Baptismal Regeneration
By David J. Stewart
BAPTISMAL REGENERATION is the unbiblical teaching that a person MUST be water baptized in order to go to Heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Word of God is abundantly clear that Baptism is only an ordinance, to be observed by each individual believer AFTER salvation, as a public profession of one's faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism is symbolic of Christ's death, burial and resurrection (Romans 6:4-5); and is our public profession of faith.
Baptism is NOT a sacrament, i.e., there is no mystical power (efficacy) by being dunked in water. No grace is bestowed. Apart from water baptism's spiritual meaning, you are only getting wet. Being baptized doesn't make someone a believer, anymore than walking into a garage makes someone an automobile. As mentioned, water baptism is symbolic of the Lord's death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:4-5). In water baptism, we are identifying ourselves with our Savior, signifying that we have already believed on Him. Nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever baptized; until AFTER they were saved.
The Apostle John tells us exactly why he wrote the Epistle of 1st John in 1st John 5:13... “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” John states that the sole purpose of his Epistle is to teach us how to KNOW we are saved. Carefully notice that John NEVER mentions the word “baptism,” not even once. That speaks volumes!
John doesn't mention speaking-in-tongues either, solid proof that Charismatics who require tongues as initial evidence of salvation are wrong, wrong, wrong.
Baptismal Regeneration is a lie of the Devil. Romans 4:5 plainly states... “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” How much clearer could the Bible be? A person's faith in Jesus Christ is COUNTED for righteousness. Salvation is of God, and not men. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; and not our own self-righteousness... but to him that worketh not.
In view of such plain Scriptural teachings, how could anyone teach or believe that water baptism is required to be forgiven of one's sins? It is utter heresy! Many people ask me about Acts 2:38. Others ask me about 1st Peter 3:21. Please read, What is Baptism?
Consider that the Bible doesn't mention anyone being baptized with water in the Old Testament for salvation. Genesis 15:6 teaches that Abram (later to be renamed Abraham) believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness. Romans 4:3 mentions this event, i.e., Abraham's salvation. We are saved by the imputed righteousness of Christ, i.e., Jesus' righteousness is attributed to our record in Heaven by faith (Romans 4:6). Abraham was saved by simple childlike faith in the Lord.
This thief on the cross who believed on Jesus Christ wasn't water baptized.
Over and over the Bible tells us that we are saved BY FAITH alone (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Acts 10:43; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26; John 3:16-18). If water baptism were required for salvation, then certainly the Bible would stress its importance for salvation. In fact, the Apostle Paul stated the opposite in 1st Corinthians 1:17, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.” Paul proclaimed that Jesus DIDN'T send him to baptize. There you have it! Paul stated in Romans 10:1 that his heart's desire was for Israel to be saved, so Paul definitely would NOT have made such a statement in 1st Corinthians 1:17 if water baptism were necessary to be saved. Amen!
Sacraments are Unbiblical
Water baptism is an ordinance, like the Lord's Supper. Those are the only 2 ordinances which the Lord ordained to be carried out by the New Testament Church. They are NOT “sacraments,” a term not even found in the Word of God. Sacraments are unbiblical. Catholics teach 7 sacraments; and Protestants, such as Presbyterians and Lutherans, teach 2 sacraments: Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Neither of these terms are found in the Bible. There is no such thing as Holy Baptism” (which is their term for water baptism).
Protestantism is not taught in the Bible. Every Protestant believes in sacraments and the heresy of Infant Baptism. I don't follow John Calvin nor Jacob Arminius, nor do I follow the Westminster Confession as Presbyterians do. I certainly don't follow John MacArthur as Lordship Salvationists like Ray Comfort, Jack Chick and Kirk Cameron do. I SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES as Jesus commanded in John 5:39!
