Longhenry/Olson Debate on Baptism

 
 
 Proposition: 
 The Scriptures do not teach that immersion in water for the 
remission of sin is necessary for salvation.

Mr. Olson, of course, has put himself in rather a bind, 
attempting to affirm a negative.  His affirmative does well in 
skirting the issue of immersion in water, and also exhibits many 
fallacies and misinterpretations of the Scriptures.  We will 
expose these in due time.

I. Justification and sanctification.

As exhibited even in his definitions, Mr. Olson is obsessed with 
the concepts of "justification" and "sanctification."  As was 
well-demonstrated in the previous propositions, Mr. Olson has 
taken relatively easy-to-understand terms and loaded upon them 
the theological speculations of "reformists."  He has yet to 
actually prove that the New Testament usages of the term warrant 
the theological speculations of 1,500 years afterward.

On justification, Mr. Olson argues:

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.

ELDV: It is a massive fallacy to attempt to define words based on 
tense.  I would like to see concrete examples where words mean 
different things in different tenses.  Different voices can lead 
to different meanings, but I have yet to see good evidence to see 
a difference in meaning between tenses.

In Greek, tenses also contain aspects.  Mr. Olson consistently 
has denied the fact that justification is in fact a process, not 
merely an event.  An event begins the process, but one cannot 
separate the two.  One is made righteous, and must continually be 
made righteous, on account of continual sin (1 John 1:9).  One of 
Mr. Olson's supposed "prooftexts" even proves this point.

But if, while we sought [Gk: present participle, are seeking] to 
be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is 
Christ a minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build up again 
those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a transgressor. 
Galatians 2:17-18 ASV

I have cleared up the error in tense in the ASV to make the 
point: Paul speaks of being justified ("made righteous") in 
Christ in present, continual, processive terms.

Furthermore, nowhere in Mr. Olson's argumentation will you find 
James 2. James demonstrates that it is not only by intellectual 
assent to a proposition that men are justified:

Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith. 
James 2:24 ASV

It can also well be asked, where does 1 Peter 1:22 fit into Mr. 
Olson's paradigm?

Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth 
unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the 
heart fervently:

No one denies that humans sin, and that humans cannot by their 
own merit be justified.  No one denies that we cannot be 
justified by the Law of Moses. To attempt to posit, however, that 
mere intellectual assent to a proposition is all that is 
necessary for justification and that justification is a mere 
event with no continual process is against the message of the 
Scriptures. The faith that Paul speaks of in all the passages 
cited by Mr. Olson is an obedient faith-- and obedience, by 
necessity, requires human action.  We will see this clearly when 
we speak of Abraham.

On sanctification, Mr. Olson argued:

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.


ELDV: As opposed to looking at salvation in terms of 
relationship, and therefore seeing that the believer participates 
in an initial event for salvation and then upholds a standard for 
living, and that the event and process is both being continually 
made righteous and continually made holy, he simply makes an 
exception for that which he cannot get around, notably, that 
sanctification is not only a process but one in which a believer 
is actively engaged in.

His main thesis is untenable, notably, that mankind has no part 
in the process of being made righteous or being made holy.  Paul 
constantly says that it is by faith in Christ that man is made 
righteous by God or made holy by God.  Faith is the noun pistis 
in Greek, and its verb from is pisteuo, which is constantly used 
in the New Testament, translated as "to believe." Humans must 
engage in active belief in order to be made righteous or to be 
made holy.  Hear what Jesus has to say about belief in John 6:29:

Jesus answered and said unto them, "This is the work of God, that 
ye believe on him whom he hath sent."

Mankind most certainly has a role to play in his own salvation, 
lest God be made a liar.  Otherwise, how could God desire all men 
to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 
2:4)?  If God is the one who engages in all the work, then, for 
Him to be consistent with His inspired Word, He would have to 
save all men.  Yet we know that is not the case.  Let God be 
true, and man be found a liar.  It is the active work of belief—
  having faith in Christ Jesus, no mere intellectual assent to a 
proposition, but an obedient faith-- that allows a man to be made 
righteous and made holy in Christ Jesus.

Finally, justification and sanctification are intertwined and 
cannot be so easily separated.  In order to be made righteous, 
one must be made holy (1 Peter 1:16).  One cannot be made holy—
separated-- in Christ Jesus without being made righteous (cf. 
Isaiah 59:1).

It is manifest, then, that man must have belief and obedient 
faith to receive the justification and sanctification in Christ 
Jesus.  By necessity, then, Mr. Olson's arguments regarding 
justification and sanctification do not deny the need for 
immersion in water for the remission of sin.

