After our conversations, I am still wondering at WHAT POINT are you considered "regenerated"? Since you don't believe in Baptism as being "born from above", and we have both concluded that your "sinner's prayer" does not necessary indicate that one is of the elect - and that it might not have taken (to be determined by Monday morning QB's in the future, I presume), how does a Protestant of your bent know he is "regenerated"? Is it a subjective feeling? Is it a certain number of good works that makes you conclude you are of the elect? What objective criteria can you use to say "I am absolutely saved and of the elect"?
Thanks for trying to clear this up...
Regards
Here is a synopsis from the Monergism website:
REGENERATION - THE CHRISTIAN IS BORN AGAIN, by J.I. Packer
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” JOHN 3:3
"Regeneration is a New Testament concept that grew, it seems, out of a parabolic picture-phrase that Jesus used to show Nicodemus the inwardness and depth of the change that even religious Jews must undergo if they were ever to see and enter the kingdom of God, and so have eternal life (John 3:3-15). Jesus pictured the change as being “born again.”
"The concept is of God renovating the heart, the core of a person’s being, by implanting a new principle of desire, purpose, and action, a dispositional dynamic that finds expression in positive response to the gospel and its Christ. Jesus’ phrase “born of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5) harks back to Ezekiel 36:25-27, where God is pictured as symbolically cleansing persons from sin’s pollution (by water) and bestowing a “new heart” by putting his Spirit within them. Because this is so explicit, Jesus chides Nicodemus, “Israel’s teacher,” for not understanding how new birth happens (John 3:9-10). Jesus’ point throughout is that there is no exercise of faith in himself as the supernatural Savior, no repentance, and no true discipleship apart from this new birth."
"Elsewhere John teaches that belief in the Incarnation and Atonement, with faith and love, holiness and righteousness, is the fruit and proof that one is born of God (1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4). It thus appears that as there is no conversion without new birth, so there is no new birth without conversion."
... "Regeneration is monergistic: that is, entirely the work of God the Holy Spirit. It raises the elect among the spiritually dead to new life in Christ (Eph. 2:1-10). Regeneration is a transition from spiritual death to spiritual life, and conscious, intentional, active faith in Christ is its immediate fruit, not its immediate cause. Regeneration is the work of what Augustine called “prevenient” grace, the grace that precedes our outgoings of heart toward God."
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I am not sure what you would accept as knowledge of being "absolutely saved". If one defines it as having divine knowledge, then one has defined the concept out of human existence. I am speaking of human knowledge that is possible.
The objective criteria, then, for us to know for sure is found in the Bible. The are so many passages that say "when such and such happens, the person is saved". Jesus tells us Himself, in great detail, what a born again person looks like. He paints a portrait. As we are sanctified, the portrait becomes clearer. We look at ourselves to see if we look like that, and if we are honest, then we can know. As we grow it also helps us to recognize and then reckon when we stray.
Perhaps at the very beginning, many have nothing more than John 3:16, so that person believes he knows. That's OK, because the truly regenerated heart will seek to learn more and grow in the faith, EVEN THOUGH the beginner may very well have no idea about that yet.
And yes, this author does believe that Baptism is symbolic. It signifies what has already happened. Here is what the same author says about it:
BAPTISM - THIS RITE EXHIBITS UNION WITH CHRIST, by J. I. Packer
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ROMANS 6:3-4
"Christian baptism, which has the form of a ceremonial washing (like John’s pre-Christian baptism), is a sign from God that signifies inward cleansing and remission of sins (Acts 22:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 5:25-27), Spirit-wrought regeneration and new life (Titus 3:5), and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit as God’s seal testifying and guaranteeing that one will be kept safe in Christ forever (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:13-14). Baptism carries these meanings because first and fundamentally it signifies union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6:3-7; Col. 2:11-12); and this union with Christ is the source of every element in our salvation (1 John 5:11-12). Receiving the sign in faith assures the persons baptized that God’s gift of new life in Christ is freely given to them. At the same time, it commits them to live henceforth in a new way as committed disciples of Jesus. Baptism signifies a watershed point in a human life because it signifies a new-creational engrafting into Christ’s risen life."
"Christ instructed his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). This means that the covenant relation which baptism formally confers is one of acceptance by, communion with, and commitment to all three Persons of the Godhead. When Paul says that the Israelites were “baptized into Moses” (1 Cor. 10:2), he means that they were put under Moses’ control and direction. Thus, baptism into the name of the triune God signifies control and direction by God himself."
"The outward sign does not automatically or magically convey the inward blessings that it signifies, and the candidates’ professions of faith are not always genuine. Peter had to tell the newly baptized Simon Magus that he was still unrenewed in heart (Acts 8:13-24)".