The ordinances of a church of Jesus Christ are baptism and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Immersion alone answers to the New Testament teaching as to the form of Baptism. The following will make this clear: The word in the Greek means to dip or immerse. The symbolism of baptism can only be expressed thus: It represents a death, a burial and a resurrection. It symbolizes complete cleansing from sin and complete consecration and surrender to Christ. Hence, if the form of baptism is changed, the meaning is destroyed. A death, burial and resurrection can only be symbolically expressed by immersion. Since baptism admits to church membership, it is a prerequisite to participation in the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's supper was instituted by the Master for the perpetual observance of His people until His return. The elements employed are bread and the fruit of the vine. The bread represents His body given for His people. The fruit of the vine represents His blood shed for many for the remission of sins. The Lord's Supper commemorates Christ. We do it in remembrance of Him. It declares the death of Christ. In it we show forth His death till He comes.
The ordinances are not sacraments. They do not convey saving grace. They are symbols observed and preserved by the churches. They are of value to those who observe them only as their meaning is discerned. They are of deep significance as symbols or outward forms. They represent the essential and saving truths of the Gospel of Christ. The ordinances are, when properly observed, great conservators and propagators of evangelical truth . A great responsibility rests upon the churches to preserve in their purity and integrity the two ordinances entrusted to them. Otherwise great abuses creep in and various perils arise. We believe that in thus preserving the ordinances we do a needed work in safeguarding the purity of the gospel. The great evil of infant baptism arose a result of changing the New Testament ordinances into sacraments. No error has done greater harm than this in destroying the spirituality of the church. It should be resisted with steadfast vigor and fidelity to the New testament teaching of believer's baptism.
Ephesians 4:5; Acts 2:41; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-23
|
