Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001268
|
00:00 [Theme Music] It has stood the test of time,
00:12 God's book, the Bible, still relevant in today's 00:18 complex world. 00:22 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 I'm John Bradshaw. 00:37 Thank's for joining me. 00:38 This is It Is Written. 00:41 The year was 1527. 00:42 The event was an execution. 00:45 The place was Zurich, Switzerland, and the man 00:48 was Felix Mantz. 00:50 His crime? 00:51 Well, Felix Mantz had been baptizing adults by immersion. 00:57 The Zurich city magistrates chose to execute him, 01:00 and not by burning at the stake, which was the common method 01:03 of execution in those days, not by beheading him. 01:06 The punishment that they thought fit the crime 01:08 of baptizing by immersion was death by drowning. 01:12 Now Ulrich Zwingli, a key figure in the Reformation 01:16 and the spiritual leader of Zurich, wrote to a friend 01:19 defending the action of the city leaders. 01:23 These city officials were supporters of Zwingli's Swiss 01:26 Protestant Reformation - and they believed that babies 01:29 should be baptized. 01:31 Mantz had been baptizing adult believers in defiance 01:34 of the ruling of the Zurich city council. 01:36 They had forbidden the practice. 01:39 But why the death penalty for baptizing someone? 01:42 Today, if one church practices infant baptism and another 01:45 church practices baptism by immersion, people would 01:48 typically say, "Okay - you do it your way, we do it our way, 01:52 and we'll agree to disagree." 01:54 You wouldn't expect anybody to think that somebody should 01:56 die for having a different point of view on a subject like that! 02:01 So why did the Swiss reformers think Felix Mantz should die 02:05 for baptizing by immersion? 02:08 And why did Mantz believe so strongly in baptism 02:11 by immersion that he was willing to die for what he believed? 02:15 Today, in free countries where church and state are separate, 02:19 it is hard to understand how a city government could execute 02:22 someone for a harmless religious practice such 02:24 as baptism. 02:26 In order to understand, let's go back in time, back 02:30 to the Europe of the early 1500's. Separation of church 02:32 and state didn't exist. 02:33 In fact, infant baptism was seen as essential 02:38 to the union of church and state. 02:41 People were born as citizens of the state, and soon after 02:45 became baptized members of the church. 02:49 Every person, without exception, was a member 02:52 of the state church before he or she could even think. 02:57 There was no choice in the matter. 03:00 And to a 16th century European, that was just 03:03 the way an orderly society had to be. 03:05 It was pretty much how Christendom had been 03:07 for hundreds of years. 03:10 When the Protestant Reformation came about, most 03:12 of the reformers didn't see a need to modify the union 03:15 of church and state. 03:16 Lutherans simply wanted a Lutheran state instead 03:18 of a Catholic one. 03:20 Swiss reformers under Zwingli preferred their own Protestant 03:23 Swiss cantons. 03:25 Later, in Geneva, Switzerland, Calvin's reform movement was 03:27 backed by the authority of the city. 03:30 In all these places, every person became a member 03:32 of the church through infant baptism, just as in Catholic 03:36 controlled regions. 03:38 No one cld choose not to be in the church 03:40 or the state. 03:41 It was as unthinkable as it would be for us today 03:44 to not be a citizen of a country. 03:47 A man outside the church was about the same as a man 03:49 without a country - only worse. 03:51 At least being without a country doesn't mean you'd 03:54 be lost for eternity, as it was believed being outside 03:57 the church meant back in those days. 04:00 Baptizing babies put everyone in the united church and state 04:04 and kept society nice and orderly with church leaders 04:07 and magistrates in an unchallenged position 04:09 of authority. 04:11 To challenge infant baptism was viewed as an attack 04:14 on the order of society. 04:16 So why was it challenged? 04:18 What was the problem? 04:19 The problem... 04:21 was the Bible. 04:23 Felix Mantz, his friend Conrad Grebel and several others 04:27 believed that the Bible taught that only repentant believers 04:31 could decide to be baptized - which made infant baptism 04:35 a logical impossibility. 04:38 They believed that babies - who can neither believe 04:41 nor repent - couldn't possibly decide to be baptized. 