Scripture Sprinkling Not Baptism.
By W. N. C.
Some learned “doctors of divinity,” claiming that sprinkling is baptism, maintain that this “mode” is in fulfillment of prophecy, and quote Eze. 36 : 25 : “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean.” The word “then” specifies the time when this act is to be performed, and is predicated upon something that has been said before. The preceding verse reads: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you unto your own land.” And it is when this is accomplished that the sprinkling of clean water is to take place. This promise was made to the house of Israel. Will the advocates of sprinkling for baptism please tell us at what time during the Christian era either literal or spiritual Israel have been gathered out of all countries unto their own land? We have no record that literal Israel have been so gathered; hence the sprinkling of them during this period, wherever they may be found, to fulfill Ezekiel’s prophecy, is out of date. Or, if it be claimed that spiritual Israelites go immediately to heaven when they die, and are thus gathered from all countries into their own land, then the sprinkling of them before death is premature, for according to the prophecy the sprinkling comes after the gathering. Another serious objection to applying this prophecy to baptism is, that the sprinkling of clean water, whatever it may mean, is an act that the Lord God is to do himself. So of Isaiah 52 : 15, which is also claimed as authority for sprinkling: “So shall he sprinkle many nations,” &c. The prophet undoubtedly refers to Jesus, and the sprinkling is something that Jesus is to do; but, according to John 4 : 2, “Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples.”