J. M. Frost - 1916
As seen in the Ordinances, Baptism and the Supper.
The Doctrine - I Tim. i: 15; I Cor. 15: 3, 4; Rom, 10:9; Rom. 4: 24, 25.
The Ordinances - Rom. 6: 3, 4; i Cor. n : 23, 25; Matt. 26: 28; Col. 2: 12.
This word - "according to the scriptures" - twice repeated with much point and emphasis, is the base line for all right-thinking in these weighty matters. It is the one supreme, imperial standard for Christian character and conduct, for all Christian belief and practice.
The first group of Scriptures state the doctrine of atonement for sin according to the Scriptures; the second group describe the two ordinances of the gospel, Baptism and the Supper, according to the Scriptures. Together they give us the doctrine in word and in symbol. We here study the doctrine, the atonement itself, as seen in these ordinances, and we study the ordinances in their relation to the atonement.
The doctrine or significance of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, is in their relation to Christ, to his person and life, but especially to his death and resurrection. This was the chief emphasis, and also the one mighty meaning of the New Testament ordinances. They are of God - his appeal to the eye - his statement in symbol of sin with its atonement and cleansing, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.
Dr. Sanday's words concerning baptism has special emphasis at this point: "It expresses symbolically a series of acts corresponding to the redeeming acts of Christ; Immersion equals death; Submersion equals burial (the ratification of death); Emergence equals resurrection." And Dr. Plummer, a distinguished Presbyterian author, says in his Commentary: "It is only when baptism is administered by immersion that its full significance is seen."
This goes to the very heart of what the ordinances teach. They are vitally connected with the death and burial of Jesus, with his rising again from the dead and with his resurrection life - so vitally that their chief meaning is in symbolizing these mighty events. Their word is gracious andpowerful even in the deep things of God. They not only reveal God as seen in the former lecture, but show in glorious way what he has done for human redemption. They are symbols of his love and grace, and everywhere bespeak his praise and glory.
The ordinances have historical value in showing historical basis for the atonement. They testify for the Son of God, bear witness for his death and resurrection as historical facts. This is basal, and of imperative and infinite moment. As monument and memorial they present an unbroken line of evidence. Have been used perhaps too much as polemics, but not enough as apologetics.
Evidence in monuments - Sunday a new daythe New Testament a new book - the church a new organic life with new ordinances. These are all here - speak no uncertain sound-their voice is for the tragedy of the cross and the empty sepulchre-they concern his dying and burial, but go beyond that to tell of his resurrection and his resurrection life-that he is alive again and as Lord at the right hand of God (Rev. I : 18). Contrast the words of these ordinances spoken among us today, with the words of the disciples on that first morning, with the words of the Roman guard, with the words of the angel, all converging in the fact that a new event had come in the world's history-the cross and the empty sepulchre.
These are historical facts, have rank as fact among other facts, whether of history, or nature, or science. This is of first importance both for the events themselves, and this is the prime word of the ordinances-a historical word with historical value. If Christ be not risen then all fail. There would be no ordinances except for the first coming of events; without the events the ordinances would have no meaning. In their form they stand for impregnable facts, and in these rest the hopes of the world as on the rocks of Gibraltar.
Life and immortality in a noble sense are brought to light in the ordinances, through their testimony. Never before or since have nature's elements told such a story, or served as such an evangel. We are baptized with reference to Christ's death and risen also with him; the memorial supper is in remembrance that he died and is alive again. Their testimony stop neither at the cross nor at the empty sepulchre.
This the symbol import of the ordinances; they interpret his death. Why this tremendous outlay of divine plan and purpose, energy and power? These simple rites undertake the gigantic task of making answer - God set them to make answer, gave them a tongue to tell their story. They give in symbol the meaning of Christ's death, going beyond the cross as the historical fact to tell what the cross means, beyond the empty sepulchre to unfold its meaning to a wondering world. They interpret these events as Victor Hugo interprets the Battle of Waterloo.
The truth of history is often more wonderful than the facts of history. The ordinances both testify for the fact and unfold the truth. The meaning of the cross is the doctrine of the cross; the meaning of the empty sepulchre is the doctrine of the resurrection, and this is the word of the ordinances - that, "He was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification."
We have here in symbol an epitome of Christian doctrine-that Jesus died, rose again, is still alive with his heavenly ministry. "These ordinances and their order are doctrines incarnate - living expressions of the inmost reality of the Christian faith. Monumental symbols of the truth of God."
The fact that he died - the doctrine that he died for sin - for our sin, for its atonement, for setting it aside in sacrifice and blood. The doctrine of sin and the doctrine of the cross are counterparts, are seen in their relation in these symbols - crucified with him, risen with him, have remission of sin in him and cleansing in his blood.