04:45 A decision for a baby to be baptized is made FOR 04:49 the child, and not BY the child. 04:53 So where in the Bible did these men get the idea 04:56 that baptism ought to be by immersion - only? 05:00 We'll find that out in just a moment. 05:04 In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says, "It is written: man 05:08 shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 05:12 from the mouth of God. 05:13 Every Word is a one-minute Bible-based daily devotional 05:17 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw and designed 05:20 especially for busy people like you. 05:22 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch 05:25 it on-line everyday on our website, itiswritten.com. 05:30 Receive a daily spiritual boost. 05:32 Watch Every Word. 05:33 You'll be glad you did. 05:35 Here's a sample. 05:45 What a great example Jacob gave us. 05:48 He had made plenty of mistakes but late one night he wrestled 05:50 with God and said to God in Genesis 32:26: "I will 05:54 not let you go unless you bless me." 05:56 Now, there's the right attitude. 05:58 Lord, I must have your blessing and I am going to hang 06:01 on to you until I get it. 06:03 You can pray that way. 06:04 Lord, I must be delivered. 06:05 I have to know your will. 06:06 I have to have your power in my life. 06:09 Jacob showed us what to do when you fall. 06:11 Instead of running from God, he ran to God. 06:14 Instead of giving up, he took hold of God believing that God 06:17 was willing and able to bless. 06:20 Don't let your falls and failures keep you away 06:23 from God. 06:23 Be like Jacob. 06:25 Knowing he had made mistakes, he took hold of God and would 06:27 not let go until God had blessed him. 06:30 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 06:32 Let's live today by Every Word. 06:39 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 06:40 I'm John Bradshaw. 06:41 What would compel a man to be so committed to the idea 06:45 of baptism by immersion that he would give his life 06:49 in defense of his belief. 06:51 Felix Mantz was executed in the year 1526, drowned 06:55 in Lake Zurich in Switzerland because he disobeyed the civil 06:58 and religious authorities who said that only infants should 07:02 be baptized. 07:03 So where was this man coming from? 07:05 In Mark's account of the gospel commission, Jesus says, 07:08 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved." 07:12 Mark 16:16 NKJV. 07:15 Which indicates that means baptism is for believers. 07:19 Believing as a condition for baptism is crystal clear 07:24 in the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch 07:28 found in Acts 8. 07:31 The Ethiopian points at a creek or pond near the road 07:34 and asks Philip if he can be baptized. 07:38 "Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, 07:43 you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus 07:49 Christ is the Son of God.'... 07:52 And both Philip and the eunuch went down to the water, 07:56 and he baptized him." 07:58 Acts 8:37, 38 NKJV. 08:02 There are several more places in the Bible where people who 08:04 chose to be baptized were asked to believe. 08:06 It is very clear that a person must believe he or she 08:09 is a sinner and that Jesus is his or her Savior before 08:13 baptism should take place. 08:14 Even those who came to John the Baptist to be baptized 08:17 came "confessing their sins." 08:19 This is what Felix Mantz and others in the 1520s 08:22 understood. 08:23 Only a person with conscious self-awareness could 08:25 intelligently see his or her own sinfulness, experience 08:29 repentance, then believe in Jesus for salvation from sin 08:32 and be baptized. 08:34 We can see this when the apostle Peter, in his sermon 08:37 on Pentecost, called for the people to "Repent ... 08:40 and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ 08:43 for the remission of sins." 08:44 Acts 2:38 NKJV. 08:46 Mantz and Grebel and others realized babies can't possibly 08:50 believe, they can't confess their sins, and they cannot 08:52 repent. 08:53 The two teachers pointed out that Acts 5:14 says, 08:56 "believers were increasingly added to the Lord" 09:00 and to the church - not babies who cannot 09:02 consciously believe anything. 09:05 The reformer Ulrich Zwingli had the dubious challenge 09:08 of defending infant baptism against overwhelming 09:11 biblical evidence. 