More germane to the topic, Mr. Olson says about baptism:

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


ELDV: In order to prove this, Mr. Olson will have to:

a. show how the Spirit's baptism occurred in every instance 
baptism is mentioned in the New Testament; b. demonstrate why the 
Greek preposition "en" in 1 Corinthians 12:13 should be 
translated "by," and not "in"; c. demonstrate how Paul can speak 
of there being but one baptism yet Mr. Olson speaks of two (cf. 
Ephesians 4:5); d. demonstrate how Spirit baptism is the primary 
baptism despite all evidence pointing to water baptism; e. why he 
transgresses proper understanding of source and target domains of 
metaphors in Colossians 2.

If he does not do this in the rest of the affirmative, we will 
certainly speak of it at the end.

Mr. Olson begins his "proofs" with the following:

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.


ELDV: According to Mr. Olson, then, anything that is visible must 
be temporal and not associated with eternal life.

And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among 
them, casting lots; and they sat and watched him there...And 
about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, 
Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou 
forsaken me?" And some of them stood there, when they heard it, 
said, "This man calleth Elijah." And straightway one of them ran, 
and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a 
reed, and gave him to drink. And the rest said, "Let be; let us 
see whether Elijah cometh to save him." And Jesus cried again 
with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. (Matthew 27:35-36, 
46-50)

Well, apparently, the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, being a 
visible event, must be temporal and not associated with eternal 
life.

For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, 
separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who 
needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up 
sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the 
people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. 
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but 
the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, 
perfected for evermore. Hebrews 7:26-28 ASV

I do not think anything more needs to be said about the inherent 
fallacy of this argument.  I will only add that in Romans 6:3-7, 
Paul makes a strong parallel between the immersion of believers 
and this death of Christ:

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ 
Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with 
him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised 
from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might 
walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in 
the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of 
his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified 
with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we 
should no longer be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is 
justified from sin.

Mr. Olson's "proofs" continued: 
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.


ELDV: Mr. Olson takes the hyperbole of the prophets and then 
attempts to argue that man has no good in him whatsoever.  That 
all human beings have sinned no one doubts.  But nowhere in the 
above argument does Mr. Olson prove that man cannot see his 
plight and turn to God. If man cannot turn to God, why would 
Christ say the following in Matthew 11:28-30?

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will 
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am 
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Furthermore, we have Luke's testimony concerning Cornelius before 
he was redeemed by Christ Jesus, in Acts 10:1-2:

Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, Cornelius by name, a 
centurion of the band called the Italian band, a devout man, and 
one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the 
people, and prayed to God always.

How could Luke speak in such terms about a man lost in his sins, 
a Gentile, unregenerate, whose righteousness was as filthy rags?  
Did Cornelius not have any good in him?  Was he not able to turn 
to God?  He certainly seemed to have done so, at least in some 
degree, else how could he be called "devout"?

Human sinfulness and depravity need not require man's 
impossibility to turn from his sin and toward the righteousness 
of God.  Since man can turn to God, and, in fact, man is 
constantly commanded to turn back to God, Mr. Olson's arguments 
collapse, and do not deny the need for immersion in water.

Mr. Olson continues: 
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.


ELDV: Again, Mr. Olson makes a false conclusion based on 
misinterpretations of Scripture.  God does not condemn obedient 
faith-- in Romans 1:5, that is the mission of Paul for the 
nations!  It is manifest that mere intellectual assent to the 
proposition of Jesus Christ does not nor cannot save (James 
2:19).  One must actively engage in faith-- not only belief in 
the existence and power of Jesus Christ, but full acceptance of 
the Gospel-- to have the blessings of eternal life!  Since humans 
must have obedient faith, and the faith must be rooted in the 
gospel, "God's power of salvation," as pointed out in Romans 
1:16, and humans must obey the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9), 
anything that is part of the Gospel must be obeyed.

In the example of Philip and the eunuch in Acts 8:34-39, Mr. 
Olson was unable to deny the fact that immersion in water was a 
part of the message Philip preached to the eunuch.  It is 
manifest, then, that being immersed in water is part of the 
obedience to the Gospel necessary for eternal life. Mr. Olson's 
argument yet again fails.

Mr. Olson continues: 
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.


ELDV: The mere fact that justification by faith requires faith, 
the product of active belief, denies the entire premise of Mr. 
Olson's argument.  No one doubts that "faith is the sole 
instrument...", but the question rightly can be put, "what is 
faith?"  We have seen that faith is not mere intellectual assent 
to a proposition.  No, faith is truly obedient faith.  It is in 
attempting to separate faith from obedience where Protestants 
have gone wrong for 500 years, and Mr. Olson continues to 
perpetuate it.

