Essentials of Religion (xi)

In this chapter we will focus on another essential of religion, which is number nine on our original list, i.e. "Rites and Ceremonies." 

Most religions have Rites and Ceremonies. Christianity is no exception, although it has fewer rites than other religions, including what rites and ceremonies God ordained in the old testament (Judaism). What is the purpose of these rites and ceremonies? Many religions have an abundance of rituals and ceremonies. They have so many that they have become burdensome to the worshipers, especially if we add "religious traditions" to the category. In the old covenant that Jehovah made with the Israelites through Moses in the Torah there are numerous laws, statutes, ordinances, rituals, etc. But the Jewish leadership added numerous traditions to the religion God ordained and these often served to undermine the religion. Said Jesus to these leaders:

"For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition...making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do." (Mark 7: 8-9,13 nkjv)

On the other hand, there are legitimate traditions. Wrote the apostle Paul:

"Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle." (II Thess. 2: 15 nkjv)

Christianity has traditions such as praying before meals, women praying with head coverings and men praying without them (I Cor. 11), greeting fellow believers with an embrace or "holy kiss" (Rom. 16: 16; etc.), "laying on of hands" (Heb. 6: 2), giving benedictions, etc. Catholics have other traditions, such as giving the sign of the cross on their breasts when praying. The danger with any religion is that there perhaps occurs a proliferation of such traditions which leads people to think that the essence of religion consists in these things. There is also the danger that numerous regulations will lead to people becoming legalistic and nitpicking. Jesus had much to say against the Pharisees for this very thing.

"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments...Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (Matt. 23: 4-5; 23-24 nkjv)

In the early church there were some who thought that the Gentile believers should be circumcised and keep the old covenant's many traditions, and there was even a church council held in the Jerusalem church over the question and Peter gave what would become the general sentiment of the assembled apostles and elders. He asked: 

"Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?" (Acts 15: 10 kjv)

That "yoke" was the observance of all the old testament's rules and regulations, and of the numerous traditions that men added to the divine instructions. 

In Christianity there is no proliferation of rules, for that would be contrary to "the simplicity" of it, as we have previously stated. (II Cor. 11: 3) We have seen where the apostle John said that the commandments of the Lord Jesus in the new covenant are not burdensome or grievous. Christ said that his "yoke is easy and his burden light." (Matt. 11: 30) That was in contrast to the Jew's religion in the time of Christ when the religious leaders did "bind heavy burdens" that are "hard to bear" on the worshipers. 

Other more major traditions or rites are water baptism, the Lord's Supper, meeting on the first day of the week for corporate worship, and the things done when assembled, such as singing, preaching, praying, and giving, etc. Some Christians also practice feet washing.  There are also ordination ceremonies for elders, bishops, deacons, etc. 

Purification Rituals

The only purification ritual in Christianity is water baptism. In Christian doctrine there is the visible symbol of moral and spiritual cleansing and the invisible. The invisible does not depend upon the visible, that is, one may be clean in spirit and mind without having been ceremoniously cleansed in water baptism. However, there is not complete agreement among Christians about baptism, some believing that it is essential for actual cleansing from sin while others think not, believing rather that it was intended to be a sign or symbol of salvation. The debate over how water baptism purifies from sin goes back to the day when John the Baptist (baptizer) began this rite. So we read:

"Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. For John had not yet been thrown into prison. Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification." (John 3: 23-25 nkjv)

Baptism has something to do with purification. The question is, however, "what is that something?" Some Christians believe that water baptism is the act wherein a sinner is cleansed of sin and guilt, but that is an error. The Orthodox view, however, says that water baptism is a rite that symbolizes that cleansing, and that it occurred prior to baptism when the sinner believed and repented. However, having said this we can say that water baptism does purify penitent sinners ceremoniously. What do we mean by that? Notice this text:

"Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” (Mark 1: 40-44 nkjv)

When Jesus told the leper who he had cleansed by his word to go and "offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded" he obviously does not mean that the man had to do those things in order to obtain his actual cleansing for he was already cleansed when Christ gave him this exhortation. So, it was a ceremonial cleansing. So too is water baptism a ceremonial cleansing, an outward sign of what had already occurred inwardly. It was a visible representation of what had occurred invisibly in the mind, soul, and spirit. That is what is meant in Jesus' telling the cleansed leper to go and offer for his cleansing "as a testimony." We see this in the case of the conversion of persecuting Saul who became the apostle Paul. So we read:

