THE BAPTISM OF THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH & CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
Today, if the Lord so enables us, we hope to answer the final aspect of the good question that was sent to us from a dearly beloved brother:
"When Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch did this add him to a new testament church? Some teach baptism is the door to the church, but Jesus said "I am the door."
To see the first two responses to this question, please see the posts entitled, "Christ Is The Door To The Family Of God," and "Is Baptism The Door To The New Testament Church?" The current post may not make complete sense without first having read the other two posts.
We unequivocally believe that the Ethiopian eunuch was Scripturally baptized. His baptism fulfilled the four Biblical prerequisites of valid baptism. After uniting with the Evangelist Philip in the Gaza desert and having heard the preaching of the Gospel and its truths, he was an instructed, illuminated, Spirit-led, believing disciple in Jesus Christ. His own verbal profession was: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37)! How the Gospel regenerates and truly transforms sinful, hell-bent, mentally-distorted, and spiritually-ignorant men. Just a few hours prior, the eunuch was reading without understanding the glorious chapter of Christ's redemptive work in prophetic form found in Isaiah 53. He had gone all the way to Jerusalem to find the God of the Jews by way of their religious rituals and ceremonies, but had left internally empty to return to his native land. Oh, that men would be instructed and taught that God is not known in ceremonies, religious rituals, or through any sacrament, but ONLY through His Word (John 5:39). Like religious and unregenerate men of today, the Ethiopian eunuch did not know where to find God or how to be reconciled to Him!
However, the Spirit-filled evangelist preached unto him Jesus...His deity, His incarnation, His sinlessness, His ministry, His power, His sacrificial and substitutionary death, His satisfaction of divine justice, His bearing the sins of God's people, His atonement of those very sins, His reconciliation of the people, His justification of those for whom He died, His surety that all for whom He died would be ultimately saved (Acts 8:35, Isaiah 53:1-12). No doubt, the Evangelist Philip instructed him in the Gospel call of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He instructed him in the spiritual fruits of self-denial, taking up the cross of the Master, and following wholeheartedly the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, he instructed the eunuch in the basic aspects of Christian obedience, responsibility, and seeking the glory of God above all else. So moved and taught by God's Spirit, the Ethiopian eunuch requested baptism in a certain body of water. Having given indisputable evidence of his conversion, or as John the Baptist said, "fruits worthy of repentance," Philip recognized him to be a Biblical candidate for baptism, a believing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the fulfillment of the first Biblical prerequisite.
The chariot was stopped and both the Evangelist and the eunuch descended into the water. This act of going down into the water presupposes the fulfillment of the second Biblical prerequisite--a proper mode of baptism. All hermeneutical, as well as contextual evidence, sets forth that the eunuch was baptized by immersion, rather than by sprinkling or pouring. The mode is essentially important because the mode symbolizes the death that Christ died. Immersion in water inherently declares that Christ died, was buried, and rose again from the grave. Every mode, outside of baptism by immersion, declares a different gospel which Paul leads us to understand is a false Gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
The fulfillment of the third prerequisite to a valid, God-honored and God-recognized baptism--a proper motive--we find in the reason or purpose for the eunuch's baptism. The Ethiopian eunuch did not desire to be baptized to take away original sin or his personal sins; for water baptism cannot cleanse us from sin, only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ washes away our sins (1Peter 3:21; 1John 1:7). The Ethiopian eunuch did not seek baptism to be reconciled unto the heavenly Father; the believer is reconciled to God through the broken body of Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:16). The motive of the Ethiopian eunuch to seek baptism was to publicly and unashamedly declare his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Redeemer (Matthew 10:32). Furthermore, his baptism was a clear, pictorial, personal testimony that he had died with Christ, was buried with Christ, and was now alive with and in Christ (Galatians 2:20). The eunuch through baptism recognized that the world was crucified unto him, and he unto the world (Galatians 6:14). Through baptism by immersion, the eunuch openly confessed that by way of Christ's redemptive work, he was dead unto sin (Romans 6:11), spiritually alive unto God, and resurrected to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). The eunuch had a proper and correct motive for baptism.
Lastly, the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized by a proper, Biblical administrator--the fourth Scriptural prerequisite for a valid baptism. The Evangelist Philip was not a free-lance, self-recognized, and self-proclaimed servant of God. Philip was a church member in the Jerusalem congregation (Acts 6:7). Philip was recognized, chosen, set apart, and ordained by the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-6). He was granted proper authority by the Jerusalem church to carry forth the Word, baptize the believing disciples, and instruct them in Christ's truth (Matthew 28:18-20). Those baptized in his evangelistic ministry (modern day mission work) were added unto the membership of the church under whose authority they were baptized. Their membership remained there until the establishment of a legitimate congregation in or near their own community.