Mr. Olson will have to show us one example of someone saved in 
the New Testament who did not have obedient faith in Christ Jesus 
in order to prove that obedience is not necessary for salvation.  
Until then...his literalizing of metonymy stands exposed.

Mr. Olson continues: 
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.


ELDV: Mr. Olson now brings the example of Abraham.  Yes, Abraham 
was declared righteous before circumcision-- Paul's line of 
argumentation demonstrates that Abraham was justified not through 
having been circumcised but on account of his faith.

But let's look at the account in Genesis.

Where do we see that Abraham's faith was reckoned to him as 
righteousness? Genesis 15:6:

And he believed in the LORD; and he reckoned it to him for 
righteousness.

Yet, as James has said,

Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered 
up Isaac his son upon the altar? Thou seest that faith wrought 
with his works, and by works was faith made perfect; and the 
scripture was fulfilled which saith, "And Abraham believed God, 
and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness;" and he was 
called the friend of God. Ye see that by works a man is 
justified, and not only by faith. James 2:21-24 ASV

Mr. Olson, on a previous occasion, attempted to deny the force of 
this verse by saying that the "event of justification" occurred 
before the demonstration of faith by works.  While the particular 
event James speaks of did occur after God reckoned Abraham's 
belief as righteousness, it was not the first time Abraham 
believed in God.  As it is said in Hebrews 11:8-10:

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a 
place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went 
out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he became a sojourner 
in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in 
tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same 
promise: for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, 
whose builder and maker is God.

The events described occurred in Genesis 12, long before the 
events of Genesis 15.  Abraham had obeyed God many times by faith 
before that belief was reckoned to him as righteousness.  The 
example of Abraham actually runs completely counter to Mr. 
Olson's argument, because, as James attests, Abraham's faith was 
wrought with his works, both before and after the "event of 
justification".  Abraham received a message from God, and he 
obeyed it. How are we to be any different?

Mr. Olson: 
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.


ELDV: It is good to know that Mr. Olson knows the purpose of God!

Has anyone yet doubted that we are made righteous by faith?  No, 
not one! The question has always been about the nature of that 
faith-- and faith without any form of obedience is untenable.  
Since the faith we need is an obedient faith, it must conform to 
the message given-- and that message includes being immersed in 
water for the remission of sin.

Mr. Olson would do well to not impose his "think-sos" so 
forcefully on God's word.

Mr. Olson:
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.


ELDV: So Mr. Olson finally gets around to Romans 6 and baptism.

It is interesting that he says there is only "one baptism", yet 
professes two: "water baptism" and "Spirit baptism."  It is also 
interesting to note that while the term "water" is not used in 
Romans 6, neither is "Spirit." The evidence we have to go on—
the nature of the parallelism-- supports the idea of water 
baptism.  Mr. Olson will have to show how it makes more sense for 
a Spirit baptism to be a "burial," and not water baptism.  He 
will also have to show where Spirit baptism is called being 
baptized "into Christ."

We also demonstrated forcefully in the second affirmative of the 
previous propositions that when comparing the Biblical usages of 
the baptism of the Holy Spirit and baptism in water, the former 
can be seen in two occasions with specific purposes and specific 
instances, while the latter were far more universal in scope.  We 
also saw that the former was always done by God, while the latter 
was done by fellow humans, and the latter is seen far more often 
than the former.  The one baptism of Ephesians 4:5 is manifestly 
immersion in water, not "Spirit baptism," especially since the 
main vehicle of Spirit transferral in the first century is laying 
on of hands (cf. Acts 8, Acts 19).  Mr. Olson's argumentation 
holds no water.

Mr. Olson waxes further on sanctification: 
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!


ELDV: Changing your definitions based on irrefutable evidence 
does not justify your definitions.

Justification and sanctification are both dependent on obedient 
faith.  If the faith is not obedient, there is no justification 
nor sanctification. Therefore, the above argumentation is 
inherently flawed.

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


ELDV: Romans 10:14-17:

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? 
and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and 
how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they 
preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, "How 
beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good 
things!" But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For 
Isaiah saith, Lord, "who hath believed our report?" So belief 
cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Paul declares that belief-- necessary for faith, necessary for 
justification-- is dependent on one hearing the message, which is 
dependent on one preaching the message, which is dependent on one 
being sent to preach said message.  Shall we reject hearing the 
Gospel and belief, its fruit, because it makes justification 
dependent on another human's faithfulness?

The fallacy of the argument is apparent.

Mr. Olson:
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.


ELDV: Mr. Olson will need to Biblically prove the logical 
syllogism that he has made.

Where does the Bible ever say that baptism is "not for salvation" 
or "to declare God's power?"

