Foundations of Faith

Chapter Five: Doctrine of Baptisms Part 1

The topic has led to understanding that to baptize is to immerse completely into something and in this case it is total immersion into baptism water and not sprinkling with water. Then the four types of baptism were described as: a. Christ’s baptism of suffering; b. The baptism of John; c. Christian Baptism; and d. Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Further, the requirements for baptism were indicated as:

1. Receiving the Instruction

2. Repentance

3. Belief – confessing to faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God

4. A good conscience towards God

The significance of baptism was learned as a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ indicating the believer’s death to sin and resurrection into the righteousness of God. The others include:

1. Babies are not to be baptised as it’s required for one to understand what baptism is and also the reasons for baptism before they can be baptised as exemplified by Jesus Christ.

2. The time of baptism isn’t definite or necessarily long. Even just afew hours after conversion is okay as long as the convert has been instructed on the gospel, he repents, has believed and confessed faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and has a good conscience towards God.

3. The word to speak in baptism whether it is said; “in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ” or “in the Name of God the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit” both are scriptural.