Faith and Baptism
Mark xvi. 16. — “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.”
Faith is believing, and it would be superfluous to make so simple a statement if it had not become common to think it something else. Faith is belief, and he who believes has faith. Since salvation is dependent on faith, it is of the utmost importance that every one of us should know what faith is. When the sinner is exhorted to have faith, it is indispensable for him to comprehend what is meant by the exhortation. Here as elsewhere, that which is very clear in Scripture is made very dark by the perplexing varieties of human teaching. The Bible does not very often give formal definitions of Faith; for this reason, that the word is not used in any strange or extraordinary sense, but is taken as a part of existing language, and applied to spiritual matters. Scripture often mentions faith, often assumes it as an exercise of the mind easily understood, and, above all, often gives examples of it. The best way of learning what this momentous word means is to discharge from our minds the notions which we have derived from conflicting systems, and to come to the divine oracles to learn how it is employed in its different connections. It is one of the secrets of Bible-study to approach these oracles with a childlike freshness of mind, somewhat like that of those to whom the Gospels and epistles were given when they came newly from the pen of the inspired writers themselves. This is a state of mind very different from ignorance, and very different from scepticism, and is the result of continued inward labour and prayer. In making such an investigation, the language of the soul should be,” I will hear what God the Lord will speak.-’
Opening the sacred volume, then, for this purpose, we proceed to inquire what an unbiased thinker will discover on this point from the way in wliicli faith or belief is here mentioned. And altliousfli there is much on the subject in the Old Testament, we shall find more than enough in the New to occupy all our research upon the present occasion. Besides, it is the New Testament which is the key to the theology of the Old, as containing the more explicit and the final teaching of the Spirit on the method of man’s salvation.
The reason why I begin with the histories of the Gospels is, that abstract truths are most easily apprehended in the shape of examples. It is not Aldthout intention that we find the narrative of our Lord’s works and sufferings, placed before the doctrinal arguments of the apostles. Let us see, then, whether any light can be thrown on the nature of faith from the beautiful incidents of the evangelical story.
The very first instance is remarkable. A Roman ofiicer, a centurion of Capernaum, has a domestic servant who is paralytic, and he relates the case to Jesus. The merciful Saviour instantly proposes to go and effect his cure. The astonished and humbled captain, convinced of the power and now persuaded of the willingness of the Lord, exclaims, “Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed!” He is sure that Christ has the same command over diseases that he himself exercises over his soldiers. In other words, “I fully believe thou art competent and ready to cure my servant, even without stirring a step.” What is our Lord’s comment? “Verily, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.” Here is faith. Here is great faith. Here is faith in a Gentile mind, stronger than all that had been manifested by the more favoured Jews. This man admits the claims of the great Teacher and Healer. He has an unhesitating persuasion of the truth that the Son of God is endowed with power to heal disease by miracle. If you consider this frame of mind, you find it simple and easily comprehended. There is not a day of our lives in which we do not exercise this very persuasion in regard to common things. A commercial friend assures me that he will, in my stead, meet a particular responsibility as to money. I ask myself. Is he able? is he true? is he willing? The moment I affirm these points, I am a believer in his promise, I have faith in his word; my mind immediately reposes on Ms declaration, and I act ac. cordingly. In common life we more usually apply the word trust to this reliance; and trust, even in religion, is the belief of a promise. The difference between this faith and that which saves the soul, is not so much in the way the mind acts, as in the nature of the truth believed. And the character of the mental act will not be altered, if, hereafter, we should see cause to ascribe it to a superior and divine agency. It is still jDersuasion of a truth, ^. d, it is still believing. Let us look at an example of the contrary character, for such contrasts are not only strikino; but instructive. Mat. viii. 23. The cases are two and identical as to princiyle. Both concern storms on the lake. The disciples are alarmed beyond measure, and awake our Lord, crying, “Lord, save us, we perish!” And he rebuked them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” The other case is. Mat. xiv. 29, when, as you remember, Peter undertook to go to his Master by walking on the water. Terrified at the tempest, he began to sink, saying, “Lord, save me!” Observe, now, our LordV remark: “O thou of little faith, wherefore didsl thou fear?” Here we read a lesson concernincc belief from two examples of unbelief. There would have been no fault, unless the disciples, in the first case, and Peter in the second, had had assurance that Christ would take care of them. This assurance is in its nature a promise of Christ. It may have been implied rather than expressed. If they had imjDlicitly and strongly believed it, they could not have been struck with panic. Some belief of this assurance there undoubtedly was, but it was slender; and Jesus upbraids them as of little faith. Though the case was one of temporal danger, the principle is applicable to spiritual danger. Only, in place of the storm of wind and waves, put the storm of God’s wrath, and in place of disbelieving Christ’s ability and readiness to save the body, put disbelief of his ability and readiness to save the soul, and you have a perfect example of ordinary religious unbelief
The transition is easy from these cases to that of Jairus, Mark v. 22. His little daughter was at the point of death. He had heard of Jesus, and such was his faith in him that he came in person and importuned him to go to the sick-bed. On their way they were met by distressing tidings: “Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Teacher?” Now, whatever belief this ruler may have had of Christ’s power to heal a diseased child, we must conceive it to need vast increase in order to believe that he could raise her from death. And it is a sweet trait of the Lord’s manner, and one which may encourage trembling souls now, that he anticipates this shock to the heart-broken father’s faith, and, as it were, places his hands under him as he sinks, saying, “Be not afraid, only believe.” v. 36. You bear in mind the happy result.
