Theology II: Ordinances
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper – Understanding the Church’s Ordinances | Dr. Kimble Cedarville University
In this online class presentation from Cedarville University, students explore two foundational practices of the Christian church: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. This lecture explains the biblical meaning, historical background, and theological differences surrounding these ordinances, helping students understand why they matter for the life, unity, and witness of the local church today.
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0:00 Cedarville University introduction and academic identity
0:24 Course context – Ecclesiology within Theology II
1:22 Student experiences with baptism and the Lord’s Supper
2:23 Old Testament and historical background to baptism
3:33 John the Baptist and repentance baptism
3:58 Views of infant baptism
6:56 Believer’s baptism explained
7:53 Romans 6 and identification with Christ
9:16 Baptism as public profession of faith
12:03 Mode of baptism and immersion
13:57 Baptism in Acts – belief then baptism
18:49 Baptism and the local church
25:10 Questions on age, timing, and who may baptize
37:09 Introduction to the Lord’s Supper
38:04 Meaning and purpose of communion
41:51 Views of the Lord’s Supper explained
44:42 Memorial view and gospel focus
This theology lecture begins by examining students’ own experiences with baptism and communion, highlighting how churches differ in timing, frequency, and practice. From there, the class traces the background of baptism from Old Testament ceremonial washings, through Jewish proselyte baptism, to John the Baptist’s call to repentance and the New Testament pattern seen in Acts.
Students are introduced to four major views of baptism: Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed (paedobaptist), and the believer’s baptism position. The lecture carefully explains why many Baptist churches affirm believer’s baptism by immersion, emphasizing Romans 6 and baptism as identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism is presented not as a means of salvation, but as a public declaration of faith and entrance into the visible community of the church.
The discussion also addresses practical and pastoral questions, including the age of baptism, baptism and church membership, who may baptize, and exceptional cases such as deathbed conversions or limited access to a local church. Throughout, the importance of baptism as a church ordinance tied to accountability and discipleship is emphasized.
The second half of the lecture focuses on the Lord’s Supper. Students explore its institution at the Passover meal, its connection to the New Covenant, and its role as a visible proclamation of the gospel. The class explains how communion looks backward to Christ’s sacrifice, inward to personal reflection, outward to church unity, and forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Major theological views of the Lord’s Supper are surveyed, including transubstantiation, consubstantiation, means-of-grace views, and the memorial view. The lecture concludes by emphasizing communion as a serious yet joyful act of worship that strengthens faith, unity, and hope in Christ’s return.
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