Thursday, March 3, 2011
Are infants saved in baptism?
Great question from the Men's Bible Study today, Gal. 2:11-14.
HECK NO! Welcomed into the community of faith, yes. Given all they will need for the abundant life in Christ, yes. Spiffed up to look like little angels for family and friends, yes. But unless each child at some point in their life personally accepts the gift of God's grace by faith, they remain unregenerate (unsaved). "They that receive Baptism rightly..." Article XXVII, BCP 873, NOT, "they who have had water poured on them three times."
How sad the Episcopal Church has recently bought hook-line-and-sinker into the idea that all you need is baptism (without even a passing nod to personal faith). It's a pernicious heresy not found in Scripture. Not that baptism is just a sign/symbol; it far more than that. In baptism God gives us His grace in full (as we pray for). But unless we receive it and "live into" our baptisms, be remain in spiritual darkness (dead in our trespasses and sins).
Roman Catholic: Justification is the process by which a person is supposedly "made" righteous. A baptized person is cleansed from all sins (original and actual) and is simultaneously infused with new/supernatural righteousness; so that God looks at the inherent righteousness and declares them forgiven and saved because they ARE righteous (at least for the moment). They are in and out of righteousness throughout their lives depending on their adherence to the sacraments, but have no "assurance" of salvation - they hope they will be in a state of righteous when they die, but who knows...
Anglican: Justification is a legal pronouncement, not a moral change. We are saved, yet sinners, based on God's complete work of salvation on the cross. The gradual life-long process where a person is actually made to be righteous is called “sanctification.” Our sins are forgiven and we are accepted and accounted righteous because of what our Savior has done; based not on what Christ already sees in us or what He does in us, but solely on the basis of His imputed righteousness. Therefore we can have full assurance of salvation because it's based on God's faithfulness, not ours.
Infants are cute as peaches, but, in terms of eternity, they will need to learn that faithful appropriation of the grace given to them in baptism is the beginning of life in God. That's where parents and godparents need to be clear about what salvation is and how it relates to baptism so that they can help lead their children to Christ, based on His full and complete work on the cross for our sins.
"We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies..."
HECK NO! Welcomed into the community of faith, yes. Given all they will need for the abundant life in Christ, yes. Spiffed up to look like little angels for family and friends, yes. But unless each child at some point in their life personally accepts the gift of God's grace by faith, they remain unregenerate (unsaved). "They that receive Baptism rightly..." Article XXVII, BCP 873, NOT, "they who have had water poured on them three times."
How sad the Episcopal Church has recently bought hook-line-and-sinker into the idea that all you need is baptism (without even a passing nod to personal faith). It's a pernicious heresy not found in Scripture. Not that baptism is just a sign/symbol; it far more than that. In baptism God gives us His grace in full (as we pray for). But unless we receive it and "live into" our baptisms, be remain in spiritual darkness (dead in our trespasses and sins).
Roman Catholic: Justification is the process by which a person is supposedly "made" righteous. A baptized person is cleansed from all sins (original and actual) and is simultaneously infused with new/supernatural righteousness; so that God looks at the inherent righteousness and declares them forgiven and saved because they ARE righteous (at least for the moment). They are in and out of righteousness throughout their lives depending on their adherence to the sacraments, but have no "assurance" of salvation - they hope they will be in a state of righteous when they die, but who knows...
Anglican: Justification is a legal pronouncement, not a moral change. We are saved, yet sinners, based on God's complete work of salvation on the cross. The gradual life-long process where a person is actually made to be righteous is called “sanctification.” Our sins are forgiven and we are accepted and accounted righteous because of what our Savior has done; based not on what Christ already sees in us or what He does in us, but solely on the basis of His imputed righteousness. Therefore we can have full assurance of salvation because it's based on God's faithfulness, not ours.
Infants are cute as peaches, but, in terms of eternity, they will need to learn that faithful appropriation of the grace given to them in baptism is the beginning of life in God. That's where parents and godparents need to be clear about what salvation is and how it relates to baptism so that they can help lead their children to Christ, based on His full and complete work on the cross for our sins.
"We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies..."
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