That is exactly right. David was careless of what God had said in Leviticus, and this carelessness transmitted itself to Uzzah. David was eventually brought to repentance on the matter (1 Chronicles 15:13). Why do I think this episode is different to that concerning baptism? Because Reformed paedobaptists have consulted the word of God diligently, but have come to the wrong conclusions. Therefore our attitude should not be that of utter rejection but that described in 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
I have pointed out before that an evangelical Anglican church near where I live is now baptizing converts by immersion. This is happening more and more in such churches throughout the country (UK). This has not come about because of isolation by Baptists, but because of fellowship and encouragement. I am not suggesting fellowship with the liberal Anglican churches (the large majority, alas!); nor with PCUSA or other godless denominations, but with Bible-believing churches that are orthodox in all but baptism.
'"May the good LORD provide atonement for everyone who prepares his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though he is not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary." And the LORD listened to Hezekiah and healed the people' (2 Chronicles 30:18-20).
'Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand' (Romans 14:4).
So, God slew a person who was not only sincere in his efforts and worship, but ignorant! And what was the reason given. They did not worship him according to "due order." And now you argue that now since they studied the scriptures and are still ignorant, that God would accept their DISORDER any more than David's disorder???? Any reader foolish enough to embrace that is welcome to it.
No, your doctrine is the commandments and confessions of men not the Scriptures. Your principle of sincerity has been thoroughly exposed as error and your only basis for what you practice and believe is your own opinions. Even your own church, and paedbaptist churches are not consistent with your belief as the standard for membership in both still excludes both from the closest Christian fellowship among "members" of your so-called body of Christ.
Oh yes, how comforting it is to know that now some Paedbaptists in England are now immersing INFANTS as members.
Nothing else can be said. It is like talking to a Roman Catholic as there is no common authority to discuss anything as your final authority is the same as Rome's - traditions, councils, creeds, traditions and personal opinions.
With regard to the scriptures there is no lack of clarity that baptism stands FIRST in importance with regard to the very first step AFTER salvation. With regard to the Scriptures it ALWAYS precedes church membership. With regard to the Scriptures when you pervert a gospel symbol you pervert the gospel and paedobaptists pervert the gospel symbol. They not only pervert the gospel symbol but they pervert the metaphorical "body of Christ" and metaphorical "members" when they INTENTIONALLY include unregenerate members who neither profess Christ by mouth or by baptism.
With regard to the Scriptures, I challenge anyone to find any congregation in the pages of the New Testament consisting of unbaptized members, of infants, of unimmersed believers.
With regard to the Scriptures. I challenge anyone to find any precept that promotes, allows or permits the existence of unbaptized congregations called "the congregations of Christ."
Apostasy occurred among the 1689 Baptists and spread all over England. Thank God, such apostasy was curtailed among many Baptists in America BEFORE the rise of Graves or other Landmarkers. In 1838 in the Georgia Baptist Association we read:
From these proposition, thus established, we draw the following inferences, as clear and certain truths,
I. That all churches and ministers, who originated since the apostles, and not successively to them, are not in gospel order; and therefore cannot be acknowledged as such.
II. That all, who have been ordained to the work of the ministry without the knowledge and call of the church, by popes, councils, &c. are the creatures of those who constituted them, and not the servants of Christ, or his church, and therefore have no right to administer for them.
III. That those who have set aside the discipline of the gospel, and have given law to, and exercised dominion over the church, are usurpers over the place and office of Christ, are against him; and therefore may not be accepted in their offices.
IV. That they, who administer contrary to their own, or the faith of the gospel, cannot administer for God; since without the gospel faith he has nothing to minister; and without their own he accepts no service; therefore the administrations of such are unwarrantable impositions in any way.
Our reasons, therefore for rejecting baptism by immersion when administered by Pedobaptist ministers, are,
I. That they are connected with churches clearly out of the apostolic succession, and therefore clearly out of the apostolic commission…….
But if it should be said, that the apostolic succession cannot be ascertained, and then it is proper to act without it; we say, that the loss of the succession can never prove it futile, nor justify any one out of it. The Pedobaptists, by their own histories, admit they are not of it; but we do not, and shall think ourselves entitled to the claim, until the reverse be clearly shown. And should any think authority derived from the MOTHER HARLOTS, sufficient to qualify to administer a gospel ordinance, they will be so charitable as not to condemn us for preferring that derived from Christ. And should any still more absurdly plead that ordination, received from an individual, is sufficient; we leave them to shew what is the use of ordination, and why it exists. If any think an administration will suffice which has no pattern in the gospel; they will suffer us to act according to the divine order with impunity. And if it should be said that faith in the subject is all that is necessary, we beg leave to require it where the scriptures do, that is every where. But we must close: we beseech you brethren while you hold fast the form of your profession, be ready to unite with those from whom you differ, as far as the principles of eternal truth will justify. And while you firmly oppose that shadowy union, so often urged, be instant in prayer and exert yourselves to bring about that which is in heart, and after godliness. Which the Lord hasten in its season. Amen and Amen. - A. M. MARSHALL, Moderator. JESSE MERCER, Clerk. – Jesse Mercer,
History of the Georgia Baptist Association, 1838, pp. 126-127. (emphasis mine)
Ridicule this as you will, but one thing you cannot charge it to and that is Landmarkism as Graves had not even appeared on the scene. I can trace this same indentical belief all the way back to the 1640-1660 England Associational Baptists and then to the Anabaptists of Europe,
The Protestant Reformer Henry Bullinger confirms the fact that these apostolic churches rejected both Protestant and Catholic churches and their ordinances when he says of them:
The Anabaptists think themselves to the only true church of Christ, and acceptable to God; and teach that they, who by baptism are received into their churches, ought not to have communion [fellowship] with [those called] evangelical, or any other whatsoever: for that our-[i.e., evangelical Protestant, or reformed] churches are not true churches, any more than the churches of the Papists.” - J.R. Graves,
Old Landmarkism What Is It? (reprint by Calvary Baptist Church Book Shop, Ashland, KY) p.
and then to the Waldenses who claimed their historical origin with the Donatists. This belief system cannot be charged to 1851 Landmarkism. Moreover, it can be sustained by the Scriptures themselves, especially clear Biblical principles found in the Great Commission itself.
Remember, this is not about questioning their salvation, but only their obedience to God's clear teaching with regard to the church and its ordinances.
Your trouble is that you have no interest and no concern for anything outside your cult. None so deaf as those who won't hear.