Martin Luther Taught the Baptismal Regeneration Heresy
Lutherans errantly teach that one's faith is demonstrated by the act of being water baptized. This is unbiblical. There is confusion amongst Lutheran churches whether water baptism is required for salvation or not; but their heretical founder, Martin Luther, clearly taught the false doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. Luther was a lifelong Mary-worshipper. Luther was messed up doctrinally, and died in his sins as an unsaved reprobate. Martin Luther even taught that a person could be saved without faith, just so long as they were water baptized. Luther was a false prophet until the day he died, and sadly his writings are still leading people into Hell. It is tragic that Lutherans idolize such a doctrinally corrupt heretic. Luther rejected the book of Revelation because he couldn't understand it.
What people should be focusing on, instead of the ceremony of baptism, is the precious blood of Jesus Christ that takes our sins away... "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Please read, The Simple Gospel.
Max Lucado's Demonic Deception
I mention Pastor Max Lucado, a Church of Christ minister, here because he is a deceiver. He is a well-known Ecumenical minister, a servant of the New World Order, leading inter-faith denominations into apostasy. Satan's goal is to raise up sinister ministers like Rick Warren and Max Lucado, who speak fundamental Christian doctrines in one deceitful breath; while leading different denominations of hellish unbiblical doctrines of devils to unite in sinful compromise in the other.
On Max Lucado's website, in the article Baptism: The Demonstration of Devotion, Lucado refuses to answer the following question with a straight answer... What if a person is not baptized? Can he be saved?
Any Gospel preacher worth his salt, who is truly saved, would immediately answer with a resounding... YES, YES, YES!!!
Yes, a person who is not baptized CAN BE SAVED. In fact, that's the only person that can be saved. If you've been water baptized and don't believe, then you're damned according to Mark 16:16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Notice that the damnation is upon the unbeliever; and not upon the unbaptized. I tell you truthfully from the Bible... YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE WATER BAPTIZED TO BE SAVED!
Since Max Lucado won't answer the question directly, I just did! The fact of the matter is that Max Lucado changed the name of his church in 2005 to HIDE his Church of Christ affiliation, just as Seventh-Day Adventists do...
Max Lucado is hiding the fact that he is a Church of Christ minister...
Church of Christ teach Baptismal Regeneration, i.e., that you must be water baptized to be saved. Lucado states that water baptism cannot save, and sounds like he is doctrinally correct at first; but then he won't answer the simple question...Recently, his church, which has some 5,000 members, even changed its name from "Oak Hills Church of Christ" to simply "Oak Hills Church."
What if a person is not baptized? Can he be saved?The fact that Max Lucado is beating around the bush is cause for alarm. The Gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that we are saved by Christ's work of redemption; and not by any work on our part other than BELIEVING on the Lord. John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, THAT YE BELIEVE on him whom he hath sent.” Mark 13:22 says that in the Last Days, false prophets shall arise that will deceive, even saved believers if they can. Max Lucado is New World Order all the way, evidenced by his Masonic book cover, FEARLESS.
Baptismal Regeneration is a Road to Hell
If you think that getting dunked in water is going to help you get into Heaven, then you are not truly saved. You have never been born-again. Biblical salvation is one unmistaken mindset that cannot be altered... A GIFT!
Those who errantly teach that salvation can be lost (such as Pentecostals, Charismatics and Calvinists); all have a deadly mindset of self-righteousness. Matthew 5:20: “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus told the people that the Pharisees were going to the Lake of Fire; and that they would also go if they followed the teachings of the Scribes and Pharisees.
Think about that for a moment! The job of the Scribes were to copy the Bible from one generation to the next, because they didn't have printing presses back then. No one handled the Scriptures any more than the Scribes; yet they were woefully ignorant of truth and unsaved. That is so sad and hard to grasp. The Scribes were the ones who dealt with the Scriptures as a career! Yet they were corrupt, woefully ignorant of truth, and on their way to Hell.
I said that to say this... RELIGION IS A ROAD TO HELL! Getting water baptized is religion my friend. When Adam and Eve sinned, Adam made clothing of fig-leaves to cover their nakedness; but God rejected their works-based religion (i.e., their own attempt to deal with their sins). Instead, God killed an innocent animal, shedding its blood; which pictures the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, Who came to SAVE SINNERS! Amen!
