Download PDF - Affinity

FOUNDATIONS*35**themselves* on* these* issues* and* many* would* take* a* different* view* to* my*own. 28 ********1. The%Timing%of%Baptism%*It* follows* from* the* nature* of* baptism* that* it* ought* to* be* administered* as*closely*as*possible*to*conversion,*which*is*the*moment*that*the*blessings*of*the*new*covenant*are*received.*The*primary*purpose*of*baptism*is*to*enact,*for* the* benefit* of* the* person* being* baptised,* the* fact* that* they* have*experienced*salvation,*and*to*bring*them*assurance*that*they*have*entered*into* a* new* life* and* that* their* sins* have* been* forgiven.* Baptism* is* not*commanded*as*a*means*by*which*an*individual*can*make*public*testimony*of*their* new* faith* to* as* many* people* as* can* be* gathered.* This* pattern* of*immediate*baptism*on*credible*profession*of*faith*in*Christ*is*what*we*find*in*the* New* Testament.* The* crowds* at* Pentecost,* the* Ethiopian* eunuch,*Cornelius,*Lydia,*the*Philippian*jailer,*and*the*disciples*of*John*the*Baptist*in*Ephesus*were*all*baptised*immediately*they*believed*the*good*news*of*the*gospel.**Paedobaptists*are*right*to*criticise*credobaptists*who,*in*effect,*practice*baptism* on* the* basis* of* sanctification* because* they* delay* baptism* until*converts*have*undertaken*considerable*instruction*in*the*Christian*life*and*demonstrated* the* authenticity* of* their* conversion.* The* practice* of* many*credobaptists*is*far*removed*from*that*of*the*New*Testament,*where*baptism*is* the* immediate* response* to* evangelistic* preaching.* Failure* to* practice*baptism*biblically*has*led*to*the*invention*a*whole*series*of*other*rituals*to*mark*conversion*(raising*your*hand,*coming*forward*in*an*altar*call,*filling*in*a*form,*speaking*to*friend,*confirmation,*formal*church*membership)*which*have*taken*the*place*of*the*biblically*mandated*response,*namely*baptism.**Baptism* is* not* to* be* administered* on* the* basis* of* certainty* that* the*person* is* elect* and* a* true* believer,* but* rather* on* the* basis* of* credible*profession*of*faith*in*Jesus*as*Lord.*The*New*Testament*does*not*suggest*that*the*apostles*were*especially*introspective*about*whether*people*were*truly*elect*or*not,*since*this*is*a*matter*for*God*alone*(Acts*8:13).*The*church*does*not* claim* that* it* knows* who* is* truly* elect,* but* baptism* is* on* the* basis* of*giving*the*human*evidence*of*being*elect,*i.e.*faith.**Of*course*the*faith*that*is*required*for*baptism*must*have*an*irreducibly*minimal* content.* It* must* be* a* faith* that* confesses* that* Jesus* is* “Lord”* and*that* believes* that* he* has* risen* from* the* dead* (Rom* 10:9:10).* These* are*complex* truths,* requiring* some* grasp* of* what* we* would* today* call*Trinitarian* theology,* and* an* understanding* of* the* cross* (which* is*********************************************************************28*For*different*practical*implications*see,*for*example,*Mark*Dever,*“Baptism*in*the*Context*of*the*Local*Church”,*Chp*10*in*Schreiner%&%Wright%(eds),%Believers’%Baptism.**%%***!