Section 15
in letter (2:27-28). I myself am strongly in favor of baptism by immersion according to the Scrip tures, and I would never baptize people by sprin kling them. However, this matter of baptism has become almost entirely a mere outward form. Paul told the Jews that genuine circumcision is inward, in the heart and in the spirit. We may apply the same word to baptism, for, in a sense, baptism in the New Testament replaces circum cision. Since circumcision is unreal as long as it is practiced as a bare outward form, so baptism can never be real if it is simply outward. I am sorry to say that nearly all baptisms have de graded into an outward form. We need the in ward reality. We should not be attached to any form, but pay our full attention to the reality.
Lacking Inward Reality in Spirit
Religion is vanity because it lacks inward reality in spirit (2:29). Romans 2:29 says that whatever we are, whatever we do, and whatever we have must all be in spirit. If you are a Jew and are circumcised, your circumcision must be in spirit. If you are a Christian and are baptized, your baptism must be in spirit. Everything must be in spirit. The spirit here, of course, is the human spirit. Why must everything be done in