He is also going to have to prove that baptism is for "the 
beginning of our public witness," especially when we see people 
like the Ethiopian eunuch being baptized in obscure water pools 
in the desert (Acts 8:334-39), not exactly a "public" place.

Mr. Olson:
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.


ELDV: Again, Mr. Olson would do well to not impugn upon God's 
wisdom (Isaiah 55:8-9).

It ought to be first demonstrated that Jesus was speaking to 
Jews, and Jews were not given the commandment of immersion in 
water for the remission of sin; that is part of the new covenant, 
not the old (Acts 2:38, Colossians 2:14-17, Ephesians 2:11-18).

Secondly, the "belief" under discussion is a "work," not a mere 
intellectual assent to a proposition.  That "work" would require 
obedience, and obedience to the standard of Christ.

Mr. Olson:
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).


ELDV: The question, as was begged in the preceding proposition, 
is begged again: if water baptism is so "resolutely denied," why 
on earth did Paul baptize Crispus, Gaius, and the house of 
Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:14, 16)? Why would Paul order the 
disciples of John to be baptized (Acts 19:1-6)?

The fact of the matter is that part of obedient faith is 
immersion in water for the remission of sin, "being buried in 
Christ to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-7).  It was 
manifestly a part of Paul's message.

Mr. Olson:
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.


ELDV: First of all, Mr. Olson is categorically wrong in his 
declaration, as John 4:1-2 attest:

When therefore the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that 
Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although 
Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples),

And secondly, as John says, the point of the Gospel is so that 
men can believe that Jesus is the Christ.  The selfsame person, 
in his letters, attests to the need of obedience to God's 
commandments, one of which is immersion in water for the 
remission of sin (1 John 2:4-5, Acts 2:38).

Mr. Olson:
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.


ELDV: How Mr. Olson extrapolates this out of Peter is beyond me.  
How can Peter say that baptism now "saves you" if the salvation 
already has occurred?  I believe this is more eisegesis than 
exegesis: Peter is definitive about the role and purpose of 
baptism.  Baptism is NOT the appeal of an already cleaned 
conscience, lest it have no purpose: it is an appeal to have a 
clean conscience, based on the resurrection, and it leads to 
salvation.

Mr. Olson will have to demonstrate Biblical proof for his many 
assumptions as to what the purpose of baptism is.  Not one he has 
dared to present has withstood Biblical scrutiny.

It is manifest from Mr. Olson's affirmative that he must evade 
the clear Scriptures affirming the need of baptism, and spends 
the vast majority of his affirmative not speaking about baptism 
at all.  Since he cannot demonstrate the error of baptism for 
salvation directly, he must attempt to evade the problem with 
talk of "justification" and "sanctification," and turn Scripture 
against itself.  As opposed to understanding God's clear 
directives about obedience and its fruit, including baptism, and 
then trying to understand the rest of the Scriptures regarding 
justification by faith and the like, Mr. Olson seems content to 
have the Scriptures in contradiction with one another.  If 
immersion in water is not for remission of sin, and thus having a 
role in salvation, it is an empty gesture.  Mr. Olson's attempts 
at explaining its purpose demonstrate this.  Believing that 
immersion in water is not the "one baptism" of Ephesians 4:5, Mr. 
Olson is forced to conclude that there are really two baptisms, 
because he cannot get around the fact that the Bible consistently 
speaks of immersion in water. It is far, far easier to understand 
the nature and purpose of immersion in the Holy Spirit-- the 
special dispensation of God to inaugurate the Kingdom and the 
entrance of the Gentiles into that Kingdom-- and see that 
immersion in water was the normative baptism enjoined on all 
believers and confessed to be the "one baptism," than to profess 
that "baptism in the Spirit" is the normative baptism, leaving 
water baptism without a proper place.

Mr. Olson has deftly avoided the substance of the proposition.  
Mr. Olson says that baptism is not necessary for salvation.  Hear 
ye the Scriptures.

And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority 
hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, 
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the 
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 
teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: 
and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. 
Matthew 28:18-20 ASV

And Peter said unto them, "Repent ye, and be baptized every one 
of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your 
sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 
2:38 ASV

Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ 
Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with 
him through baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised 
from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might 
walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with him in 
the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of 
his resurrection; knowing this, that our old man was crucified 
with him, that the body of sin might be done away, that so we 
should no longer be in bondage to sin; for he that hath died is 
justified from sin. Romans 6:3-7 ASV

which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, 
not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the 
interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the 
resurrection of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 3:21 ASV

The Scriptures manifestly show that immersion in water, baptism, 
is for remission of sin, and is necessary for salvation.  The 
proposition stands refuted.

Ethan R. Longhenry (ELDV)