As stated in a previous post, baptism is the door to the divine institution of the New Testament church. Scriptural baptism puts the baptized into a church body (1Corinthians 12:13). Baptism is not neutral. By that, I mean, that every Scripturally baptized believer becomes automatically a member of one of the Lord's churches through submission to this divine ordinance (Acts 2:41). No one can seek baptism from one of the Lord's churches without the sincere, Christ-honoring disposition to obey God in the framework of the New Testament church. The church of one's baptism and membership is the spiritual body where he exercises his spiritual gifts, he gives unto the Lord his tithes and offerings, he grows in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he seeks to obey all of the Biblical injunctions of brotherly love, of exhorting one another, of encouraging one another, of praying for one another, of bearing one another's burdens, etc. To live for Christ's glory and honor implies that the believer must seek His glory through proper relationship to and service in Christ's local church. "Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:21). In other words, baptism introduces the Spirit-regenerate believer into a community of like minded believers whose only goal is to live a life of strict obedience to Jesus Christ for His eternal glory through understanding, application and submission to the Word of God.
Having stated all of that, I believe that from the plain context of Acts 8, the book of Acts in general, and the rest of the New Testament, the Ethiopian eunuch was added to the Lord's church at Jerusalem until the day there was a properly constituted, New Testament church organized in his local, native land. I am well aware that the eunuch's circumstances are far from the norm of the rest of the New Testament. However, I must interpret and understand a difficult passage of Scripture, not according to my preference or religious dogma, but according to the obvious precepts and precedences established in other clearer passages of God's Holy Word.
I trust that this answer has been a blessing and edification to God's people. May Jesus Christ alone and forever receive all glory, honor, and praise!
"When Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch did this add him to a new testament church? Some teach baptism is the door to the church, but Jesus said "I am the door."
To see the first two responses to this question, please see the posts entitled, "Christ Is The Door To The Family Of God," and "Is Baptism The Door To The New Testament Church?" The current post may not make complete sense without first having read the other two posts.
We unequivocally believe that the Ethiopian eunuch was Scripturally baptized. His baptism fulfilled the four Biblical prerequisites of valid baptism. After uniting with the Evangelist Philip in the Gaza desert and having heard the preaching of the Gospel and its truths, he was an instructed, illuminated, Spirit-led, believing disciple in Jesus Christ. His own verbal profession was: "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God" (Acts 8:37)! How the Gospel regenerates and truly transforms sinful, hell-bent, mentally-distorted, and spiritually-ignorant men. Just a few hours prior, the eunuch was reading without understanding the glorious chapter of Christ's redemptive work in prophetic form found in Isaiah 53. He had gone all the way to Jerusalem to find the God of the Jews by way of their religious rituals and ceremonies, but had left internally empty to return to his native land. Oh, that men would be instructed and taught that God is not known in ceremonies, religious rituals, or through any sacrament, but ONLY through His Word (John 5:39). Like religious and unregenerate men of today, the Ethiopian eunuch did not know where to find God or how to be reconciled to Him!
However, the Spirit-filled evangelist preached unto him Jesus...His deity, His incarnation, His sinlessness, His ministry, His power, His sacrificial and substitutionary death, His satisfaction of divine justice, His bearing the sins of God's people, His atonement of those very sins, His reconciliation of the people, His justification of those for whom He died, His surety that all for whom He died would be ultimately saved (Acts 8:35, Isaiah 53:1-12). No doubt, the Evangelist Philip instructed him in the Gospel call of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He instructed him in the spiritual fruits of self-denial, taking up the cross of the Master, and following wholeheartedly the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, he instructed the eunuch in the basic aspects of Christian obedience, responsibility, and seeking the glory of God above all else. So moved and taught by God's Spirit, the Ethiopian eunuch requested baptism in a certain body of water. Having given indisputable evidence of his conversion, or as John the Baptist said, "fruits worthy of repentance," Philip recognized him to be a Biblical candidate for baptism, a believing disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the fulfillment of the first Biblical prerequisite.
The chariot was stopped and both the Evangelist and the eunuch descended into the water. This act of going down into the water presupposes the fulfillment of the second Biblical prerequisite--a proper mode of baptism. All hermeneutical, as well as contextual evidence, sets forth that the eunuch was baptized by immersion, rather than by sprinkling or pouring. The mode is essentially important because the mode symbolizes the death that Christ died. Immersion in water inherently declares that Christ died, was buried, and rose again from the grave. Every mode, outside of baptism by immersion, declares a different gospel which Paul leads us to understand is a false Gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).
