Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1914 — A SYMBOLIC DEATH AND RESURRECTION [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A SYMBOLIC DEATH AND RESURRECTION

Real Baptism Is Burial of Human Will Into God’s Will.

Baptism a Symbol of Consecration. The Old Creature Buried in Baptism. The New Creature Arises to Walk In Newness of Life Baptized With Christ** Baptism-—lmportance of the Symbol—Greater Importance of the Real Baptism—Dead to Everything Except the Will of God.

May 17.—Pastor Russell, whose Photo-Drama o f Creation not only presents the story of man’s redemption, but also outlines earth’s History from its beginning, preached today upon Baptism. His text was, "Therefore we are buried with Him by bap-

tiem into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk In newness of life.”—Romans 6:4. Water baptism, the Pastor declared, is merely a picture of the real baptism. The Apostle explains from various points of view the real baptism, without which the symbol Is a mere form. Whoever receives the real baptism, thereby becomes a member of the Body of Christ, the New Creation; but whoever has it not is not a New Creature, a member of the Body of Christ, though he were baptized in water a thousand times. The Pastor then showed that the real baptism is into Christ’s death, not into water. This baptism takes place at the moment of full consecration to God—complete surrender to do the Divine will, even unto death. This burial of the will into God’s will is reckoned to be the death of the human being. Therefore the Apostle says to the Church, “Ye are dead, and your life Is hid with Christ in God.” Thenceforth the consecrated are no longer counted as human beings, but as New Creatures in Christ, This burial of the will into tike Divine will is Instantly followed by the begetting to newness of life—to a new nature. Water Baptism as a Symbol.

Next the Pastor discussed water baptism. Reviewing the various, theories of the different denominations, he explained wherein these are not in harmony with Scripture. Neither sprinkling nor pouring could in any way be considered a picture of death and burial. He called attention to the fact that the Greek word baptize signifies immersing, covering, plunging; and that wholly different words are used in the Greek when sprinkling, pouring or raining is meant The Pastor then discussed immersion as set forth by the Baptista and the Disciples. Both denominations have the right form; but the Disciples pleach the baptism taught by John the Baptist, not baptism into Christ; and the Baptists emphasize the symbol rather than the reality—consecration unto death. Apparently the speaker sustained his point; for he certainly harmonized all the Scriptures bearing upon the subject Th® Real Baptism Into Christ.

Having established the facts that water baptism is a symbolic picture of consecration, and that immersion is the Scriptural form es baptism, the Pastor next considered the subject as presented in Romans 6. There the Apostle sets forth the deep significance of burial with Jesus. From the moment of consecration the Christian should walk iiPnewness of life, and his dally course should be altogether different from that of the world. The Pastor then, explained this walking in newness of life. To the Christian, "Old things have passed away”— old hopes, ambitions, motives, etc. These have given place to new hopes, higher ambitions, better motives. To these the first general Law is given—the Golden Rule. To be the Lord’s representative, every Christian must love his neighbor as himself—must deal with him as be would have that neighbor deal with him. How the Christian Fulfil® th® Law. The Pastor showed that God has made a provision for the Church which

He did not-make for the Jews. Israel had a typical mediator, who could not offer real atonement for their weaknesses and have them judged according to their mind—their Intentions. But, through Jesus Christ, the Father has made this very arrangement for the Church. When these keep the Golden Rule to the best of their ability, the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in them. But in his consecration vow, the Christian agreed to do much more than merely keep the Golden Rule. He covenanted to give up all of his earthly interests to do the Divine will and to drink the cup which the Father pours for all of Jesus’ footstep followess. He must accept whatever the Father permits to come to him; he neither pours his own cup nor buries himself. This is beautifully pictured in water baptism. There the candidate submits to the will of the administrator. Figuratively the Load lets the consecrated one down into death, and will one day raise him to perfection of life.