Reading Time: 6 minutesQuestion 4075. Spirit baptism and water baptism are related but distinct realities, and confusing the two has caused more pastoral trouble in Baptist churches than almost any other misunderstanding in this area of doctrine. One is an invisible act performed by the Spirit at the moment a person believes. The other is a visible, physical…
Reading Time: 6 minutesQuestion 4191. Ask most people what the Holy Spirit has to do with believer’s baptism and they will picture the water and stop there, as though the Spirit were a spectator at the side of the pool. That gets it exactly backwards. The water is the picture; the Spirit is the reality the picture points…
Reading Time: 6 minutesQuestion 4190. We rarely stop to ask what the Holy Spirit is doing at the Lord’s Supper, and I think that is because we have quietly assumed He is not doing much. The bread and the cup are on the table, the words of institution are read, we eat and drink and go home. Yet…
Reading Time: 4 minutesQuestion 09057 The word “ordinance” is the term most Baptists and many other evangelicals use for what other traditions call “sacraments.” The distinction is not pedantic. It reflects a fundamentally different understanding of what baptism and the Lord’s Supper actually are and what they accomplish. The New Testament describes two practices that Christ commanded His…
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Reading Time: 5 minutesQuestion 9009 When a church gathers for the Lord’s Supper, who is welcome at the table? This question has led to different practices among churches, often described as “open communion,” “closed communion,” and “close communion.” Understanding these different approaches will help you navigate the variety of practices you may encounter and think through what your…
Reading Time: 6 minutesQuestion 9006 Alongside baptism, the Lord’s Supper is the other ordinance that Jesus gave to His Church. It has been called by various names: the Lord’s Supper, Communion, the Eucharist, the Breaking of Bread, the Lord’s Table. But what exactly is it? What does it mean? And why do we observe it? These are important…
Reading Time: 5 minutesQuestion 9007 When the bread and cup are passed at the Lord’s Supper, a question naturally arises: who may participate? Is it for everyone present? Only church members? What about visitors? What about children? These are practical questions that churches must answer, and Scripture provides guidance for us. For Believers Only The most fundamental principle…
Reading Time: 5 minutesQuestion 9004 Few questions have divided Christians more than the question of infant baptism. Some denominations practise it; others reject it entirely. Some see it as essential for salvation; others view it as a harmful distortion of the gospel. Where should we stand? As always, our authority must be Scripture, not tradition or sentiment. What…
Reading Time: 5 minutesQuestion 9005 Christians baptise in different ways. Some pour water over the head, some sprinkle water, and some immerse the whole body under water. Does it matter which method we use? Is one mode more biblical than the others? This is a question worth examining carefully, because baptism is not a human invention but a…