This incident greatly illustrates the doctrine of faith. It required confidence to go even with a prophet to the house were lay the corpse of a beloved child, in expectation of resurrection. As yet no instance of raising the dead had occurred in Christ’s ministry. Jairus seems to have received strength from Christ’s words, and his belief that Christ could and would save his child reached the proper point. Christ’s words have no meaning unless they involve a promise. They mean, “Jairus, your daughter is dead, but
I can bring her to life; I am about to do so; be not afraid; only believe this assurance.” The faith of Jairus was simple believing; and was exactly like the faith of many a sinner, when his sjDiritual case looks quite as desperate.
But we must go back a little to an episode in this charming narrative. It is justly reckoned one of the loveliest of our Lord’s acts of mercy. As Jesus, accompanied by Jairus and a great throng, was on his way, a woman who had been a sufferer for twelve years came behind him and strove to touch his garment. “If I may but touch his clothes, I shall be whole.” Mark what this short saying includes: “I believe this Jesus of Nazareth has power to heal me.” This belief produced action, as true believing always does. She touched — she was made whole. “Daughter,” said Christ, “thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Thy faith: it was her perfect confidence of the truth that there was healing in Christ.
In the similar case of a convinced sinner, faith is the perfect confidence that there is salvation in Christ.
Not unlike this is the account of the scene at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration. A demoniac child was in the very agonies of a seizure, which made him fall, and foam, and lie in spasms on the earth. Mark ix. 20. The j)rospect was darker, because the discij)les had failed to effect a cure. The father burst into tears, but did not despair; yet his words are those of a man only half persuaded: “If thou canst do any thing, have comj)assion on us and help us!” The answer is most significant: “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that belie veth,” i, ^., “Thou art half persuaded of the truth that I am able to save; be wholly persuaded; make the effort, put forth the act of faith; to faith there is no impossibility.” My brethren, which of us has not often made this poor man’s words his own? With tears he cried, “Lord, I believe! help thou mine unbelief!” For here, again, we see that faith has its degrees. It is as if he had said, “Lord, I believe; I believe thy power and goodness; yet not as I ought, nor as I would; I only half believe. Yet I do believe, and as to what is lacking, Lord, help thou my unbelief, and raise me to fulness of faith!” And Christ expelled the demon.
No instance in Scripture lias been more cheering to inquirers than this. It has been a balm to. wounded souls in all ages. The convinced sinner has a glimpse of light, from the person of the mighty Saviour. He can go to no other. All other resorts have failed him. He hears of the need of faith, and that salvation is possible even to him, if he could but believe. Despairing of every thing else, he falls at Christ’s feet, saying, Lord, I believe help thou mine unbelief! His belief is mingled with unbelief; yet belief is there. Faith is feeble, but it is faith still. And, as has been said, the hand of an infant may receive a free gift as well as the hand of a giant. It is not the greatness, but the reality of faith which connects the soul with salvation. And though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed, it justifies as certainly and fully as though it were consummate. The indispensable thing is this persuasion of Christ’s truth.
