A Blog for thinking Christianly about anything and everything.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Podcast Episode 7: What About the Gift of Tongues?
Here is an article discussing the IMB's decision to allow potential missionaries to apply whom practice speaking in tongues.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/may-web-only/imb-ban-speaking-in-tongues-baptism-baptist-missionary.html
Friday, May 15, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Most Arguments Against Paedobaptism are Arguments Against Circumcision
As I have begun to discuss my change of conviction about baptism I have realized that just about every argument against why we should baptize infants is also an argument against circumcising. For instance one argument often levied is that baptism is only for those who have expressed personal faith in Christ because baptism points to the salvation offered in the gospel. But this is no different than circumcision in the Abrahamic Covenant. According to Paul in Romans 4 circumcision is a sign and seal of the righteousness that comes by faith. Even so, God told Abraham to circumcise his children.
The confusion comes when credo-baptist believers argue that baptism points to the faith of the believer, but baptism is not supposed to point to the faith of the believer. Baptism points not to our faith but to God's promise to save those who believe. If we are to argue that the sign and seal is not to be applied to our children today because they have not yet believed then that argument would also deny that we Abraham should have circumcised his male descendants. But God commanded him to do so.
Likewise I had a brother in Christ argue that if an infant is baptized in a Christian home it does not do anything for them. What if the baby's parents die and he is given to an unbelieving home? What then has his/her baptism done for them? But one could argue the same thing in circumcision. What if Abraham had died and his wife with him? What if Isaac had been raised in the home of a Moabite after being circumcised as a Jew? The 'what if' scenario can equally be applied to either instance but it does not invalidate the command to give our children the sign of the covenant. Nor, by the way, does it negate the covenant relationship that child was initiated into with YHWH. God is faithful and may yet draw that child to himself despite the circumstances.
Most arguments I have heard about why we ought not baptize infants are also arguments that could have been levied against Abraham and circumcision also. Something to think about.
The confusion comes when credo-baptist believers argue that baptism points to the faith of the believer, but baptism is not supposed to point to the faith of the believer. Baptism points not to our faith but to God's promise to save those who believe. If we are to argue that the sign and seal is not to be applied to our children today because they have not yet believed then that argument would also deny that we Abraham should have circumcised his male descendants. But God commanded him to do so.
Likewise I had a brother in Christ argue that if an infant is baptized in a Christian home it does not do anything for them. What if the baby's parents die and he is given to an unbelieving home? What then has his/her baptism done for them? But one could argue the same thing in circumcision. What if Abraham had died and his wife with him? What if Isaac had been raised in the home of a Moabite after being circumcised as a Jew? The 'what if' scenario can equally be applied to either instance but it does not invalidate the command to give our children the sign of the covenant. Nor, by the way, does it negate the covenant relationship that child was initiated into with YHWH. God is faithful and may yet draw that child to himself despite the circumstances.
Most arguments I have heard about why we ought not baptize infants are also arguments that could have been levied against Abraham and circumcision also. Something to think about.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Podcast 5: A Theology of Violence
Also, be sure to check out Eric Welch's YouTube channel. Eric graciously gave permission for his song Death Can't Hold You to be used as theme music for Thinking Christianly:
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