09:12 Of course, he could appeal to custom, tradition and to 09:16 the regular order of society. 09:17 What had normally seemed right to the masses was 09:21 in his Zwingli's favor. 09:22 Zwingli denounced those promoting baptism by immersion 09:25 as schismatics, as dividers, as a threat to the order 09:29 of society. 09:30 He also added a theological argument that played 09:33 tremendously on the fear of the common people. 09:36 Not baptizing babies was wrong and even fatal because, 09:41 well...what if a baby died without baptism? 09:45 Wouldn't that baby lose out on eternal life? 09:48 Mantz and others would point out that the Bible does 09:50 not have a single account of a baby being baptized. 09:54 Only people old enough to believe and repent and make 09:57 their own choice were baptized. 09:59 In spite of the fact that the Bible writers 10:01 didn't have a problem with babies not being baptized, 10:04 this fear of babies being lost if they weren't 10:07 was a strong motivator against believer's baptism. 10:11 So what does the Bible mandate for babies if it isn't 10:15 appropriate for them to be baptized? 10:17 It's actually very simple. 10:19 Mary and Joseph took Baby Jesus to the temple 10:22 to be dedicated. 10:24 Jesus wasn't baptized until He was an adult many years later. 10:28 There is also an account in the gospels of mothers 10:31 bringing their little ones to Jesus so He could bless them. 10:35 Baptism was well known at that time, but neither 10:37 the mothers nor Jesus even mention baptism 10:41 for the babies or the young children. 10:43 God simply parents to dedicate their children to Him and then 10:48 do their best to help their children give their lives 10:52 to God as far as they can understand at each stage 10:57 of growth. 10:59 The Bible teaches that baptism is only effective if a person 11:03 believes and repents. 11:05 Without belief and repentance, baptism is simply a form. 11:11 Baptism cannot create salvation, and baptism doesn't 11:13 earn salvation. 11:15 Without belief, baptism is meaningless. 11:19 But when somebody believes and understands, baptism 11:23 has great meaning. 11:25 So where did infant baptism come from? 11:29 It was fear of babies and young children dying 11:31 and losing eternal life that brought infant baptism 11:34 into the early church in the first place. 11:36 I remember my own father urging one of my brothers 11:39 to make sure that my brother's new daughter was baptized - 11:41 well, christened actually - because my dad believed 11:45 that if she wasn't - and if something tragic were 11:47 to happen - then his granddaughter wouldn't go 11:50 to heaven. 11:51 Now the first clear reference to infant baptism was written 11:54 by an early church writer named Tertullian, who wrote 11:57 around AD 200 - and he was against it. 12:01 Not long after, Origen, the famous teacher from 12:03 Alexandria, wrote that "Infants are baptized 12:06 for the forgiveness of sins." 12:08 According to the historian, Adolph Harnack, Origen 12:11 believed that sins could be committed in a former life, 12:14 necessitating infant baptism for forgiveness of sins. 12:18 Origen also claimed "The church had from 12:20 the apostles a tradition to give baptism even to infants." 12:24 Of course he gave no evidence for those claims 12:27 from the Bible... 12:29 because there isn't any. 12:30 There IS evidence that infant baptism became common in 12:33 the region of Carthage in North Africa between 250 AD 12:36 and early in the 5th Century. 12:39 Cyprian, the bishop of Carthage from 249-258 AD, 12:44 decided baptism should be carried out as soon 12:47 as a baby is born. 12:49 There were 66 bishops of North Africa present when he made 12:52 that decision and there's no record that a single one 12:55 of them objected. 12:56 Augustine, also a bishop in North Africa, wrote in favor 12:59 of infant baptism several times. 13:02 In about 400 AD, Augustine expressed the fear 13:05 of the people. 13:06 He said that an infant who dies before being baptized cannot 13:10 "obtain remission of original sin," that they could 13:14 "not possibly be vivified in Christ." 13:17 In other words, he said, without baptism a baby who 13:20 dies is lost. 13:23 And the Sixteenth Council of Carthage in AD 418 decreed, 13:27 "If any man says that newborn children need not be baptized 13:32 ...let him be anathema," or, let him be damned forever. 13:37 The writings of early church leaders up to AD 500 make 13:40 it clear that baptism by immersion was the norm 13:42 throughout Christendom. 