Baptism

A Case for Believers’ Baptism by Immersion from Colossians 2:11-12

Kirk E. Miller

Paul’s argument in Colossians 2:11-12 assume the following three things:

  1. Believers are baptized.
  2. Those who are baptized are believers.
  3. Baptism is immersion.

Allow me to briefly elaborate on each of these assertions.

1. Believers are baptized

You’ll notice in this passage, as Paul addresses the Colossians, he can assume all of them have been baptized (“you been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him”). It was assumed that believers were baptized, such that Paul can readily appeal to their baptism as part of his argument here. Paul, along with the rest of the New Testament, has no category or conception of an unbaptized believer.

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Marks of a Church (Diagram)

Kirk E. Miller

The following is a chart that seeks to capture the logic of the following confession from Article 29 of The Belgic Confession:

“The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks: The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults. In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head. By these marks one can be assured of recognizing the true church—and no one ought to be separated from it.“

Marks of a Church

Preaching the Gospel – What creates the church, a community of those who believe the gospel.

Administration of the Ordinances – What marks out and makes known the boundaries of that believing community.

  • Baptism = the initiating rite to mark off those who belong to Christ and his church.
  • The Lord’s Supper = the ongoing rite which continually marks off those who constitute the church.

Exercising Church Discipline – What maintains the proper boundaries of the church, i.e., those who demonstrate lives consistent with their profession of faith in Christ.

What is Baptism? (The Three Voices in Baptism)

Kirk E. Miller

Baptism Service
CrossWay Community Church
March 14th, 2021

Podcast link.

CrossWay Milwaukee Baptism Class

Kirk E. Miller

The following is a playlist of videos working through CrossWay’s Baptism Class material (updated 11/2020). More videos will be added to the playlist as the class proceeds. 

View full playlist.

The consistent pattern throughout the New Testament is that those who believe in Jesus get baptized. In this way, baptism serves as something of an identifier of those who follow Jesus and have been united to Him by faith. This online video series covers the material from our Baptism Class. If you are a professing believer who has not yet been baptized, we highly encourage you to join us for this class to learn more about baptism and consider taking this step. This class is required at CrossWay for those seeking to be baptized and join the church through baptism.