Baptism. Meaning, Mode & Subjects

Michael Kimmett




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BAPTISM Meaning, Mode & Subjects

ISBN 0 9523041 1 2 Michael Kimmitt

Reformed or Baptist - Which is Correct?

The direction of Our Lord to the disciples in Matthew 28 is quite unambiguous: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:...’ Accordingly in Acts we find a number of examples of Discipling, Baptizing and Teaching.
Subsequent to that great movement of the Spirit which we call the Reformation there was a recovery of teaching in Catechisms and Preaching. The position taken by the Reformed Churches is conveniently summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith 1647:
XXVIII - Of Baptism
III. Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person. k Heb 9.10,19-22. Acts 2.41. Acts 16.33. Mark 7.4.
IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized.
Mark16.15,16. Acts 8.37,38. Gen 17.7,9-10. Gal 3.9,14. Col 2.11,12. Acts 2.38,39. Rom 4.11,12. 1 Cor 7.14. Matt 28.19. Mark 10.13-16. Luke 18.15.
That taken by the Baptists in the1689 Confession of Faith is:
Chapter 29: Of Baptism
1. Baptism is an Ordinance of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party Baptized, a sign of his fellowship with him, in his death, (c) and resurrection; of his being engrafted into him; of (d) remission of sins; and of his (e) giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to live and walk in newness of Life.
c Rom. 6.3,4,5. Col. 2.12. Gal. 3.27. d Mar. 1.4. Act. 26.16. e Rom, 6.2,4.
2. Those who do actually professe (f) repentance towards God, faith in, and obedience, to our Lord Jesus, are the only proper subjects of this ordinance.
f Mar. 16.16. Act. 8.36,37.
3. The outward element to be used in this ordinance (g) is water, wherein the party is to be baptized, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Mat 28.19,20. with Act. 8.38.
4. Immersion, or dipping of the person (h) in water, is necessary to the due administration of this ordinance.
Mat. 3.16. Joh. 3 23.

How then is the matter to be resolved. Well rather obviously by resort to those same Scriptures of which we read: ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.’ The author spent the bulk of his working life in scientific pursuits - and has now sought to improve his retirement by examining all the Scriptures bearing on the subject. The resulting articles were first published in the British Reformed Journal and now are available as a booklet.
Having briefly considered the meaning of baptism the main part is a detailed examination of the texts relating to mode. He has been unable to find a single certain example of ‘dipping’ in the New Testament - and the circumstances of text after text point simply to Affusion or Aspersion as the only possible mode; a conclusion strengthened by the fact that the Baptism of the Spirit is spoken of in terms of coming from above in pouring or sprinkling and further strengthened by this being the Old Testament mode as well. The pamphlet concludes with a brief treatment of the Covenant position of believer’s children.
In short the Reformed have got it right and the Baptists are wrong!
Review: ‘The short study of the biblical doctrine of baptism is especially helpful regarding the mode of baptism, whether immersion or some other mode, e.g., sprinkling. Mr Kimmitt takes a “scientific approach” to the subject, examining all of the references to baptism in the New Testament, in order then to draw the conclusion demanded by the evidence. His study shows that not only is there a complete lack of evidence in the New Testament for the dogma of immersion, but also in most of the instances of baptism immersion is improbable and often impossible. ... Kimmitt intriguingly employs mathematics in the service of demonstrating that John the Baptist could not have immersed all those who came to him. Brief as it is, the chapter on the subjects of baptism is also very good both to confirm the faith of the Reformed Christian that infants of believers are to be baptized and to reprove the Baptist of his sin of excluding the children of the godly from the covenant and church of God...There is the greatest need for such a witness in the British Isles.’ Professor David Engelsma in ‘The Standard Bearer’.