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'" (Acts 22: 16 nkjv)

Baptism washes away sin pictorially and ceremonially. It is a memorial rite. The apostle Peter wrote:

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (I Peter 3: 21 kjv)

Baptism is not a bath to cleanse the body of dirt, but is a "like figure" of the internal cleansing of the soul, mind, and spirit that occurs in "the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3: 5) when a sinner believes and repents. It is a ceremonial cleansing designed to be a memorial or outward sign of inward grace. 

Water baptism serves several purposes. It is intended to symbolize and formalize a soul's salvation. It is a picture of that mystical washing of both the blood of Christ and of the word of God. Water baptism is a picture of being baptized in the spirit by the Holy Spirit. But it is also a "rite of passage" or rite of initiation. It is a way for the believer to publicly identify with Christ and his people.

Initiation Rites

Baptism represents a new beginning. Jesus himself was baptized, which fact shows that water baptism was not intended to wash away sins nor to make someone a child of God. Christ was already the Son of God before his baptism, but baptism did openly manifest or declare this fact. Baptism marks the formal beginning of the Christian life and is therefore an initiation rather than a graduation ceremony. With only a very few exceptions, such as with the Quakers, water baptism is practiced. 

Got Questions web page (See here) says this (emphasis mine):

"Historically, baptism has been used as a rite of initiation, showing the inductee’s entrance into a new belief or observance. Baptism in the church is also a token of the forgiveness of sins we experience at salvation—in much the same way that Pilate attempted to show his innocence by washing his hands with water (Matthew 27:24), Christians show they are cleansed by Christ when they are baptized by water."

Water baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which is the core teaching of Christianity and of the Gospel. (Rom. 6: 3-6) When a believer is baptized he makes public the fact that he identifies with Christ, and believes in, the good news. This is why infants are not to be baptized. They are not able to publicly believe, repent, or confess their sins or their faith. There is not a single instance or command in the new testament for baptizing any but believers, certainly no infants. 

The Jews in the old testament had many purification rituals and baptisms. So Paul in Hebrews speaks of the ritualistic religion of the old testament, saying that it was "concerned only with foods and drinks, and various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation." (Heb. 9: 10 nkjv) These purification rituals are no longer practiced under the new covenant. However, Paul does speak of the Christian faith as including a plurality of baptisms. Wrote Paul:

"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits." (Heb. 6: 1-3 nkjv)

Barnes' Notes on the Bible writes the following on the words "Of the doctrine of baptisms": 

"This is mentioned as the third element or principle of the Christian religion. The Jews made much of various kinds of "washings," which were called "baptisms;" see the note on Mark 7:4. It is supposed also, that they were in the practice of baptizing proselytes to their religion; see the note on Matthew 3:6. Since they made so much of various kinds of ablution, it was important that the true doctrine on the subject should be stated as one of the elements of the Christian religion, that they might be recalled from superstition, and that they might enjoy the benefits of what was designed to be an important aid to piety - the true doctrine of baptisms. It will be observed that the plural form is used here - "baptisms." There are two baptisms whose necessity is taught by the Christian religion - baptism by water, and by the Holy Spirit; the first of which is an emblem of the second."

I also think that by "the doctrine of baptisms" is a reference to the fact that in Christianity and in the new covenant is the reality to which all old covenant baptisms and washings and purification rituals pointed to. All external washings, whether of the old covenant or the new, are pictorial representations of internal washings. This internal cleansing is effected by "the washing of water by the word" (Eph. 5: 26), and by the mystical application of the blood of Christ, or an invisible baptism in blood. John the apostle spoke of confessing sinners and saints being cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ. (I John 1: 7) 

There are few rites and ceremonies in Christianity so that we may say that it is not a highly ritualistic religion. It has more than Islam, but far less than in Hinduism and many polytheistic religions. 

In the next chapter we will look at other rites and ceremonies in Christianity.