Re: Baptism: Immersion or Sprinkling?

From: dfsiemensjr@juno.com
Date: Fri Jan 28 2000 - 12:35:57 EST

  • Next message: John W. Burgeson: "Baptism"

    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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