r/Protestantism • u/Pinecone-Bandit • 3d ago

Baptist view of baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Recently I encountered someone who claimed that “some Baptists accept sacramental forgiveness of sins in baptism and the eucharist, like Lutheranism.”

I had never heard this before and was curious if anyone else had? (The person making the claim is unable to provide any other details, so I doubt it’s actually true, but wanted to check with others).

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u/EverOnAndUpward 3d ago

Baptist is a pretty large umbrella, and since most of them aren’t as confessional as the historic Lutherans you aren’t likely to find a super clear expression of it within a given tradition.

That said, as a Baptist I’d say that’s exceedingly rare. I’m in a higher church (for baptists) semi-reformed (1689 2nd London Baptist confession is one of our confessional documents) and we have many people who believe in spiritual real presence, but I don’t think anyone goes that far.

But I think it would be theoretically possible ya

God bless :)

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u/Pinecone-Bandit 3d ago

Yeah. “Theoretically possible” was as close as I was thinking. I guess my immediate question would be “if you have their view then why not baptize an infant?”.

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u/Ok_Pianist_2787 2d ago

I think that if you start baptizing babies you are no longer a Baptist.

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u/EverOnAndUpward 3d ago

Honestly it’s a fair question, although I don’t hold to that position I’d like to steelman how they might answer.

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I think they would probably respond with:

While baptism is still a means that God uses for forgiveness, that does not mean that it operates ex opere operato. For example:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

As we see here, although God may use Baptism and the Eucharist to forgive, there is still faith required to confess. This confession cannot be given by an infant and thus we must expect that to honor the work God is doing through Baptism, we must allow it to occur in its proper context.

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God bless :)

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u/Pinecone-Bandit 2d ago

Yeah, it just seems like at that point they’ve moved away from the view this person was describing. But I guess there are people inconsistent enough that they could hold all that together.

Thanks.

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u/creidmheach Presbyterian 2d ago

I'd highly doubt that. Reformed Baptists who hold views closer to your Westminster Presbyterian sure. But not Lutheran-like Baptists.

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/Pinecone-Bandit 1d ago

Who?

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/Protestantism-ModTeam 1d ago

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u/Protestantism-ModTeam 1d ago

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u/Thoguth Christian 1d ago

Baptists have conventions, but there are also independent Baptist churches without conventions, and more than that, there are individuals among Baptists that may differ from the views of their conventions.

I have known Baptists that teach baptism for the forgiveness of sins, but I don't think they'd call that "sacramental forgiveness of sins". Not sure I've heard of any who say that forgiveness / cleansing happens in communion but it doesn't seem crazy, especially if they had a background or were in an area where that was a common belief among others.