Many people immediately think of historic Baptists in view of the ordinance of Baptism. It certainly is one of the important tenets of faith for them, but it is a Baptist distinctive because of the way we view baptism biblically. Other groups that call themselves Christians practice baptism in different ways and with widely differing doctrinal significance. Baptists have insisted that biblical baptism has nothing to do with salvation and is only to be administered to someone who provides a clear statement of their salvation prior to being immersed in water. Even that mode of water baptism is important to the Baptists.
Over the Church Age, the significance, method, and candidates for baptism have changed according to many groups. Baptists have always maintained that the Bible is clear that this local church ordinance is to be practiced as Believer’s Baptism. In other words, only after a person is truly saved and publicly acknowledges that decision, are they then eligible to submit to biblical baptism by immersion. Our text in Matthew 28:19-20, known as the Great Commission, tells us a lot about how and why true believers are to submit to Believer’s Baptism following their conversion. As new creations, young Christ-followers are to make a public declaration of their salvation experience and then follow the Lord in baptism as a public testimony of their newfound faith in Jesus.
Consider and answer these questions related to Believer’s Baptism:
- The prerequisite for a person to be baptized is that they are a Disciple of Jesus. What does that mean and how is that important to the Baptist view of baptism?
- In our Matthew 28 instruction, in whose name is the believer baptized?
- After salvation and Believer’s Baptism, what is the responsibility of every Christian?
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