INFANT BAPTISM
Question: I was baptized as an infant, but infant baptism is never mentioned anywhere in God’s Word (the Bible). As I was growing up, my parents told me that I had already received baptism and had no need to be baptized again, and that the position I held was already that of a disciple of the Lord. If I pass another examination, I could be received into the communion. I believe that this is something man has added to the Bible, and I believe that this does not agree with the Bible. Mark 16:16 says, "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." This shows that baptism should come after believing. However, if one dies during childhood, he is saved already and no longer has any need for such an act, because at that age a child does not know what it is to believe and does not even know the difference between the left hand and the right. We can say that children have no sin. To be baptized is to wash away one’s sins (Acts 22:16). If infants are baptized, what are they washing away? Is it true that those who have been baptized in this way should be baptized again? (Lee, Anhwei)
Answer: Acts 19 answers this for you. But, brother, your question contains a little error. You asked, "Is it true that those who have been baptized in this way should be baptized again?" The word "again" is not appropriate. Since you know that there is no such thing as infant baptism in the Bible, then infant baptism is not scriptural and does not count according to the Bible. Hence, "those who have been baptized in this way" have, in the eyes of God, never been baptized. If he does get baptized, that will be his first baptism, and not his being baptized again. Your question should be stated this way: Should one who has not been baptized be baptized? After you have put the question this way, you should be able to find out the answer by yourself from the Bible.
THE "TRUE JESUS CHURCH"
Question: The "True Jesus Church" was recently raised up in our country. What is its goal? I read about it in the Spiritual Paper and was quite amazed by it. Please tell me about it. (Wang, Fuding)
Answer: Based on what I know, the True Jesus Church is a church which emphasizes very much the baptism of the Holy Spirit; it is a branch of the modern Pentecostal movement. The errors within this movement are many and are far more numerous than those within the Seventh Day Adventists. I will briefly point out to you several of their errors: (1) their claim that the baptism of the Holy Spirit must be accompanied by the speaking in tongues, (2) their claim that baptism can heal sickness, (3) the hallelujah prayers, (4) the name of the church, (5) the organization of the church, (6) their confusion on the cardinal truth concerning salvation, and (7) the keeping of the Sabbath. The most pitiful thing is that many believers are not so clear concerning the work of the Holy Spirit. As a result, they are cheated thoroughly. Even if a believer does not know anything else, at least he should know the teaching of Ephesians 1:13-14. Every believer, as soon as he believes the gospel, is sealed with the Holy Spirit. According to these two verses, all those who have believed in the gospel have the Holy Spirit already. Moreover, this Spirit will never leave them, but will be with them until the day of redemption (4:30). Therefore, a believer has no need to receive the Spirit as something he does not yet possess. Instead, he needs to obey the Spirit which he already has received. Concerning things supernatural, they can be from God, but they can also be from Satan. Not only so, Satan is the one who pretends to be the angel of light. The miracles that Satan performs can have the best appearance and effect. Our space is limited, and we cannot say too much. Nevertheless, the test of 1 John 4:1-3 is absolutely necessary.
WITHDRAWING FROM DENOMINATIONS
Question: I am working in the Independent Church, and I feel restricted. All the rituals there are mostly based on man’s ideas. I desire to work by myself, freely, and not to participate in any denominations, but I do not know if this is permissible. (Wang, Fuding)
Answer: May the Lord Himself lead you personally. Please pray much before the Lord, that you may know His will, before you make any move. Naturally, all faithful children of God see many unscriptural things in the denominations. But I wish everyone would not just listen to the opinions of others, nor merely see things with their own eyes, but would truly receive God’s revelation in the Spirit to see through the emptiness of man’s tradition. Otherwise, "that which is born of the flesh is flesh." There are at least three present dangers to the children of God concerning the question of denominations: (1) They follow the traditions of men and would not change. (2) They oppose the traditions of men and adopt the attitude of the modernists. Such is the case with those who advocate indigenous churches. (3) They oppose the traditions of men and fall into heresies, such as the Seventh Day Adventists and the True Jesus Church. Strictly speaking, although all three cases are dangerous, the last two are more dangerous than the first. It is safer to keep the traditions in the denominations (the first way). The real way, however, is to read God’s Word in God’s presence and resolve to obey. The testimony of the Bible is what we should follow. (This answers both Mr. Chen and Mr. Fan.)
(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 1) Vol. 07: The Christian (5), Chapter 19, by Watchman Nee)
