Do Baptists Have Baptismal Regeneration Phobia?

Why is it that Baptists have Baptism regeneration phobia in the first place? The majority of Baptists believed it when I was growing up so why not now? I was told by hundreds of Baptists that I would go to Hell unless I was baptized. Including preachers. From Southern Baptists to First Baptists to Independant Baptists to Missionary Baptists.

 

I think it may be possible that we may have a little baptismal regeneration phobia. It's not likely that many Baptists would make a statement like Peter did on the day of Pentecost without issuing multiple disclaimers. Of course, I could be argued that Peter did not have to consider a millennia or so of false teaching on baptismal regeneration.

My first reaction was that this tract has a little of the old "arminian" soul-winning flavor - follow this formula and you'll be saved - that I left behind a number of years back. Maybe that's just a phobia, too, due to exposure to the Hyle/Rice evangelism that gives out a tract (not much different in content from the one above), and in about five minutes having them "saved". Even if the convert didn't know it, the evangelist would know it for them.

Randy, I don't want to derail you topic, but I am a little curious about what you mean by this?

 

hr, no doubt we all have different experiences, so I cannot speak to yours. But I believe you should at least modify your statment to: "the majority of Baptists that I knew believed it." Such a charge as you make has never been near a majority Baptist position. I can also say that I grew up in a missionary Baptist home and a missionary Baptist church; I have always heard charges about how people have been told if they weren't baptized by Baptists or a member of a Baptist church (or something like that) that they were going to hell; I have NEVER in all my experience run into anyone that actually believed that. Not saying it couldn't or can't be, just that a bird of that feather has been more scarce than hen's teeth in my experience (and that experience covers several states and several groups of Baptists). The covenantal type landmarkers come very close, but even they would not say what you're saying if pinned down and made to explain what they really believe.

[ July 26, 2002, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: rlvaughn ]

 

Does that include the Thief on the Cross, too?

Yep, I'm pickin'!

OK, you did qualify it by saying "deliberate."

 

I grew up in the Houston area and this was exactly what I was told. I begged my mother to let me be baptized but she said I was too young.

 

I've been in and around Baptist churches for 26 years now. I have yet to personally know one that would accept baptismal regeneration. I preach a message every 2 or 3 years on this subject whenever we have a big group of prospective members. There is a lot of confusion on the subject of baptism. My main points in the message are:
1. Baptism is a symbol and not a sacrament.
Col. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21

2. Baptism is for believers not babies.
Acts 8:37 Philip said the prerequisite for baptism was "believing." Obviously a baby cannot believe and therefore does not need baptism.

3. Baptism is by plunging under the water not pouring on the water. baptizo means to plunge, dip, or immerse.
Acts 2:38,39 "into the water," "out of the water."

4. Baptism is necessary for submission; it is not necessary for salvation.
Compare 1 Cor. 1:17 to 1 Cor. 4:15 and you'll see that Paul's priority was to preach the gospel. If baptism was necessary for salvation, Paul would have baptized every convert.

5. Baptism should be directly after salvation and not delayed.
Acts 2:41; Acts 8:12

 

I too have been in the Baptist church for many years, 30, all of my life. I have never once heard that Baptism was a regenerating force. I have always been taught that Baptism is a responce of obediance to God. After one is saved by Christ Jesus, one is Baptized to profess that belief to others as an example. Christ was baptized. Did He need to be? no. He did so as an example to others that He was devoted to God, the Father. As true believers should be baptized to show our belief, trust in, faith, obediance to, etc to God for saving our soul.

 

One of the major problems I have is that God also says in John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him would have life everlasting.

Here in this verse Baptism is not neccessary as part of the equation for salvation. So now you have two standards. Which one is correct? Another passage says that God is not willing to perish no not one. So which standard do you chose the easier standard or the more difficult one. Then their is the picture of Jesus on the cross telling the criminal on the cross. " Today you will be with me in paradise" So again which standard do we use the easier or the hard one. If God really desires as many possible to live with him everlasting should he not have made it clear everytime he spoke of salvation that baptism was neccessary?

Mark in Tx

 

What must you do to be saved? Where is the word Baptism?

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;" (Acts 3:19)

God Bless!
Kathy

Jesus said there is only one way you can get to heaven. Because you cannot achieve heaven on your own, you must repent of your sins and accept Him as your Savior. If you don't, you will be condemned for eternity:

"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18 )

[ August 01, 2002, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: kathy56 ]

 

I wanted to add a couple of things to what I said before. As far as the other man on the cross next to Jesus, or any one on the death bed for that matter, obviously they did not have the opportunity to be obediant to baptism. It is a responce of obediance, one is not saved by water, I believe the old saying a unsaved person that is baptized is just another wet person. On the other hand if a person claims Jesus as Lord yet refuse baptism, then you have to question their heart their desire to be obediant and whether Christ is number one and their life. Are they still holding back parts of their life? Are they truely submitted to the Lord? No baptism doesn't save a soul, but it is a tool to show their belief to others, a witness to their rebirth in Christ. If a person is truely saved and i are able to be baptized, they should do so.

 

As a former Catholic I can honestly admit to a baptismal regeneration phobia.
Baptismal regeneration has its roots in the RCC Dogma that baptism removes original sin.

But I believe it is a justified phobia because I see the dogma as saying -

water can do what the blood of Christ cannot.

HankD