Christian Baptism

by John Murray

Sets forth the scriptural arguments that are the basis for the Reformed and Presbyterian teaching on baptism. Topics include: mode of baptism, the church, infant baptism and more.

Genres: Theology, Christianity, Ecclesiology, Christian, Church, Nonfiction, Religion

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

John Murray was a Scottish-born Calvinist theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary and then left to help found Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for many years.

Murray was born in the croft of Badbea, near Bonar Bridge, in Sutherland county, Scotland. Following service in the British Army in the First World War (during which he lost an eye, serving in the famous Black Watch regiment) he studied at the University of Glasgow. Following his acceptance as a theological student of the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland he pursued further studies at Princeton Theological Seminary under J. Gresham Machen and Geerhardus Vos, but broke with the Free Presbyterian Church in 1930 over that Church's treatment of the Chesley, Ontario congregation. He taught at Princeton for a year and then lectured in systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary to generations of students from 1930 to 1966, and was an early trustee of the Banner of Truth Trust. Besides the material in the four-volume Collected Writings, his primary published works are a commentary on the Epistle to the Romans (previously included in the New International Commentary on the New Testament series but now superseded by Douglas J. Moo's commentary), Redemption Accomplished and Applied, Principles of Conduct, The Imputation of Adam's Sin, Baptism, and Divorce.

Murray preached at Chesley and Lochalsh from time to time until his retirement from Westminster Theological Seminary in 1968. He married Valerie Knowlton 7 December 1967 and retired to Scotland where he was connected with the Free Church of Scotland. Writing after a communion season at Lochalsh, Murray said, “I think I feel most at home here and at Chesley of all the places I visit.” There had been some consideration that upon leaving the seminary, Murray might take a pastorate in the newly formed Presbyterian Reformed Church, but the infirmity of his aged sisters at the home place necessitated his return to Ross-shire, Scotland.

Reviews

[Sean McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good.

[Anthony Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fantastic.

Murray's chapter on mode is worth the read alone. I don't think anyone can read and seriously consider that chapter and come away holding immersion exclusivity. Really well done. Not to mention how he handles baptism as a whole.

As with most books recommended to me by people much smarter than I am, the only thing I didn't like about Christian Baptism was how long it took for me to finally pick it up.

Would recommend to anyone even remotely concerned with the issue of baptism.

[Rick Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic!

[JM · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very rarely do I read a book that convinces me to take the opposite viewpoint of what it advocates. This one did.
As far as the general meaning and significance of baptism goes, Murray is spot on. His section of how baptism in Romans 6 pictures union with Christ is excellent, and his discussion of church membership from a Reformed perspective is helpful. That being said, his section on linguistic and exegetical data for immersion took logical leaps that were surprising from as seasoned a theologian as he is. Additionally, as with all those argue paedobaptism that I've read, he overrides all opposing data by seeing such continuity in the covenants that he flattens out the contours of the NT text. This book was a bit of a letdown, especially since it came from a scholar for whom I have such great respect.

[Alex McEwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My next stop in this “year with the Puritans” takes a slight detour. John Murray doesn’t belong to the 17th century by birth, but he belongs to the Puritan tradition by conviction. And if the Puritans have taught me anything, it’s that clarity, precision, and a deep reverence for the text of Scripture never go out of style.

Before I really begin my review, I should confess that this has been my pool read this summer. And nothing says fun summer reading like linguistic arguments over the Septuagint’s use of Greek verbs and debates about whether anyone actually got in the river in Acts 8.

Murray’s "Christian Baptism" is short. Barely a pamphlet by today’s standards and my copy had physical staples bindinging it together. A Reformation Heritage Zine. But it offers more substance per page than most books triple its size. From the beginning of this project, the Puritans have worked hard to convince me that the essay is the ideal form of written communication. I have said often, if you can’t say it in 40 pages, you probably can’t say it at all. This essay is dry. It’s not devotional, nor is it particularly warm. What it is, however, is clear, unflinchingly biblical, methodical, and deeply attuned to the covenantal logic that undergirds the Reformed tradition.

This is not the place to look for new insight or modern rhetorical flourish. It is, quite simply, a faithful account of what baptism is, whom it is for, and why it matters. Murray takes you straight into the logic of the Puritan tradition. He treats baptism as a true sacrament not a mere symbol, nor a private spiritual experience, but a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. And crucially, he refuses to separate baptism from the visible church.

His section on the mode of baptism is particularly strong, not because it is innovative, but because it is so Scripturally anchored. He resists sentimentality and rejects church tradition where it has been severed from exegesis. He offers the reader a careful case that biblical baptism is not limited to immersion and that the New Testament usage of “baptizo” is more flexible than many suppose.

I found Murray’s treatment of infant baptism refreshing. It avoids the usual polemics and instead draws from the deep well of covenant theology. He doesn’t rely on emotional appeals or romanticize the idea of the Christian family. He simply builds the case from the continuity of the covenant, the inclusion of children in the visible church, and the command of Christ. You may not be convinced, but you will have to reckon with him.

