Believers' Baptism

Appendix Concerning Baptism | Second London Baptist Confession (1689)

Kirk E. Miller

The following is the original appendix attached to the Second London Confession of Faith.

While their confession systematically detailed their core doctrines, the signatories recognized that their position on baptism, specifically believer’s baptism (as opposed to infant baptism), was a notable departure from their fellow Reformed Protestants with whom they otherwise shared a common theology. Thus, they concluded it necessary to provide an apology (defense or explanation) of this particular theological position.

It’s well worth reading to understand how early Particular Baptists reasoned for credobaptism.

Below I provide its original text with only slight revisions to modernize certain spellings, capitalizations, and punctuation along with occasional clarifying brackets. I have also placed quotation marks around all scripture quotations, as best as I was able to detect them, and supplied the Scripture references in brackets. Scripture references in parenthesis as original, which I have corrected on some cases where the reference was quite obviously incorrect.

Whosoever reads and impartially considers what we have in our foregoing confession declared may readily perceive that we do not only concur with all other true Christians on the Word of God (revealed in the Scriptures of truth) as the foundation and rule of our faith and worship, but that we have also industriously endeavored to manifest that, in the fundamental articles of Christianity, we mind the same things, and have therefore expressed our belief in the same words which have on the like occasion been spoken by other societies of Christians before us.

This we have done that those who are desirous to know the principles of religion which we hold and practice may take an estimate from ourselves (who jointly concur in this work) and may not be misguided, either by undue reports or by the ignorance or errors of particular persons, who, going under the same name with ourselves, may give an occasion of scandalizing the truth we profess.

And although we do differ from our brethren who are paedobaptists in the subject and administration of baptism, and such other circumstances as have a necessary dependence on our observance of that ordinance, and do frequent our own assemblies for our mutual edification and discharge of those duties and services which we owe unto God, and in His fear to each other, yet we would not be from here misconstrued as if the discharge of our own consciences herein did any way disoblige or alienate our affections or conversation [i.e. conduct] from any others that fear the Lord; but that we may and do, as we have opportunity, participate in the labors of those whom God has endowed with abilities above ourselves, and qualified and called to the ministry of the Word, earnestly desiring to approve ourselves to be such as follow after peace with holiness; and therefore we always keep that blessed irenicum, or healing word of the Apostle before our eyes: “If in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you; nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing” (Phil. 3:15–16).

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What Does it Mean to Be Baptist?: Baptist Distinctives, Origins, Significant Figures, and More

Kirk E. Miller

“What comes to mind when you hear the word “Baptist”? I asked this question online, and to no great surprise I received an array of answers. Some think of an energetic church choir with colorful robes. Others think of solemn, even stuffy Sunday services where expressions of emotion are frowned upon. Some think of fiery, revivalistic preaching complete with weekly altar calls. Others think of detailed doctrinal expositions. One friend remarked that, in his experience, when some folks try to describe Baptists, they have an easier time listing things some Baptists don’t believe in (alcohol, dancing) than providing what Baptists do believe!

These responses are all quite understandable. Baptists are a diverse bunch.

So who are Baptists? And what do Baptists actually believe? In this article, we seek to answer theses question, giving the reader a basic primer on the Baptist tradition—with a view to using its resources for one’s study of Scripture.”

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The Church’s Exercise of the Keys of the Kingdom: What Sort of Authority Does the Church Have?

Kirk E. Miller

God has created various institutions within creation. To each one he gives particular domains of authority (e.g., parents/fathers over the home, elders the church, the government the state, etc.), and particular ways of enforcing their authority fitting to their particular type of authority.

In other words, not all institutions exercise or enforce their authority the same way. For instance, God has authorized the state to wield the sword (Rom 13). In other words, the state can coerce its citizens by threat of material punishment. The church however is a voluntary society. It doesn’t coerce; rather it persuades. People willingly believe and join, submitting to Christ’s rule.

But Christ did not leave the church without a means of exercising and enforcing its authority. Whereas he gave the state the “sword,” he gave the church the “keys of the kingdom” by which to state who is in and who is out of Christ’s kingdom (see Mt 16:18-19; 18:15-20; Jn 20:23).

The church is like an embassy of heaven that issues passports declaring who belongs to Jesus. Word (teaching, preaching) and sacrament (baptism, Lord’s Supper) are the means by which the church positively exercises this authority, persuading people to believe and obey (Word) and then marking off those who do (sacrament). And church discipline is the way the church negatively exercises this authority—declaring that one in fact is not a citizen of Christ’s kingdom.

But the church can’t make anyone believe and obey. The church doesn’t possess that sort of authority. We can only persuade (Word). And when persuasion fails and someone is unrepentant, which is characteristic of an unbeliever, we declare them so (church discipline). That’s the only authority we have; more importantly, the only authority Christ has given us, and so we dare not overstep those bounds.

Marks of a Church (Diagram)

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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