Modes of Baptism

Boy, have I led a sheltered Baptist life. I'm sorta shocked that any Baptist would accept anything other than immersion. Those of you who accept sprinkling or pouring need to explain.

After writing that first paragraph I got to thinking. There are some Baptist churches which will accept candidates for membership from other denominations, without requiring re-baptism. So maybe I shouldn't be so shocked after all.

 

I am one of the two who thinks pouring and sprinkling is acceptable. This is my opinion, not the policy of my church. We accept members of other denominations without baptizing them if they have already had believer's baptism by immersion. This policy has been in place about 20 years and we have received perhaps five or six new members in this manner.

I believe immersion is the preferred method but pouring and sprinkling are acceptable because nowhere in the N.T. does it say you must dunk the candidate. We assume they did but we can't know for sure. For example, where in Jerusalem would there have been enough water to dunk 3,000 people? If you study medieval art there are dozens of depictions of John baptizing Jesus and of Philip baptizing the Ethiopian by pouring water on their heads.

As for the derivation of the word "baptize", I don't know Greek but I am told that it means "to dip" or something similar. However, if you read the Didache, which was written in the second half of the 1st Century, it will say this concerning baptism:

It is clear from this ancient document that the word for baptize contemplates the alternative of pouring rather than dunking. It was written for the 1st Century churches and it does not go against anything in the Bible. So who are we to say that pouring and sprinkling is improper?

I would also add that by applying so many rules and conditions to baptism we are making it look sacramental. If baptism is a public statement--a witness--of the new Christian and nothing more, why is it important whether it involves dipping or sprinkling? The statement is the same. It is a public resolution to identify with Christ and to follow Him.

 

A few weeks back I had the privelege of Baptizing my 7 year old Granson. He is scared of us even washing his hair so it was a struggle to get him immersed but got it done. People said he had a look of terror on his face when he came up but then he threw his arms up as an athlete does who completes the race. Then he was all smiles.

 

Baptism is symbolic of being buried with Christ in death, and being raised to walk in newness of life. So immersion is pretty important.

That being said, I know their are areas of the world where water is a scarce commodity. I guess under such circumstances I could see pouring being acceptable, but if I were doing the ceremony, and didn't have enough water for full immersion, I think I would get a bucket and dunk their head!! Not only would that preserve the symbolism, it would also be fun to do.

 

Immersion is the standard for Baptists. I don't know too many Baptist churches that do anything but that mode.

Effusion was used by the early Anabaptists, but that is very close to immersion. (Granted I don't think Baptists origins are primarily Anabaptistic.) If there is one thing almos all Baptists agree on it is baptism by immersion after salvation.

The term baptizo means to immerse or plunge into fully. When someone if "baptized by fire" they aren't lightly sprinkled but fully run through a difficult time. The Greek use contemporary of the NT era is the same.

Interesting question I'm all ears for replies as to why a baptist church would accept anything else.

 

So you ignore scripture and take on this document? Why is that?

 

My Dad always said we were called "Baptists" because of the Greek word for immersion. I have never been in any type of Baptist church that didn't immerse.

 

LOL.. I gotta admit.. I agree with you. While it is the symbolism of immersion is important (which is the meaning of baptism), the act itself 'can' be modified if needs mandated such.. but the head-dunk.. I admit keeps the symbolism and would most definitely be fun.

 

I agree with what my brothers and sisters are saying here. Immersion is the Biblical standard. The only way that I would use another method was if there was literally no other way. This has thankfully never been a problem in my ministry. As Havensdad said, and what I emphasize in every baptism, it is a picture of being buried with Christ into death, that we might also rise to newness of life just as Christ was raised. This is Romans 6- plain and simple.

Even in a Cuban prison, Richard Wurmbrand would baptize converted prisoners, by jumping across the mess hall divider and dunking them in the kitchen sink dishwater.

 

I am in agreement with you, Brother Tom. The baptism is in recognition of the death, BURIAL, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How can you be buried with a sprinkling? How can you be buried when someone is pouring? I know that pouring could be considered burying, but pouring doesn't cover every inch of you like immersion does. When you are immersed, every inch of you gets covered, and if you aren't careful, even the nostrils get covered. So, immersion is the most precise way of doing the baptism.......Jesus was fully immersed, and so should everyone else, if you ask me....and even if you don't ask me!! :tongue3:

 

I voted "Immersion", though we do have a clause in our church constitution to allow for the possibility of someone with a severe medical condition that would make immersion in water unsafe.

 

So where does scripture tell you what must be done to accomplish a baptism?

 

The Pastor I grew up under would have the deacons lower a person in a wheel chair into the baptistry to baptize them if they couldn't stand up.

 

Strong's Number: 907 baptiðzw
Original Word Word Origin
baptiðzw from a derivative of (911)
Transliterated Word Phonetic Spelling
Baptizo bap-tid'-zo
Parts of Speech TDNT
1:529,92
Definition
to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk)
to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe
to overwhelm
Not to be confused with 911, bapto. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be 'dipped' (bapto) into boiling water and then 'baptised' (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. Mark 16:16. 'He that believes and is baptised shall be saved'. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle! Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989.


This says we are just a bunch of pickles, so what's the deal pickle?

 

There are certain brands of baptist that won't accept another Baptist churches baptism for their members to come or for a pastor to be selected they must be re-baptized into that brand of baptist.

Tom if you don't mind please clarify which denominations you would not accept a member from. Presbyterians for instance immerse. If the perso was truly saved and immersed in baptism from say an evangelical free church would you have them to be re-baptized. To me that would mean only a Baptist baptism counts with God. Since Baptism is not part of salvation as long as it is scriptural as seen from my previous post of the definition of Baptizo has that person folowed the command to be baptized?

 

My father came to know the Lord while recovering from a "broken back".

At the time he wasn't able to be baptized.

Within six months the preacher had vacated the church and in the process emptied out all the money in the account. They never prosecuted as it wasn't all that much but my father became to upset over this..., he never did get baptized.

 

Think thast the Biblical mandate is believers baptism by immersion, and that is the normal mode for Christians in baptist Churches BUT

IF there are some health issues, or some other situation that does not make it practical, think The Lord will and does allow for "exceptions to the rule!"