Here not a means of conversion or salvation, but was a confessing of sin and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.
Prior to the days of Jesus, Jewish people baptized themselves while confessing their sin, and seeking cleansing from their sins.
Jesus said to be baptized––Matthew 28:19:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
Continued in the early church
Acts 2:36-41 Acts 2:37–41
[37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” [38] And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” [40] And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” [41] So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
Acts 8:9-13 Simon the Magician Believes
[9] But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. [10] They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” [11] And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. [12] But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [13] Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
Acts 9:10-19 Paul is converted then baptized
[10] Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” [11] And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, [12] and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” [13] But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. [14] And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” [15] But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. [16] For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” [17] So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” [18] And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; [19] and taking food, he was strengthened.
Baptism, not a saving event, but a sign of the new birth or conversion
Later things changed – magically
In the fifth and sixth centuries a doctrine arose that everyone, at conception, inherited the sin of Adam, and that baptism, sprinkling the new born on the 8th day, removed that original sin. Then, the sin that followed one in life, was “magically” removed by the priests of the church following confession of sin. And so it continues in the Roman Catholic Church. Forgiveness comes by means, and magically, of the ministrations of the Church.
Wikipedia
Baptists form a major branch of evangelical Protestantism distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer’s baptism) and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches generally subscribe to the responsibility and accountability of every person before God), sola fide (salvation by just faith alone), sola scriptura (the scripture of the Bible alone, as the rule of faith and practice) and congregationalist church government. Baptists generally recognize two ordinances: baptism and communion.
Diverse from their beginning, those identifying as Baptists today may differ widely from one another in what they believe, how they worship, their attitudes toward other Christians, and their understanding of what is important in Christian discipleship. Baptist missionaries have spread various Baptist confessions to every continent. The largest group of Baptist churches is the Baptist World Alliance, and there are many different groupings of Baptist churches and Baptist congregations.
Historians trace the earliest Baptist church to 1609 in Amsterdam, with English Separatist John Smyth as its pastor. In accordance with his reading of the New Testament, he rejected baptism of infants and instituted baptism only of believing adults. Baptist practice spread to England, where the General Baptists considered Christ’s atonement to extend to all people, while the Particular Baptists believed that it extended only to the elect. Thomas Helwys formulated a distinctively Baptist request that the church and the state be kept separate in matters of law, so that individuals might have freedom of religion. Helwys died in prison as a consequence of the religious conflict with English Dissenters under James I.
Baptist historian Bruce Gourley outlines four main views of Baptist origins:
- the modern scholarly consensus that the movement traces its origin to the 17th century via the English Separatists,
- the view that it was an outgrowth of the Anabaptist movement of believer’s baptism begun in 1525 on the European continent,
- the perpetuity view which assumes that the Baptist faith and practice has existed since the time of Christ, and
- the successionist view, or “Baptist successionism“, which argues that Baptist churches actually existed in an unbroken chain since the time of Christ.
- English separatist view[edit]
- John Smyth led the first Baptist church in Amsterdam in 1609.
- Modern Baptist churches trace their history to the English Separatist movement in the 17th century, after the rise of the Protestant Reformation.[5] This view of Baptist origins has the most historical support and is the most widely accepted.[6] Adherents to this position consider the influence of Anabaptists upon early Baptists to be minimal.[3] It was a time of considerable political and religious turmoil. Both individuals and churches were willing to give up their theological roots if they became convinced that a more biblical “truth” had been discovered.[7]
- During the Reformation, the Church of England (Anglicans) separated from the Roman Catholic Church. There were some Christians who were not content with the achievements of the mainstream Protestant Reformation.[1][8] There also were Christians who were disappointed that the Church of England had not made corrections of what some considered to be errors and abuses. Of those most critical of the church’s direction, some chose to stay and try to make constructive changes from within the Anglican Church. They became known as “Puritans” and are described by Gourley as cousins of the English Separatists. Others decided they must leave the church because of their dissatisfaction and became known as the Separatists.[3]
What exactly do Baptists believe?
Baptists believe that faith is a matter between God and the individual (religious freedom). To them it means the advocacy of absolute liberty of conscience. Insistence on immersion believer’s baptism as the only mode of baptism. Baptists do not believe that baptism is necessary for salvation.
How are Baptists different from Christians?
The primary difference between Baptists and other Christians is the practice of believers’ baptism. Only people who have professed their faith can be baptized, in contrast to infant baptism practiced by most other Christian faiths, and baptism must occur by full-body immersion in water.
