Baptism and Baptist Church Membership

[SAMPLEWOW]

CRAIG, May I ask why your standards are set higher than God's?

 

[bapmom]

Originally posted by whatever:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by bapmom:
...and then you open the membership to the unregenerated.....

I think the quote from the OP makes it clear that this particular church is taking steps to prevent this from happening. </font>[/QUOTE]Actually I didn't get that from the OP at all.

It simply said that it would allow those who had a conscientious reason to refuse baptism. I took it that that would include those who had been baptised as infants.....

If not, than it in the least opens the door to other Baptist churches perhaps taking the next step and allowing any and all to be members.....

 

[El_Guero]

Originally posted by whatever:
Forgetting "Baptist distinctives" for a while, why, Biblically speaking, should a local church deny membership to a person who refuses baptism by immersion?

Biblical leadership and submission to biblical leaders ...

The real question, is "who is willing to join a church that actuall believes in biblical leadership?"

 

[El_Guero]

I do not know about Craig, but I set high standards for membership. I set them because people WANT HIGH STANDARDS...

 

[whatever]

bapmom,

From the OP:

Thus, we will welcome into membership candidates who, after a time of study, discussion, and prayer, prescribed by the Elders, retain a conviction that it would be a violation of their conscience to be baptized by immersion as believers.

They are talking about people who were baptized as infants and are now believers. In other words, no unbelievers could sneak in unless they lied, and said that they believed, and that would just be weird.

 

[SAMPLEWOW]

DO you serve God or man?

 

[whatever]

SAMPLEWOW,

To whom are you addresing your question?

 

[SAMPLEWOW]

I'm sorry,

I was asking ,ElGuero.

 

[El_Guero]

So, would you have me lower my standards?

Then I would be following you. I do not think that you are the man I follow.

I follow the man - Jesus Christ.

He set the high standards. People just expect them.

 

[whatever]

El,

Where did Jesus say that if one will not submit to immersion that we ought not let him into our church?

 

[SAMPLEWOW]

Amen brother Amen!!!!

Took the words right out of my mouth!!

 

[SAMPLEWOW]

God made the standards simple ,JUST BELIEVE !!!!!

 

[El_Guero]

Pope Whatever,

That is why I look to HIM and not to you.

The more discord accepted into the local church, the more ineffective the local church.

 

[whatever]

Originally posted by El_Guero:
Pope Whatever,

That is why I look to HIM and not to you.

The more discord accepted into the local church, the more ineffective the local church.

Pope? Because I asked you to support your view from the Bible?

Lots of people object to this idea on the basis of "Baptist distinctives". I have yet to see anyone even try to show from the Bible why a person who refuses immersion should be denied membership in a local church. For asking for that I am called a "pope".

 

[SAMPLEWOW]

OH ,
Whatever it could have been worse!!!!

 

[Pete Richert]

I think because leaving it open like that would open the door to those who had infant baptism, and then you open the membership to the unregenerated.....

If you have any memborship requirment at all it should be that one believes upon the Lord Jesus for Salvation this very moment. That should exclude unregenerated people. Besides, requring baptism post converstion does not garentee a regenerated membership as there are many who were baptised as adults who were never saved as well.

 

[El_Guero]

Whatever,

If you have read the Bible and do not find that baptism is a requirement for membership in a local church, I cannot change your mind. Because you have read the very Scriptures that God has used to lead me to believe that baptism is a requirement.

God has called me to lead a specific group of sheep. And we will maintain higher standards for membership.

 

[rjprince]

EG,

Just curious, what Scriptures teach baptism as a requirement for local church membership?

RJP

 

[El_Guero]

2d chapter of Acts sets forth what Peter considered important.

 

[rjprince]

How can you equate that baptism with church membership? Maybe better, how do you establish "church membership" at all, from Acts 2?