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To: Uriel1975;George W. Bush
Here Chantry simply identifies in Presbyterian churches, a problem common to all churches – the problem of Tares and Wheat. Is the fact that some, who participate in “believer’s baptism”, fall away from the Church and thereby prove their own lack of regeneration, an indictment of the propriety of baptizing new adult converts into the Church? No, it is not.

To me this is the strongest argument for infant Baptism.

The truth is that many adults stand for baptism without having been saved. There is an element of presumption in adult as well as infant baptism.

Uriel do the reformed churchs do baptism by immersion at all,or is it all similar to the Roman tradition?

What is your churches position on a baptised infant later seeking an adult baptism as a outward sign of their salvation? Would it be seen as to no effect,would one of your pastors preform a "second" baptism.

GW what about Baptists? Wesleyans would ,in fact, encourage an adult baptism of a baptised infant (not as a requirement,but as a outward sign)

98 posted on 10/07/2001 11:32:50 AM PDT by RnMomof7
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To: RnMomof7

The truth is that many adults stand for baptism without having been saved. There is an element of presumption in adult as well as infant baptism.

There was a man who was baptized in my Church about 6 months ago who has not showed up to Church since that time. It appears he thinks the baptism saved him. My Pastor advocates "adult dunking" and I lean towards infant baptism. This is probably the danger in Adult baptism the thought by some that the work is salvation.

It's unfortunate that our Threads on Covenant v. Dispensational theology lacked participation except by the rants of "end-timers". Notice how this subject, as do more important issues, seem to revolve around a persons Theological position. What is odd is the Calvinist Baptist usually advocate an covenantal position except on baptism in which they do an about face and become dispensationalists.

100 posted on 10/07/2001 12:13:44 PM PDT by lockeliberty
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To: RnMomof7; Uriel1975
GW what about Baptists? Wesleyans would ,in fact, encourage an adult baptism of a baptised infant (not as a requirement,but as a outward sign)
You'd be better off asking Jerry or other actual Baptist ministers. I expect that Baptists would not re-baptize anyone who was baptized as a believer. I would generally expect it wouldn't be too difficult to find a Baptist minister who would give a believers' baptism to someone "baptized" in infancy. It might be the case they would be more eager to re-baptize those baptized as infants n churches of a certain doctrine. I'm sure you catch my meaning here.

Much of my opposition to paedobaptism is because it seems to me that baptism is one of the few real and meaningful confessions of faith that we give as believers. A confessoin of Christ as Saviour, baptism, communion. The Christian faith is a beautifully simple thing. If nothing else, a baptism tells others that we have professed a personal faith in Christ. Not that our parents did it for us. I think baptism as a believer also makes communion a richer and more personal experience.

That's a very precious thing, something a believer can cling to in hard times. Had I been baptized as an infant, I simply couldn't feel the same way about it. I have wondered exactly how those who have been baptized as infants feel about it, whether in any sense it leads toward deeper devotion or stronger conviction. It's difficult for me to imagine it as a positive. It seems to me that a Reformed believer is robbed of his own baptism experience by his parents' concern that he be baptized in the event of infant death or death in early childhood. Since I don't believe paedobaptism provides salvation to an infannt, then I have no concern about whatever God will do with those who die in infancy. I merely see this as a something done ostensibly for the child but which is actually about parents' concern about their child's fate if they should die very young.

Perhaps Uriel has something to contribute.
104 posted on 10/07/2001 7:42:29 PM PDT by George W. Bush
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To: RnMomof7
An adult who is baptized may be an unbeliever? Only if he lies! We know that a baby isn't a believer!

Baptism has no effect on salvaton except as an outward sign of that salvation, thus an infant who was 'baptized' should be really baptized if he does become a believer.(1Pet.3:21)

even so come Lord Jesus

105 posted on 10/07/2001 10:17:06 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration
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