Page 368

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" (Acts 2:37, 38). Thus did also Philip, when he expounded the Scripture to the eunuch. And the latter, when he had accepted it, said, "What doth hinder me to be baptized? Philip answered: If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." Acts 8:35-37. Thus also those of Samaria were baptized, when they believed the words of Philip. Verse 12.

Again, when Peter preached Christ to the house of Cornelius, and spake the word of life, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word."Then said Peter: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord." Acts 10:44, 47, 48.

Thus, Paul also found certain disciples at Ephesus, to whom he said, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost, since ye believed? They answered: We have not so much as heard whether.there be any Holy Ghost. Then said Paul: Unto what then were ye baptized? They said: Unto John's baptism. Paul said: John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, " So we read in the 19th chapter of Acts.

Thus also Paul himself, when he had been prostrated on the way, by the Lord, and had heard at Damascus, by the command of the Lord, from Ananias, what he should do; had again received his sight, and was filled with the Holy Ghost, in short, had become a chosen vessel and fit instrument, was baptized, and called upon the name of the Lord; as Luke writes, Acts 9:18.

From these and other passages it is evident, that the apostles first taught, and that from teaching follow repentance and faith. For, how shall they believe, says Paul, without hearing. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Rom. 10:17. Hence, penitent faith is confessed and, so to speak, sealed by Christian baptism. For, after baptism, a constantly good and godly life should follow;* this is the true ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His apostles, as you may read everywhere throughout the Acts of the Apostles.

Lastly, as the apostles established the church of God through the Gospel, so they all unanimously declare in their epistles the aforesaid foundation of Christ. For, thus says Paul to the Romans, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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. For if we have been

* For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal. 3:27. planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection

knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin" (Rom. 6:3-7).

With these words, Paul tells us what the baptism of believers signifies, namely, the dying of the flesh, or mortifying of the old Adam, the burying of sin, the putting off of the sinful flesh, and the resurrection of the new man and life; and this for this reason: since Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead for our justification, and we, through the spirit of faith, have been incorporated or grafted into Him, and hence, have become entitled to the merits of His death, yea, are made partakers of all that is His, and thus, in and through hope, are confirmed in His fellowship (unto which we are called through grace); therefore we must also, for His name's sake, die unto sin,* bury it, and live unto righteousness, that we may be a true branch on the vine.

In this manner the apostle Paul speaks also to the Colossians, "Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body, of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him." Chap. 2, verses 10-13, compared with Eph. 2:4-6.

These words, in the first place, declare, that circumcision is not a figure of baptism, but of the circumcision of Christ, Which is not done on the foreskin of the flesh, but on that of the heart, not with hands, nor with a knife of stone, but without hands, through the Word of God, in the Spirit.

These words of Paul sufficiently indicate, that in baptism the past life must be buried with Christ, and, through faith, rise to a new life; for the outward sign alone is of no value in the sight of God but faith, the new birth, a true Christian life-by these, man is united with God, incorporated into Christ Jesus, and becomes a partaker of the Holy Ghost.

Hence, external baptism does not conduce tc salvation, if the internal baptism is wanting, name ly, the transformation and renewing of the mind Once more Paul says to the Galatians, "For ye arf all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:26, 27).