Nobody Is Baptized Because He Is Elect
Nobody knows who
the elect are. Presbyterians don't. Jews don't know.
Arminians don't believe there are any. Atheists don't care. Muslim
are certain that there are no Jews among them, and Kinism think they are all
white folks. Pentecostals don't care, but are fairly certain that whoever
they are they make a lot of noise. Mormons are sure that, whoever they
are, the best ones come from Utah. Roman Catholics are certain they cheer
for Notre Dame Football. Baptists don't know but they are certain they
are strong adults who didn't have none of that easy believism stuff.
Obedient
people who follow the Scripture have their babies baptized in church among the
people who are in the family of God, called the people of God.
“Wherefore
remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called
Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by
hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes
were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:11-13)
The blood of
Christ takes those who were "uncircumcised" and "aliens from the
commonwealth of Israel" and "strangers from the covenants of
promise" and "without hope" and "without God in the
world" and joins them to the people of God from before Christ. This
was the condition of every child born into the nation of Israel, and we have
been added to that community; not under Moses and the precept, but under Christ
and the Promises. Those brought nigh are not necessarily the elect
any more than Esau, Judas Iscariot, or Korah were. People were not
circumcised because they were elect, but because they belonged to the people
upon whom God placed His name and to whom He gave the promises. But if
all you think about is your personal experience, you will be blind about
anything but yourself.
The visible
church is made up of exactly the same kind of people: elect and
non-elect. Scriptures says that the Lord knows those who are his and let
everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. You are not
elect because you have had a wonderful experience that you think was from
God. No Baptist minister can be certain that those he baptizes are the
elect. Neither can anyone else. Simon the Sorcerer was baptized and
some would put him in the heaven because of it, even though he was in the bond
of iniquity and gall of bitterness. Thus we have 1Cor 10 reminding us
that we are not to fall into the same sins Israel did and we also are to beware
of Idolatry. The church is also warned that there will greater punishment
come upon us if we turn away from Him that speaks from heaven, greater than
that which came upon those who turned away from Him who spake on earth. [Heb.
12]
The only
certainty I can give people is that Jesus Christ is the only savior, and
salvation is to be found in Him alone and their trust and confidence is to be
in Him alone. Anyone who turns from Christ will be damned as certainly as Judas
Iscariot is damned and went to his own place, even though he had the marvelous
experience of walking with Christ for over three years, beholding the miracles,
and hearing all the wonderful words. He was very "nigh"
but it would have been better for him if he had not been born.
If not all
Israel was Israel, then what advantage had the Jew? is Paul's Question in
Romans 3:1-4: "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is
there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them
were committed the oracles of God.3 For what if some did not believe?
shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?4 God forbid:
yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou
mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art
judged."
How come the Jewish
babies had a greater advantage than the babies of Christians do? When we
were brought nigh by the blood of Christ, why was the door slammed in the face
of our babes? eh? How come circumcision was good for Jewish babies,
but baptism is bad for Christian babies? What was the filter that
filtered out the babies when Christ came, who was promised in circumcision?
How come
adults can only enter the kingdom of God as a little child, but a little child
has to grow up to get in? I guess you can only be strong enough if you
are strong enough to make yourself weak, but if you are weak you cannot make
yourself strong enough to be weak enough. Whew? no wonder Baptists don't
like "easy believism"? You gotta be really strong to be weak
enough.
Or did the Jews
have better promises, while the church just floats on white clouds trying to
figure out who the elect are? Babies wouldn't understand theology anyhow
and so how can they do the hard believing necessary to be the people of God?
There will be
more, as you suspected, but this is enough for now. If these ideas give
you indigestion, then you can find some marvelous antacid in Eph. 2, Col. 2,
and Romans 3.
