What is Baptist baptism like?

[Anti-Fear]

I am wondering what a Baptist baptism looks like? Can someone tell me?

 

[RED that's ME]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Before he returned to heaven Our Lord gave a command to his disciples - "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19,20)

This was a divine order (so we call "baptism" an "ordinance") and as we read through the Acts of the Apostles we can see how carefully this order was obeyed by the early church. Acts 2:38 and 41 is just the first of many examples.

We baptise because the Lord Jesus Christ commanded it.
Why Do Baptists Baptize Only By Immersion?

For two reasons: (1) Immersion was the mode of baptism in the New Testament; John the Baptist immersed his converts in the Jordan River; Christ Himself was so immersed. (2) Baptists regard baptism as a public confession of Christian faith and a symbol of the burial and resurrection of Christ, as stated by Paul in his Epistle to the Colossians. Hence, Baptists look upon immersion as realistic symbolic, through which the life of sin is buried in baptism and the new life of faith emerges.

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Our Lord’s command makes that very clear - "Go and make disciples ... baptising them ... and teaching them." Discipleship comes first, then baptism - and that order is always the same in the New Testament. A person becomes a believer first and is then baptised. That is why we talk about "believer’s baptism". In the New Testament a person was not brought to baptism. A person came to baptism.

[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptism is for those who profess repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ.
Immersion is limited to adults and to such children as have reached an age where they can understand the meaning of baptism. "Baptize" is a transliteration of the Greek word baptizein (meaning "to immerse"), not a translation. To say that Baptists baptize by immersion is redundant, since baptism originally was immersion.[/font]​

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Baptism is "the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace". That is a formal, concise way of saying that when believers are baptised they are declaring to everybody that they know their sins have been forgiven and that they are now living a new life. Our faith in Jesus Christ is not something that other people can see directly. In baptism we confess, in a visible way, that we are his. Everybody can see where we stand because we identify ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptism is a demonstration of belonging to Christ and identifying with him.
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The word "baptism" comes from a Greek word (baptiso) which means "to dip in or under water, to immerse or submerge". So the origin of the word gives a clue to how a person should be baptised. [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptism is by immersion.[/font]​

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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In being baptised believers are identified with the Lord Jesus Christ in what he did to bring about our salvation. The Apostle Paul tells us "that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). These great facts are clearly demonstrated in the ceremony of baptism. Going down into the water symbolises death. Going under the water shows that we have been "buried with him through baptism into death". Coming up out of the water is a picture of resurrection, "in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:4).[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptism is by immersion, given the meaning of the word and the symbolism being portrayed. [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/font][font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Christians have used rivers, lakes, the sea - or the typical baptismal in most churches. [/font]

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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The real question, of course, is - "essential for what?" Certainly, baptism is not essential for salvation. The Bible makes it clear that only faith in Jesus Christ brings forgiveness of sins - see, for example, Ephesians 2:8,9.

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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In another sense, however, baptism is essential - for two reasons.
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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]First, it is essential to be obedient to Our Lord’s command in Matthew 28:19,20. [/font]​

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Secondly, baptism is essential to proper discipleship. Our confession in baptism is that we are "counting ourselves to be dead to sin." It is our public resolve to live as those who are "alive to God in Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:11).
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[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Baptism is an act of obedience to Christ and a commitment to live for God. [/font]​

 

[Diane_Windsor]

At my baptism me and my Southern Baptist pastor Dr. Hay were standing in waist-deep water in a baptistry. He was standing behind me and facing the congregation while I facing forward to his left (we were perpendicular to one another). He had his right hand pressed against my upper back while his left hand was helping me cup my nose and mouth.

While saying the Trinitarian formula he baptised me by pushing me into the water backwards (kind of like a trust fall, but with water). My back went into the water first, and then my neck and head with his hand supporting me. When it was all said and done I had been totally immersed.

Before he baptised me he asked me a question. "Do you profess and believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour?" I said "yes". After that public profession I was baptised as I described above.

My baptism was a proud moment for my paternal grandparents who made the trip up from their home an hour way to attend my baptism. (They did the same when my older brother was baptised.)

Am I making sense???

 

[Anti-Fear]

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks for the reply. I am exploring on various denominations and so far the Baptist denomination seems to make most sense to me. Then I remember that one has to be Baptized and I am kind of scared about this, so I am hesitant to make any further steps.

 

[wherdaluv]

Diane_Windsor pretty much hit the nail on the head. I remember when I was baptized. What an awesome feeling. I was sooooo scared. But in the end it wasn't bad at all and was well worth it. Do a Yahoo search, there are many pictures of immersion baptisms. As a matter of fact, I'm going to a baptismal service on Saturday. 50 people are expected to get baptized to acknowledge their commitment.

 

[Iollain]

Here is a good writing on baptism by Charles Stanley, he is a Baptist.

http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/exploring/bible_says/single_questions/baptism_129441.html

 

[BT]

I am wondering what a Baptist baptism looks like? Can someone tell me?

Wet!!

 

[wherdaluv]

As a matter of fact, I'm going to a baptismal service on Saturday. 50 people are expected to get baptized to acknowledge their commitment.

Final count, 90 people followed the Lord in baptism!!

 

[OracleX]

LOL BT! Do you have some scriptural backing for that opinion?

 

[BT]

I'm not sure I can back that one up except from experience.