The fulfillment of the third prerequisite to a valid, God-honored and God-recognized baptism--a proper motive--we find in the reason or purpose for the eunuch's baptism. The Ethiopian eunuch did not desire to be baptized to take away original sin or his personal sins; for water baptism cannot cleanse us from sin, only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ washes away our sins (1Peter 3:21; 1John 1:7). The Ethiopian eunuch did not seek baptism to be reconciled unto the heavenly Father; the believer is reconciled to God through the broken body of Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:16). The motive of the Ethiopian eunuch to seek baptism was to publicly and unashamedly declare his faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Redeemer (Matthew 10:32). Furthermore, his baptism was a clear, pictorial, personal testimony that he had died with Christ, was buried with Christ, and was now alive with and in Christ (Galatians 2:20). The eunuch through baptism recognized that the world was crucified unto him, and he unto the world (Galatians 6:14). Through baptism by immersion, the eunuch openly confessed that by way of Christ's redemptive work, he was dead unto sin (Romans 6:11), spiritually alive unto God, and resurrected to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). The eunuch had a proper and correct motive for baptism.
Lastly, the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized by a proper, Biblical administrator--the fourth Scriptural prerequisite for a valid baptism. The Evangelist Philip was not a free-lance, self-recognized, and self-proclaimed servant of God. Philip was a church member in the Jerusalem congregation (Acts 6:7). Philip was recognized, chosen, set apart, and ordained by the Jerusalem church (Acts 6:1-6). He was granted proper authority by the Jerusalem church to carry forth the Word, baptize the believing disciples, and instruct them in Christ's truth (Matthew 28:18-20). Those baptized in his evangelistic ministry (modern day mission work) were added unto the membership of the church under whose authority they were baptized. Their membership remained there until the establishment of a legitimate congregation in or near their own community.
As stated in a previous post, baptism is the door to the divine institution of the New Testament church. Scriptural baptism puts the baptized into a church body (1Corinthians 12:13). Baptism is not neutral. By that, I mean, that every Scripturally baptized believer becomes automatically a member of one of the Lord's churches through submission to this divine ordinance (Acts 2:41). No one can seek baptism from one of the Lord's churches without the sincere, Christ-honoring disposition to obey God in the framework of the New Testament church. The church of one's baptism and membership is the spiritual body where he exercises his spiritual gifts, he gives unto the Lord his tithes and offerings, he grows in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he seeks to obey all of the Biblical injunctions of brotherly love, of exhorting one another, of encouraging one another, of praying for one another, of bearing one another's burdens, etc. To live for Christ's glory and honor implies that the believer must seek His glory through proper relationship to and service in Christ's local church. "Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end" (Ephesians 3:21). In other words, baptism introduces the Spirit-regenerate believer into a community of like minded believers whose only goal is to live a life of strict obedience to Jesus Christ for His eternal glory through understanding, application and submission to the Word of God.
Having stated all of that, I believe that from the plain context of Acts 8, the book of Acts in general, and the rest of the New Testament, the Ethiopian eunuch was added to the Lord's church at Jerusalem until the day there was a properly constituted, New Testament church organized in his local, native land. I am well aware that the eunuch's circumstances are far from the norm of the rest of the New Testament. However, I must interpret and understand a difficult passage of Scripture, not according to my preference or religious dogma, but according to the obvious precepts and precedences established in other clearer passages of God's Holy Word.
I trust that this answer has been a blessing and edification to God's people. May Jesus Christ alone and forever receive all glory, honor, and praise!
Bro. Craft,
I was wondering who wrote this article. I'm not so sure that baptism automatically places one into the church. We often combine the two in one vote, but I was taught that technically they are two separate things.
Sincerely,
Bro. Bill
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Hello, Brother Van Nunen,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write and express your sentiment on this issue. I will try to answer your questions and concerns the mostly sincerely and honestly that I am capable.
First of all, concerning the author of this article, I must confess unashamedly that I am the author of everything on my blog unless I specify differently in the post. I am not interested in plagiarizing someone else's work and calling it my own. Though I write forthrightly, it is only because that I heartily believe and, by God's grace, try to practice what I preach. I hope that you understand that I am still growing in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That means that I have not arrived, I am still learning, and at times, I have to correct my deviations or misunderstandings of Scripture.
