RE-BAPTISM?A REVIEW AND RESPONSE by Kent Bailey Re-Baptism? What One Must Know To Be Born Again is a 245 page book written by Jimmy Allen, Professor of Bible at Harding University. In this particular work, Allen sets forth his views regarding exactly the essential amount of Biblical knowledge one must attain in order to be scripturally baptized, thus being added to the church of the Lord. While this book is well written, and the author expresses himself in an easy to read manner, it is very unfortunate that a compromise of the gospel is set forth insofar as a willingness to accept into fellowship those, who have been immersed, but without a proper understanding of the scriptural design of New Testament baptism. Love of the truth, as well as the souls of men, demand that we oppose the thesis of this work as being fatal error (Romans 16:17-18; 11John 9-11). While certainly we have only the highest personal regards for Jimmy Allen, one must be reminded that good and sincere men can indeed be fatally wrong! As have others in the past as well as in the present, Allen advocates the false notion that New Testament baptism has numerous designs, the understanding of which is not essential to its validity. He further advocates that there is a single design that must ALWAYS be understood--the principle of obedience to God. If such is indeed the case, then by what rule of logic, or by what hermeneutic does one conclude that only one design must be understood before the alien sinner can be baptized into Christ? Allens line of reasoning is purely and arbitrarily subjective, void of ANY biblical truth! It is further argued that remission of sins is a blessing to be received like thegift of the Holy Spirit, that one does not obey blessings, but rather, one obeys commands, and that remission of sins is never given as a command. Only a casual analysis of Acts 2:38 proves that remission of sins is essentially connected by the preposition for (Eis) to the commands repent and be baptized. To argue that one need not understand the design of remission of sins is to argue that one could obey God by accident, while in reality one was disobeying God and ridiculing the design! Matthew 13:15 and Romans 6:17-18 powerfully refute Allens contention. The phrase gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:38 is NOT part of the design of baptism. Such was a consequence received because one had become a child of God, not to make one a child of God. Obedience to God is the general purpose of EVERYTHING one does in life. However, that particular expression is NOT a specific design to a positive institution, such as baptism. To argue that remission of sins is only A not THE design of New Testament baptism is to fail in understanding the import of New Testament teaching. Certainly, it is true that THE DESIGN of baptism is stated in varying expressions. However, to argue that baptism has more than one design is to imply that salvation, remission of sins, and being in Christ, in the one body (the church), etc. are all different blessings. If such were true one could have remission of sins without having salvation, and be in Christ without being in the one body, the church. When one believes that one is already saved prior to being baptized, in being baptized one does not obey from the heart and in reality DISOBEYS GOD! If one believes that baptism is for the remission of sins, yet also believes that in being baptized one is joining a denomination, one is disobeying God in the fact that the design of New Testament baptism IS NOT to put anyone into a man-made religion. One cannot be taught wrong regarding the Plan of Salvation and baptized right, and one cannot be baptized right and as the result of the design of that baptism be joined to a human denomination. The book, Re-Baptism? What One Must Know To Be Born Again, will lead individuals from the knowledge of the truth of God, and serves as adequate evidence to prove false doctrine of the past is being revived in the present. POWER is a monthly publication of the Southaven church of Christ. This article may be re-printed and freely distributed. If this article is to be cited in other work please credit the author. The contents of this article may not be altered in any way. For further information contact: POWER P.O. Box 128 Southaven, MS 38671 E-mail: [email protected] URL: powerlectures.org
Posted on: Thu, 23 Oct 2014 09:00:28 +0000
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