13:44 Even in the Middle Ages, the renowned Roman Catholic 13:47 theologian Thomas Aquinas, who allowed for sprinkling, 13:50 wrote in the 13th Century that "the safer way to baptize" 13:54 was "by immersion, because that is the most common 13:58 custom." 13:59 Sprinkling first came into common use in France, 14:02 then in the German regions, including Austria 14:05 and part of Switzerland. 14:06 Historians tell us that some groups such as the Albigenses, 14:10 and the Waldensians opposed the practice in the Middle 14:13 Ages, but as a result they faced severe persecution. 14:19 Baptism was never by sprinkling in Scotland "until after 14:22 the Reformation, about the year 1550." 14:26 It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation that baptism 14:29 by immersion became more widespread - but it did 14:32 so at a terrible cost. 14:33 Felix Mantz was just the first martyr of thousands of martyrs 14:38 that would follow in his footsteps. 14:40 The sad fact of history is that both Protestant 14:42 and Catholic authorities hunted down and tried to wipe 14:46 out the Anabaptists - the group that Mantz 14:48 was aligned with, a group who practiced baptism 14:52 by immersion. 14:54 The late Cardinal Gibbons wrote in his book Faith of our 14:56 Fathers, "For several centuries after the establishment 15:00 of Christianity, Baptism was usually conferred 15:03 by immersion; but since the twelfth century the practice 15:07 of baptizing by infusion has prevailed in the Catholic 15:10 Church, as this manner is attended with less 15:13 inconvenience than Baptism by immersion." 15:18 Convenience. 15:19 But there's a better reason than that for Christians to do 15:21 what they do - and that would be love for God, and respect 15:26 for His word. 15:27 Not convenience! 15:29 Most people are aware that not all Christians baptize 15:32 the same way. 15:33 So, is there a right way and a wrong way to baptize? 15:37 Or does it even matter? 15:39 Those associated with Felix Mantz 15:41 and Conrad Grebel performed baptisms using 15:44 a bucket and pouring a small amount of water on 15:47 the candidates' heads. 15:49 Many churches today baptize by sprinkling or pouring a little 15:52 water on a person's head. 15:53 But other churches baptize by complete immersion - 15:56 by submerging a person entirely under water: sometimes 15:59 in a baptistery in a church, or maybe, maybe in a river 16:02 or a lake, or the ocean. 16:04 How does the Bible shed light on the proper method 16:07 of baptism? 16:09 That's just ahead. 16:13 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect 16:16 of Christian stewardship. 16:17 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer free planned 16:21 giving and estate services. 16:22 For information on how we can help you, please call 16:27 1.800.992.2219. 16:29 Call today or visit our special website, www.hislegacy.com. 16:41 It Is Written is dedicated to sharing the gospel around 16:44 the world. 16:45 To discover more about It Is Written, I invite you 16:47 to visit our website, itiswritten.com 16:50 and browse the dozens of pages that describe what we do 16:53 and how we do it. 16:54 Let's get to know each other better. 16:56 Visit our website itiswritten.com today. 17:01 What does the Bible say about the way a person should be 17:04 baptized?Here's what we know about Jesus' baptism. 17:07 It says this in Matthew 3:16, "When he had been baptized, 17:12 Jesus came up immediately from the water." 17:18 He "came up." 17:21 Now that sounds like He had been immersed, doesn't it? 17:24 One comes up after being down under. 17:28 So Jesus was baptized by immersion in the Jordan River 17:32 by John the Baptist. 17:34 Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch by immersion, as well. 17:37 Notice the wording in Acts 8:38 & 39. 17:41 "And both Philip and the eunuch went down into 17:46 the water, and he baptized him. 17:50 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit 17:53 of the Lord caught Philip away." 17:55 Acts 8:38, 39 NKJV "Down into the water;" 17:58 "up out of the water." 18:01 That's immersion, without a doubt. 18:03 As a matter of fact, the Greek word for baptize, baptizo, 18:06 means "to immerse." 18:08 John the Baptist's name meant "John the Immerser." 18:12 Clearly, baptisms in the New Testament were by immersion. 