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Old Testament washings (baptizings) took place by sprinkling. In a prophecy respecting the
spiritual renewal of the New Testament day the Lord says: “And I will sprinkle clean water upon
you, and ye shall be clean,” Ezek. 36:25. The matter signified in baptism, namely, the purifying
Spirit, was poured out upon the Church, Joel 2:28,29; Acts 2:4,33. And the writer of Hebrews
speaks of his readers as having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, Heb. 10:22.
E. THE LAWFUL ADMINISTRATORS OF BAPTISM.
Roman Catholics consider baptism absolutely essential to salvation; and because they regard it
as cruel to make the salvation of anyone dependent on the accidental presence or absence of a
priest, they also in cases of emergency permit baptism by others, particularly by midwives. In
spite of the contrary view of Cyprian, they recognize the baptism of heretics, unless their heresy
involves a denial of the Trinity. The Reformed Churches always acted on the principle that the
administration of the Word and of the sacraments belong together, and that therefore the
teaching elder or the minister is the only lawful administrator of baptism. The Word and the
sacrament are joined together in the words of the institution. And because baptism is not a
private matter, but an ordinance of the Church, they also hold that it should be administered in
the public assembly of believers. They have generally recognized the baptism of other
Churches, not excluding the Roman Catholics, and also of the various sects, except in the case
of Churches and sects which denied the Trinity. Thus they refused to honour the baptism of the
Socinians and of the Unitarians. In general, they considered a baptism as valid which was
administered by a duly accredited minister and in the name of the triune God.
F. THE PROPER SUBJECTS OF BAPTISM.
Baptism is intended only for properly qualified rational beings, namely, for believers and their
children. Rome loses sight of this in so far as it applies the sacrament also to clocks, buildings,
and so on. There are two classes to which it should be applied, namely, adults and infants.
1. ADULT BAPTISM.
In the case of adults baptism must be preceded by a profession of faith,
Mark 16:16; Acts 2:41; 8:37 (not found in some MSS.); 16:31-33. Therefore the Church insists
on such a profession before baptizing adults. And when such a profession is made, this is
accepted by the Church at its face value, unless she has good objective reasons for doubting its
veracity. It does not belong to her province to pry into the secrets of the heart and thus to pass
on the genuineness of such a profession. The responsibility rests on the person who makes it.
The method of prying into the inner condition of the heart, in order to determine the
genuineness of one’s profession, is Labadistic and not in harmony with the practice of the
Reformed Churches. Since baptism is not merely a sign and seal, but also a means of grace, the
question arises as to the nature of the grace wrought by it. This question is raised here only