CENI means Command, Example, and Necessary Inference. A command is something Scripture tells believers to do. An approved apostolic example is a pattern shown in New Testament practice. A necessary inference is a conclusion the stated evidence actually forces.
Where the Problem Begins
Commands and examples matter, and inference is unavoidable. The danger begins when a possible inference is promoted to a necessary inference and then treated as though God stated it directly.
For example, the fact that Philip preached Jesus and the eunuch soon asked for water proves prompt baptism belonged to the response to Christ. It does not necessarily prove that Philip had just taught, “You remain eternally unforgiven until the instant of immersion.” That extra proposition must be established, not inserted.
IMPORTANT: Necessary inference means the evidence forces the conclusion. “This reading fits my system” is not the same thing.
Why CENI Matters in the Baptism Debate
The site tests claims such as “one church means our restoration movement,” “silence forbids instruments,” and “every conversion example proves water is the saving boundary.” Each claim may involve inference. The question is whether the inference is truly necessary.
See: Acts 8:35-38, Acts 10:43-48, Acts 15:7-9, Romans 16:16, Ephesians 4:4-5.