Regarding your question on baptism, I can surely identify with one who has not come to a Spirit-taught, Spirit-convinced conviction in a certain area, subject, or practice. I have had a number of these kinds of struggles throughout my Christian pilgrimage on different Bible teachings. However, regarding the issue of whether baptism places or does not place one in the membership of a New Testament church, I feel like the Lord has illuminated my heart and understanding to see that the Lord is the one who adds to His churches. First Corinthians 12:28 tells us that "God hath set some in the church." Acts 2:47 states, "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." The context teaches that they were not added to the church because of their salvation experience, but having been converted, they were then baptized and added to the church. Their conversion experience through the supernatural new birth made them members of the family of God, but through their Scriptural baptism, they were added unto the Lord's church.
One of the strongest Bible proof texts for this issue, strictly understood in its proper context, is 1Corinthians 12:13: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." I trust that you have not been duped by the modern, non-contextual, Protestant interpretation of this verse to mean that the Spirit of God baptizes us into some mystical, universal, and invisible church. I completely reject the idea of a universal, invisible church. I completely reject the idea of Spirit baptism. The Holy Spirit of God has never baptized anyone. There is a baptism with the Spirit, but the one who did the baptizing was Jesus Christ. I believe that the baptism by Christ with the Holy Spirit was an authenticating, validating, empowering historical event in the primitive, apostolic church that is NOT repeated today (Acts 1:5).
Having made that clarification, I believe that 1Corinthians 12:13 teaches us how it is that God adds to His church. He adds to His church through the effectual working and leadership of the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 12:3 teaches that the Spirit of God effectually works in a human heart and life whereby a sinner is regenerated and professes that Jesus Christ is Lord. This is not lip service to the Lordship of Christ, but rather a heart surrender to the Lordship of Christ and to all of the implications of living under the reign of King Jesus. In verses 4 through 12 of the same chapter, we see that men are spiritually gifted and made fit for body service and edification by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit as He reparts spiritual gifts to each regenerate person according to His will. In verse 13 of the same chapter, we see how the Spirit effectually moves, motivates, constrains the regenerate to unite with the Lord's church and/or body, by way of Scriptural baptism. By the leadership of the Spirit, by the motivation of the Spirit, by the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit upon the mind, heart, and will, one is led to unite with a church body by baptism. Our text says that this Spirit-directed and Spirit-motivated person is baptized INTO one body....not a universal, nebulous, invisible body, but a local, assembled, New Testament body that is built and sustained by the head, Christ Jesus the Lord.
We speak confidently that everyone Scripturally baptized has completed the only two prerequisites for church membership; namely, a sound conversion to Christ, and a proper, orderly water baptism according to the strict dictates of the Word of God. A formal church vote after the baptism is not necessary for one to become a church member. In actuality, prior to their baptism, every professing believer is required to bring forth fruits meet for repentance before they are accepted as legitimate candidates for baptism (Matthew 3:1-12). Every candidate that presents himself for baptism without palpable, spiritual fruits meet for repentance should be turned away until the time the church is convinced that he has been soundly converted and has evidenced his conversion with unmistakable, spiritual fruits. Upon proper baptism, one is immediately recognized as a member of the church body in good standing and with every due right to participate in all the privileges of membership.
My dear brother, these minor, technical points are definitely not worth creating division and bringing separation to otherwise sound, Historic Baptists. Should we not find absolute heart agreement in this point, I believe as Historic Baptists, we both can agree on the much more important, principle points: that all men must be born of the Spirit before they can be properly baptized, and that only truly regenerate, Scripturally-baptized persons can be members of the Lord's church. If you would like to add a technical step of voting the baptized into the church, I do not have a problem with that. I do not practice that way, and though I may see it as an unnecessary formality, I would not under esteem one for holding to that practice.
Recently, I listened to a Bible Conference on audio cassette wherein a young Baptist preacher tried to distinguish between "mountain-top" Baptists and "sea-side" Baptists. He stated that some believe that Jesus Christ started His church during His earthly ministry in the mountain top while others believe that Christ started His church on the sea side. He then asked the potentially dividing and separating question: "Are you a mountain-top or sea-side Baptist? In his youthful zeal, he raised the idea that perhaps Baptists should separate over this trivial issue. Thankfully, in the very next message, a seasoned and matured Baptist stood behind the pulpit and gracefully declared that it does not matter if you are a mountain-top or sea-side Baptist. He continued that the important issue was that one believed that Christ actually did start His church during His earthly ministry, no matter where He physically organized it.
Brother, that is the way that I feel toward others on this issue. The important matter is a regenerate and Scripturally baptized membership. May the Lord give us grace to continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And may Christ's richest blessing rest upon you and yours during this new year.
Yours sincerely without offense, and in brotherly love,
Bert
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