I was an English major in college, and I still love words, so today I'm going to tell you about some new words I learned in a book I've been reading during my morning devotional time.
In Christian circles, we tend to think of the word "Baptist" as a denomination. However, in my recent study I learned that we are all baptists in a sense, since all Christians believe in baptism. However, there are two kinds of baptists.
Paedobaptists are those who believe in baptizing infants and young children. This belief is based on:
- Historical continuity. Baptism in the New Testament corresponds to circumcism in the Old Testament. It is a sign of God's covenant with His people. Since infants were circumcised then as a way of becoming part of God's family, infants should now be baptized for the same reason.
- Theology. Paedobaptists believe that we have been saved by the grace of God, not through any work of our own. Salvation doesn't depend upon our acceptance of God, it is always the action of God.
- Nowhere in the Bible is infant baptism prohibited.
Credobaptists consider baptism a rite for those who have already professed faith in Jesus Christ. They emphasize baptism as a conscious choice, and since infants and young children cannot make that choice, they should not be baptized. This is often referred to as "believer's baptism." Credobaptists often require a person baptized as an infant to be rebaptized as part of a profession of faith.
Of course, you should be aware that these definitions are very simplistic, and there are other distinctions withing each group. Lutherans fall into the first category, and they consider baptism to be a sacrament. What kind of baptist are you?
For more about baptism see these posts:
What Happens in Baptism?
What Makes Baptism Effective?
United with Christ in our Baptism
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