THE BAPTIST FAITH AND MESSAGE, Article Ten

This is Part 10 of a continuing series of articles examining the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. This statement of faith was adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting on June 14, 2000 “to set forth certain teachings which we believe.”

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper

Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.*

The Greek word rendered baptism in the New Testament means to immerse. In the common usage of the term in the first-century, as you washed dishes, you would “baptize” (immerse) them. You didn’t sprinkle water on them—that wouldn’t get them very clean!

Baptism is for believers—those old enough to have made a personal faith commitment to Jesus Christ. The order in the New Testament is that someone believed and then they were baptized. For this reason, we do not “baptize” babies.

Baptizing in the name of the Triune God comes from a direct commandment of Christ. When He gave the church the Great Commission, He told us to baptize in that fashion.

The water of baptism has no power to wash away our sins, but it is an outward expression of that spiritual reality. Neither does it have the power to save us, but gives a clear testimony of salvation. Each time it is practiced it is a graphic portrayal of the Gospel—the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Our profession of faith is that we have died to the old life (buried in baptism) and have been raised to walk in newness of life. Further, we declare our conviction that now having eternal life, even though our bodies may be placed in a grave one day, there is going to be a resurrection.

Baptism is the way you become part of a Baptist church.

Being part of the church means that we should participate in another symbolic ordinance—the Lord’s Supper. When we partake of the bread we are remembering the sinless body of Jesus offered up as a sacrifice on the cross for sinners. Partaking of the fruit of the vine reminds us of the blood of Christ that purchased our salvation. The elements do not actually become the body and blood of Jesus, but represent the same.

The Lord’s Supper looks back to an event that redeemed us to God by the blood of the Lamb. The Lord’s Supper looks around to the members of the family of God—our brothers and sisters—as we have communion with them as we commune with Christ. The Lord’s Supper looks ahead to the coming King who reminds us that we are to observe this ordinance until He comes—and He is coming—maybe soon!


* Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12. (Baptist Faith and Message, 2000)