The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Babies, toddlers and the mentally retarded

1)It would appear that for you, "regeneration" is synonymous with "justification by faith". Is this correct? If not could you offer an explanation why your wrote what you did?

2) I'm not familiar with any biblical statement that one who is regenerate/justified is "immediately returned to his baptism". Could you please provide Scriptural evidence for this view?

3) And lastly, in regard to this: "wherein [baptism] all his sins are washed away in the blood of Christ.", you provided the following texts as support:

Titus 3:5 (ASV) "not by works [done] in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,"

The text says nothing about baptism, but rather, "according to his mercy" God saves those who believe through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. It is by the new birth and the life-changing work of the Holy Spirit that God saves.

Revelation 7:14 (ASV) "And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

Again, nothing is mentioned whatsoever about baptism in this text either. Further, the person's referred to are a specific group, i.e., "they that come of the great tribulation,", which cannot be applied universally to all believers, never mind those who have been allegedly baptised. And, those referred to "washed their robes . . . in the blood of Christ", which undoubtedly refers to their being justified by Christ through faith.

Romans 6:3 (ASV) "Or are ye ignorant that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?"

Here the Apostle is addressing believers and for the purpose of empahsizing upon them that since they have professed Christ, then they are to live as those who have been united to Him, both in his death and resurrection. The subject in this text is one of admonition in regard to the forsaking of sin and living a life that exhibits the newness of life which belongs to those united to Christ; i.e., a forsaking of sin and a life of righteousness. Paul is not teaching any sacerdotal doctrine of the efficacy of baptism, but rather the "identification" one has with Christ by faith and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit which is displayed in baptism.

1 Peter 3:21 (ASV) "which also after a true likeness doth now save you, [even] baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ;"

As with the previous passage, Rom 6:3, Peter is not teaching any efficacy of baptism but rather the significance of it as an "emblem" of that which it signifies, i.e., salvation by the mercy and grace of God in the Lord Christ. This is understood easily enough when one sees how Peter refers back to the time of Noah (v. 20) and how he and his family were delivered from destruction by the flood waters. It wasn't the water that saved them, but God's mercy. If a physical element is to be insisted upon, then it would have to be the ark rather than the water. Peter further clarifies this when he says that it isn't the physical water which is effective to wash away the external filth of the body but contrariwise it is one's "good conscience toward God", i.e., a new disposition in regard to His person and grace and that applied to them as believers due to the benefits given to them which Christ merited; shown in His resurrection. All these truths belong ONLY to those who actually possess a saving faith, as it is to those ALONE to whom Peter is addressing, (cf. 1Pet 1:1, 15, 17, 21-23; 2:2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 25; et al)

And likewise, Peter is writing to believers to instill in them the need to live a life of holiness in spite of the persecution they encounter, both from without and within. It has no application to "babies, infants and the mentally retarded"; the subject of this thread.

In His Grace,