Southside Oracle Archive

Vol. 49, No. 16                          SOUTHSIDE ORACLE                           June 16, 2006

The Meaning of Faith (6)

Among "faith only" advocates who deny that baptism can be "for the forgiveness of sins" (Acts 2:38) are some who also deny that baptism plays any role in salvation. The total denial of water baptism is based on the dispensational theory of John Nelson Darby, an early leader of the Plymouth Brethren. It was popularized by the Schofield Reference Bible and has been taught in various Bible churches. The position is that there are two gospels in the New Testament. Peter's gospel, given at Pentecost, introduced water baptism. Paul's gospel is one of grace that does not include baptism in any form. We are under Paul, not Peter, and should not baptize at all.

The fallacy of this position is that Peter and Paul taught the same gospel. Of his actions after his conversion Paul wrote, "They only heard it said, `He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he tried to destroy"' (Galatians 1:23). Here Paul affirms that his gospel is exactly the same as Peter's which he had tried to destroy.

If Peter's gospel ended where Paul's began, there should be no further reference to water baptism. But many years later Peter related water baptism to salvation (1 Peter 3:21) just as he had an Pentecost. Shall we conclude that Peter taught error after Paul's new message was revealed? Regardless of the point in time that Peter's gospel was superseded by Paul's, one can find water baptism thereafter.

Dispensationalists respond that most references to baptism related to "spirit baptism" which the Holy Spirit administers. 1 Corinthians 12:13 is cited: "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body." If the spirit is the administrator, what is the element in which one is baptized? Must it not be water?

Paul's statement that "Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel" (1 Cor. 12:13) is cited to prove that we should not baptize. However, we also read that "many of the Corinthians hearing Paul were baptized" (Acts 18:8). The converts were likely baptized by Paul's associates, not personally by Paul.

The practice of assigning verses mentioning baptism to "spirit baptism" is arbitrary. There is no logical reason for this distinction nor is there evidence that Peter and Paul had different messages. One would never come to these views unless another helped him. Can it then be truth?

__Monroe E. Hawley

END OF SERIES

The Bulletin Board

Camp Sessions Begin - The first of four two-week summer sessions of the Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp begins Sunday at Fallhall Glen. Southside will have the largest contingent of staff workers at the junior session that it has ever had at a single session. Some of them will be there for only one week. They are: Tim Shilts, director, Lori Shilts, Holly Shilts, Bruce Williams, Karen Williams, Katie Williams, Glynda Giemza, Latanja Mudd, Karen Van Handel, Cathy Ribar, Ian Ribar, Heather Clayton, Corinna Orlovsky, and Mark Orlovsky. Campers are Taylor Williams, Talya Valentine, Nala Mudd, Rebecca Dickson, Amy Giemza, Brandon Vugrnick, Halely Shilts, Dylan Ribar, Mitchell Orlovsky, and Hannah Schraven. This list may be incomplete, as we have not been able to verify a11 the information.

Camp Scholarships - The request for help with camp scholarships last week was very successful. Our thanks to those who are helping to provide camping fees for those children needing help. We want to stress that any of our youth who need help

will be given financial assistance. We urge any youth or parents who need help to contact Wayne Alexander or Tim Shilts.

Our condolences - We extend our sympathy to Don and Wanda Capitonoff whose twin sons died at birth last Sunday night. Wanda had surgery earlier in an effort to save them, but it was unsuccessful. Remember the family in your prayers.

ATTENDANCE RECORD

Calendar of Events

June 18 - July 1- Junior session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

June 18 - 24 - Soul Quest, York College

July 2 -15 - Middle session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

July 9 - Elders/deacons meeting, 4:30 p.m.

July 9 - Praise and Palate, 6:00 p.m.

July 12 - 19 -Mission trip to Dominican Republic

July 16 - 29 - Intermediate session, Wisconsin Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

July 30 - August 12 - Senior session, Wis. Christian Youth Camp, Fallhall Glen

A Deadly Weapon

An old Christian man moved into a community where lived a notoriously disagreeable and contentions neighbor. When informed of the character of his neighbor, the old man answered, "If he disturbs me, I will kill him." His statement reached the ears of the villainous neighbor who in various ways tormented the new settler. But every offense was met with kindness until at length the contentious neighbor was overwhelmed. "I was told that he would kill me, but I did not know he would do it this way."                   Selected

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