos, contrariamente a lo que afirm 7obertson en ambas versiones de su artculo, ek<eo, derramar si se emplea en el =T para referirse al bautismo %o que no comprendemos es la eliminacin de la frase en la edicin revisada de la mencionada *nciclopedia y la errada insistencia en negar que ek<eo, derramar se refiera al bautismo ( >b Eit ; !/9 > =uevo .isal del 6aticano HH ; LC:C *diciones .ensa<ero -ilbao /99O

poner parrafo de la carta

ninguna gracia en el bautismo' ;ero lo m5s importante no es la forma del bautismo, sino el significado de este *n apariencia el bautismo com$nmente celebrado por los fundamentalistas parecera estar m5s conforme con lo que una ligera lectura de la -iblia indicara sobre el bautismo (de adultos y por inmersin), pero %D+ D;D7H*=EHD+ *=PDSD=, pues los fundamentalistas en su gran mayora ven en el bautismo una simple ordenan2a, y seg$n ellos ,ios no nos da ninguna gracia en el bautismo %os fundamentalistas m5s preparados e&altan la figura de .artn %utero como la del gran recuperador del (*vangelio 6erdadero) 6eamos lo que el mismo %utero dice sobre el bautismo en su (Eatecismo .ayor)' (+in embargo los (entusiastas e&altados) (= los anabaptistas) est5n de tal manera cegados que no aciertan a ver las palabras y el mandato divinos, no tienen en cuenta al bautismo como tal, ni la autoridad3 como si el agua bautismal fuera agua de c5ntaro o del arroyo Mdeducen que el bautismo no tiene valor Tr5tase aqu de la obra del diablo (oculto y trastornado), cuya sola aspiracin es despo<ar a la autoridad de su coronaMno debemos considerar el bautismo como un mero smbolo, como hacen los entusiastas) %a aplastante mayora de los (evang4licos) son anabaptistas de cora2n, pues bauti2an a todo el que haya sido bauti2ado de ni@o, y creen que en el bautismo ,ios no nos da ninguna gracia ;ero la -iblia, la Tradicin Dpostlica, y hasta el mismo %utero desmienten tama@o error %amentablemente los hermanos fundamentalistas tienen un celo mal dirigido, y aunque se llaman evang4licos llegan a pronunciar afirmaciones claramente anti evang4licas, como esta de -ernie Pallaspie quien afirma' (%a Hglesia no fue enviada a bauti2ar +ino que fue llamada a proclamar el *vangelio de #es$s)9 *sta afirmacin es completamente errada y claramente anti bblica #es$s 7esucitado e&presamente envi a los Dpstoles, y por ende a la Hglesia a evangeli2ar y como parte del *vangelio a bauti2ar' (#es$s se acerc a ellos y les habl as' (M) 6ayan, pues y hagan discpulos a todas las gentes, bauti25ndolas en el nombre del ;adre, y del Ii<o y del *spritu +anto) (.t L0,/0s Ef .c /",/")) %a rotunda afirmacin del fundamentalista Pillespie nos revela la falta de lealtad que e&iste en el fundamentalismo para con lo que #es$s ense@a en los *vangelios, lo cual
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K,oes Ehrist or -aptism +aves youK) -ernie Pillespie Drtculo ba<ado de Hnternet

es acorde con el segundo lugar que %utero dio a los O primeros *vangelio respecto de las Eartas de ;ablo, que para 4l eran m5s importante J1 cu5l es la <ustificacin que nos ofrece Pillespie y los fundamentalistas para negar la importancia del bautismo para #es$s y +u HglesiaK, pues la defensa de la errada doctrina de la <ustificacin solo por la fe en su versin 2wingliana *sta es una muestra m5s de que no e&iste la Hglesia *vang4lica, ni para los est5ndares bblicos, y ni siquiera para los est5ndares de los padres de los fundamentalistas' los reformadores protestantes

T;lease understand +ymbols are important +ome of them, like communion and baptism, illustrate the cross of Ehrist They symboli2e salvation, demonstrate salvation, even articulate salvation -ut they do not impart salvation UPodV saves us, not because we trust in a symbol, but because we trust in a +avior ceremonies donBt make me a Ehristian APod <ustifies the believer, not because of the worthiness of his belief, but because of UEhristBsV worthiness BT U.a& %ucado, (n the )rip o* )race, pp C:QC/V
+obre *f C,L" %a referencia de la ;alabra es a la ;alabra de ,ios bautismal, como indica san #uan Erisstomo en su comentario a *f C,L"' TThat Ie might sanctify it having cleansed it,T he proceeds, Tby the washing of water with the word3 that Ie might present the Ehurch to Iimself a glorious Ehurch, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish T T-y the washing or layerT Ie washeth her uncleanness T-y the word,T saith he What wordK THn the =ame of the ?ather, and of the +on, and of the Ioly Phost T (. L0,/9 /9) Iomila L: a la Earta a los *fesios

.a& %ucado' T;utting your trust in a symbol is like claiming to be a sailor because you have a tattoo or claiming to be a good husband because you have a ring or claiming to be a football player because you have a letter <acket T Ie is not saying that baptism isnBt part of every Ehristians commitment Ht is H believe that every single person who trusts in #esus Ehrist should be bapti2ed in the name of #esus Ehrist Dlbeit, it is because they are saved and not in order to be saved

