Shortly after the time of the Reformation, the Anabaptist started insisting on believers’ baptism, i.e., that only those who had made a personal profession of faith in Christ are proper candidates for baptism. This group became known as Anabaptist because they re-baptized those who had been baptized as babies.

The controversy over baby baptism continues in the church. Some insist that babies should be baptized, while others insist that they should not.

We sometimes refer to baby baptism as “paedo” baptism. That little prefix “ped” or “paed” or “pedo” is Greek for “child.” You are familiar with pediatrics or pediatricians? Paedo-baptism is baby baptism. The practice of baptizing only believers is sometimes called “credo-baptism.” “Credo” in this case means “belief,” as in subscribing to a creed or doctrinal statement. Credo-baptists baptize on the basis of belief. Only those who believe can be baptized.

Today I’d like to look at why I am not a paedo-baptist, or why I am a credo-baptist: