When did believers baptism start? This question has intrigued historians and theologians for centuries. The origins of believers baptism, also known as credobaptism, are rooted in the teachings of the New Testament and the early church fathers. Understanding the history of this practice can provide valuable insights into the development of Christian baptism and its significance in the faith.
The concept of believers baptism can be traced back to the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts. The first recorded instance of believers baptism is found in Acts 2:41, where it is mentioned that those who believed in the message of Peter were baptized. This indicates that baptism was a response to faith in Jesus Christ, rather than a ritual performed on infants or converts who had not yet made a personal decision to follow Christ.
The early church fathers, such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian, also supported the practice of believers baptism. Justin Martyr, in his work “Dialogue with Trypho,” described the baptism of converts as a response to their faith in Christ. Tertullian, in his treatise “On Baptism,” emphasized the importance of personal belief and the need for converts to be baptized after they had made a profession of faith.
However, the early church was not uniform in its practice of baptism. Many early Christians, including those in the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions, practiced infant baptism. This practice was based on the belief that baptism was a necessary sacrament for salvation, and that infants, being part of the Christian community, should be baptized as soon as possible.
The rise of the Anabaptist movement in the 16th century marked a significant turning point in the history of believers baptism. Anabaptists, such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Menno Simons, argued that baptism should be administered only to those who had made a conscious decision to follow Christ. This belief was rooted in the New Testament teachings and the early church fathers, and it led to the development of the practice of believers baptism as we know it today.
In conclusion, the origins of believers baptism can be traced back to the New Testament and the early church fathers. While the practice was not universally accepted in the early church, the Anabaptist movement in the 16th century helped to solidify the belief that baptism should be administered only to those who had made a personal decision to follow Christ. Understanding the history of believers baptism provides valuable insights into the development of Christian baptism and its significance in the faith.