Everything that was required for our eternal redemption was completed by our heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ. It is Jesus' precious, literal, physical, blood that takes our sins away (1st Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5). If you grasp this simple, yet profound, truth; the simplicity that is in Christ; then you will clearly understand that salvation is a totally free gift from God, which we simply receive to have. Salvation is not something we do to get; it is a gift that we receive to have.
Adam and Eve already had fig leaf clothes to wear; but God made them wear different clothing, to teach them the truth of salvation. God will not accept water baptism on Judgment Day friend. You will go to Hell forever! I don't want that to happen, which is why I am warning you with the Scriptures!
If you understand the importance of the work of the Old Testament highpriest, then you know that eternal life is a free gift, paid for by the Lamb of God. Jesus literally entered BY HIS OWN BLOOD (Hebrews 9:12) into the heavenly holy place, to appear in the presence of God the Father (Hebrews 9:24), to complete His work of redemption. It was finished, once and for all (Hebrews 9:26). Salvation is freely offered to WHOSOEVER (Romans 10:13; Revelation 22:17).
John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” There is NO mention of water baptism! You just BELIEVE on the Son of God, the Christ; and He'll forgive your sins.
1st Peter 1:18, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” There is NO mention of water baptism! It's the blood of Jesus that washes our sins away; and not the water of baptism.
1st Peter 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” There is NO mention of water baptism! We are regenerated, born anew of the Spirit of God, by the Seed of the Word of God. Amen and amen!
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." —The Apostle Paul, 1st Corinthians 1:17
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Your comments reflect a major misconception that evangelicals have of orthodox Christians. Lutherans do not believe that baptism is necessary (mandatory) for salvation. Not even the Roman Catholic Church believes this. All the saints of the Old Testament, the thief on the cross, and thousand of martyrs down through the centuries have been saved without Baptism. Baptism is not the "how" of salvation!
ReplyDeleteLutherans believe that baptism is one of several "when"s of salvation, it is not the "how" of salvation. The "how" of salvation is and always has been the power of God's Word/God's declaration of righteousness.
A sinner can be saved by the power of God's Word when he hears the Word preached in a church, preached on TV or radio, reading a Gideon's Bible in a hotel room, or reading a Gospel tract that contains the Word. Salvation is by God's grace alone, through the power of his Word alone, received in faith alone. In each of these situations, the sinner is saved the instant he or she believes. Baptism is NOT mandatory for salvation to occur.
However, the Bible in multiple passages, also states that God uses his Word to save at the time of Baptism.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit, using the Word of God, that works salvation in the sinner's spiritually dead soul, according to the second chapters of Ephesians and Colossians, and the third chapter of Romans. Your "decision for Christ" does not save you, neither does your decision to be baptized.
God saves those whom he has elected, at the time and place of his choosing. Sometimes God saves them while hearing a sermon in church, sometimes at home reading the Word, and sometimes by the power of his Word spoken during Baptism.
God does 100% of the saving. The sinner is a passive participant in his salvation. There is no passage in the New Testament that asks sinners to make a decision for Christ. The Bible states that God quickens sinners, gives them faith, and they believe and repent.
The sinner does not decide to be saved. God decides to save the sinner!
Gary
Luther, Baptists, and Evangelicals
You are spun and wrapped more times than a ball of yarn, Gary!
DeleteNOTHING, NOTHING SAVES EXCEPT ONE BELIEVE CHRIST, HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION to have paid IN FULL for all sins, past, present and future!
Look at "The Salvation Message" to learn about exactly what "election" means!
Now, why don't you try "explaining" your "sacrament" of "cosubstantiation"?
The Lutheran Church is no more than an arm of the Roman Catholic Church, having brought with its "reformation" most of the heresies long learned in that pagan cult!
Hard to break with TRADITION, eh?
1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,
2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God BY YOUR TRADITION?
4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;
6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect BY YOUR TRADITION.
Matthew 15:L1-6 (King James Bible)