A question for Baptists about Baptism?

I know you're asking Baptists but, I'll just mention that though my church is not a Baptist church, we agree with the SBC's view on Baptism.

 

I'm an independent fundamental.

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

 

Ditto per Don's post.

 

Ditto again here !!!

Hey, Granny !

 

This is Blackbird on his perch!

Southern Baptist to the core! If I were anything else I'd be "Plum ashamed!" HA!

Ditto-ing Brother Don! (1) NO! (2) NO! (3)YES!

I baptized a elderly gentleman not long ago--cornered him in the grocery store one afternoon and began talking with him about being saved! Here's how the story went!

"Brother (Blackbird)! I was saved--repented of my sins and received Jesus as Lord and Savior--over 55 years ago during some heavy fighting over in Belgium in World War 2! German bullets and "Potato Mashers" flying over everywhere! And I believe with all my heart since then that I would go to Heaven when I die! I ain't dead yet! But although I was saved back then--I have never been baptized! I would love to come to your church and make a public profession of my faith and be baptized! Can I come this coming Sunday?!!?"

I said, "Sure you can!" Anyway, the very next Sunday--he came--during the invitation period he walked with a cane in his hand and a smile on his lips--and that night we baptized him!

 

Absolutely not. It is still important though.

No. Believer's baptism only.

Yes. That's what "baptize" literally means in Greek.

 

GARBC:

1. No
2. No
3. Yes

 

Good question! May I add another question?

Assuming that baptism is not necessary for salvation (that is by our faith and God's grace), and that infants should not be baptized (reserved for believers):

Is it necessary to immerse rather than to sprinkle (or whatever any other church is doing instead of dunking?) And is there scriptural basis? I ask because I have debated this with a friend - and we both would truly love to know.

 

Have you ever read, in the Bible, where they used "sprinkling" or any other means for baptism?

Think about it!

MEE

 

I suppose you could sprinkle or pour...but why? Our biblical example is immersion, but if a case necessitated that you have to sprinkle or pour, I suppose God will be judging the intent of the heart and not the outward signs.

Bro. Adam

 

sfcgijill, the only sprinkling I'm aware of was in the Old Testament, and that was the sprinkling of blood.

Throughout the New Testament, the word for baptize is "baptisma," "baptizo," or a form thereof, which literally means "dipped, immersed, or submerged."

Further, look at Romans 6:4. How can we be buried like Christ if we are only sprinkled? How can we be raised again like Christ if we are only sprinkled?

Thus, sprinkling doesn't cut it.

 

It is done by immersion ONLY!

 

If you go to Israel and view all the mikvehs there,
built at great expense for baptizing, you will
have to admit that they would not have gone to
so much trouble and expense, dedicating so
much land and work to baptizing by immersion,
if it was all right to just pour water on or to sim-
ply sprinkle.

 

I also ditto

1.) NO
2.) NO
3.) YES

Immersion is the only example we have and as it has been stated, that is what the word means. I see no reason to baptize any other way.

~Lorelei

 

The Torah (Old testament) requires a purifying bath to remove uncleanness caused by leprosy, discharge of semen, menstruation, childbirth, or contact with a corpse (Leviticus 12:2; 15:5-13; Numbers 19:19; Deuteronomy 23:12). Before officiating at the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) services, the high priest had to bathe in a mikvah (gathering of waters) in order to be ritually fit for the task. Mikveh requirements; water from a natural spring or river (living water) In order to cover the entire human body the mikveh must have a contain minimum amount 120 gallons; In every Jewish community there have from ancient times, there have been mikvah's conforming to requirements of Jewish law. In Hebrew, immersion is Tevilah; so Mikvah Tevilah is "immersion in living water".

 

Cotton, what's the point?

 

Comparison of Christian baptism to the mikvehs that the Israelite use is irrelevant. Baptism is a New Testament, and distinctively Christian ordinance. The word "baptidzo" means to immerse. It is symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as being symbolic of the believer's death to his old life to sin, and being raised again to newness of life in Christ.
It is a distinctively Christian ordinance done in obedience to Christ, only after one has already been saved.
DHK

 

I agree with you, DHK, up to the point that you say "only after one has already been saved" because that is not true - "...It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21 NIV)

 

There has already been much discussion on this verse: 1Peter 3:20,21
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
21 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:

"The like figure whereunto even baptism" Baptism is spoken of as a figure, a picture. It is quite plain that just as in verse 20 the water did not actually "save" the "eight souls," so also in verse 21 one is not saved by baptism. The word baptism simply means immersion. There is no indication that it even refers to the ordinance of baptism at all. The 8 souls were saved out of the water by being immersed in the ark. It was the ARK that saved. The one in verse 21 can only be saved by being in Christ (the Ark), though he be immersed in the waters of sin daily. The world can destroy a person. The flood destroyed the world of old. But Christ is a haven to the Christian no matter what may come.
DHK