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[This book provides a solid
refutation of the false doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. The book is
copyrighted; however, it is out of print and the copyright is over 50 years old.
"Some say, why stir up trouble about a question of such minor importance as Baptismal
Regeneration. Is a so-called door to heaven a small issue? Spurgeon says, 'For
of all lies which have dragged millions down to hell, I look upon this (Baptismal
Regeneration) as being the most atrocious.' ..What
must I do to be saved?... the answer shall be Not Through a Legalistic System of
Water and Works, but through a genuine new birth, wrought in the sinner's heart
by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. V.L Petersen, 1947]
Baptismal Regeneration
and the Use of Vow
in Luteranism, Catholicism, Judaism
(An exposure of the Hagar System of Works,
a heresy that has damned millions of souls)
V.L. Petersen
© 1947
PRINTED BY
WILSON PRESS
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
CHAPTER VII
Matters Pertaining To Church Fellowship and Baptism
All Christians should belong to a local church.
–When one who is baptized unto regeneration, is received into church on the strength
of such baptism that church still stands for B. R., and still stands with Rome.
–Loose practices relating to baptism in many churches, show the crying need for a
restudy of subject, in the spirit of Christian love. –What a true Biblical baptism
requires. Conviction must bear fruit in action.
What we say as to church fellowship is
spoken in love. We have found some very fine Christians in nearly all churches. We
love all churches that teach the truth. We do not advocate the destruction of churches,
but their cleansing. Not knowing where we belonged we just stood still and sought to join
no particular church. We knew that one should not be a gad-a-bout. One should have a
church home. Dead fish just float about in anybody's harbour, and when they get too
numerous, they smell badly-live fish have a home.
We fellowshipped with nearly every Evangelical
group, and felt much at home with all live groups. As far as salvation was concerned we
found ourselves in wonderful agreement with most of them. However, when it came to church
order, or the building of the body of Christ, as seen in the local church, we found a wide
divergence, not as to, that only born-again ones should be admitted, not as to the Lord's
Supper, or congregational deportment, but on the matter of baptism.
Knowing that baptism was an ordinance of God we
could not deal lightly. We are commanded to contend for the Faith; and conviction and
contention go hand in hand as cause and effect. We speak in love when we say that many
churches treat baptism very lightly. All baptism is accepted as good baptism, and this
causes great confusion.
Must it not be clearly seen that when people
baptized unto regeneration are taken in as members on the strength of such baptism, that
that church becomes involved in one of two pernicious errors? When the church takes in one
baptized unto regeneration, accepting this as good baptism, then that church as such gives
her official approval to such baptism unto regeneration, or by disregarding it, makes
baptism of no account. Such a church stands FOR and not AGAINST Baptismal Regeneration.
Muddy thinking here has brought great confusion in the Christian Church. Inescapable is
the conclusion: Either baptism is of no account-a mere plaything that man may
regard or disregard at pleasure, or else such churches still stand with Rome and her
daughters, testifying by their deeds, that Baptismal Regeneration is good Baptism.
Remember the local church is the highest
authority as a teacher in God's sight. This places a tremendous responsibility upon each
local church as to what it teaches. It does not only affect them personally, but all to
whom it ministers. When now a church accepts a member who was sprinkled unto regeneration
in baptism, and declares his baptism valid, then that Church declares that Baptismal
Regeneration is valid. It does not matter how much that church may speak openly against
regeneration in baptism, It is what the church practices that declares her true position.
Loose Practice Shows Crying Need of Re-Study.
What a tremendous
step forward for the cause of true church order, and the proper building up of the body of
Christ it would be if all churches who at heart are opposed to regeneration in baptism
would arise and demand its repudiation for local church membership. For a church to say
she is opposed to this idol in words and then turn right about and accept Baptismal
Regeneration as good baptism unto local church membership, is the weakest and most
pitiable quicksand theology found outside of Rome herself.
