The PuritanBoard - View Single Post

JBaldwin · #1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2008, 10:53 AM

While discussing this topic with someone last evening, I began to think of the various views on Baptism and the result was some questions I hadn't thought about before.

I to hold to paedo baptism out of my study of the scriptures on covenant theology. I became a paedo baptist for two reasons (very simply put, I know there is more to it):
1. As I see it (of course I may be wrong) sprinkling is the correct "mode" of baptism.
2. Baptising an infant seems to fit in with covenant theology.

In recent months, I have learned that some baptise infants by immersion. Also, I believe that if someone has not been baptised after they have come to the Lord, they should seek baptism. (I say by sprinkling)

I can think of at least four (possibly 5) circumstances under which someone might be baptised:

1. Infant baptism by sprinkling
2. Infant baptism by immersion (Greek orthodox)
3. Baptism after conversion when the person was not baptised as an infant (usually sprinkling)
4. Baptism after conversion only (immersion)
5. Baptism after conversion only (sprinkling) does anyone do this?

We classify those who perform the first 3 categories as paedo baptists and those in the last two (if there are two) as credo baptists. And this makes sense to a point.

Isn't circumstance 3 also credo baptism? I realize I might be splitting hairs here, but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if the difference isn't more about "mode" than it is about baptism after conversion.

Any thoughts?