Do Presbyterians Believe in Believer Baptism? Of course we do! Recently, Cornerstone had such an event as an adult baptism. Besides being a time of great celebration, it was also an occasion to take heed to the duties mentioned in the Larger Catechism (LC 167), regarding the improving of our own baptism, particularly during the administration of it to others.
Sometimes, in friendly conversations with our Baptist brethren, they may set up the false dichotomy in which they believe in believer baptism while we as Presbyterians believe in infant baptism. This then leads to the wrong conclusion that we as Presbyterians do not believe in believer baptism. But the truth is, we also believe in believer baptism. While the common occurrence in Presbyterian churches is for infant baptisms to far outnumber adult baptisms, it may be helpful to get a reminder about what these believer baptisms mean.
Particularly for adults who come to faith later in life, baptism has the meaning of a decisive break from their old life in sin according to the flesh and their new, victorious life in Jesus Christ. Consider the way that the Apostle Paul reasoned from baptism See Romans 6:2b, 4—”How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? … Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” May this be a reminder to all of us that our old self is dead, and our new self lives by faith unto obedience to the glory of God!