Faith Bible Blog

Well…there’s the simple answer that Christ both modeled it (Matt 4) and mandated it (Matt 28:18-20).  But the disagreement’s usually aren’t about the need for baptism, so much as when and how.  Justin Taylor at Crossway recently interviewed Tom Schreiner about the subject of baptism, in light of Schreiner’s new book coming out.  Having read other books by Schreiner (who teaches at SBTS and pastors a church in Kentucky), I will understate the case by saying that he is a VERY sharp guy.

The interview itself is a good read.  Here’s a snippet to encourage you to read more:

Assuming that paedobaptism didn’t exist in the NT, when did it first arise historically onto the scene? What caused it?

Scholars
differ as to when infant baptism began. Most agree that it probably
started sporadically in the 2nd century, and Steve McKinion argues that
it was not common until the 4th or 5th centuries. The “why” is hard to
answer. It certainly seems to have been at least partly because of
pastoral and parental concern about babies dying in infancy. Baptizing
them was a means of assuring their salvation in case of their deaths.
According to Augustine it was crucial for removing original sin and
entrance into heaven. . .

It seems to me that in the NT, baptism
followed almost immediately after a profession of faith–with little
time for instruction, confirmation that their faith was genuine, etc.
Yet it also seems to me that those churches that practice instant
baptisms upon initial professions of faith also seem to produce a lot
of nominal Christians. What are you thoughts?

That’s a
great question and it doesn’t have an easy answer. I think we have to
consider the difference between the NT era and our culture in the
United States. In the NT the Christian faith was clearly distinct from
the culture, and hence baptism was a dramatic indication that one had
given his life to the one true God and to Jesus Christ. Baptism was not
culturally acceptable but distinguished someone remarkably from their
culture. When we think of our culture today, we know that it is more
and more post-Christian. Still, baptism is part of the cultural
landscape. Many people in our culture mistakenly identify being an
American with being a Christian. . .

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On January 4, 2007, John Piper preached in Atlanta on How to Deal with the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause. The sermon transcript is a GREAT read and very helpful for perspective on guilt, sexual failures and missions. Here’s a choice tidbit:

…They were not taught how to deal with the guilt of sexual failure. The problem is not just how to not to fail. The problem is how to deal with failure so that it doesn’t sweep you away into a whole life of wasted middle-class mediocrity with no impact for Christ.

The great tragedy is not mainly masturbation or fornication or acting like a peeping Tom (or curious Cathy) on the internet. The tragedy is that Satan uses the guilt of these failures to strip you of every radical dream you ever had, or might have, and in its place give you a happy, safe, secure, American life of superficial pleasures until you die in your lakeside rocking chair, wrinkled and useless, leaving a big fat inheritance to your middle-aged children to confirm them in their worldliness. That’s the main tragedy.

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In light of our upcoming celebration of Christmas, here’s three different ways to enjoy & reflect on the Birth of our Savior:

#1 ~ Read Al Mohler’s 3-part series on the Virgin Birth (part 3 will be published on Fri, 12/22).

It is conceivable that someone might come to Christ and trust Christ as
Savior without yet learning that the Bible teaches that Jesus was born
of a virgin. A new believer is not yet aware of the full structure of
Christian truth. The real question is this: Can a Christian, once aware
of the Bible’s teaching, reject the Virgin Birth?

#2 ~ Go and watch ‘The Nativity Story‘ in theatres now.  It takes some liberties, but is largely faithful to the biblical account.

#3 ~ Visit the Girl Talk blog and read through how to invest into others who don’t understand what Christmas is all about.  They also have a lengthy ‘Holiday’ section of writings over the last couple years that’s quite fun/interesting to read.

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Too often, when we open our bibles to read, the words of Scripture come across like a monotone preacher.  This is NOT because they are written this way, but because we lack the enthusiasm (and sometimes the understanding) to grasp the riches of what is being conveyed.  The words seem cold & lifeless…and they resound only for a short time in our hearts before fading away with the clamor and more luring tones that await us in the car, on the computer and in the store.

The solution?  Come to Scripture with enthusiasm & expectation.  It is a living Word.  It’s a fire and a sword.  Read it as such.  To be reminded of this great truth, listen to Ryan Ferguson recite Hebrews 9-10.  (This was recorded at the WorshipGod06 conference in Maryland.)  I think you may never read the book of Hebrews the same again.

Thanks to Fide-O for highlighting this clip.

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Preaching & Preachers by D.M. Lloyd-Jones is one of my favorite books on preaching and by Lloyd-Jones.  As I was reading it today, I came across a great comment by him on the type of evangelists needed in the church today.

…the idea that a fellow who is merely gifted with a certain amount of glibness of speech and self-confidence, not to say cheek, can make an evangelist is all wrong.  The greatest men should always be the evangelists, and generally have been; and the idea that Tom, Dick and Harry can be put up to speak on a street corner, but you must have a great preacher in the pulpit in a church is, to me, the reversing of the right order.  It is when addressing the unbelieving world that we need to be most careful…

We need strong, gifted evangelists like this!  Pray that God would bless our church with them.

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