What Is Baptism?
Overview
What is Baptism? affirms that baptism is one of the two sacraments of the Christian church, a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Therefore, it is a necessary and meaningful practice that is packed with rich symbolism. In this booklet, Dr. Sproul provides help in understanding and appreciating this practice of the church.
Top Highlights
“We do it first because Christ commanded it, but also because it conveys the sign of the promise of God of salvation by faith and all of the benefits that flow from that. When a person is baptized and comes to faith, if he later worries about the loss of his salvation, he can recall his baptism—not because the baptism guarantees his salvation, but because it reminds him of the unfailing promise of God to preserve all those who are engrafted into Christ.” (Pages 7–8)
“A sign points beyond itself to something else. In the same way, baptism is not salvation and all that it entails. It is the sign that points us to the benefits of Christ that we receive by faith.” (Page 32)
“We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners” (Page 40)
“Just as circumcision was the sign of the old covenant, baptism is the sign of the new covenant” (Page 28)
“Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his engrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world’” (Page 34)
- Title: What Is Baptism?
- Author: R. C. Sproul
- Edition: First edition
- Series: The Crucial Questions Series
- Volume: 11
- Publisher: Reformation Trust
- Print Publication Date: 2011
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Baptism › Reformed Church; Reformed Church › Doctrines
- ISBNs: 9781567692600, 1567692605
- Resource ID: LLS:WHATISBAPTISM
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T03:43:56Z
R. C. Sproul (1939– 2017) was a respected teacher, theologian, pastor. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries where he served as executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.
Sproul held degrees from Westminster College, Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, Free University of Amsterdam, and Whitefield Theological Seminary. He taught at several colleges and seminaries including Reformed Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, in Sanford, Florida. Sproul’s teaching can be heard daily on the ‘Renewing Your Mind’ radio broadcast which plays in over 40 countries.
Sproul wrote over 70 books and articles including the classic The Holiness of God and several theological articles in Tabletalk magazine.