Modes of Baptism (The Three Different Doctrinal Positions)

Modes of Baptism (The Three Different Doctrinal Positions)

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, March 25, 2026 (Donate)

Since the time of the Reformation (AD 1500s), there are many distinct denominations of churches. One of the main causes of church splits has to do with the mode of baptism.

These various churches all agree with baptism, but how and when to administer it becomes the point of contention. In short, the three basic positions are:

• Paedobaptistic: With paedobaptism, one baptizes infants based on covenant inclusion or in the case of Lutherans, it is a means of grace. Paedo means child. This is done usually by sprinkling or pouring, rarely by full immersion. Those who are paedobaptistic also accept adult baptism and that can be full immersion.
• Baptistic: Baptizes only professing believers and is done by immersion. They reject infant baptism.
• Anabaptistic: Rejects infant baptism and rebaptizes adults if they were baptized as infants. They tend to overlap with Baptists on baptism but differs historically and sometimes doctrinally. For instance, just because one professes, doesn’t automatically permit them to be baptized—often, they must shows genuine signs of conversion to Christ before they are permitted to be baptized.

Let’s look at these positions in more detail.

Dishes being cleaned by sprinkling (in a dishwasher), being cleaned by pouring water from a faucet, and being cleaned by immersion; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Paedobaptistic (Infant Baptism)

Paedobaptism is the practice of baptizing infants, typically grounded in a form of covenant theology. Paedobaptists argue that baptism has replaced circumcision as the covenant sign, and thus should be applied to the children of believers just as circumcision was applied under the Old Testament to the boys. This view is commonly held by Presbyterians, Reformed churches, and some Anglicans.

This is not the view of Lutherans who view infant baptism as a means of grace that leads to God working in their lives to grant forgiveness of sins, regeneration, and faith.

Leading Baptist commentator, Dr. John Gill strongly opposed paedobaptism. He argued that there is no explicit New Testament command or example of infant baptism. For Gill, baptism is an ordinance tied to personal faith and repentance, which infants are incapable of exercising. He rejected the covenantal continuity argument, insisting that the New Covenant differs in nature from the Old and is composed only of regenerate believers.

Nevertheless, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Anglicans disagree…and as you can see, this is a major division within protestant circles.

Baptistic (Believer’s Baptism)

Baptistic theology, which dominates Baptist Churches, Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, and Pentecostals, holds that baptism is reserved only for those who personally profess faith in Jesus Christ. Baptists hold baptism as an ordinance for visible believers, administered after conversion—when they believe in Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection.

Baptism, in this view, follows faith, citing the consistent New Testament pattern: hearing the gospel, believing, and then being baptized (e.g., Acts 2 when they heard Peter preach the gospel, they believed when they were cut to the heart in Acts 2:37, they were to be baptized in Acts 2:38).

Baptists argue strictly for immersion as the proper mode, seeing it as the clearest representation of union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Baptists reject infant baptism and insist upon the baptism of professing believers only.

Anabaptistic (Re-baptizers)

The term “Anabaptist” historically refers to those during the Reformation who rejected infant baptism and were therefore rebaptized upon profession of faith. The name means “re-baptizer,” though many Anabaptists rejected the label, arguing that infant baptism was invalid and thus not a true baptism at all. So, the name is used strictly for descriptive purposes.

Anabaptists often held additional distinctives beyond believer’s baptism, such as separation from state churches and, in some cases, more deviant social or theological views of other believers such as the Amish and Mennonites.

Baptists are to be distinguished from Anabaptists. While both rejected infant baptism, Baptists do not see themselves as “re-baptizers” since they considered infant baptism invalid. Therefore, what critics called “rebaptism” was, in Baptist understanding, true baptism for the first time.

Conclusion

These divisions have split many churches in the last 500 years. Some churches literally put their distinctive division in the name of their local church—e.g., First “Baptist” Church!

The point is that there are several different views and I want to encourage you see what the Bible says. I also want to encourage you to chat with your local pastor, elders and of course, your family and see what they believe and why they hold those positions biblically. 

This is merely meant as an introductory discussion to give you some basic understanding of the positions. It isn’t meant to dive into the debate in immense detail with scriptural battles ensuing.

But just to let you know, it can become a heated debate. But at the end of the day, remember that brothers and sisters in Christ can still stand together on the authority of God’s Word and should be able to have these discussions in an iron-sharpening-iron fashion, with respect and gentleness, to grow closer to Christ (1 Peter 3:15).

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.