Does baptismal regeneration violate the core teaching of justification by faith alone (sola fide)?
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By the way, anyone who has studied the Bible knows that mankind is not presented as knowing good from evil perfectly.
It is true that man was created in the image of God, but this image has been marred or distorted. Additionally, his intellect has been damaged through the Fall.
He deceives himself, as well as being deceived by Satan. Scripture calls him an offspring of Satan until he is regenerated (1 John 3).
Here's a description of man and the effects of the Fall, which are being denied:
The results of original sin include the following:
Jeremiah 17:9-10 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind. (ESV)
Other Scriptures indicate that man's nature is deceitful, which means that the man himself is fooled as to the depths of his sinfulness and the way his mind justifies his sin and hardens his conscience.
To be honest, I believe a lot of professing Christians, including more than its share of free-willers, are still unregenerated, because they don't seem to understand what radical corruption the Fall caused. If God hasn't shown them that, which he showed me at the moment of faith and repentance, I don't really have much confidence these professors really possess salvation.
I'm not saying they need perfect theological vocabulary but they should have been aware that God radically changed their mind, which led to their faith and repentance, if they really experienced it.
However, if their salvation consists in writing their name under some bogus sinners' prayer in a cheap bible, or walking to the front of the church a dozen times in tears, without being aware of their deceitful, sinful nature, I would doubt that the Holy Spirit has done a work of regeneration in them.
It is true that man was created in the image of God, but this image has been marred or distorted. Additionally, his intellect has been damaged through the Fall.
He deceives himself, as well as being deceived by Satan. Scripture calls him an offspring of Satan until he is regenerated (1 John 3).
Here's a description of man and the effects of the Fall, which are being denied:
The results of original sin include the following:
- The unsaved live in spiritual darkness (Acts 26:18, Ephesians 4:17-18, Colossians 1:13)
- The unsaved are spiritually dead and alienated from the life of God(Ephesians 2:1-2, 4:17-18, 5:8, Colossians 2:13)
- The unsaved hate God, are hostile toward him and his law and are under his wrath (Romans 1:30, 5:9, 8:7, Ephesians 2:1-3, 5:6, Colossians 1:21)
- The unsaved are slaves to sin (John 8:34, Romans 6:20)
- The unsaved reflect the character of Satan, and as such reject God’s authority over their lives (John 8:43-44, I John 3:8-10)
- The unsaved are spiritually deaf and blind and cannot understand the gospel message without God’s direct intervention (Isaiah 6:10, Jeremiah 6:10, Ezekiel 12:2, Mark 4:9-12, Luke 8:10, John 8:47, Deuteronomy 29:4, Matthew 13:13-15, John 12:37-40, Acts 28:26-27, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
Jeremiah 17:9-10 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? 10 “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind. (ESV)
Other Scriptures indicate that man's nature is deceitful, which means that the man himself is fooled as to the depths of his sinfulness and the way his mind justifies his sin and hardens his conscience.
To be honest, I believe a lot of professing Christians, including more than its share of free-willers, are still unregenerated, because they don't seem to understand what radical corruption the Fall caused. If God hasn't shown them that, which he showed me at the moment of faith and repentance, I don't really have much confidence these professors really possess salvation.
I'm not saying they need perfect theological vocabulary but they should have been aware that God radically changed their mind, which led to their faith and repentance, if they really experienced it.
However, if their salvation consists in writing their name under some bogus sinners' prayer in a cheap bible, or walking to the front of the church a dozen times in tears, without being aware of their deceitful, sinful nature, I would doubt that the Holy Spirit has done a work of regeneration in them.
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Public means "existing in open view ". Two or more.
As for "how is it sybolic?"...well...it sthe same way as any other water baptism. The word "baptize" means "to fully submerge".
So when a person is born again, they are fully submerged with the Spirit of God, in fact, they have "become one spirit with Him" (1 Cor 6:17). So water baptism symbolizes this previous baptism of our spirit (into Christ).
As for "how is it sybolic?"...well...it sthe same way as any other water baptism. The word "baptize" means "to fully submerge".
So when a person is born again, they are fully submerged with the Spirit of God, in fact, they have "become one spirit with Him" (1 Cor 6:17). So water baptism symbolizes this previous baptism of our spirit (into Christ).
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It is evident that studying our Hebrew history is necessary. Here's a note on Galatians 3:27 from the authors of the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible published by Zondervan.
3:27 baptized into Christ ... clothed yourselves with Christ. Everyone would understand Paul's images. Jewish teachers normally expected Gentiles converting to Judaism to be baptized so they could join God's people; these converts were baptized naked and could then be reclothed after the baptism. Jewish writers could speak of being "clothed" with the Spirit or virtues.
3:27 baptized into Christ ... clothed yourselves with Christ. Everyone would understand Paul's images. Jewish teachers normally expected Gentiles converting to Judaism to be baptized so they could join God's people; these converts were baptized naked and could then be reclothed after the baptism. Jewish writers could speak of being "clothed" with the Spirit or virtues.
Salvation is threefold, from the inside out.
We have been saved...Justification-Salvation of the spirit. Saved from the Penalty of sin
We are being saved...Sanctification- Salvation of the soul- Saved from the Power of sin
We will be saved...Glorification-Salvation of the body- Saved from the Presence of sin
We have been saved...Justification-Salvation of the spirit. Saved from the Penalty of sin
We are being saved...Sanctification- Salvation of the soul- Saved from the Power of sin
We will be saved...Glorification-Salvation of the body- Saved from the Presence of sin
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By the way, Gospel Coalition has a very good little booklet on baptism and the Lord's Supper.
