IMMERSION IS NOT BAPTISM by John W. Beckwith

Of all the distinctives that fracture the people of God one of the most polarizing is the way baptism is understood and administered.

We feel strongly that this is not a salvific issue and should therefore not divide the church, but we still are all responsible to examine the matter with all diligence and arrive at our own conviction.

We published this book because we feel it has valuable information to convey and consider to anyone who seeks to understand Christian baptism.

We admit the title is provocative and perhaps even a bit misleading, at least from our perspective because we’re not desirous of supporting any denial of the propriety of baptism by immersion. The title is that which the author John Beckwith gave his work over a century ago, and we’ve just got to live with that, but that aside, Beckwith's work is important and should be seriously considered.

The thrust of his book is actually not to argue a systematic theology of paedobaptism but to bring brotherly harmony to the church. It is a refutation of those that divisively insist that the only true and valid Christian baptism is that accomplished by means of immersion.

These are the same that dogmatically purport that every use of the word translated as "baptism" (and its variants) only and always means immersion and therefore consider those baptized by sprinkling or pouring not just mistaken but actually unbaptized in God’s eyes—and thereby neglectful of fulfilling our Savior’s commandment.

Let us investigate together what is the most fitting mode for Christian baptism. A settled understanding of this matter will lead to a more confident walk with God in observing the sacrament and its administration in the way you are convinced best obeys the Christ’s command.

ISBN 978-1610109956