Friday, July 17, 2009

The Baptismal Divide

From the Pew: R. Scott Clark Responds - Baptism: A Third View (Part 10)

VERY interesting post by Steve Scott that takes to task two well-known teachers in the church who have in turn called paedobaptism a sin on one hand and declared all churches that don't baptize infants to be false churches on the other. I have posted on both original articles earlier but I think Steve hits a more gracious and appropriate tone in his response to one of the individuals named.

I have long believed that baptism is an issue that requires some division. As I have tried to change my thinking on this, I am starting to think that baptism is not an official function that can only be carried out in the context of a duly appointed officer of the local church institution in an appropriate ceremony. That would necessitate division, because the local institution must declare one way or the other their baptismal stance. I don't see much support for that in the Bible. I still don't see a shred of real evidence in the Bible to support infant baptism but I also don't see a shred of evidence that Christians should divide or worse yet be divisive on this issue.

Still thinking this through...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did I tell you I'm a paedobaptist now?

*ducks to avoid impending rotten tomatoes*

Arthur Sido said...

No rotten veggies. I am curious what would cause you to make that switch.

See, I would know this stuff if you blogged more often. I am jus' sayin'.

Steve Martin said...

Here are some good arguments (I believe)for infant baptism. Some of the comments are mine, but there are some good ones as well.

http://jkjonesthinks.blogspot.com/2009/06/infant-baptism-nows-your-chance-to.html

Anonymous said...

Errr. Tomatoes are, of course, fruit.
I won't let it stop me checking out your blog, though. ;-)

Steve Scott said...

Yes, tomatoes are fruit, but that doesn't stop the government from allowing ketchup as a vegetable. :)