Comprehensive Study Guide

Believer's Baptism in the Reformed Baptist Tradition

This is a substantial topic that spans biblical theology, covenant theology, church history, systematic theology, ecclesiology, hermeneutics, and historical theology. The Reformed Baptist tradition has produced one of the richest theological defenses of believer's baptism (credobaptism), especially from the seventeenth century onward.

Rather than simply defending believer's baptism, the best Reformed Baptist theologians argue that baptism is the visible sign of the New Covenant and therefore belongs only to those who give credible evidence of regeneration.

Part I

Primary Confessional Foundation

Your foundational document should always be:

The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689)

Begin with:

• Chapter 26 — The Church
• Chapter 27 — The Communion of Saints
• Chapter 28 — Baptism and the Lord's Supper
• Chapter 29 — Baptism
• Chapter 30 — The Lord's Supper

Study each paragraph with Scripture references before reading anyone else's commentary.

Part II

Historical Context

The New Testament Church

Topics

• John's baptism