Longhenry/Olson Debate on Baptism

 
 
 Proposition: 
 The Scriptures DO NOT teach that immersion in water for the remission
 of sin is necessary for salvation. 
Affirm: Lloyd A. Olson (LAO) 
Deny: Ethan R. Longhenry (ELDV)

OUTLINE OF FIRST AFFIRMATION 
I. Definitions. 
II. Justification / Sanctification 
III. Proofs 
__A. Eternal / Temporal 
__B. Exposition of Romans. 
____1. Depravity 
____2. Christ's Righteousness 
____3. Instrumental Faith 
____4. OT Saints 
____5. Justification by faith 
____6. Spirit Baptism 
____7. Sanctification 
__C. A Second Human. 
__D. Jesus' Baptism 
__E. Jesus' Requirement 
__F. Paul's Requirement 
__G. John's Requirement 
__H. Peter's Requirement 
IV. Conclusion.

I. DEFINITIONS. A. I accept ELDV's definitions for "Scriptures" 
and "immersion" as given in ELDV's first affirmative of the water 
baptism saves proposition.

B. "Remission of sin" (as given in LAO's first denial of the 
water baptism saves proposition) can be endemic, personal or 
national. The final definition ALWAYS depends on context.

C. Salvation. Salvation must be related to justification and 
sanctification. Since justification is the article on which the 
church or an individual stands or falls, this is the most crucial 
concept of the entire debate. "Where justification is properly 
taught and believed, there we find forgiveness, life and 
salvation, and there the Christian Church thrives. But where the 
message of justification is neglected or distorted, there the 
Church falls into apostasy."[fn1]

In the first half of the debate there was agreement on the two 
contrasting systems. ELDV's system is a process beginning with 
initial justification by faith, growth by sanctified obedience 
and final justification upon faithful endurance to the end. LAO's 
system is event justification in parallel with event 
sanctification. Growth follows birth. Justification and 
sanctification are parallel, yet distinct (more fully developed 
in Section II).

D. Water baptism is consecration that occurs AFTER the Spirit's 
baptism WITHOUT HUMAN HANDS (1 Cor 12:13, Col 2:11-12).

II. JUSTIFICATION/SANCTIFICATION To rightly divide God's Word, we 
must be cognizant of the key words wrt tense and voice. 

JUSTIFICATION The Greek verbs for "justification" relate to 
dikaioo (40x in the Greek).

1. Active Voice. Present dikaioo shows the error of process 
justification in the Rich Young Ruler's foolish trust in works 
(Luke 10:29), Jesus' rebuke of the Pharisees self-righteous 
justification before others (Luke 16:15), Paul's denial of active 
obedience for justification (Gal. 2:16, 5:4) and that God alone 
is active in imputing justification to the believing sinner at 
the singular EVENT of faith (Rom. 4:5; Gal. 2:17; 3:8). Aorist 
dikaioo shows God alone is justified (Luke 7:29). Event 
justification links with historic glorification (future for us – 
historic for God, Rom 8:30). Future dikaioo shows God will 
justify only by faith (Rom. 3:30). The active voice affirms God's 
sole activity in justification and denies human activity.

2. Passive Voice. Present dikaioo shows believers passively 
receive God's imputed justification by faith without the deeds of 
law (Rom 3:28) and apart from the law (Gal. 3:11). Aorist dikaioo 
shows justification in parallel with historic passive 
sanctification (I Cor. 6:11). It denies justification by works 
(Rom 4:2). It affirms passive justification by faith (Rom 5:1,9; 
Gal 2:17; Tit 3:7). Perfect dikaioo shows the publican (Luke 
18:14) went and remained totally justified. Believers who die in 
Christ are and permanently remain freed from sin (Rom. 6:7). 
Future dikaioo shows justification will NOT be by law or deeds of 
the law (Rom 2:13; 3:20).

Justification is the activity of God the Judge. Upon the moment 
of faith, the believing sinner is forensically forgiven of all 
sins (Col. 2:13, I John 2:2) and is DECLARED righteous. The new 
child of God is in secure and full possession of eternal life.

SANCTIFICATION The Greek verbs for "sanctification" relate to 
hagiazo (29x in the Greek).

1. Active Voice. Present hagiazo shows God alone sets aside 
believers (Heb 2:11a). The blood of bulls purifies the offeror 
(Heb 9:13). Aorist hagiazo shows the disciples purified through 
God's truth (John 17:17). The church is purified by the Word (Eph 
5:26). God wholly purifies believers (1 Thess 5:23). Believers 
are commanded to set aside God in their hearts (1 Pet 3:15). 
There is no perfect or future use of the verb.