-aptism and the %ordBs +upper are signs or symbols of the greater reality of EhristBs death and resurrection The key to understanding a +HP= is that a sign is to be looked TI7>GPI rather than looked DT D sign is a TwindowT into a higher reality which is higher than the sign itself D sign tells about something else and not itself Hn the case of baptism or the %ordBs +upper, the higher reality is salvation through #esus Ehrist The sign (baptism) is not the >-#*ET (Ehrist), but it is a .*D=+ for looking at the >-#*ET -aptism is a window into the reality of a believersBs identification with the death and resurrection of Ehrist by faith

y ense@5ndolas a cumpliri ;ero Pallaspie

The Ehurch is not sent to bapti2e Ht is called to preach the Pospel of #esus Ehrist T+or ,hrist did not send me to bapti-e, but to preach the .ospel QQT (=H6 / Eorinthians /'/N)
*l -autismo en la Hglesia primitiva =o sin ra2n el Eredo de =icea Eonstantinopla confesamos que creemos en un solo bautismo para el perdn de los pecados *ste Eredo es el testimonio de la ?e de la Hglesia Dpostlica desde su nacimiento y a lo largo de los siglos %os fundamentalistas, siguiendo la intencin inicial de sus padres en la fe, los (reformadores) protestantes del siglo X6H, desean vivir conforme a la fe de la Hglesia del =T, pero en su posicin sobre el bautismo, la aplastante mayora de ellos siguen no a los apstoles, sino a una here<a combatida por los cristianos de los primeros siglos' la here<a gnstica %os gnsticos crean que lo material era malo, y por eso negaban que #es$s, el Ii<o de ,ios, en realidad se hubiese hecho carne ;ara ellos lo material no poda ser medio de un don divino Eonsecuentemente como nos informan distintos historiadores protestantes, los gnsticos negaban que el bautismo fuese un canal de las gracias salvficas de ,ios +i, lo mismo que los mal llamados (evang4licos) del da de hoy *l historiador evang4lico ,avid -ercot nos informa' (*ran los gnsticos que ense@aban de manera diferente que la Hglesia, pues decan que los seres humanos no pueden nacer de nuevo o ser regenerados mediante el agua bautismal Hreneo escribi acerca de ellos' (*sta clase de hombres han sido instigados por el diablo para negar que el bautismo es la regeneracin dada por ,ios)/: Hreneo, no es otro que san Hreneo, discpulo de san ;olicarp de *smirna quien a su ve2 fue discpulo del apstol san #uan *l continu el combate contra los gnsticos que los apstoles san ;ablo y san #uan reali2aron como consta en sus Eartas %os fundamentalistas dicen que lo que ellos llaman (bautismo en agua) es un smbolo, y lo realmente importante es el bautismo en el *spritu +antoMy esto es lo que b5sicamente crean los gnsticos, no los cristianos de los siglos anteriores a Eonstantino *l historiador protestante Ienry Ehadwick nos informa' (Dlgunas sectas gnsticas despreciaban el bautismo en agua, y ponan todo el acento en el Abautismo en el *spritu +antoB, conferido con la santa uncin)//

%&

(Will the 7eal Ieretics ;lease +tand GpK) D =ew %ook at TodayYs *vangelical Ehurch in the %ight of *arly Ehristianity) ; NN %a doctrina sobre el bautismo que hoy encontramos en documentos gnsticos no es del todo clara ;or e<emplo, el apcrifo (*vangelio seg$n ?elipe), en ocasiones relaciona la recepcin del (cuerpo de lu2) con el bautismo (NC,L/QL!), en otros se relaciona con la uncin (N!,/LQLL) que los gnsticos valentinianos consideraban m5s importante que el bautismo *n este mismo (evangelio) se dice que es esta uncin la que confiere el nuevo ser (la criatura espiritual) al bauti2ado +eg$n estos gnsticos uno poda recibir el bautismo y no recibir el *spritu +anto, por ello se requera el crisma, que era como un segundo sacramento 7HTGD% H= P=>+THEH+. #ohn , Turner /0$ 1112 0ook o* /eminar 3apers, /O"Q/0/ (tomado de Hnternet) *l autor relata como 4l fue ense@ado que #n O,C no se refera al bautismo, y lo convencido que estaba acerca de esta interpretacin errada, hasta que descubri que los cristianos primitivos de manera universal ense@aban el car5cter salvfico del bautismo %% (The *arly Ehurch) The ;elican Iistory of the Ehurch Tomo / ; L": ;enguin -ooks .iddlese& /90"

San +uan Cris sobre Hbc nd- say they- K#hat shall we do*L They did not straightway say- #ell then- we re!ent8 but they surrendered themselves to the disci!les3 +ust as a !erson on the !oint o) shi!wreck- u!on seeing the !ilot- or in sickness the !hysician- would !ut all into his hands- and do his bidding in everything8 so have these also con)essed that they are in e,treme !eril- and destitute o) all ho!e o) salvation3 They did not say- How shall we be saved* but- K#hat shall we do*L Here again :eter- though the =uestion is !ut to all- is the man to answer3 K?e!ent-L says he- Kand be ba!ti"ed every one o) you- in the name o) +esus Christ3L /v3 1>32 He does not yet say- elieve- but- K e ba!ti"ed every one o) you3L 9or this they received in ba!tism3 Then he s!eaks o) the gain8 K9or the remission o) sins- and ye shall receive the gi)t o) the Holy 6host3L .) you are to receive a gi)t- i) ba!tism conveys remission- why delay* #$

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?oberts- Ale,ander and 4onaldson- +ames- Nicene and !ost%Nicene athers, irst Series& 'olume ()- /Bak Harbor- #A: ;ogos ?esearch Systems- .nc32 %99(3