What were the Baptists known for?
Baptist, member of a group of Protestant Christians who share the basic beliefs of most Protestants but who insist that only believers should be baptized and that it should be done by immersion rather than by the sprinkling or pouring of water.
Who do Baptists believe Jesus is?
Jesus is Lord
Baptists believe that Jesus Christ, being eternally God, only begotten Son and the visible expression of the invisible God, effectively procured salvation for all creation through his death, burial and resurrection. He is the one assigned by God the Father to rule with authority over all of creation.
Do Baptists believe in the Virgin Mary?
For Baptists, Mary is a person like any person, called to a unique role in God’s plan of salvation, given a choice, and making the right choice by God’s grace in spite of her human imperfections.
What do Baptists reject?
Baptists fundamentally rejected any policy that afforded the state the “divine” authority to compel or even guide people in matters of religion.
What is the difference between Baptist and Southern Baptist?
The word Southern in “Southern Baptist Convention” stems from its having been organized in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, by white Baptists in the Southern United States who supported continuing the institution of slavery and split from the northern Baptists (known today as the American Baptist Churches USA), who did not …
What religion did Baptists come from?
The two major explanations today link modern-day Baptists to the continental Anabaptists of the Reformation era or the Puritan renewal movement within the Church of England.Feb 13, 2023
Who founded the Baptist Church?
Roger Williams
Many American Baptists looks to Roger Williams (c. 1603-1683) as the founder of the Baptist movement in the United States. A proponent of separation of church and state, he founded the colony of Providence Plantation in 1636.
What do Baptist do at church?
Baptist worship is hardly distinguishable from the worship of the older Puritan denominations (Presbyterians and Congregationalists) of England and the United States. It centres largely on the exposition of the Scriptures in a sermon and emphasizes extemporaneous, rather than set, prayers.
What is the difference between Catholics and Baptists?
Catholics believe in the authority of the Pope, the sacraments as channels of divine grace, and the intercession of saints. Baptists strongly emphasize believer’s baptism, where individuals are baptized only after a personal commitment to Jesus Christ.
Are Baptists considered Catholic?
Traditional Baptist historians write from the perspective that Baptists had existed since the time of Christ. Proponents of the Baptist successionist or perpetuity view consider the Baptist movement to have existed independently from Roman Catholicism and prior to the Protestant Reformation.
What is unique to Baptist?
The primary difference between Baptists and other Christians is the practice of believers’ baptism. Only people who have professed their faith can be baptized, in contrast to infant baptism practiced by most other Christian faiths, and baptism must occur by full-body immersion in water.
What are basic Baptist beliefs?
The Baptist Church emphasizes the importance of a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They believe that individuals can connect with God through prayer, worship, and study of the Bible. This relationship is seen as a source of strength and guidance in daily life.
What are the 4 major Baptist denominations?
Though dozens and dozens of Baptist denominations exist, over 90% of Baptists belong to just five groups: the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Baptist Convention USA, the National Baptist Convention of America, American Baptist Churches USA, and the Baptist Bible Fellowship International.
What is the most popular Baptist denomination?
Southern Baptists are the largest evangelical Protestant group in the United States. Descended from Baptists who settled in the American colonies in the 17th century, Southern Baptists formed their own denomination in 1845, following a rift with their northern counterparts over slavery.
What religion is the same as Baptist?
Baptists are members of a Protestant Christian denomination, united by a specific set of religious beliefs. Baptists originated with a 16th-century denomination known as the Anabaptists, and have since grown into a religious denomination with millions of members worldwide.
What are the two types of Baptist?
Some doctrinal issues on which there is widespread difference among Baptists are: Eschatology. Arminianism versus Calvinism (General Baptists uphold Arminian theology while Particular Baptists teach Calvinist theology).
What percentage of America is Baptist?
15.3%
Approximately 15.3% of Americans identify as Baptist, making Baptists the second-largest religious group in the United States, after Roman Catholics.
Which religion is declining the fastest?
According to the same study Christianity is expected to lose a net of 66 million adherents (40 million converts versus 106 million apostate) mostly to religiously unaffiliated category between 2010 and 2050, it is also expected that Christianity may have the largest net losses in terms of religious conversion.
Why are churches removing Baptist from their name?
There is a growing trend among Baptists, and that is to abandon the historic doctrines that Baptists have stood for down through the ages. Some of them are manifesting that desire, by dropping the name Baptist from their Church name. Others continue to use the name Baptist, but have retreated from Baptist doctrine.