In these several instances, each of the persons in question had been led to consider the claims of Jesus to be the great Teacher, the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God. The mirac-TiloTis powers belonged to Mm in these characters. The question with each had been, Receive him as Messiah, or not receive him — be persuaded, or not persuaded of this truth — believe, or not believe. And observe how these terms all come to the same thing in that noted passage, John i. 12,” But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
To receive Christ is to believe on his name. So it was with the Samaritans. First they heard the woman relate what she had seen and learned at Jacob’s well; then they came in person. Hear how they addressed their converted townswoman: “Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” John iv. 42. They gave credence to the truth that this Jesus was Messiah and Saviour; they received him; they became sons of God.
On one occasion, John ix., our Lord gave sight to a man born blind, whom the Jews then excommunicated. Jesus sought him out in his disgrace and said to him, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?” And Jesus said unto him, “Thou hast seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.” And he said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him. Now, we may suppose the man’s darkened mind to have worked somewhat thus: “Blind from my birth, I have been admitted to vision by One who is plainly full of mercy, full of gracious words, and full of divine power. These tokens prove to me that he is sent of God, and that what he says is true. For God will not set his seal in attestation of falsehood. What he says commands my belief. He says he is the Messiah, yea, the Son of God. I believe the testimony; Lord, I believe!” Here we have faith in full act; faith in Jesus as the Son of God; and faith by persuasion of the truth, i. e., belief The apostle who relates this, wrote several letters about thirty years after, which contain expressions that derive much light from this incident. 1 John iv. 42. “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is born of God,” i. e., to believe in the incarnation of the Son of God is proof of regeneration.
FAITH A2sD BAPTISM. 319
Again, iv. 15, “Whosoever shall confess [sincerely and of persuasion] that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” The truth here confessed is precisely that which the blind man confessed. Every such profession (of course, out of inward belief of the truth) is proof of union with God. 1 John v. 1: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” Belief of the Messiahship of Jesus is proof of regeneration, v. 10: “He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” In all these cases — the case of the blind man included — it is one and the same truth which is believed, but this is expressed by different phrases; Jesus is come in the flesh — Jesus is the Christ — Jesus is the Son of God. It is a comprehensive truth, and carries more than this naked proposition, as is evident from the last verse we read, v. 10, where it is said that God has given us eternal life in his Son; an epitome of the Gosyel; nay, the Gospel itself; the good news; God’s record; the very truth for a sinking soul to believe, and wliicli he must believe, or make God a liar. So that we have really made progress in our inquiry, having found not only what sort of a mental exercise faith is, viz., that it is believing, or being persuaded of truth, but, further, what that truth is, which is to be believed, viz., that God freely bestows on us eternal life, in and by Jesus Christ, who is his Son, the Messiah, manifest in the incarnation. And this agrees with my text and the great commission under which all addresses to mankind have their authority. “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Mark xvi. 15, 16. We are not just now concerned with baptism. “He that believeth shall be saved.” Believeth what? Clearly “believeth the Gospel “just named. The truth, then, to be believed, is the truth of the Gospel. This truth may be expressed in a volume, or in a sentence. In the Bible, the compendious expression of it is often chosen. John i. 16:” For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish.
but have eternal life.” Here the Gospel is God’s love to the world in giving his Son. The thorough persuasion of this, with all it comprehends and implies, is saving faith. This is what the ancient Jew believed, when he owned that Jesus was the Messiah, or that he was the Son of God. Express it as you will, it is still the Lord Jesus Christ, as the gracious Saviour, who is the object of faith.