If there is a flaw, it is that Murray sometimes assumes too much of his reader. He writes like a seminary professor with high expectations. I found myself wondering how useful this text might be in practical ministry. The Presbyterian reading at this level is likely already convinced of the arguments being made. And yet, it is far too advanced to hand to a curious fifth grader or a skeptical Baptist uncle. Let this buttress your already held convictions, but don’t expect it to do any evangelistic work among the Anabaptists of our day.

There are better storytellers than Murray, but there are few writers today who take such theological care. "Christian Baptism" is not flashy, but it is sturdy. It gives you the sense that the floor beneath your feet is not going to give way. In a moment when many churches have forgotten what baptism is for, Murray helps us remember that this act is not our word to God, but God’s Word to us.

If you’ve grown up in the church, baptism can easily become a background detail. Something that happened long ago or something you witnessed without reflection. But Murray reminds us that baptism is a gift from God! It’s not the end of the Christian story, but its formal beginning, God’s public claim upon a person and the church’s recognition of that grace. Whether we were baptized as infants or adults, the call remains the same, to walk in newness of life, anchored not in our promises to God, but in his promises to us. And that is very good news. So therefore, let us remember our baptisms! And in the words of the Puritans, let us make perfect our Baptisms!

[Josiah Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars instead of two because it plainly sets out the paedobaptist position. It is a great place to go to become familiar with the position. However, the argumentation for the position is weak overall.

The chapter on the mode of baptism was especially weak. He shows a few places in the New Testament where βαπιζω probably does not mean immerse, but these are not instances where the word is used in the context of baptism with the exception of one rather obscure and difficult to understand passage.

Murray’s section on distinguishing the church as visible and the church as invisible was very helpful, even for a Baptist. He shows that infants of believers are part of the visible church, which is not necessarily problematic for a Reformed Baptist.

Murray’s section on the defense of infant baptism is the weakest section of the book. He consistently and overwhelmingly imposes the covenantal system, especially the representative principle, on texts that have nothing to do with baptism. The exegesis in this section is sloppy and overshadowed by his theological system.

I found his discussion on the relationship between paedobaptism and regeneration interesting. Unlike many Presbyterians, he puts forward a view that the infant’s election can be presupposed and that their regeneration possibly precedes their baptism although the sacrament does not produce their regeneration as sacerdotalists would claim.

After reading Murray’s “Redemption Accomplished and Applied,” I thought that this book may give me some problems as a Baptist having seen Murray’s skillful exegesis there. However, having been somewhat surprised by the weak exegetical arguments here, this book has made me more sure of the credobaptist position.

[Felipe Sabino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good!

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian Baptism by John Murray was a good short defense of infant baptism.

[Rusten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. Deals concisely with all the issues.

[Cameron Barham]

“Summarily stated, baptism represents the inclusion of the person baptized in the body of Christ and in the fellowship of saints—it is the rite that signifies initiation; the Lord’s supper represents the abiding responsibility of and provision for those who are members of Christ’s body—it is the rite of edification.”, p. 76

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chapter 2 is a clear and thorough look at what the Baptists historically insist: Baptism by immersion. Dr. Murray proves, with a detailed look at the Biblical texts, that the terms frequently used do not REQUIRE immersion. He painstakingly labors in the Old Testament and the New as well as looking at the LXX to make his argument. Dr. Murray argues that the terms typically referenced by Baptists are not accurately applied and have no grounding in Scripture.

Chapter Three is an examination of the visible and invisible Church distinction (a distinction that is often misunderstood and misread by Baptists). In this chapter Dr. Murray is setting the stage, arguing from the perspective of the Covenant, to lead us into a defense of paedobaptism.

More later...

[Josiah Hasbrouck · Rating 3 out of 5]

NEW 2023 REVIEW:
Honestly this does not hold up as well as I remembered. Most of Murray's arguments are either weak or lacking in clarity. 2.5 stars, there's better paedobaptist books

OLD 2022 REVIEW:
Convincing if one assumes a one substance, two administrations view of old and new covenants (and subsequently a high degree of unity between the church and Israel). Otherwise, Murray's arguments are still formidable but ultimately insufficient. tl;dr have a good understanding of covenant theology first

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Murray does a wonderful job explaining what is Christian Baptism. He gives a great defense into why we baptize infants. He also handles critiques as well. If you are struggling with Baptism and the question of baptizing children, read this book.

[Tom Rogstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me a Baptist.