There is a clear line of demarcation between
such as follow Rome and such as do not. Those who accept Baptismal Regeneration as good
baptism still stand with Rome. In so doing they become Rome's most subtle agents in
shielding this idol from getting the rebuke it so justly deserves and receives by a proper
baptism, where it is cast out root, stem and branch. Further these congregations become an
asylum for such as are convicted at heart about the right form of baptism, but who do not
have the moral courage to follow their conviction. Thus they directly join hands with Rome
in keeping open a false door to heaven, which has, and is today, deceiving millions of
precious souls as to the new birth.
Some honest souls cannot see the necessity of
seeking a proper baptism since they now do not believe in Rome's way. To all such let me
say that when you were baptized unto regeneration you were declared born-again with the
solemn laying on of hands . Therein you got the mark of Rome on you. That mark is there
until you remove it by a proper baptism which repudiates such false doings. It is the act
of baptism that is necessary to undo the mark of Rome.
Some otherwise splendid local churches have,
without giving the matter careful consideration, been led to take sides with Rome because
the denomination to which they belong takes that position. Assert your rights, local
churches. Take your stand for the truth on baptism regardless of how the denomination
stands. The denomination has no Scriptural authority to tell you what to do. Discard the
Roman Rag, and God will bless you.
Clear Thinking Needed Within Church as to Baptism
The following true
incident will help us to illustrate what we mean: A young lady convert being convinced by
the Bible that immersion was the right form of baptism, went to her pastor for advice. He
tried hard to dissuade her, and encouraged her to accept sprinkling, the common practice
of the church. As she left he handed her a little book containing the strongest arguments
for sprinkling he could find. She read the book but also her Bible, and came out stronger
than ever for immersion. The pastor finding that further argument was useless, told her to
come back in the evening and he would baptize her by immersion. The young lady, taken
rather by surprise at the pastor's sudden change of mind, said: "How can I have
confidence in your sincerity and leadership, when you now agree to do for me what a day or
two ago you tried to dissuade me from?"
Some men juggle truth until they get so
two-faced that you cannot tell whether they are coming or going. Their theology gets so
elastic it can stretch around all forms of baptism and find them all equally good. Far
better to stand for what is wrong and contend for it rather than to have no conviction at
all. Now this does not mean that we do not love the brethren. They stand for a born-again
experience as necessary to church membership, and that is the most vital thing of all.
What A True Baptism Requires.
So many have come
to me as saved people asking about baptism. I know it is a troublesome question in many
hearts. There is a great need for a re-study of the whole question of baptism. To all such
troubled hearts let me say:
- A true Biblical baptism requires much water-John 3:23.
- A true Biblical baptism requires going down into the water - Acts 8:38.
- A true Biblical baptism requires burial in water-Rom. 6:4.
- A true Biblical baptism requires a rising out of water-Col. 2:12.
- If your Baptism does not have these characteristics you have not a Biblical baptism.
Such as have been sprinkled unto
regeneration should ask themselves at least three questions:
- Do I believe in sprinkling as a mode of baptism?
- Do I believe that baptism regenerates?
- Do I wish to stand with Rome and help her keep open the false door of Baptismal
Regeneration?
If you do not believe in sprinkling then you
sin by not seeking a right baptism. If you do not believe that baptism regenerates, you
sin by standing in such a baptism, for by so doing you testify for such baptism. If you do
not wish to stand with Rome in holding this false door open, then you sin by standing in
Rome's baptism. If you know what you ought to do but you do not do it then you come under
the condemnation of James 4:17: "To him therefore that knoweth to good and doeth it
not, to him it is sin." We urge a little clearer thinking along the lines of baptism,
so that they who really at heart believe the same, may find fellowship together.
Some say I cannot see much difference between
the churches which practice immersion and those which do not, therefore it cannot be as
important as you say.
It is true that many Christians who have but
little light bear much better fruit than others who have much light. Should we, therefore,
recommend that Christians have but little light in Scripture?
Because poor wheat in good soil will often bear
much better than good wheat in poor soil, should we, therefore, recommend poor wheat for
seed?
The Scriptures say that we should have "a
good conscience and faith unfeigned." This tells us that we must hold the Faith as
well as a good conscience. Correct practice is good, but correct precept and practice are
what God wants.
