Thinking in Public with Dr. Albert Mohler
In an interview with Albert Mohler, historian Thomas Kidd said that one of the important developments coming "out of this radical fringe of the evangelical movement" during the Great Awakening was "the belief that baptism is for believers." It was refreshing to hear a Baptist admit that this doctrine comes from the "radical fringe" of evangelicalism. Indeed, that doctrine is a novel idea, never uniformly practiced or enforced in any part of the Church prior to the 1500's. But what I found striking was the expression, "Baptism is for believers."
What is that supposed to mean?
Baptists do not refuse to baptize unbelievers. They baptize as many hypocrites as any other Christian denomination. Baptists refuse to baptize babies. When they say that "Baptism is for believers," they mean for you to understand that babies should not be baptized because (it is assumed) they do not have the capacity to believe in Christ.
This begs the question that is truly germane to the issue. What is Baptism? Is it something we do to demonstrate our faith in Christ? Is it something we do to obey an ordinance or command of the New Covenant? Or... Is it a divine gift, conveying the grace of God and generating faith in those who receive it for what it is?
I am a Lutheran, and I find it hard to argue with a Baptist who says that Baptism is for believers. On its face, that it is a true statement. But the meaning behind it is completely false. It is contrary to Scripture in its confession concerning the nature of what Baptism is, and it directly contradicts the words of Christ concerning the ability of infants to believe.
To make that statement misses the point. In fact, it avoids the point; and I don't believe that is an accident.
2 comments:
Christian denominations differ widely on their teachings about baptism. Some believe baptism accomplishes the washing away of sin. Others consider baptism a form of exorcism from evil spirits. Still others teach that baptism is an important step of obedience in the believer’s life, yet only an acknowledgment of the salvation experience already accomplished - baptism itself has no power to cleanse or save from sin. I am Christian too and believe baptism is for believers only. You need to have faith in yourself.
Best deal for belleview hotels
Baptism is God's promise to you. It is the Word of God in water. It has all the power of God's Word to accomplish that for which it was ordained; and it was ordained to be a washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5; John 3:5). It does wash away sins (Acts 22:16). It does save you (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:1-4). More to the point of my article, infants do have the capacity to believe (Luke 18:15-17; Matt. 18:1-6), and God wants us to evangelize them (Matt. 28:16-20).
Post a Comment