2. Passive Voice. Present hagiazo shows those who God has set 
aside are one (Heb 2:11b). Jesus has perfected for ever those who 
are being purified (Heb 10:14). Aorist hagiazo shows God's name 
is to be hallowed (Lord's prayer). Believers are set aside in 
Jesus' name in parallel with event justification (1 Cor 6:11). 
Perfect hagiazo shows disciples are set aside (John 17:19b, Acts 
20:32) to God by faith (Acts 26:18) through Jesus' once for all 
time offering (Heb 10:10). The Church is set aside in Jesus (1 
Cor 1:2). Believers are set aside by God, preserved and called 
(Jude 1). Those who purge themselves are consecrated vessels (2 
Tim 2:21). There is no future use of the verb.

Event sanctification is the activity of God our Father as He sets 
aside believers unto Himself (adoption). Process sanctification 
is the consecration of a vessel in holy service or purification 
into the image of Christ.

Thus: 
__1. Justification is an EVENT. 
__2. Human activity is denied for justification. 
__3. Only God is active in EVENT justification. 
__4. Only God sets aside believers unto Himself in EVENT 
adoption. 
__5. Believers are only active in PROCESS purification. 
__6. Justification is parallel with, yet distinct from, 
sanctification.

III. PROOFS A. ETERNAL VS TEMPORAL Things seen are temporal; 
things unseen are eternal (2 Cor 4:18). Since water baptism is 
visible, it is temporal and not associated with eternal life.

B. EXPOSITION OF ROMANS B1. DEPRAVITY "The most enlightened 
believer in the world knows not the utmost of his natural 
depravation, nor is able to fathom that inward abyss of iniquity 
which is perpetually throwing up mire and dirt; and which, like a 
spring of poison at the bottom of a well, infects and discolors 
the whole mass." [Augustus Toplady; 1794] 

Adam's sin spread death to the entire race (Rom 5:17-19; 1 Cor 
15:22; Eph 2:1,5). We are helpless to change our plight. Our 
hearts are so desperately wicked they are beyond knowing (Jer 
17:9). Even in our best states we are vanity (Psa 39:5) for even 
our finest righteous deeds are nothing more than filthy rags (Isa 
64:6).

In Romans, God builds an airtight case against all ungodliness, 
unrighteousness and those who hold the truth in unrighteousness 
(1:18). God condemns perverts (1:19-32), moral Gentiles (2:1-16), 
chosen Jews (2:17-3:9) and all self-righteous humans (3:10-18). 
In Judgment no one will be able to speak one word in self-defense 
(3:19).

Depravity denies water baptism salvation. Even if water baptism 
were required, it would be so corrupted by depravity would that 
it would be a filthy rag. Water baptism salvation has an over-
inflated opinion of human ability and a woefully inadequate 
understanding of sin. Water baptism salvation convolutes the 
gospel into a self- righteous system of death.

B2. CHRIST's RIGHTEOUSNESS Christ is the center and basis of 
redemption. The power of the gospel unto salvation is God's 
righteousness – apart from corrupted human obedience (1:16,17; 
3:21-22a) through Christ (3:22b- 25, 5:21, 10:4; Phil 1:11; 2 Pet 
1:1) alone (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). 

While God demands perfection (Matt 5:48), depravity shows that 
human perfection is impossible. Since only Jesus' perfection 
saves (Rom 3:22a; Phil 3:9; Heb 10:10-14), any system that 
depends on water baptism unwittingly denies Christ's 
righteousness. 

B3. INSTRUMENTAL FAITH Size of faith is not why God accepts 
believers. Even mustard seed faith saves. Faith is the sole 
instrument that activates God's IMPUTATION of Christ's 
righteousness and subsequent favor (Rom 3:26-31) without 
sacramental rite (3:30).

The relation between justification and faith denies human 
activity because God reckons faith as righteousness (Rom 4:3, 5, 
9, 13, 24) on the basis of Christ's righteousness. The simple 
LOOK of faith (John 3) receives Christ's IMPUTED righteousness. 
If water baptism is included with instrumental faith then 
biblical faith is twisted into a measure of faithful works (Rom 
11:6).

Any move to convert faith from the instrument that appropriates 
God's free gift of eternal life into a measure of process 
justification is the anti-gospel. Water baptism, works and 
enduring faithfulness are the anti-gospel for they measure errant 
process justification. Correct biblical theology makes them 
aspects of consecration and purification that follow event 
justification.

B4. OT SAINTS Abraham was declared righteous BEFORE circumcision 
(Rom 4:2,3,5,9) as an example for Jews and Gentiles (12). His 
circumcision came AFTER justification through God's IMPUTATION of 
Christ's righteousness (10-11). His example by faith WITHOUT 
sacrament is for all believers in either testament (13).

