Error advances by degrees until at last it is fully established and souls are blinded to the truth. There are serious indications among us, in the way of indifference as to the ordinance of baptism that should alarm us, lest the heretical doctrine should become accepted and be spread among us that as an ordinance it has no application to us now.
And of this as a probability may we not be well assured, especially in the light of recent departures from the truth, that we would not in that case stop in the down grade with the denial of baptism, but would travel rapidly to further error, once we had despised the Word and yielded to a wile of Satan. Such is the history of God's people, often repeated. We need at this present time to pay earnest heed to the word in 2 Peter 3:17:"Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
Error has in it the seeds of alienation from God, of dishonor to Christ and to His word; but with steadfastness and growth in grace there will be humility and the knowledge of the Lord, and the desire to give Him glory that will repel what would dishonor Him.
One reply that is made, showing what is at work among us, is (as to baptism), "I don't understand it." Of course, if there is desire to learn, God will teach; but if the reply means, " I feel excused from
taking a stand about it, or from submitting to it," then surely, though the soul may not be conscious of it, a doctrine of Scripture is being slighted, and the spirit of this loosens the hold of God's word in general upon the soul; and how dangerous a ground this is, let all consider. From this we should shrink with great fear!
On the other hand, if we submit to the Word, God will give us increasing understanding about it. To use an old illustration-if a man stands with a lantern looking out into the darkness, he gets no further light; but if he steps on, the light advances on his path.
What has rendered the soul incapable of judging is known to the Lord-sloth, a "puffed up" condition, the loss of a "good conscience."Whatever it may be, Satan has gained an advantage by his wiles. The loins are not "girt about with truth," (the first part of the whole armor of God) without which we t cannot stand in the conflict to enjoy our heavenly possession. And we shall all be tested.
Another thing advanced (by some who do not deny baptism to be obligatory in general) is this:that baptism is not required in the case, for example, of one who has been for some time breaking bread; he is already, "inside," and therefore does not need to "come in." This may be classed as similar to the suggestion that baptism was right at the beginning, when Jews and Gentiles were being joined on new ground in the profession of Christianity, but is not called for now in Christendom at least; while it would be right (probably it would be allowed) still for a Jew or a heathen.
To this it may be fairly replied, that the error is in concluding that such are inside. Is it not assuming to be true what is not true ? The unbaptized are not "inside" in this sense-not being baptized. They are inside surely in one sense, but not so as to the very matter that is in question; they have not submitted to that form which is expressly the putting on Christ. And where is the line to be drawn? If baptism has been neglected or overlooked for a few weeks, are such absolved from responsibility to be baptized ? or does it take a longer period ? and who is to draw the line, and assign a period ? Does it not appear manifest that such a plea must lead to the confirming of souls in the entire neglect and contempt for the doctrine of baptism, as is already the case with some ?
But, surely, Scripture gives no authority for this suggestion. How could Scripture authorize the neglect of Scripture ? If a person is not baptized, he has not in that respect submitted to the word of the Lord. He has not "put on Christ" in this outward form of confession of His name that the Lord Himself has ordained :a public taking of one's place among Christians in Christ's kingdom in a way He has marked out.
Already the benumbing effect of error has so affected some, that it is to be feared that exhortation on the subject, however scriptural, will be received with indifference-a dulled sense of obligation of long standing nullifying the power of God's own Word. Let us cry to God about this, that we may experience God's mercy, and be delivered from this snare of the devil.
As to the claim of some, that Paul's ministry puts us on higher ground than baptism, we have only to consider that Paul is the one who makes baptism very prominent in his epistles, as we all know.
Very precious is the teaching of baptism. It is subjection to that "Name which is above every name" openly before men. Surely the Lord richly blesses that open confession. It tells of our death with Christ-death to sin (death to the life we lived before)-that as He was raised from the dead, so we also should walk in "newness of life" in Him who is risen. But this is not written to present the doctrine of baptism, but as an alarm and an appeal, if the Lord may use it to that end, that we may be aroused to confession and prayer, and to seek deliverance from the Lord.
Occasionally one is found among us (breaking bread) who has not been baptized-one of the indications of the slackness that exists among us, and of the danger that threatens us:taken by itself, not so serious as when taken or viewed in connection with other tendencies already mentioned.
Whatever differences we may have to deplore among us as to the ordinance of baptism, let us at least seek grace to hold fast the ordinance:to let that go would be a serious departure from the truth; an error so grave, that difference of judgment as to the application of baptism cannot at all be compared to it, surely.
Let us remember the solemn injunction to Timothy (i Tim. 6:20), "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust;" and again, (2 Tim. 1:14,) "That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us;" as Paul himself could say, "I have kept the faith:" it was surely that Timothy was to "keep;" as Ezra, also, exhorted the twelve priests and their ten brethren, when he had weighed to them "the silver and the gold," and the holy vessels offered to the Lord:'' Ye are holy unto the Lord; the vessels are holy also. . . . Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites … at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord" (Ezra 8:28). E. S. Lyman.