These ordinances are unchanged in form and meaning. The same now as at the first. Their significance is in their sign-making power. Symbols, monuments, memorials cannot change. We must hold these ordinances together as saying practically the same thing and supplementing each other.
All symbols are objective in their testimony, meaning, teaching. Baptism and the Lord's Supper give emphasis to the death of Christ as the atonement for sin its its effects Godward. It is not of man but of God, and primarily has to do with him. They symbolize the remission of sin but this with justification and adoption must come of God. They transfer the scene from Calvary to the heavenly court. In a mighty sense they stand for things outside of ourselves, as to origin, merit, efficiency, effects; not of man at all, but of God in Christ Jesus. God is reconciled - God is just in saving. This is the word spoken in these ordinances with emphasis and power.
"The moral theory" is well enough, so far as it goes, but is insufficient. The power of the cross to move the human heart is not enough. Something needs to be done in the sinner's behalf, and that something was done on the cross and is emphasized in the ordinances. We may take them in the fullness of their meaning, or we may let them alone. They and the thing for which they stand are independent of our belief-like other great facts in nature with what those facts mean, as of the world turning on its axes, the running of the water to the sea. The supreme matter of the atonement for sin is with God, within the veil, where our bleeding sacrifice appears.
These ordinances - baptism and the Supper, have not been given sufficient emphasis in what they say for God - what they say for Christ - as his ordinances holding before the world the meaning of his death. Their most tremendous meaning is not in what they do for man, but in what they do for Christ and for the atonement which he made for sin.
Nothing must be done to obscure what these ordinances mean for Christ and his work. To this end they must be preserved inviolate as they came from his hand-in spirit, form, purpose. They show him buried and risen from the dead, and ministering in a new life with the promise of his return. Let not his glory go to another. They minister for him and for his glory-first for him and then for man.
It is of the nature and essence of signs and symbols to declare, to make manifest. Signs signify, symbols instruct. The ordinances are not something to be done for which there comes a quid pro quo. One observes them, not to get something but to show something-their blessings come richly but incidentally.
They are declarative in their very nature. This is their first purpose and they serve that purpose in their observance; monuments and memorials celebrate. They do this for Christ, and serve him in the function of teaching, in the unity of their doctrine.
They declare Christ and his atonement, in the fullness of its efficacy as available to individual faith. They are open only to believers. He that believeth, etc., repent and be baptized, etc.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Repent and be baptized for the remission of sin. Standing by a railroad train you would say to the passenger, go into the coach and you will be carried to Louisville - or go into the coach and sit down and you will be carried to Louisville. Sitting down is a thing to be done after you are in the coach. Baptism, and the Supper also, are something to be done after one repents, believes, is saved.
These ordinances become declarative of what has been done in the believer's behalf and of his new relation to Christ. Show his union with Christ. Outward sign of mighty inward transaction. Baptized into Christ; put on Christ in baptism - a creedal statement for the believer of Christian belief, a confession of his experiential relation to Christ and his saving grace.
Christ's baptism in the Jordan was declarative for him. It was God's occasion and method of making his Son known - his manifestation unto Israel and unto all the world for succeeding generations. He became a baptized Saviour that he might show himself a buried and risen Saviour, with a baptism for those saved through faith in him. Christ has set these ordinances to this purpose, and in this purpose they speak their mightiest words. The badge of remission, of discipleship, of sonship, of relation to him. Symbol, picture and mirror. Symbol, setting things together in comparison with sign-making power; picture, a scene representing to the eye likeness, acts and emotion, concentrated resemblance-a heavenly invention to represent heavenly realities of thought and achievement, of purpose and promise; mirror, reflected image reproducing the past, making the invisible to appear, to move and gladden the heart.
What is the content of a picture in which you see the face dearest to you of all faces ? What is the content of the mirror in its reflected image? What is the content of these ordinances? In baptism, the burial, the resurrection, the empty tomb, and the saved man in his risen life. In the Supper is reflected as in a mirror with startling vividness and power, the tragedy of the cross enacted over again-but also the risen Christ who is to return again.
Every baptism is a fresh evangel, repeating through the centuries the angel's word: "He is not here; he is risen as he said; come see the place where the Lord lay." Every celebration of the Supper tells of his death, but also that he is alive again, and is serving in the heavenly ministry, and that we are saved in him, are sustained through him, and await his coming. So the wonderful story goes on-fresh always as the new sun for the new day - singing of the world's redemption, accomplished already and yet in process of the larger and final consummation.