Significance of baptism in the Baptist church

• Baptists refer to baptism as an ordinance as they do not believe in the idea of sacraments
• By 'ordinance'= Baptists mean a rule driving directly from the Bible and particularly from the teaching of Jesus. It is also a ceremony that comes from that rule
• Baptists reject the idea of infant baptism (paedobaptism)
• Reason why baptists reject infant baptism:

  there is no New Testament evidence for it; adults only were baptised
• Reason why baptists reject infant baptism:

  Jesus himself was baptised as an adult
• Reason why baptists reject infant baptism:

  there is no such thing as original sin, so there is nothing that needs to be removed as soon as possible after birth
• Reason why baptists reject infant baptism:

  God's grace is available to all; it is not limited or tied to baptism
• Reason why baptists reject infant baptism:

  baptism is a statement of public commitment to faith in God that is made after careful preparation. It marks becoming a member of the Christian community
• Instead of infant baptism, baptists practice 'believers baptism' (credo baptism)
• What is credobaptism?

  'believers' baptism
• What happens during credobaptism:

  those being baptised give a public testimony to their faith in Christ
• What happens during credobaptism:

  they declare their repentance of sin and their acceptance of Jesus as Saviour
• What happens during credobaptism:

  they are then totally immersed in a baptismal pool, and the minister performing the baptism says 'I baptise you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'
• What happens during credobaptism:

  They then rejoin the congregation as full members of the Church community