Lutheran vs. Baptist
A side-by-side comparison of Lutheran and Baptist teaching on 16 questions, from Scripture and salvation to baptism, communion and church government.
Lutheran
Lutheranism grew from Martin Luther’s reforming work in Germany from 1517. It is built on justification by grace through faith and the authority of Scripture, while keeping a liturgical form of worship and a strong view of the sacraments.
Baptist
Baptists arose from English Separatist churches in the early 1600s. They baptize only those who profess faith, govern each congregation independently, and hold to the Bible as the sole authority for belief and practice.
At a glance
Where they differ: Can a saved person fall away?; Baptism; Communion (the Lord’s Supper); Sacraments or ordinances; Style of worship.
Varies within one or both: Predestination and free will; Church government; Clergy and women in ministry; The Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts.
Where they agree: Authority: Scripture and tradition; Books of the Bible; The Trinity; How a person is saved; Mary and the saints; Death, purgatory and hell; Day of worship.
Side by side
| Question | Lutheran | Baptist |
|---|---|---|
| Authority: Scripture and traditionAgree | Scripture alone is the final norm for doctrine. The Book of Concord (the Lutheran confessions) is held as a faithful statement of what Scripture teaches. | The Bible alone is the authority for belief and practice. Many Baptist bodies adopt confessions, but none is binding on a local church. |
| Books of the BibleAgree | 66 books. The Apocrypha is not part of the canon, though Luther held that it is useful and good to read. | 66 books. |
| The TrinityAgree | Holds the Nicene, Apostles’ and Athanasian Creeds. One God in three persons. | One God in three persons. Baptists rarely use creeds in worship, but their confessions affirm the Trinity. |
| How a person is savedAgree | Justification by grace alone through faith alone. God declares the sinner righteous for Christ’s sake, and good works follow as the fruit of faith rather than a condition of it. | Saved by grace through personal faith in Christ, usually described as a conversion experience. Baptism follows salvation and does not cause it. |
| Can a saved person fall away?Differ | Yes. Lutherans teach that a believer can fall from faith by rejecting it, while holding that God is faithful and works to keep his people in the faith. | Most Baptists, notably Southern Baptists, teach eternal security, often summarized as “once saved, always saved.” Some General Baptists disagree and hold that faith can be abandoned. |
| Predestination and free willVaries | God elects believers in Christ by grace alone, but Lutherans do not teach that he predestines anyone to damnation. Why some believe and others do not is left as a mystery. | Divided. Particular Baptists are Calvinist and hold to election, and General Baptists hold that Christ died for all and that election is based on God’s foreknowledge of who would believe. Southern Baptists include both. |
| BaptismDiffer | A means of grace in which God gives forgiveness and faith. Infants are baptized, and the mode is usually pouring or sprinkling. | Only those who have professed faith are baptized, and by full immersion. It is an ordinance that pictures death and resurrection with Christ and does not save. |
| Communion (the Lord’s Supper)Differ | Christ’s body and blood are truly present “in, with and under” the bread and wine (sacramental union). The elements stay bread and wine. | An ordinance in remembrance of Christ’s death, observed periodically. The bread and cup are symbols, and many churches use grape juice. |
| Sacraments or ordinancesDiffer | Two sacraments, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Some Lutherans also count absolution (confession). | Two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptists avoid the word “sacrament” because it can imply that grace comes through the act itself. |
| Church governmentVaries | Varies. Some Lutheran bodies have bishops, including the Church of Sweden and the ELCA, which has a presiding bishop and synod bishops. Others do not, and the LCMS is led by a president and district presidents. | Each local church governs itself, calling its own pastor and deciding its own doctrine. Churches cooperate voluntarily through associations and conventions. |
| Clergy and women in ministryVaries | Varies. The ELCA ordains women and the LCMS does not. Pastors may marry. | Varies. The Southern Baptist Convention limits the office of pastor to men, and other Baptist bodies ordain women. |
| Mary and the saintsAgree | Mary is honored as the mother of the Lord and the saints as examples of faith. Lutherans do not pray to them, since Christ is the only mediator. | Mary is honored as the mother of Jesus and the saints as examples. Baptists give them little role in worship and do not pray to them. |
| Death, purgatory and hellAgree | Purgatory is rejected. Believers who die are with Christ and await the resurrection, and unbelievers face eternal separation from God. | Believers go immediately to be with Christ, and unbelievers to eternal punishment. There is no purgatory. |
| Style of worshipDiffer | Usually liturgical, using a set order with hymns, readings, a sermon and communion. Many congregations also use contemporary services. | Free-form, built around preaching, congregational singing and prayer. Order is set by each church. |
| The Holy Spirit and spiritual giftsVaries | The Spirit works through Word and sacrament. Gifts are honored, but ecstatic gifts are not emphasized, and a charismatic movement exists within Lutheranism. | Varies. Many Baptists are cessationist or cautious about tongues, and others are charismatic. |
| Day of worshipAgree | Sunday. | Sunday. |
| Best known for | Justification by faith, the Small Catechism, congregational hymn singing and Luther’s translation of the Bible into German. | Believer’s baptism, local church independence, religious liberty and a strong emphasis on missions and evangelism. |
“Agree” means the two traditions take the same broad position, although the wording above may still note finer differences. “Varies” means at least one of the two is itself divided on the question, so no single position can be given. These summaries describe typical teaching, and individual churches may vary. For an authoritative statement, consult each denomination’s own confessions.
Learn more on this site
- What Does the Bible Say About Salvation?
- Free Will, Predestination, and Divine Sovereignty
- Baptism
- What Does the Bible Say About Worship?
- The Inspiration and Inerrancy of Scripture
- The Reliability of Scripture
- The Canon
- Textual Variants and "Lost Books" (Gnostic Gospels, Apocrypha)
- The Trinity
- The Deity of Christ
- Grace
- Justification
- Catholic Church
- Eastern Orthodox Church
- What Does the Bible Say About Heaven?
- What Does the Bible Say About Hell?
- What Does the Bible Say About Judgment Day?
- Sabbath