Baptism is the sacrament of Christian initiation, instituted by Christ, signifying repentance, forgiveness, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Though immersion was the apostolic norm, various modes developed. While infant baptism is not explicitly commanded, it has strong theological and historical support when practiced in the context of Christian nurture and faith.
1. The Idea of Baptism
Baptism, instituted by Christ before His ascension (Matt. 28:19), is the Christian sacrament of initiation. It replaces circumcision as the external sign and seal of covenant membership, marking a believer’s formal entrance into the visible church. It is:
- A sign of repentance and moral conversion (Acts 2:38);
- A seal of remission of sins (Acts 22:16);
- An act of regeneration by the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Tit. 3:5).
Though usually administered once, its power lies in the spiritual reality it signifies. While baptism is tied to salvation in Scripture (Mark 16:16), the church recognizes that God may save without it; the absence of baptism does not damn, but its deliberate contempt may.
The first Christian baptisms occurred at Pentecost. John’s baptism was preparatory and lacked the full Trinitarian character of Christian baptism. In apostolic understanding, conversion precedes baptism and regeneration follows it—though not always in sequence, as seen with Simon Magus (baptized without the Spirit) and Cornelius (Spirit-filled before baptism).
2. The Form of Baptism
The prevailing form of baptism in the apostolic and early church was immersion. This is supported by:
- The Greek term baptizō, meaning “to immerse” or “dip”;
- The baptism of Jesus and others in the Jordan River;
- Paul’s symbolic use of burial and resurrection (Rom. 6:4);
- Widespread practice in the early church, especially in the East.
However, affusion (pouring) or aspersion (sprinkling) was allowed, particularly for the sick. The Didache (ch. 7) affirms this flexibility. While immersion vividly portrays the cleansing and rebirth of the whole person, the mode is less important than the spiritual truth conveyed.
Orthodox churches today still require triple immersion, while the Western church has long accepted pouring or sprinkling as valid.
3. The Subjects of Baptism
A major point of contention concerns infant baptism. Baptists and many others argue:
- Baptism requires faith and repentance, which infants cannot exhibit;
- The New Testament has no command or clear example of infant baptism;
- Infant baptism became common only after the union of church and state.
Paedobaptists respond with strong arguments:
- The covenantal parallel between circumcision and baptism (Col. 2:11–12);
- The inclusion of children in the new covenant (Acts 2:39);
- The baptism of households in Acts and Paul’s letters (e.g., Acts 16:15, 33);
- Christ’s blessing of children and declaration of their place in the kingdom (Mark 10:14);
- The universal early church practice of infant baptism, apart from Tertullian’s isolated objections.
The consensus among the early Fathers supports the antiquity and legitimacy of infant baptism. However, it is only meaningful when linked to Christian parenting and catechesis, culminating in personal confirmation and confession of faith.
The custom of laying on of hands after baptism (Acts 8:17; Heb. 6:2) may reflect the early roots of confirmation.
Dying and Rising: The Heart of Christian Baptism
Baptism is both a profound mystery and a simple act—uniting the baptized to the death and resurrection of Christ, purifying the conscience, and ushering one into the fellowship of the saints. Whether performed on infants or adults, by immersion or affusion, its power lies not in the amount of water but in the Spirit who baptizes the soul into Christ.
