The Ordinances

Baptism

The word “baptism” comes from a Greek word meaning to wash or dip. In the NT, often has a relationship to the idea of purification, such as the tradition of the elders in Jesus’ day to wash their hands before eating (something they did for cerimonial cleansing, not because of germs ect.) Usually in the NT, it refers to the sacred cerimony of initiation into the local and universal church.

The Act

The act of baptism is not simply taking a dip in water and saying that you are baptised. There are a few things that must be in place for it to be considered a Christian baptism:

The baptized person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation from sin, and must make a confession of his or her faith publically.

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 19:1–5 ESV

And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

The baptized person should normally be immersed into water.

The person must be baptized by a Christian who is a member in good standing of a local church. normally an elder will perform a baptism, but this is not necessary.

If someone was baptized as an infant or were clearly no converted at the time of their baptism, they should be rebaptised just like the Ephesians were.

The Meaning

Public declaration of faith. Someone who remains unbaptised has yet to biblically and obediently declare their allegience to Christ.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Ritual

Baptism functions, in part, as a ritualized means of entering into and becoming a part of the Christian community

Death with Christ.

Faith in the death of Christ as sufficient for payment of sin.

Unity in the death of Christ as we die to ourselves.

Romans 6:3–4 ESV

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

This is a declaration of something that has already happened. Namely, in being united with Christ by faith, we have died to our state of rebellion and self-will and have submitted ourselves to Christ.

This is a declaration of life going foward. Dying to self has the ongoing effect of embracing Christ’s examples and commands, living with no stock put in material and earthly goods (embracing a heart of poverty), and forgoing sin or anything in life that keeps us from living completely submitted to the will of God.

Life with Christ.

Romans 6:5 ESV

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

The resurrection of Christ gives us a varified hope in new life. The trust we have in Christ that causes us to submit to him is based on this promise of life. Just as a patient can go to sleep knowing the surgeon is goinng to cut them open has faith that the surgeon will make sure they awake restored and healed, we in faith allow Christ to strip us of all we once called ours, even our own lives, in hopes of a better life through his resurrection.

Mark 8:35 ESV

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

Following Jesus is done in faith that true life is only brought about in resurrection, and resurrection requires death.

The Lord’s Table

The Lord’s Table was commissioned by Jesus the first time it was observed on passover in the upper room. The ritual is mentioned multiple times in Acts, and Paul gives instruction on it in 1 Cor 11. It has been observed throughout church history as a reminder of the work of Christ.

The Act

True communion, the Lord’s Table, is a continual ritual, one that is observed repetidly (unlike baptism). It always has these traits:

It is a meal

It is taken in the context of the gathered, local church.

It consists of two parts: Bread and wine.

It is limited to those who are:

Baptised (since baptism is the public declaration of faith and must, therefore, preceed communion)

Part of a local church.

Walking in continual repentance.

Not under church discipline, and otherwise in good standing.

Partaking with reverance, love, fear, and humility.

The Meaning

Bread, which represents the Lord’s human flesh torn apart in order to “cut” a new covenant.

Wine, which represents the blood of Jesus. This second symbol acts as a second, varified witness of the new covenant

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Ritual

The ritualized meal allows one to identify with the death of Jesus in such a way that his story becomes the believer’s story. At the same time, the meal allows the story of Jesus to become the story of the community.

The theme of the ritual is remembrance, which comes through reinactment of the Gospel and its effect on our lives.

In taking it, we proclaim the Gospel to those around us and to ourselves.

The supper is symbolic, with the elements being nothing but bread and wine. Yet, there is a special spiritual blessing and presence of God when his people worship him in this special way.