"IMPUTE" (Ps 32:2; Rom 4:6, 8, 11, 22, 23; 2 Cor 5:19; and Jam 
2:23) is cardinal. God effects a two-way IMPUTATION: our sins to 
Christ; His righteousness to us (2 Cor 5:21). Impute is an 
accounting term that has nothing to do with water baptism.

B5. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH Justification is by faith (Rom 5:1). 
Whereas the entire race was plunged into death by Adam's one sin, 
eternal life comes by Jesus alone (v18). Only Jesus' 
righteousness is mentioned – not human righteousness. Chapter 5 
is a mini summary of everything that has proceeded using the Adam 
– Christ contrast. Baptism is purposefully omitted. Addition of 
any rite to instrumental faith is an ungodly deviation.

B6. SPIRIT BAPTISM Only here in Rom 6, AFTER: __ denial of human 
obedience, __ Christ's righteousness alone, __ instrumental faith 
appropriating God's justification and __ Abraham's example of 
faith without sacrament . . . 

Does Paul mention baptism. Since "water" is not used anywhere in 
the entire book, this is Spirit baptism that comes at the EVENT 
of justifying faith. Since there is only ONE BAPTISM, water 
baptism abhorrently supplants Spirit baptism.

B7. SANCTIFICATION Spiritual growth leads to conformity into 
Jesus' image AFTER Spirit baptism. Believers die to the law and 
live to Christ. Even in the new life, Paul lost the battle with 
the flesh (Rom 7:5-24) but served God with the mind (7:25). We 
walk by the Spirit not by the flesh. Even as we fail, there is no 
condemnation for God's children (8:1). Event sanctification 
secures adoption (Rom 8:15,23; Gal 4:5).

ACTIVE works of consecration and purification occur AFTER 
justification – AFTER historic sanctification. They are based on 
Christ's righteousness and God's sure calling, justification and 
preservation (8:28-31) and belong only to present sanctification!

C. A SECOND HUMAN Water baptism is rejected for it makes 
justification depend on another human's faithfulness. 

D. JESUS' BAPTISM. Jesus was baptized in order "to fulfill all 
righteousness" (Matt 3:15). As True God and Giver of the Law, He 
had no inherent requirement to fulfill the law for His own 
salvation. His baptism was a sign to the world of God's power and 
marked the beginning of His public ministry. Do baptism for the 
right reasons! __not for salvation. __to declare God's power. 
__to mark the beginning of our public witness.

 E. JESUS' REQUIREMENT Self-centered crowds asked Jesus what they 
could do to be saved (John 6:28). Jesus converted their self-
centered question into a Christ-centered response: believe in Him 
(6:29). Water baptism is purposefully omitted.

F. PAUL'S REQUIREMENT Paul's gospel is the knowledge of the 
death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor 15:3-4) with 
justification by instrumental faith (Rom 5:1; Gal 2:16; 
3:14,22,26; 1 Tim 1:16). He wants to know nothing except Jesus 
and His crucifixion (1 Cor 2:2). Water baptism is resolutely 
denied (1 Cor 1:14,17).

G. JOHN'S REQUIREMENT John wrote an entire Gospel for the purpose 
that his readers might believe in Jesus and have eternal life 
(John 20:31). Water baptism is unequivocally omitted throughout 
his presentation of the gospel.

H. PETER's REQUIREMENT. Baptism is an appeal of an already 
cleansed conscience to God to live for Him in the new life (1 Pet 
3:19-21). It is the consecration of a justified sinner for holy 
service to God.

IV. CONCLUSION. As justification does not mix with 
sanctification, so also grace does not mix with works (Rom 11:6). 
If salvation is by works, then it isn't by grace. This contrast 
of justification/sanctification and grace/works is recast in this 
debate via a terminology shift; namely, a Christ-centered system 
of life does not mix with a human- centered system of death. If 
justification depends on human activity: (1) faith is voided, (2) 
God's promises are nullified and (3) the Cross is canceled (Rom 
4:14; I Cor 1:17c).

Water baptism is thus rejected as a temporal, human-centered, 
self- righteous system of death and despair. It unwittingly 
denies Christ, abhorrently supplants the Spirit's ONE BAPTISM and 
imprudently forces salvation to depend on another fickle feeble 
human.

Justification is by God's grace – alone; through instrumental 
faith – alone; in Christ – alone! This must be affirmed today 
with the same vigor that the Reformers affirmed this biblical 
truth in the sixteenth century.

Everything is Yea in Christ (2 Cor 1:19)! LAO

FOOTNOTE: [fn1]  "What's a Lutheran?"