Lord’s Day 28: Baptism
97: What is baptism?
Baptism is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, burial, and resurrection; of his being ingrafted into him; of remission of sins; and of his giving up himself unto God through Jesus Christ, to live and walk in newness of life.
(Rom. 6:3, 4, 5; Col. 2:12; Gal. 3:27; Mk. 1:4; Acts 2:38, and 22:16; Rom. 6:3, 4)
98: To whom is baptism to be administered?
Baptism is to be administered to all those who actually profess repentance towards God, faith in and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ, and to none other.
(Acts 2:38; Mt. 3:6; Acts 8:12, 36, 37, 38; 10:47, 48)
99: Are the infants of such as are professing believers to be baptized?
The infants of such as are professing believers are not to be baptized, because there is neither command or example in the Holy Scriptures, or certain consequence from them to baptize such.
(Ex. 23:13; Pr. 30:6; Lk. 3:7, 8)
100: How is Baptism rightly administered?
Baptism is rightly administered by immersion, or dipping the whole body of the party in water, into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, according to Christ’s institution, and the practice of the apostles, and not by sprinkling or pouring of water, or dipping some part of the body, after the tradition of men.
(Mt. 3:16; Jn. 3:23; 4:1, 2; Mt. 28:19, 20; Acts 8:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12)
101: What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?
It is the duty of such who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
(Acts 2:41, 42; 5:13, 14; 9:26; 1 Pet. 2:5; Lk. 1:6)