Beleivers Baptism Book Review - 2151 Words

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary Book Critique: Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ A Paper Submitted to Professor Larry McDonald In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course Ecclesiology Theo 620 By Matt Dover September 8, 2012 Bibliography Believer’s Baptism: Sign of the New Covenant in Christ. Thomas R. Schreiner Shawn D. Wright. Nashville: B H, 2007. 359 pages. Reviewed by Matt B. Dover Authorship Thomas R. Schreiner is the professor of New Testament Interpretation and the Associate Dean of Scripture and Interpretation at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Prior to this he served for 11 years at†¦show more content†¦He says of Jewish proselyte baptism, â€Å"It appears that the import of this practice was both purifactory-Gentiles were generally considered to be ritually unclean and in need of purification- and initiatory. Also, proselyte baptism conveyed the notion of a conversion to a new kind of life, which involved the proselyte’s acceptance of the ‘yoke of the Torah.’ Hence, the initiation represented a commitment, as well as bestowing certain benefits.†(12) This lines up with the thesis of the book and supports a need for the historical recovery and significance of the believer’s baptism as this serves as a foreshadow of what would be implied through baptism after confession of salvation in the believer. Chapter one al so covers the gospels of the cannon and shows that the majority of the referenced materials regarding baptism were about the role and baptism of John the Baptist. It further shows how John’s baptism was a way of preparing the people to accept and receive Jesus Christ through repentance. This chapter also covered the baptism works of the disciples and the coming baptism promised by Christ regarding the baptism through fire found in the book of Acts. No evidence was provided in any of these instances that would support or validate infant baptism, which agrees with and confirms the author’s thesis. Instead, this chapter shows how baptism worked in the role of