Believer's Baptism (a history)

Immersion is historically the first and recognized manner or mode of baptism. This fact is reported virtually by every historian and/or historical writing which bears upon the topic. Edward Hiscox in his book "Principles and Practices for Baptist Churches," reports a brief history on the deviant mode of pouring. He notes that the first incident of "aspersion" (or pouring) is that of Novatian in A.D. 250 upon his sick bed, hence it is called "clinic baptism." Sprinkling however is rather sketchy but one historian (Vedder) places it on A.D. 259 and adapted as a mode by the Roman Catholic Council of Revenna in 1311. Infant baptism, being motivated by the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration (or pardon through baptism) was recognized as early as A.D. 350. One can observe that convenience would be a motive of changing from immersion to any other mode. This change, however convenient it may be, is unjustifiable. The very word for baptism itself, and the examples in Scripture, and the teachings regarding baptism within the Scriptures themselves tells us that immersion is the only Biblical mode for believer's baptism (or credobaptism - from the Latin "creed" meaning belief, i.e. we only baptized those who have made a profession of faith in Christ).

Believer's Baptism (Introduction)

The term Baptism is transliterated from the Greek word βαπτίζω (baptizo) which means "to dip" or "to immerse." Virtually every lexicographer concurs even though many are not of the Baptist persuasion. The preponderance of the usage of the word baptizo tells us that the mode of baptism is immersion.

Baptism is a New Testament ordinance wherein a believer is immersed upon their profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it symbolizes the believer's identification, and union with Christ and fellow believers, the death and burial of the old way of life, the walking in newness of life, and the anticipation of a glorious ressurection.

(More to come)

Chapter 2: The Ancient Churches (part 2)

"For the first three centuries the Lord placed Christianity in the most unfavorable circumstances that it might display its moral power, and gain its victory over the world by spiritual weapons alone. Until the reign of Constantine it had not even a legal existence in the Roman Empire, but was first ignored as a Jewish sect, then slandered, proscribed, persecuted, as a treasonable innovation, and the adoption of it made punishable with confiscation and death." (Schaff, History of the Christian Church, I. 148). [ibid, pg. 26]

Chapter 2: The Ancient Churches (A.D. 100-325)

"Through all of this period there were doubtless many churches that remained true to the New Testament ideals. The more earnestly they adhered to the Scriptural principles the less likely was mention made of them. It was unusual and the heretical that attracted attention and was recorded in the histories of the times." (J. T. Christian)

"For the first three centuries the Lord placed Christianity in the most unfavorable circumstances that is might display its moral power, and gain its victory over the world by spiritual weapons alone. Until the reign of Constantine it had not even a legal existence in the Roman empire, but was first ignored as a Jewish sect, then slandered, proscribed, persecuted, as a treasonable innovation, and the adoption of it made punishable with confiscation and death..." (Schaff, History of the Christian Church, I. 148) [ibid, pg. 26]

The New Testament Churches

"The New Testament recognizes a democratic simplicity, and not a hierarchical monarchy. There is no irregularity, but a perpetual proclamation of principles. There is no intimation that there was a continuity of churches, for doubtless there was, but our insistence is that this was not the dominant note in apostolic life. No emphasis is put on a succession of baptisms, or the historical order of churches. Some of the apostles were disciples of John the Baptist (John 1:35), but there is no record of the baptism of others, though they were baptized. Paul, the great missionary, was baptized by Ananias (Acts 9:17,18), but it is not known who baptized Ananias. Nothing definite is known of the origin of the church at Damascus. The church at Antioch became the great foreign missionary center, but the history if its origin is not distinctly given. The church at Rome was already in existence when Paul wrote to them his letter. These silences occur all through the New Testament, but there is a constant recurrence of type, a persistence of fundamental doctrines, and a proclamation of principles. This marked the whole apostolic period, and for that matter, every period since that time." (Ibid. pg. 22)

The ordinances are symbols not sacraments

"President E.Y. Mullins has concisely stated the historical contention of Baptists in the following words:

"...Forms and ceremonies are like ladders. On them we may climb up or down. If we keep them in their place as symbols, the soul feeds on the truth symbolized. If we convert them into sacraments, the soul misses the central vitality itself, spiritual communion with God. An outward religious ceremony derives its chief significance from the context in which it is placed, from the general system of which it forms a part. If a ceremony is set in the context of a spiritual system of truths, it may become indispensable element for the furtherance of those truths. If it is set in the context of a sacramental system, it may and does become a means for obscuring the truth and enslaving the soul." (McGlothlin, Infant Baptism Historically Considered, 7)" (ibid, pg. 19)

On Baptism (part 2)

"The New Testament teaching is quite clear on this point. (Faith as a prerequisite to baptism, of which infants are incapable of exercising) John the Baptist required that those who were applicants for baptism should experience repentance, exercise faith, make a confession of sin and live a righteous life (Matt. 3:2; Acts 19:4). Jesus first made disciples and then baptized them (John 4:1), and gave them distinct commandement that teaching should precede baptism (Matt. 28:19). In the preaching of the apostles repentance antedates baptism (Acts 2:38): The converts were filled with joy, and only men and women were baptized (Acts 8:5, 8, 12). There is no account or inference implying the baptism of an infant by Jesus or his apostles." (ibid, pp. 16-17)