Hitherto we have sought our examples in the four Gospels. But how was this matter treated in the discourses of the Apostles after the Ascension? Pentecost will tell us. Peter preached. The text of his sermon, though placed last, was these words: “Therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Here is law and Gospel; law to convince; “whom ye have crucified;” Gospel to convert; “God hath made him the Saviour.” Under such words the cry of the congregation was, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said unto them, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Where is faith here? It is included in baptism. Never imagine, as some childishly do, that the application of water, whether little or much, is in itself the great regenerating or saving operation. Baptism was a sign. It was a seal. It was an initiation. It was a symbolical profession of Christ. He who was baptized thereby said, I thus avow myself a Christian, i. ^., “Let all men know by this rite that I believe in Jesus.” Here, then, is faith; and the verse, expounded, runs thus: Repent, i. e., Turn round to a new mind, and new thoughts, and new life; you are already pricked in heart, you already have conviction, repent, let the change of heart and conduct begin; it includes conviction and faith; and be baptized every one of you, i, 6’., Come hither and be washed with water, as many of you once were by John. By being thus washed you become visible disciples, learners; you put yourselves to school, are initiated as Christ’s people, in a word, you declare, publicly. We believe. For the remission of sins, i. e., Believing thus, you shall be saved. And ye shall receive the Holy Ghost. The ascended
Christ has purchased, by his death and merit, the gift of the Comforter. On believing, you shall receive this promised Spirit. Read verse 41, and you will find this justified: “And they that gladly received his word [believed] were baptized, and the same day there were added unto them above 3,000 souls.”
Let us go farther, and join ourselves to a chariot, viii. 26, between Jerusalem and Gaza, in which an African treasurer is busy reading a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. The chariot stops and takes up a missionary, Philip, who now becomes the teacher of the Ethiopian noble. He begins “at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus.” And as they went on their way they came to a certain water, doubtless some rivulet crossing the way, and not wanting even in that way “which is desert.” And the eunuch said, “See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” i. d, “I am persuaded by your exposition, and am ready to express my persuasion; here is water, apply it to me and make me a Christian by sign, as I already am by conviction.” And Philip said, “If thou belie vest with all thy heart thou may est.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Mark well the sentence. It is a primitive profession of faith. Compare it with what we have already said about the truth to be believed. “And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” In this place we have several confirmations of what has been already discovered. 1. The nature of faith, as belief, or persuasion of truth. 2. The truth believed, or object of faith; Jesus Christ as Son of God, in the senses set forth in the famous prophecy. Is. lii. 3. Baptism is the outward symbol of this faith, and follows on the profession of it. If the eunuch had died between the chariot and the spring or river, I do not suppose he would any the less have gone to Paradise. It was faith, not water, which saved his soul, and it was already saved; as was that of the penitent thief, who never was baptized at all, except vdth a baptism of blood.
If you are not weary of instances, take yet another, which is perhaps already in your thoughts. It is that of the gaoler at Philippi.
He had in charge two foreigners, the very first missionaries of Europe, who had been insulted by a mob, whipped by order of the magistracy, and condemned to prison. At midnight, in the inner dungeon, with feet in the stocks, they sang Christian psalms of praise to God. But another music came suddenly. The walls shook and the doors flew open, and chains and stocks fell off; and the very gaoler, affected by these attestations, and by the sermons, or the private talk, or perhaps the hymns of Paul and Silas, thought his hour was come, and was going to commit self murder. But Paul prevented this, and the man found a lamp and sprang in, and being first relieved of anguish about his charge, then, I dare say, reinforced by words of Christianity, exclaimed, “Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Paul and Silas then “spake unto him the words of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. He was baptized, i. e., he “took the pledge” of Christianity. He became an adherent to the Gospel. He was enrolled. He subscribed under the name of Christ. He entered himself a disciple, a Christian learner. He initiated himself and his house, small and great, as designated for Christian teaching and training. It would have been wonderful, indeed, if primitive converts had been willing to leave their families behind; if a single bondsman or a single infant had been left without the washing which marked them as learners in the school of Jesus. And if any scoffing Jew had sneered at a rite bestowed on infancy, as if it could do no good to little ones, he might have been reminded of his own national initiation by the Old Testament sacrament.
You will observe the close connection between faith and baptism, in that form of the commission which occurs in Matthew xxviii. 19, “Go ye, therefore, and teach [disciple] all nations; baptizing them.” And in Corinth, Acts xviii. 8, “Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized.” You will see that, in the common language of the day, baptism was used for initiation, profession, adhesion to a teacher, or a doctrine. “All our fathers, 1 Cor. X. 1, were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” And just as Old Testament believers were baptized unto Moses, so were New Testament believers baptized unto Christ. Romans, vi. 3: “Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” In the very act of receiving their baptism, they professed their belief in the doctrine of Christ’s death. Gal iii. 27: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” And then he argues that other distinctions are merged in this.
