This is not to stir George (or anyone else) up. But I have observed that
each of several groups has their proof texts and hermeneutical twists,
giving results from which they are not likely to be dislodged.
There are the sacramentalists, who teach that the infant becomes a child
of God and receives the Holy Spirit in baptism. At the extreme of this
are those who hold that an unbaptized baby who dies goes to limbo, for it
cannot go to heaven. But I had a Lutheran pastor explain that baptism
made one "eligible to be a child of God," requiring confirmation in a
personal commitment.
The traditional reformed teaching is that baptism in the Church takes the
place of circumcision in Israel. So, as the uncircumcised male descendant
of Benjamin or Judah cannot be a Jew, so the unbaptized person cannot
fall under the Covenant. However, I know of one Reformed splinter group
who believe that baptism was only for the Jewish church, not for the
Pauline gentile church today.
Those who hold that baptism is an ordinance, a command of the Lord to be
obeyed, and not a sacrament, a rite that confers grace, most commonly
immerse on confession of faith. However, Anabaptist groups commonly pour.
Indeed, when one of their workers decided that immersion was the proper
mode, a progressive (they had Sunday school) Amish group "churched" and
shunned him and his followers. At an extreme of this broad group are the
Brethren (_Tunkers_, not Plymouth Brethren), with trine immersion,
forward motion. Since we are baptized into Christ's death, and when he
died on the cross his head fell forward, this is the proper way,
according to them. Most organizations within the broad group accept an
immersed believer into membership, no matter where the baptism occurred.
But at least some of the Christian/Church of Christ congregations require
baptism in the specific congregation. A few immersionists allow persons
satisfied with their baptism to join, with the proviso that, when they
see the light, they will be immersed.
With such a variety of incompatible views, there is only one thing I can
be certain of: at least some of them are wrong, and all may be. I know
what I believe, what scripture teaches me. But, as a fallible human
being, I cannot convict those with different views that they are
borderline heretics. They are my brethren (including sisters), whom I
should love, with whom I should be at peace. Yelling at each other
conduces to neither love nor peace.
_Pax vobiscum._
Dave
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