1.3 - Who should be Baptized?

Who should be Baptized?

Let us now turn to the question: "Who should be baptized?" This is a plain English question, and, therefore, more easily settled by anyone who will consult the Scriptures, and is disposed to abide by what they teach. In Mark 16:15-16, we have an account of the institution of Christian baptism: "And he said unto them: Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." We have here the baptizing placed after the believing, though men have reversed that order. If we turn to the Acts of the Apostles, we will see how the Apostles carried out this commission. As they were guided by the Holy Spirit they would not be mistaken. In Acts 2:41, we have the first account of Christian baptism being administered, and we are there informed that it was they who gladly received the word who were baptized. This is in keeping with Mark xvi., first believe and then be baptized.

Turn now to Acts 8:1-40, where we have an account of Philip preaching at Samaria. It is stated in Acts 8:12, as a result of his preaching that "When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Here again you have the same order of things: preach, believe, and be baptized. Men and women are mentioned, but not a word is said about infants, though this would have been a likely place to find them if there had been any. Households without infants are easy to get, but a city without infants is another matter. Take just one other case. In Acts 18:8, we are informed that many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed, and were baptized." Thus we might go on, but enough has been given to put it beyond all doubt that believers are scriptural subjects of baptism. That believers are scriptural subjects of baptism is not doubted, and dare not be denied. We thank no man for admitting it; he dare not do anything else. Now most of you who are hearing me have been reading the Bible nearly all your days, but you never read of the baptism of an infant there, for there is no such thing in it. We practice what we can prove, and you practice what you cannot prove, and yet we are called narrow-minded, and ignorant by those who profess to be guided by the Bible in this matter, but are not. It is a strange state of affairs, but true all the same. So far, I have said nothing that might not have been said by a Baptist, or by some sections of those known as Brethren.