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book did a fair job of summarizing many of the arguments for paedobaptism. However, some of the reasoning is dated in that there are now Baptist answers to a number of Murray's arguments. Not addressed: differences within Reformed theology over what, exactly, baptism symbolizes. Murray is firmly convinced that it symbolizes union with Christ, and leaves the question of the mode of baptism open - he shows that immersion is not Biblically mandated and that, if anything, the weight of opinion slightly favors sprinkling. He argues that we are required by divine institution to baptize the children of confessing believers, but, after rejecting all notions of a separate external covenant, or baptismal regeneration, his argument for infant baptism, worded somewhat crassly, can be boiled down to "God tells us to, so we do it even if we don't understand why". I did take issue with his view of infant salvation - that faith is not a necessary component of salvation in infants because they are not psychologically capable of such. This seems to me a dangerous notion; if God can save an infant, he can work in their hearts to have faith in him even before they understand what that means. It is more than a little surprising to me that, after so emphatically arguing for continuity between the Old & New Covenants - continuity which would presumably extend to the mode of salvation - that Murray would even implicitly suggest a different mode of salvation in infants.

Although this is a reasonably thorough book given the amount of ground it covers in only 90 pages, it was not a particularly enjoyable read - very dry, even to someone who likes reading dry theological texts. For that reason, and because of the somewhat dated reasoning, I might suggest that those seeking a Biblical case for infant baptism should turn elsewhere. Gregg Strawbridge's "The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism", for instance, is a much more accessible and lay-friendly primer on the topic that has the advantage of showcasing several slightly different viewpoints, as each chapter has a different author.

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great treatise, tackling issues related to baptism (and especially infant baptism). What I appreciated most about Murray’s work is that he did not deal in tropes that are often used by paedobaptists. Instead, he admitted where these typical paedobaptist arguments are weak and he laid out other arguments which I had never considered before.

Central to Murray’s argument — even more so than other authors! — is the continuity and unity of the covenant of grace. One gets the sense that this theological detail even supersedes the importance of the sign used, whether that be circumcision or baptism. This emphasis particularly struck me as I was reading.

I have a few quibbles (questions?) regarding some things that Murray writes. But overall, this is a fine book. Not necessarily an introductory text for the average layperson, but it is certainly helpful (and it’s brevity doesn’t hurt either).

[Joseph Wolcott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good, albeit brief, introduction to and summary of biblical baptism. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to at least hear in short what paedobaptists believe. It's by no means a comprehensive case for the paedobaptist position, but it does show some advantages that Reformed arguments have over Baptist arguments. For example, it sufficiently shows that the original languages do not lend themselves to a Baptist teaching either of mode or recipient. In short, read this book. If you are a paedobaptist, it will help you gain a better understanding of why the practice of infant baptism is important and significant. If you are a credobaptist, this book will challenge what you have been taught and will at the very least give you some serious food for thought.

[Filip Sylwestrowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Murray's short book is one of the most insightful defences of the Reformed view on baptism. Its arguments are well balanced and worth careful consideration. But what makes this short book the real gem is its discussion of ecclesiology. Murray balances well categories of visible and invisible Church, avoiding some pitfalls that are common to more 'pietistic' presentations of Reformed ecclesiology. More on my blog: https://fsylwestrowicz.com/book-thoug...

[Hannah Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to my pastor's library, I read this book for a school project. While it was exactly the scope and length I was looking for, it was a more difficult read than I expected. One sentence is often three lines long and the sections about Greek words are written for people who actually know Greek script. :) I'm glad I read this book, though; it was very informative and a great resource.

[Mitchell Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best treatise on baptism I’ve ever read. It is clear, exegetical, and covenantal. This book is a must read for anyone wrestling with baptism/ padeobaptism.

The chapter on the mode of baptism alone is worth the price of the book.

This is primarily a polemic against a Baptistic view of baptism and a positive construction of Christian baptism.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm giving this book four stars because it's an orderly and well-written account of the paedobaptist position. If this were written by a guy on my team, I'd be super happy with it. It was helpful to see the argument for "covenant baptism" articulated forcefully, and he made plenty of good points. I'm not convinced, but it's not because John Murray wrote a bad book! Three stars for theology.

[Peter Kiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very level-headed and charitable book on baptism. Some other Presbyterians can come off as too ambitious in how far a text can go, but Murray is very interested in staying within the bounds of what can be proved based off of texts. This is a good representation of the breadth of Presbyterian beliefs on baptism.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

As expected, Murray is concise and clear. But three stars because I fundamentally disagree with him on the issue of infant baptism, most clearly on the relationship between the Abrahamic covenant and the new covenant. Still, he presents a good summary of the paedobaptist position.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rigorous, biblical, and practical guide to the practice of infant baptism— written in a fairly stuffy, academic style that’s suited for pastors, elders, and theology needs only. Will definitely hold onto it as a reference and resource.

[Dwain Minor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a strong argument for its position. The mode of baptism was pretty an interesting and thought provoking chapter for a baptist to read.

[Lundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short explanation of Baptism. A vital classic for every Christian to read.

[Ryan Kiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent treatise on the purpose of sacraments, the model of baptism, and efficacy of baptism. This is a must read!

[Jon Vos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, but incredibly helpful defense of infant baptism

[Arie Van Weelden · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first reading of John Murray. I hope to read more, this book was a joy to read.

[Zach McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great. Will review later with thoughts.