It is only about 4 dollars on Amazon.
It covers both the paedobaptist view and the credobaptist view.
I am a credobaptist, but I can see where they get their teaching from.
I don't think that any other method but full immersion is reasonable, though. Baptism is a public display of our union with Christ, the same as the Lord's Supper. Christians, in a sense , participate in his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection per Romans 6:1-14. I don't think any other mode besides full immersion conveys this imagery very well.
But, I don't separate with Reformed brothers like Presbyterians over this issue. I just don't think it shows the imagery very well.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper don't convey salvific grace like some claim, but in a way, they do convey grace in that they keep the believer aware of their union with Christ. These reminders are needful, just the same as remembering the point of marriage through observing anniversaries is helpful in the marriage covenant to remind us of our union with our spouse and the associated vows.
It is only about 4 dollars on Amazon.
It covers both the paedobaptist view and the credobaptist view.
I am a credobaptist, but I can see where they get their teaching from.
I don't think that any other method but full immersion is reasonable, though. Baptism is a public display of our union with Christ, the same as the Lord's Supper. Christians, in a sense , participate in his crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection per Romans 6:1-14. I don't think any other mode besides full immersion conveys this imagery very well.
But, I don't separate with Reformed brothers like Presbyterians over this issue. I just don't think it shows the imagery very well.
Baptism and the Lord's Supper don't convey salvific grace like some claim, but in a way, they do convey grace in that they keep the believer aware of their union with Christ. These reminders are needful, just the same as remembering the point of marriage through observing anniversaries is helpful in the marriage covenant to remind us of our union with our spouse and the associated vows.
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I thought you were lacking a correct knowledge of salvation. It is not a process it is an event. We are saved the moment we receive Christ as Savior. We are saved by grace through faith. Grace is not a process nor does it require any additional elements.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
For the cause of Christ
Roger
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It would take a long time to give a full answer because the word symbol isn't used, but by studying the Greek one can identify the figures of speech used in the verses about baptism. For example, in 1 Cor 12:13 we find what's called a "structural metaphor";
"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." The body is not the physical water that another believer baptizes you into. And you don't drink the water either. But.... this physical water represent (symbolizes) the Living Water, who is the Holy Spirit. The "body" is referring to the body of Christ, who is a spiritual temple made of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). So when you are saved, you are literally baptized into the spiritual house of God, making your body now a piece of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Justification is the moment that you believe in Jesus through Faith....The Holy Spirit baptizes you into Jesus. You are at that point "in Christ".
On a less technical point, consider this:
Jesus said "if you love me, you will obey my commandments"
-we can't love God until we are born again (1 John 4:7)
-baptism is a command (Acts 2:38)
-we can't obey His commands unless we love Him (John 14:15)
To Conclude all this:
"Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
-Acts 10:47
"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." The body is not the physical water that another believer baptizes you into. And you don't drink the water either. But.... this physical water represent (symbolizes) the Living Water, who is the Holy Spirit. The "body" is referring to the body of Christ, who is a spiritual temple made of living stones (1 Pet 2:5). So when you are saved, you are literally baptized into the spiritual house of God, making your body now a piece of the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Justification is the moment that you believe in Jesus through Faith....The Holy Spirit baptizes you into Jesus. You are at that point "in Christ".
On a less technical point, consider this:
Jesus said "if you love me, you will obey my commandments"
-we can't love God until we are born again (1 John 4:7)
-baptism is a command (Acts 2:38)
-we can't obey His commands unless we love Him (John 14:15)
To Conclude all this:
"Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
-Acts 10:47
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Free-willers claim that faith and repentance must be dredged out of an unsaved person's heart of stone.
Reformed people are convicted that faith and repentance is the fruit of the heart of flesh, which God gives to the elect, and the man with a stony heart cannot produce it.
Which one sounds more coherent?
By the way, my conviction is that repentance and faith happens almost at the same instant as regeneration, with the regeneration producing the faith and repentance, therefore logically repentance must precede faith and repentance.
This view gives ALL the credit to God, and NONE to the man. This is much more God-honoring. There is absolutely no room for boasting in the Reformed conviction.
Didn't we already have this discussion on another thread?
I'm glad to have it here, too, but I think that might get pretty old.
By the way, all folks have to do is read my signature and they will know what my conviction on that issue. I've only said the same things about 500 times here. I am convicted that decisional regeneration is absurd, whether it's the majority position or not.
Reformed people are convicted that faith and repentance is the fruit of the heart of flesh, which God gives to the elect, and the man with a stony heart cannot produce it.
Which one sounds more coherent?
By the way, my conviction is that repentance and faith happens almost at the same instant as regeneration, with the regeneration producing the faith and repentance, therefore logically repentance must precede faith and repentance.
This view gives ALL the credit to God, and NONE to the man. This is much more God-honoring. There is absolutely no room for boasting in the Reformed conviction.
Didn't we already have this discussion on another thread?
I'm glad to have it here, too, but I think that might get pretty old.
By the way, all folks have to do is read my signature and they will know what my conviction on that issue. I've only said the same things about 500 times here. I am convicted that decisional regeneration is absurd, whether it's the majority position or not.
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As I have said, the unsaved person, with a heart of stone, cannot produce the spiritual fruit of faith and repentance. That is why he needs a heart of flesh. He can't produce spiritual fruit without it. That is why regeneration must precede faith.
By the way, I view the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration to be separate from indwelling, although it is very closely related temporally.
By the way, I view the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration to be separate from indwelling, although it is very closely related temporally.