A Mere 17-Point Exposition and Rational Approbation on the Biblical and Historical Study of the Reformed Baptist Teaching of Credobaptism

*I respectfully write a defense of "credo-baptism" (baptism of believer's in Christ) in denial of "paedobaptism" (baptism of infants) without the Roman teaching of baptismal regeneration.  Reformed people disagree on this vital subject, but nevertheless, we hold to our convictions because of the honor of Christ.   We stand strong on the five solas of the gospel, majority of the historic Confessions, and the doctrines of grace in how someone is right with God.   This disagreement though serious is within the "pal of orthodoxy" in the design of Jesus in bringing division among family in Christ.  The disagreement between Presbyterians and Baptists in Reformed Theology on baptism does not in anyway inferior with justification by faith alone and where it counts on being right with God we are united in Christ.   That is, we are no doubt brothers and sisters in Christ without a gospel of man-made traditions but that of the infallible Word alone.  The grace and peace of our great Savior and Creator be with you!

"Someone says, “I can be saved without being baptized.” So you will do nothing that Christ commands, if you can be saved without doing it? You are hardly worth saving at all! A man whose idea of religion is that he will do what is essential to his own salvation, only cares to save his own skin. Clearly, you are no servant of Christ’s. Baptism, if not essential to your salvation, is essential to your obedience to Christ."  (C.H. Surgeon).

1.  The baptism of a professing Christian is exclusively commanded by Christ (Mt 28:19-20).

2.  The baptism of a professing Christian is exclusively commanded by the Apostle Peter (Mk 16:15-16).

3.  The baptism of professing Christians is exclusively commanded by Christian elders in the New Testament (Acts 22:12-16).

4.  The Reformed Baptist local churches seek to have Christians who profess and possess Christ by faith alone unto a created and ordained lifestyle of good works (Eph 2:8-10).

5.  The Reformed Baptist local church is seeking to fill the pews with BORN AGAIN people (those who have responded to God's holy Word), but not those who have not responded by an outward testimony and confession about Christ with what is in the heart of a true believer (see Acts 8:37-38).

6.   The baptism of Christians were administered by the apostles (Acts 2:1, 41), Ananias (Acts 9:17, 18), Philip (Acts 8:12; 8:36-38), Peter (Acts 10:44-48) and Paul (Acts 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:14-17).  The historical examples of baptism never involved baptism of infants because they could not respond through the ordinary means of the gospel.  I suggest to you that in the historical account of king David his new-born baby went to heaven although God took the child's life out of corrective judgment because of his adultery and murder but those children that die in infancy go to heaven by the protection of God the Spirit without the ordinary means of the gospel.  We do not know how God saves them but we know that He does by the example of king David and his new-born child.  However, we do not deny that Christ alone is glorified in the unified imputed merit of Christ alone in how a child is right with God.  It is a supernatural mystery in a sense because they are too little to respond in an outward way of the Word preached.  God here emphasizes His Son's perfect person and work in their behalf (the essence of divine grace).  It is also a grave error to say that abortion is not a crime because all children conceived who die go to heaven.  No, no!  We are called to preserve and protect the dignity of all human life.

7.  The places of baptizing professing Christians is the Jordan (Mt 3:13-16; Mk 1:5-10), Jerusalem (Acts 2:5, 41), Samaria (Acts 8:5, 12), a house (Acts 10:44-48) and a jail (Acts 16:25-33).  It is an argument from silence that somehow the professing Christians were not baptized by the sole mode of baptism (immersion).

8.   Those baptized are believing Jews (Acts 2:12, 41).

9.   Those baptized are believing Gentiles (Acts 10:44-48; 18:8).

10.  Those baptized are whole households (Acts 16:14-15, 27, 33; 1 Cor. 1:16).  Once more, it is an argument from silence to say that an entire household had some infants to baptize through the mode of "sprinkling."  If there were infants, it is like the Bible referring to the twelve apostles after the death of Judas.  Its not that at that time there were literally twelve but it was a figure of speech due to the fact that Judas had committed suicide.  I suggest to you that when it refers to an whole household, it refers to those who professed Christ from an outward testimony.  The point is, the only mode of baptism known in the historical New Testament is through immersion of a household of confessing Christ to be baptized and brought into the right hand of fellowship in the local churches.

11.  The characteristics of baptism is through water (Acts 10:47).  Both Presbyterian and Baptist in Reformed Theology would agree with this.  However, we would disagree with Rome because she adds an oil to the waters of baptism.  Hence it is not pure water and would violate the simplicity of the infallible Scriptures.

12.   It sincerely grieves my heart that there is disagreement among faithful Christians on the mode of baptism and who to baptize.  However, the Bible refers to one baptism.  I would rather there be disagreement on something such as baptism than the way to be right with God among faithful Christians.  It is not wise to go against conscience but conscience is not equal to the written Word.  Everyone must seek to honor Christ and not ourselves.  Reformed people believe in the theological concept in Latin of Ecclesia semper reformanda (the church is always reforming).  This does not mean there is no certainty.  Rather people must reform by God's Spirit because we are sinners in need of correction through the unchangeable and inerrant Scriptures alone.  Man is changeable through the immutable and infallible truth of Scriptures alone.  It is possible that one day all sorts of Christians will agree on baptism concerning credo-baptism (baptism of believer's).

13.  Credo-baptism is necessary to honor Christ (Acts 2:38-41), but it does not forgive original sin and save a soul.  Honoring Christ in credo-baptism refers to immediate obedience to the command of Christ to fulfill all righteousness like John's baptism of Jesus (Mt 3:15).  Baptism is the beginning of Christian ministry.   Christian ministry means to walk in the obedience of faith and submit to God's moral law.  It means an non-meritorious demonstration of a living faith that Jesus brought His people as He rose from the baptismal waters of death unto His glorious and bodily resurrection unto life (Col. 2:12) for the confirmation of how someone is right with God through Himself alone in behalf of His people alone in the cosmic, eternal, spiritual and supernatural victory over sin, death and Satan.

14.  There is no explicit inspired historical example or record of infant baptism in the New Testament Scriptures.

15.  Baptism should not be treated like circumcision.

16. The only grace of God comes from Christ alone in how someone is right with God.   I know my brothers and sisters in Christ in Presbyterianism would agree it is Christ alone in how someone is right with God, but I would disagree that this is some sort of grace-given command of Christ for infants.  It is only for those who have professed Christ in the way the New Testament shows. 

17.  The best and only way to describe the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not through infant baptism.  Rather it is through the mode of immersion.  The Christian is taken back into the baptismal waters and brought back up to spiritual life.  The baptismal waters are a picture of the new life Christ as already freely bestowed upon us through Christ alone.  That is, baptism is essential to obedience but baptism is not how someone is right with God.  I suggest to you it is the best way to picture the person and work of Christ and bring all glory and honor to Him alone by the outworking of our contrite obedience that adds nothing to the matchless unified merit of Christ alone imputed to us by faith alone in the spiritual application of the Holy Spirit to the lost sinner: He brings a new life as a new creation in Christ Jesus.

"[Baptism by immersion is] the usual form of the original meaning of the Greek baptidzein and baptismos; from the analogy of John’s baptism in the Jordan; from the apostle’s comparison of the sacred rite with the miraculous passage of the Red Sea, with the escape of the ark from the flood, with a cleansing and refreshing bath, and with burial and resurrection; finally, from the general custom of the ancient church, which prevails in the East to this day."  (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Quoted in Morris, Baptism: How Important is It? p. 15-16).