While I understand what you are trying to say, let's keep in mind a certain truth: actions speak louder than words. Normal people don't hold "very lively discussions" over topics that don't make any difference. Someone in the congregation obviously thinks it does and they're trying to tell you about it.
These are more subtle points of view that have little to do with justification, sanctification, atonement, election, predestination, and all the other far more important things.
While I'm not clear as to what all the other far more important things might be, I'll take your point. Nevertheless, the subject of eschatology is getting hotter by the minute and, as I opined before, it's only a matter of time before it comes to a head and causes a schism.
I am very set in my ways on baptism but I can assure you, if a Reformed Presbyterian church opened up across the street from me, I would think nothing of leaving my Southern Baptist church.
You have that luxury. You've already been baptized by immersion (or so I assume). However, if you start hanging your hat with the RP and, subsequently, you evangelize someone, what will you advise them to do? Get sprinkled? Also, the RP baptize infants, which is to say, they hold it up and show it some water. Are you ok with that?
If I might differ with you on one small aspect of society. We do pay inordinate amount of attention to something that is of supreme indifference. Sports.
I live in an area where we have Cubs fans, Cardinal fans, Bears fans, Blues fans, and Black Hawk fans. I grew up in an area where we had Leafs fans, Blue Jays fans, Tiger Cat fans, Argonaut fans, Saber fans and Bills fans.
We fought emotionally over those when I was young. I am actually amused by the locals here who think that .500 clubs in first place are worthy of note.
"Lively" was perhaps a poor choice of terms. And for me to say that I don't believe it doesn't make a difference is also incorrect; otherwise I wouldn't hold these views. What I should have said is there are some truths that are far more fundamental to the faith than others. Some truths are the milk, some are the meat. Each of us has to decide where that line is.
You have that luxury. You've already been baptized by immersion (or so I assume). However, if you start hanging your hat with the RP and, subsequently, you evangelize someone, what will you advise them to do? Get sprinkled?
That's a very fair question and one of the reasons I have not become a Presbyterian. However, it all goes back to that line. To me the issue of free will is so paramount to the understanding of our faith. This heresy can be traced to just about every major error people hold today or ever held-and that's not an exaggeration.
Pick a heresy or a problem the church faces today and I'll trace it back to the idea that man is free; eschatology included. The church realized for 1900 years that we were the new Israel until someone got some looney idea that God just loves people who rejected His Son and worship a god that is totally foreign to the God revealed in scripture.
I would rather have a person be sprinkled and to understand God's glorious election and purpose for their life, than to watch people go through life being baptized thinking they were free to bounce around trying to do things to please God.