18:15 A fascinating study has been done on the baptisteries found 18:19 in the ancient ruins of Christian churches 18:21 and in the basilicas and cathedrals 18:23 of the Middle Ages. 18:25 Among the ancient ruins, stone-laid baptisteries 18:27 were found. 18:28 Some even have steps going down into them, allowing 18:31 individuals to walk down into the water. 18:35 All of them were large enough for people to get in to 18:38 and to be baptized by immersion. 18:41 Baptisteries carved from huge blocks of marble or built 18:44 into the floor can be found in basilicas and cathedrals 18:47 in many places in Europe. 18:48 In many locations large baptisteries have since been 18:51 filled in, with a font for pouring built over the spot 18:54 where the baptistery used to be. 18:57 Perhaps the most interesting adaptation of a baptistery 18:59 is the one found in the Basilica of St. Peters in Rome. 19:03 An ornate bronze baptismal font holds a small amount 19:08 of water in the front part, but the whole thing stands 19:11 in a large depression in the floor. 19:14 That large depression indicates an earlier form 19:16 of baptism was performed there. 19:18 Records reveal that Benedictus XIII, elected the Pope 19:22 in 1724, anxious to conform to the ancient rite 19:26 of administering baptism by immersion "ordered 19:29 the construction ... 19:32 forming a large basin." 19:33 And this was after thousands of Anabaptists perished 19:35 for practicing believer's baptism by immersion. 19:38 Of course, succeeding popes didn't agree with Pope 19:41 Benedictus XIII, and soon the depression was filled 19:44 in by the baptismal font that can now be seen 19:46 in St Peter's today. 19:48 Well, does the form of baptism really matter? 19:51 If you want to be true to the Bible, you've got 19:55 to believe that it does. 19:56 But why does the Bible teach baptism by immersion? 20:00 Since the word baptize in the Greek means "to immerse," 20:04 has a person been baptized if they were not immersed? 20:07 What does it really mean to be baptized? 20:11 Baptism has been understood as a way to join 20:13 with the Christian church as a follower of Christ - 20:15 which is a very Biblical idea. 20:17 In Acts chapter 2, 3000 people were baptized and they were 20:22 "added to the church" (which you see that 20:24 in verse 47). 20:25 And in Romans 6, Paul says that people who are baptized 20:29 are baptized into the death of Christ. 20:34 And then just as Christ was raised up from the dead, 20:36 we begin to walk in a new life. 20:39 Listen to this. 20:40 "Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized 20:45 into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 20:49 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism 20:52 into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by 20:56 the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness 21:01 of life." 21:02 Romans 6:3, 4 NKJV. 21:05 So what exactly does Paul mean? 21:07 He explains. 21:10 "For if we have been united together in the likeness 21:12 of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness 21:16 of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man 21:20 was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might 21:24 be done away with, that we should no longer 21:27 be slaves of sin. 21:29 For he who has died has been freed from sin." 21:32 Romans 6:5-7 NKJV. 21:35 Paul is saying that baptism represents the death of our 21:39 old nature of sin and selfishness, 21:42 and a transformation to a new life in Christ. 21:45 In verse 6, He describes the death of our old nature 21:47 as "our old man" who "was crucified with Him." 21:52 What part of baptism represents being crucified 21:54 with Christ; the death to sin and self? 21:57 Well, that would be GOING UNDER WATER. 22:00 Paul calls it "being buried with Him through baptism 22:04 into death" in Romans 6:4. 22:06 What part of baptism represents being resurrected 22:09 like Christ; changed to a new life in Christ? 22:13 That would be COMING UP OUT OF THE WATER. 22:16 So baptism is a symbol of change from spiritual 22:21 deadness-sin in control of the life-to a new 22:25 spiritual life. 22:26 That is why baptism means "to immerse." 22:29 Only immersion can symbolize the change that comes through 22:32 true conversion. 22:34 Jesus described true baptism as being born all over again. 22:37 He said these words to Nicodemus in John 3. 22:42 "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot 22:46 enter into the kingdom of God." 22:48 John 3:5 KJV. 22:50 Sprinkling or pouring simply cannot symbolize the dramatic 22:54 transformation Christ brings about in our lives through 22:57 the Holy Spirit. 