If you will read carefully Hebrews 5:11-14, you
will find that the causes of their immaturity were two- One was doctrinal error, and the
other was moral evil. Some churches though correct in doctrine allow moral evil to arrest
their growth. Certainly no one would prescribe doctrinal error as a cure for their moral
evils No, Scripture plainly tells that the way to obviate such culpable immaturity is to
HOLD THE FAITH as well as a good conscience.
Speaking to Moses concerning the Tabernacle God
says in Hebrews 8:5: "See . . . that thou make all things according to the pattern
that was showed thee in the mount."
Speaking of the church God says in Eph. 3:10-.
"-now unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made
known through the church the manifold wisdom of God."
The building up of the church as the body of
Christ, is therefore, not only under the scrutiny of men, but under the observation of the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places. The building up of the body is for the
purpose of demonstrating to these celestial dignitaries the manifold wisdom of God.
Engaged in such a high and holy task, shall we knowingly and willingly tolerate doctrinal
error and thus grieve God? You who would not think of offending God by a wrong testimony
with the mouth, why will you knowingly and willingly offend God by standing in a baptism
you know to be wrong-a baptism in which you give a wrong testimony to the death, burial
and resurrection of Christ? Is it not written: "To obey is better than sacrifice-for
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry."
By setting these issues before you we have
sought to please God and not man. The obedience required cost us great suffering. However,
as we consider the greatness of building up the body of Christ, we are indeed glad to be
allowed to suffer for such a cause. How can any man say that baptism is a matter of but
little importance when we consider Ephesians 3:10:
"To the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in the heavenly places, might be made known through the church
the manifold wisdom of God."
Conviction Should Bear Fruit in Action
When we consider
the great suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of His body the Church, should any
suffering on our part be too great?
What shall I do, you ask? Take your Bible and
with prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit just read prayerfully every passage
relating to baptism with a view of obedience as the Lord may lead. Unless you are willing
to OBEY and follow the light, you need- not seek the light. We believe such a course will
lead you to repudiate Baptismal Regeneration by seeking a proper baptism. We believe it
will lead you to seek such reform in your local church relations as to repudiate this
false door.
A Word About Sprinkling Infants
Whereas this is
not a treatise on the validity of sprinkling infants, yet we feel constrained to make a
passing remark at least.
In all charity to the many honest and faithful
servants of the Lord who believe in infant baptism we say, and that with conviction -what
untold harm and confusion the sprinkling of infants has wrought in the kingdom of God.
Harm to the child in that it has in most instances hindered him from seeking and receiving
the great blessing of a real Scriptural baptism. Confusion in that both the mode and
purpose of baptism is so changed, that our union in likeness with Christ in His death,
burial and resurrection, so beautifully expressed in a true baptism, is entirely lost
sight of. That God seemingly blesses such irregularities does not say that He sanctions
them.
Our recent study of the Word has brought to our
mind the following pertinent facts:
- God began His dealings with men as responsible moral agents.
- The millions of infants who were dealt with under the Old dispensation, long before
baptism was instituted, should convince all that baptism has nothing to do with either the
salvation or condemnation of infants.
- NOTHING is found in the Old Testament about the sprinkling of infants. As to the New
Testament the learned Dr. E. J. Eckman says concerning the sprinkling of infants, that
Jesus said NOTHING. The early Church Fathers said NOTHING. Justin Matryr said NOTHING.
Iraneus said NOTHING. Tertullian said NOTHING. In our humble search of the Bible we found
exactly NOTHING about the sprinkling of infants.
We close these passing remarks by relating the following story:
A preacher who believed in sprinkling infants
and a lady who did not were conversing on the train. After a while the preacher excused
himself, saying that he wished to go and have a smoke. "Yes," said the lady,
"that is in the Bible."
"If that is in the Bible," said the
preacher, "then where is it?"
"Yes," said the lady, "it is
found in the same chapter where the sprinkling of infants is spoken of."
CHAPTER VIII -
The Use Of The Vow In Lutheranism, Catholicism And Judaism
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