It is well worthy of remark, that while it is said he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, it is not said he that is not baptized shall be damned; but “he that believeth not shall be damned.” The difference is great. ‘No Scripture teaches anywhere that any are lost for want of baptism; but many Scriptures teach that many are lost for want of faith. It is nowhere asserted that baptism alone saves the soul, but it is repeatedly asserted that faith saves the soul. The inference is inevitable, that baptism derives its value from the faith that it professes. Shall we then make little of baptism? God forbid! It is the seal of the faith which is professed. And where there is faith in the heart, it will break forth into profession. Modern times of degeneracy show the painful spectacle of persons indulging the hopes of Christianity, and yet declining to own Christ before men! They imitate what was worst in Nicodemus. But sincere and hearty believers, in apostolical times, no sooner believed than they professed it, and were baptized. Though we often speak as if coming to the communion was entering the church, we err in so speaking. All who rightly come to the communion have already joined the church. “All baptized persons are members of the Church; are under its care, and subject to its government and discipline; and when they have arrived at the years of discretion, they are bound to perform all the duties of church members.”*
The words of our Lord have a meaning which is important enough without the figment
* B. Disc. chap, i., p. 6.
of baptismal regeneration. They import at least this: “I now send you to preach the glad tidings of salvation, not to the Jew only, but also to the Greek, to men of every nation, till all mankind have heard the testimony. And when this Word of the Lord is declared, he that believes it, and becomes a Christian, [is baptized,] he who accepts it inwardly with such heartiness as to profess it outwardly, shall reap the benefit of such faith — shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
Thus have I endeavoured to set before you:
1. The nature of faith, or what it is to believe;
2. The object of faith, or what it is to be believed; and 3. The connection between faith and baptism. Some application to our own case will properly follow this doctrine.
I. If you would be saved, believe. Till this is done you have not stepped on solid ground. Whatever you have done, whatever you have forborne, you are as yet displeasing to God, for “without faith it is impossible to please him.” Unbelief is very common, but it is a sin which leads to hell: “he that believeth not shall be damned.” The Pagan has never heard the Gospel, he will not be condemned for disbelief of it. But you have heard it; line upon line, with every diversity of talent and application. If you are one who has often made a temporary effort to be saved, examine whether you have not striven in a wrong direction. AVliat you need is faith. Now, faith is nothins: without truth, any more than eyesight without a visible object. As faith comes by truth, acquaint yourself with that truth; find it; consider it. Make it your study and contemplation. As saving faith embraces the Gospel, examine, ponder, familiarize the Gospel. And as the Gospel is the testimony concerning Christ, bend all your powers of soul on Christ, the Messiah, the Incarnate Word, the Saviour of the world. Fall on your knees before the Cross of Christ, and remain there, looking and praying, and you cannot but see a glory, a beauty, and a grace, which will end in faith.
II. If you believe, profess your faith. This is what in scriptural language is called a good confession. In primitive times this avowal of
Christ was connected with baptism. It is so still where any come in from the imbaptized world. But the great duty now pressed is that of coming out and professing faith in Christ. No one can remain neutral without sin. To be ashamed or afraid to own Christ is to deny him. A consistent believer will not be willino; to withhold his feeble testimony of attachment to his Redeemer for a single moment. Do you believe? Then, if unbaptized, hasten to make your faith public, by submitting to the Christian rite.
Or are you one who has been baptized in infancy? The case is somewhat different, but by no means less solemn. You are already marked with the seal of the covenant. You are already entered in the nominal church. You have enjoyed those inestimable privileges which are consequent on this initiation. You have been from childhood in the Christian school. Your parents, if faithful to their. vows, have brought you up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. You have been cherished at the bosom of the Church, have learnt its lessons, listened to its Gospel messages, and witnessed its sacraments. Having lived tlins long on its advantages, will you now requite the Giver with contempt? Is it nothing to have been all your life under a dispensation of grace? Is there no obligation consequent on such benefits? Do you wish you had not received them; that you had been born among heathens or unbelievers; that you had never been taught the name of Jesus and the way of life; in a word, that you had never been ofl:ered to God in holy baptism? No, you shrink from such ingratitude and impiety. And no course is left for you, but either to refuse compliance with a duty which you tacitly admit, or [which may God grant] to assume the vows which were made for you by your pious parents.