Why We Are Baptizing by Immersion

This Sunday, we will be receiving a very large group of new members into the Covenant family and performing two adult baptisms by immersion during the 11:15AM worship service. Receiving new members into the church is nothing new for us, but baptizing by immersion during the worship service certainly is.^[i] For some of you who come from baptistic backgrounds, you might be wondering why it has taken us so long! For those of you coming from Reformed, Lutheran, or Episcopal backgrounds, you might be wondering if we have become Baptists! (In short, the answer is no.) So allow me to explain briefly what I will not have time to explain on Sunday.

Traditionally in Reformed and Presbyterian churches such as ours, baptism is done by sprinkling or pouring in the Triune name. We believe this is a biblical and historical practice and we do not renounce it in any way. True to the Westminster Confession of Faith we believe “Dipping of the person into the water is not necessary; but Baptism is rightly administered by pouring, or sprinkling water upon the person.”^[ii]

But while dipping of the person into the water is not necessary, we believe that immersion is theologically rich with significance and also true to biblical and historical practice. Biblically speaking, for the recipient of baptism it is “a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life.”^[iii] These realities are as easily and clearly signified through immersion as they are through sprinkling or pouring. Additionally, immersion especially captures the dramatic symbolism of Romans 6:3-4, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Finally, the biblical accounts of various baptisms suggest that the candidates were likely immersed, though we should not be dogmatic on the issue (Matthew 3:6; John 3:23; Acts 8:38-39).

Historically, up until the 13^th century, baptism by immersion and by sprinkling occurred side by side in the Western church. After that time, sprinkling became increasingly common and immersion less so. This change was not driven by theological conviction but rather out of concern for the health of infants who were being baptized far more commonly than adults.^[iv] Martin Luther preferred immersion as the mode of baptism, while John Calvin considered the matter adiaphora^[v] and wrote “Whether the person baptised is to be wholly immersed, and that whether once or thrice, or whether he is only to be sprinkled with water, is not of the least consequence: churches should be at liberty to adopt either according to the diversity of climates, although it is evident that the term baptise means to immerse, and that this was the form used by the primitive Church.”^[vi] But for the Anabaptists^[vii] the mode of baptism became a matter of principle and they insisted on immersion. It is this position—that the only valid baptism is by immersion—that we must continue to stand against, even as we begin to baptize adults by immersion. 

The Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck lists a number of reasons why we must not insist on immersion as the only valid form of baptism:

1. “The water is not the blood of Christ itself and does not itself effect the washing away of sins but is the sign and seal of it. Therefore, what really matters in baptism is not the quantity of water that is poured out on the persons being baptized or in which they are immersed.”^[viii] In other words, immersion is not necessary to depict the reality of the washing.
2. “The spiritual benefit depicted in baptism is not only called a washing away of sins but also a sprinkling with clean water and with the blood of Christ (Ezek. 36:25; Heb. 12:24; 1 Pet. 1:2; cf. Exod. 24:6; 29:16-20).”^[ix] In light of this fact, baptism by sprinkling continues to be a beautiful picture of this aspect of our cleansing. As such, we will continue to baptize infants and young children by sprinkling, as well as adults when necessary.
3. “Although for centuries the practice of immersion remained in use, from the most ancient times onward sprinkling was also considered permissible in cases of necessity. The Christian Church never even dreamed of regarding a baptism invalid only because it had been administered by way of sprinkling…”^[x] We also would never discount a baptism by sprinkling or pouring as being invalid or even “less valid than” a baptism by immersion.

So brothers and sisters, we remain firmly Presbyterian and Reformed and are delighted to continue sprinkling when necessary and immersing when possible. One mode of baptism is not superior to another for there is but “one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). It is our hope that as we live out our mission and make disciples of our family, community, and world, we will see the addition of many new believers, and the children of believers, into Christ’s covenant family through baptism. Finally, for all of us who are baptized, let us use the occasion of every baptism (whatever the mode) to “improve” our own baptism in the following way:

by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavouring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body.

Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 167

I look forward to seeing you in worship and celebrating all of our new members!

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^[i] We have performed baptisms by immersion in the past during special worship services at the beach. Additionally, in missionary contexts (as in the picture at the top of the page) the pastors have frequently participated in baptisms by immersion according to local practice.

^[ii] Westminster Confession of Faith 28.3

^[iii] Westminster Confession of Faith 28.1

^[iv] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation, vol.4 (Grand Rapids, MI: 2008), 517.

^[v] “Adiaphora” comes from the Greek word meaning “things indifferent.” In theological terms, these are issues not clearly addressed by Scripture that are not essential to salvation and that Christians may freely believe or practice with a clear conscience.

^[vi] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, IV.xv.19.

^[vii] The word “anabaptist” refers to a varied movement coming out of the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century that rejected infant baptism and required those who were baptized as infants to be re-baptized as adults. We reject the anabaptist understanding of baptism.

^[viii]Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation, vol.4 (Grand Rapids, MI: 2008), 517.

^[ix]Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation, vol.4 (Grand Rapids, MI: 2008), 517.

^[x] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Holy Spirit, Church, and New Creation, vol.4 (Grand Rapids, MI: 2008), 517.