FAQ

What is Bridgeway's stance on Baptism?

What is a good way to read through the Bible?

 

What is Bridgeway's stance on Baptism?

When you ask what the ‘Christian church’s stand on baptism is’, you are forgetting that there are a lot of denominations in Christianity.  So, I will break the 3 most common views out and who holds those:

  • Need Baptism to be saved (baptismal regeneration) – held by traditional Catholics and classical Lutherans.  They believe that you have it done once (hopefully as babies) and it’s good for life. They hold to Romans 6:1-11 mostly.  But, understand that Catholics and Lutherans differ slightly in that Catholics believe water baptism brings grace to you, while Lutherans think it must be mixed with a inner faith.
  • Baptism is a ‘signs and seal of God’s grace (makes sure of God’s promises) like Old Testament circumcision – this is held by Reformed and Presbyterians (Christian denominations).  Basically, we get to enter God’s covenant (promise) when we are baptized.
  • Baptism is an outward symbol of the inward change that’s already occurred – This is more what our church believes and what many mainstream denominations believe.  It’s a public showing (testimony) to other people of the change in your heart of having Christ as your Savior. It does nto produce any spiritual change in the person baptized, but it serves as a proclamation to others (witnesses).  It is also somewhat of an initiation rite to join or participate in membership of the church.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  Not everyone fits nicely into one of these three categories, but you get the point.

At Bridgeway, we favor the third one.

  • We require baptism for ‘membership’ but not for attendance, nor do we think that there is any 2nd class citizenship for someone not baptized (i.e. everyone is just as saved whether they are baptized or not). We believe in ‘submersion’ (dunk all the way under water) as opposed to ‘sprinkling’ (flicking water on someone), because that was the most common Biblical form used. We don’t believe in baptizing infants, because we believe that there has to be a personal faith first (babies don’t have that decision making skill at that age) so we only baptize older children and adults (we dedicate babies and young children).
  • I think that the bottom line argument (if you want to use that word) for not needing baptism to be saved, is the thief on the cross.  He didn’t’ get baptized.  And what about all the areas of the world and situations that may not have enough water at the time of conversion to be baptized (i.e. dying of thirst and getting saved in the desert).

On a Biblical basis here’s why we believe what we do:

  • Mark 16:16 – It says ‘whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’  Notice that the second part (about condemnation) doesn’t’ mention baptism at all. Therefore the significant portion of the first part is the belief, not the baptism (back then people would get saved and baptized right away, so you would kind of talk about it as the same thing, even though faith and belief was the saving part).
  • John 3:5 says that “no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’  But the context of the passage is on the Spirit, not the water. And when Christ died it said, ‘blood and water poured out.’  The point is not literal water, but the point is ‘cleansing or regeneration.’
  • 1 Peter 3:21 says, “this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you…not the removal of dirt…but the pledge of a good conscience toward God…”  Notice the focus of the passage is on the ‘pledge of a good conscience toward God’ not the water ‘removing dirt.’
  • Acts 2:37 – has Peter telling the unsaved people to, ‘repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”  But the next message he follows it up with has not mention of the baptism part but the full focus is on the repentance, conversion and acceptance of Christ.  He actually recounts the same message in parts leaving out baptism entirely (2:38).
  • Acts 16:30 when Paul led the Philippian jailor to Christ there was no mention of baptism at all.
  • Titus 3:5 seems to suggest baptism is needed for salvation until you look closer that the context is not water but being born again (cleansing, washing of sins, etc.).
  • Except for the Great Commission Jesus didn’t include baptism in his preaching and teaching about the Kingdom of God.
  • Consider that the following passages that talk about being saved, have no mention of baptism: Mt 10:22; 24:13; Lk 8:12; Jn 5:34; 10:9; Acts 2:21; 15:11; Romans 10:9-13; 1 Cor 15:2; Eph 2:5, 8; 1 Tim 2:3-4; 2 Tim 1:9; Titus 3:5

What's a good way to read through the Bible?

Here’s a recommended reading plan:

  1. Mark

  2. Acts

  3. James

  4. Genesis

  5. Exodus

  6. Colossians

  7. Galatians

  8. 1 & 2 Samuel

  9. Matthew

  10. Ruth

  11. Judges

  12. Ephesians

  13. 1 John

  14. Deuteronomy

  15. Joshua

  16. John

  17. Daniel

  18. Jonah

  19. 1 & 2 Timothy

  20. Titus

  21. 1 & 2 Kings

  22. Esther

  23. Luke

  24. 1 & 2 Corinthians

  25. Romans

  26. Malachi

  27. Ephesians

  28. Philippians

  29. Nehemiah

  30. 1 & 2 Peter

  31. Jude

  32. Philemon

  33. 1 & 2 Thessalonians

  34. Hebrews

  35. Revelation

  36. Hosea

  37. Job

Books to sprinkle in along the way (they are long and to be taken in small doses, like food for thought)

  • Psalms

  • Proverbs

Books to be covered at the end for study and perhaps needing some background to come alive:

  • Leviticus

  • Numbers

  • 1 & 2 Chronicles

  • Ezra

  • Ecclesiastes

  • Song of Songs

  • Isaiah

  • Jeremiah

  • Lamentations

  • Ezekiel

  • Amos

  • Obadiah

  • Micah

  • Nahum

  • Habakkuk

  • Zephaniah

  • Haggai

  • Zechariah

  • 2 & 3 John