Should doctrinal disagreements on non-salvation issues—like baptism—matter on the mission field? This week, Scott Dunford gets personal as he and Alex Kocman discuss theological triage and the missionary.
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I want to hear further about baptism. Why is it important whether the baptizer is ordained? I think I know, but I’d like to know your explanation.
Diana: Hi! Alex here. Personally, I refer to the 2nd London Confession of Faith (1689), ch. 28, which states: These holy appointments are to be administered by those only who are qualified and thereunto called, according to the commission of Christ. The prooftexts it provides are Matthew 28:19 and 1 Corinthians 4:1 (see: https://www.the1689confession.com/1689/chapter-28). The idea is that the sacrament are a “living word” and should thus be administered by those ordained to the ministry of the word. As baptists, Scott and I would both affirm local church autonomy and grant that each church has the freedom to set the specifics of what they would define as ordination. But ordination itself is a biblical concept (cf. 2LCF 26.9; Acts 4:23, 6:3-6; 1 Timothy 4:14).