Our Baptism & Communion Theory: Can you picture the church without a Bible? Probably not. The Bible seems to be the “bread & butter” of the modern church, and nearly everyone in the free world has one. This picture is artificial. Most Christians throughout church history did not have Bibles and a good number were illiterate. The church “stuffed with books” (and institutions that are financed by teaching them) is a relatively recent phenomenon (primarily the last century). A willingness to accept this is foundational to what we are about to say.
The Great Commission is not, “Go into all the world and pass out Bibles.” When Jesus commissioned his apostles and disciples He did not even mention the Scripture. Instead, He gave them authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Paul said it like this: “For the Kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power” (1 Cor 4:20).
God knows the human tendency toward religious pride. In many circles, the church practically worships the Bible, leaving an emphasis on our faith and the Holy Spirit at a minimum. So what did God have in mind? We think the answer might be straightforward and simple. Jesus gave the church two traditions to hold the Gospel of the Kingdom in place, and then He filled her with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Our theory is this: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is embedded in the traditions of baptism and communion. These two commands are the heavenly tools a Spirit filled church needs to carry out the Great Commission.
Baptism: The tradition of baptism in water preserves the historical events and meaning of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the essentials of conversion (repentance, death to self, and new life in Christ). No Bibles are needed, because the tradition of baptism cuts through illiteracy and language barriers. This is, in our current view, the primary purpose of baptism.
Communion: The tradition of communion (i.e. the Lord’s supper, “love feasts,” “breaking bread,” etc.), preserves the unity of believers in forgiveness, love and purpose. Again, no Bibles are needed. This tradition preserves church life and keeps our focus on His soon coming, cutting across cultural and educational walls. This, we believe, is the reason Jesus told us to keep it.
These two traditions provide a vehicle for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To fulfill the Great Commission, Jesus gave us baptism, communion, and His own Spirit. For most believers throughout church history this is the way the kingdom of God spread.
What would stop this from working? The same thing that blinded the Pharisees: religious pride, dogmatism, an intellectual/doctrinaire approach to God, and a lack of genuine love for others. It should come as no surprise that these two simple traditions have become primary points of division in the body of Christ by modern day pharisees.
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