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Tom said:
I know of no knowledgeable Baptist that believes that someone who has not been baptized by immersion as not being a child of God.
Although I take issue with many of my own brothers and sisters in the Baptist Church over the issue of not allowing paedobaptists to become members of the local body.
That is not the reason why they don't allow membership.

The issue of baptism and membership is more "local" than "universal" when it comes to most Baptists. They do NOT believe that someone who has not been baptized by immersion is not a child of God.
Spoken like a true Babdist! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/rolleyes2.gif" alt="" /> When one believes on the Lord Christ that person is not simply united to Christ (individualism), but ALSO and inseparably joined to the "Body of Christ"; the Church. This Church is universal. The requirements that Christ has set forth for its members do not include baptism by IMMERSION!! or any other man-made rule, e.g., abstinence from alcohol, dancing, card playing, TV, specific attire, etc., etc., ad nauseam. To deny any professing believer membership in CHRIST'S church is in essence the same as excommunicating someone from His church, i.e., it is a declaration that you do not qualify as a member. You simply cannot bifurcate membership from salvation, for membership requires a profession of faith in the Lord Christ and repentance from sin. To deny membership is to also bar an individual from the means of grace, e.g., the Lord's Table, prevention of one being joined officially with the people of God, prohibition from being able to exercise the gifts given by the Spirit for the benefit of the whole body, etc.

The Church is NOT a "social club" which sets its own rules and regulations. The local church is a representative of its Head; Jesus Christ and thus it is bound to His will in regard to all things pertaining to His bride. This is one of the things which separates Baptists from non-Baptists; a low view of the Church. Although there will never be total unity of the body of Christ on earth, it is my concerted opinion that there are myriad things which men have done to cause disunity among themselves and bring shame to Christ and ruin its testimony to the world. It has been my pleasure to see a few exceptions to this shameful situation on both sides; Baptist and non-Baptist who have not forced their own novel and sectarian ideas upon those who desired to join with them as members of the household of faith. Oh, that there were so many more of these types of churches today.

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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