Before baptism is administered, our church carefully instructs baptismal candidates in the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. This practice of catechetical instruction is rooted in Christ’s Great Commission itself, wherein He commanded the church not only to baptise, but also to “teach all nations” and to instruct disciples “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). Thus, baptism must be accompanied by biblical instruction, understanding, and discipleship.
Catechism classes serve this vital purpose. Through systematic teaching of the basic doctrines of Scripture, candidates are grounded in the truths of the Gospel and helped to understand the significance of baptism and church membership. Such instruction guards against shallow profession, doctrinal confusion, and careless participation in the holy ordinances of Christ.
The classes generally cover essential biblical teachings concerning: the existence and attributes of God, the person and work of Christ, the Holy Spirit and His works, the authority, inspiration, infallibility and preservation of Holy Scripture, the sinfulness of man, salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone, repentance and faith, the church and its ordinances, Christian obedience and holy living, doctrine of the last days, etc.
Catechetical instruction is especially important in an age marked by widespread biblical ignorance and doctrinal instability. The church must ensure that those seeking baptism possess a credible understanding of the Christian faith and a sincere desire to follow Christ in obedience.
Furthermore, catechism classes provide opportunities for pastors and elders to know the candidates personally, answer spiritual questions, clarify doctrinal matters, and lovingly guide them towards a faithful church life.
For children born to Christian parents who received infant baptism, such instruction also serves to strengthen and confirm them in the faith and truths of God’s Word that they have been taught from their childhood.
Thus, catechism classes are not mere formalities, but an important pastoral and spiritual preparation for those who desire to receive the covenant sign of baptism and publicly identify themselves with Christ and His church.
Baptism is one of the evident and emphatic elements of the Great Commission that Christ has given to His church. With the absolute authority He has over everything “in heaven and in earth”, Christ stipulates that all who respond in faith and obedience to the preaching of the Gospel of Christ and become His disciples, ought to be baptized. For He has declared, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…” (Matthew 28:18–19).
By virtue of His shed blood in His death on the cross to redeem His people and His resurrection from the grave, Jesus now wields full authority from the Father to institute baptism as a sign of the new covenant He has made with His redeemed people. With ushering in of the New Testament age, Christ, via the Great Commission, commanded baptism to be administered “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”.
All Christians are required to be baptised. While baptism is neither a means of salvation nor a meritorious rite that grants salvation, it is required of every Christian as an outward sign of repentance and faith in Christ. All who belong to Christ must obey the Lord’s command to be baptized. In fact, evidenced by command and example in the New Testament, this ecclesiastically obligatory practice of baptism (as stipulated in the Great Commission) extends to the baptism of the young children of those whom the apostles would disciple.
In the apostolic period, all those who believed in the Gospel preached by the apostolic team were baptized as they joined the church. We read in Scripture that “they that gladly received his (Peter’s) word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). Earlier on that historic day of Gospel-preaching in Jerusalem, Peter had exhorted them to “Repent and be baptized … in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and [they] shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). Undoubtedly, baptism not only signifies the remission of sins (through the atoning work of Christ), it also signifies our glad and personal acceptance of the atonement of Christ accomplished on the cross (cf. v. 41a).
It is instructive to note that Peter further went on to affirm that “the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:39). It is thus clear that this new covenantal promise of the Gospel—ratified by its outward sign of baptism—is (as asserted by Peter) offered to believers, including their children. Undeniably, baptism of the believers and their children was practised in the New Testament churches, as evidenced by the household baptisms recorded in Scripture—Cornelius and his family (cf. Acts 10:2, 48), Lydia and her family (cf. Acts 16:15), the Philippi jailor and his family (cf. Acts 16:32–33), Stephanas and his family (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:16).
Just as circumcision is the covenant sign in the Old Testament, so baptism serves as the covenant sign in the New Testament. Both are symbols of God’s gracious gift of faith and salvation, administered under the two covenants respectively. What is noteworthy is that, like circumcision, baptism is also administered to households of believers, as corroborated by Scriptural evidence. This is a biblical fact not to be overlooked, which is affirmed by the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF), stating, “Not only those that do actually profess faith in, and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or both believing parents are to be baptized” (WCF, chapter 28, paragraph 4).
