Dimensions of Baptism Biblical and Theological Studies

346 Dimensions of Baptism

queries submitted by the churches and the response of the assembled com-

pany, including,

Query 4. Whether any are to be received into the church of Christ only

upon a bare confession of Christ being come in the flesh and assenting to

the doctrine and order laid down by him?

Answer: they may not be admitted on such terms without a declaration of

an experimental work of the Spirit upon the heart, through the word of the

Gospel and sutable to it, being attended with evident tokens of conversion,

to the satisfaction of the administrator and brethren or church concerned in

it, Acts 8.37, Rom. 10.9f, Acts 19.18, Luke 6.44f, Mat. 3.7f.^33

Baptist worship can only be understood within a framework of personal

faith and the expectation of a living encounter with God. Such an experi-

ential spirituality can also be seen in this early association meeting where

membership of the church requires evidence 'of an experimental work of

the Spirit upon the heart' together with 'evident tokens of conversion'.

Here is a dynamic view of the Church where its members are, even at the

point of entry, testimonies to the creative work of the Spirit. Indeed, the

1644 London Confession was at pains to point out that such faith is not a

human work but a gift of God to the sinner who is 'dead in sinnes and

trespasses'. Yet saving faith becomes possible because the transformation

of the sinner's life is brought about 'by no lesse power, than that which

raised Christ from dead'. Again we can see how the imagery of Rom. 6

was a potent factor in the developing Baptist understanding of baptism.

The expectation that such faith shouldprecede baptism and membership

has certain consequences for the understanding of baptism and the nature

of the Church. However, we need to place these within the wider compass

of Calvinistic theology. It was believed that God had elected certain per-

sons for salvation and that in due time, through the preaching of the

gospel, the Holy Spirit would enable saving faith to be awakened within

them. Conversion would result and the new life which would be evident

would include a concern to be obedient to the will of God as shown in

Scripture and expounded by his ministers. Such members of God's elect

would thus belong to the saints of the invisible Church but, to be faithful

to the divine ordinances, they would then need to obey the command of

Christ and be baptized, as well as entering into a covenant relationship

33. B.R. White (ed.), Association Records of the Particular Baptists of England,
    Wales and Ireland to 1660:2. The West Country and Ireland(London: Baptist Histori-
    cal Society, 1973), p. 56.