The Door-Step Evangel

Is Baptism Becoming a Sacrament to Baptists?
Dr. Ronald L. Tottingham

Is baptism slowly becoming in some fundamentalist camps, a sacrament? We hear and read of some churches' baptisms as though that is the essential essence of one's salvation. In some circles getting folks baptized is pushed as their aim for sinners.

I've run into folks professing to be believers of late, "members" of fundamentalist Baptist churches, who have told me when questioned of their salvation, "Well, sure I am saved. I've been baptized," or "I was baptized." I've heard that same statement from Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, etc., but never thought I'd hear it from a fundamentalist Baptist. Could it be that so much emphasis is being placed on numbers in some camps that the effort to have results has or is producing a multitude who have only witnessed the urgency to be baptized and have taken or are taking that to be the salvation?

Where is the old fashioned emphasis on the inner awakening of new birth, brought in repentance of sin (a deep and thorough about face within the inner man), resulting in a desire toward God? Baptism is not the primary. It is only a symbol that the primary (complete new birth) has already taken place within the heart.

Could it be that when fundamental Baptists hold baptism as the aim for sinners it is very close to (if not) "another Gospel."

When we baptize converts, should not our emphasis be on the inward awakening of new birth and not on baptism?