The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Infant Baptism Question

To be quite frank, I would NEVER allow anyone into membership of a church I pastored on the basis of those questions. They should not be used and cannot confirm whether a person has saving faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, it is true that there are some churches, even ones that call themselves "Reformed" that use such similar questions when admitting a person into membership. But I would contend, that those that do use those or similar questions as the basis for church membership are doomed because they are invariably admitting unbelievers into their midst. Some "Reformed" churches say they ask more pointed and relevant questions of their candidates in private beforehand and that the public ceremony doesn't reflect this. But I would then say that such "private" things are unbiblical and a denial of the congregation's right to know who their brethren are no less than the sacred and secret society of the Eldership. Let ALL make a Public profession of faith and not simply answer some extremely generic questions which doubtless 75% of the people on the street would answer in the affirmative. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes2.gif" alt="" />

But I am going to have to assume from your reply that you must actually believe that the administering Priest and the parents of the child brought forth for baptism are actually and truly regenerate and possess saving faith in the Lord Christ? To the contrary, I believe that it is more than doubtful that either have saving faith, but rather they are dead in sins and under the wrath and judgment of God. There is no magic to reciting a Tridentine formula over someone with the attendance of water that mystically produces salvation or even the possibility of it. Without faith, the baptism is actually judgment upon the individual. Your view(s) on baptism are far too "Roman" for my liking..... sorry! Luther should have discarded more of the Popish baggage when he left than he did. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

In His Grace,