The Ordinances of the Church Part 1 Ecclesiology The Ordinances of the Church Part 1

The term ordinance appears in various places in the New Testament, though never directly applied to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The concept behind the word is that which is ordained or decreed. (Rom. 13:1,2; Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14) While the term ordinance is not used with reference to baptism or the Lord’s Supper, the principle is that these two activities were decreed by God.

Not a Sacrament Originally the word sacrament meant anything that was made sacred. Sacramentalism becomes problematic when it becomes mystical. Sacramentalists believe that grace is received by performance of the sacrament. Hence magical properties are added to the ritual. There is absolutely no Bible basis for such a belief.

The ritualistic use of ordinance attaches unspeakable power to the liturgical churches since performance of the sacraments are to taught to be necessary for any hope of heaven. The continuous performance of the Catholic mass is probably the greatest single element of Catholicism that binds people to the Catholic Church. It is sad that people are dominated by a ritual at the expense of truth.

As important as baptism and the Lord’s Supper are, there is no connection to the salvation of the human soul. While baptism is a requirement for membership in a Bible believing church, it does not provide membership in the body of Christ. Even reformed churches attach baptism with initiatory properties when they sprinkle babies in expectation of a covenantal binding of the child to eventual salvation. Any covenantal application of the ordinances is a travesty of Scripture, and ought to be rejected out of hand.

Baptism Baptism was instituted by the example of Christ. (Mat. 3:13-17) Further He commanded baptism. (Mat. 28:18-20)

To attempt to excuse the use of sprinkling or effusion (pouring) as acceptable substitutes is to defy history as well as the Scriptures. For centuries, no other form of baptism was practiced by believers. The very language of Scripture demands immersion. How could our Lord Jesus come up straightway out of the water (Matthew 3:16), if He was not first down in the water? Why did the Ethiopian eunuch stop his chariot at the first available water if immersion was not needed? (Acts 8:36-38)

John Baptized at Aenon, because there was much water there. (John 3:23). He baptized in the river of Jordan (Mark 1:5), not with the river Jordan.   While baptisms occurred before the institution of Christ and the inauguration of the church (the baptism of John to repentance), the unique application of the practice to the church and through the church serve to emphasize its importance.

The Importance of Baptism Christ was baptized (Matt. 3:15) The Lord approved of His disciples baptizing (John 4:1,2) Christ commanded that people be baptized in this age (Matt. 28:19) The early church gave an important place to baptism (Acts 2:38,41; 8:12-13, 36, 38; 9:18; 10:47-48; 16:15, 33; 18:8; 19:5) The New Testament used the ordinance to picture or symbolize important theological truths (Rom. 6:1-10; Gal. 3:27; 1 Pet. 3:21) The writer of the Hebrews terms baptism as a foundational truth (6:1-2) - Ryrie, 488.

What Does Baptism Mean? It is an act of obedience to the command of Christ. (Matthew 28:19) It is identification with Christ in a portrayal of the gospel. Romans 6, describes the spiritual transaction whereby the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ. In using the imagery of physical baptism to explain the work of the Holy Spirit, Paul also defines the imagery.

buried with him by baptism into death buried with him by baptism into death . . . planted together in the likeness of his death

like as Christ was raised up from the dead like as Christ was raised up from the dead . . . in the likeness of his resurrection

in newness of life. that henceforth we should not serve sin in newness of life . . that henceforth we should not serve sin . . . he liveth, he liveth unto God. 

That the outward participation in baptism pictures the inward transaction of the Spirit is the meaning of Peter’s allusion to baptism. (1 Pet. 3:21) Because baptism is a public statement of faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, pedo-baptism (the baptism of infants) is precluded. Every example of baptism in the New Testament was the result a personal conversion. (Acts 8:36,37; Acts 2:37,38; 2;41; 16:14,15; 16;25-34)

When should baptism follow When should baptism follow? The examples provided indicate that new converts were baptized as soon as practically possible. This is indeed a first step for new believers. It is their first public declaration of their new-found faith.   How should they be baptized? Obviously by immersion! Our Lord further indicated that the public ceremony was to be pronounced in the name of the Trinity – baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 18:19).

Where should people be baptized Where should people be baptized? It is not so much the location as the authority. From Pentecost forward all baptisms were performed by and through the local church. Even in infant stages, each new church baptized its converts. These believers were then gathered regularly and instructed to follow the Word of God. This was certainly the practice of Paul. (Acts 14:21-23) It was the fact that baptism was a church ordinance, not a “preacher” ordinance that explains the fact that Paul actually baptized very few people. (1 Cor. 1:14-16)