22:59 You see, God is in the business of transforming people. 23:03 Like the prodigal son in the parable, those who are lost 23:06 become found, and those who are dead are made alive. 23:11 And if you've given your life to Jesus Christ, He calls you 23:15 to demonstrate that through baptism: a person goes down 23:19 into what essentially is a watery grave - and when you 23:23 come out of that water to walk in newness of life... 23:26 that's then you're really living! 23:33 [music] 24:01 Perhaps our program today has touched your heart 24:03 and impressed you with a personal need for deeper 24:05 Bible Study. 24:07 If you desire to listen to God and follow where he leads, 24:10 we've got a wonderful resource that can help you do 24:13 that in a systematic way. 24:14 The Discover Bible Guides. 24:17 These study guides will take you through the essential 24:19 truths taught in Scripture. 24:20 They give you the big picture, showing how it all fits 24:23 together. 24:24 The Discover Bible Guides are a wonderful way for you 24:27 to become grounded in the Word of God and to see how Jesus 24:30 Christ relates to all the areas of our lives. 24:34 Please call or write us and the Discover Bible Guides 24:36 will be on their way to you. 24:39 If you live in North America, we'll mail these Bible Guides 24:41 free of charge. 24:42 Or for easier and immediate access from anywhere around 24:45 the world, you can get these wonderful Bible lessons 24:48 on our website, itiswritten.com. 24:52 Request the Discover Bible Guides by calling our toll-free 24:56 number, 1.800.253.3000. 24:58 Call right now and tell us the name of today's free offer, 25:03 the Discover Bible Guides. 25:05 You can also request today's offer by writing 25:07 to It Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks, California, 25:12 91359. 25:14 Thank you for your letters and for your continued support. 25:17 Our toll-free number is 1.800.253.3000 and our web 25:21 address is itiswritten.com. 25:26 Today, we have been talking about baptism. 25:28 What the Bible teaches about being baptized 25:30 by immersion. 25:31 And the reason that is so powerfully important 25:33 is because baptism by immersion represents a life 25:37 that is being given fully and completely to Jesus Christ. 25:40 When a person is baptized by immersion, 25:42 they are signifying something. 25:43 My life is given to Jesus and I have come up out of that 25:46 water and I am now walking in newness of life. 25:50 Have you made that decision to be baptized? 25:54 And if you haven't, what are you waiting for? 25:57 Perhaps now is the time for you to make a decision 25:59 that says: "Jesus, I'm giving you my life. 26:03 Jesus, I'm serious about it. 26:05 I want to enter into that commitment ceremony 26:07 with you. 26:08 I'd like to be baptized, have my sins washed away, 26:12 buried in that watery grave. 26:15 I want to walk in newness of life." 26:18 To learn more about this, visit out website 26:20 itiswritten.com. 26:26 You'll find information there that will help you 26:28 in your journey with Jesus. 26:29 And I want to encourage you today not to wait, 26:30 but to make that decision that sees you follow Jesus' 26:33 example of being baptized by immersion. 26:35 Let me pray with you about that. 26:39 [Music] Our Father in heaven, we thank 26:42 you today for the wonderful gift, really, it's a gift 26:43 of baptism by immersion, which is all to do with that great 26:46 gift of salvation that you gave to us. 26:50 I know that now there are people who are making a decision. 26:53 It's time for me to be baptized. 26:55 I should not be waiting any longer. 26:57 I need to do what Jesus has asked me to do and I need 26:59 to give Him my heart and my life. 27:02 So that that heart now, Lord, and make it yours. 27:05 Father, I pray that you would lead all of us, 27:08 those who need to be baptized, to be baptized and those who 27:11 have been, to recommit their lives to you right now, 27:14 to walk with Jesus living his life in us. 27:20 We thank you today and we pray in Jesus' name, Amen. 27:46 Thanks for joining me today. 27:47 I look forward to seeing you next time. 27:50 Until then, remember: It is written: Man shall not 27:54 live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds 27:58 from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-06