Mohler and Young on Baptism

Mohler and Young on Baptism

Posted on Jul 19, 2006 in baptism, church, Henderson Hills by Wes Kenney 2 Comments

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has written eloquently on the subject of baptism and its relationship to church membership on his new blog dedicated to SBC issues, Conventional Thinking. His post that deals with this topic stems from a proposal by the elders of Bethlehem Baptist Church, a non-SBC church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that is strikingly similar to the move proposed by the elders at Henderson Hills. While I encourage you to read his entire article, I will quote below the portions I believe have relevance to the Henderson Hills discussion.

With all respect for my Presbyterian brothers and sisters, I do not believe that the “baptism” of infants is any baptism at all. I can say that with great love and respect, knowing that Presbyterians who love the truth in their own confessional standards will respect a Baptist who does the same. As I often remark to evangelical Presbyterians, we may be the last people on earth who can have a real disagreement. That said, baptism has been understood by all major branches of Christianity, throughout the centuries of Christian experience, to be a requirement for church membership and the fellowship of the Lord’s table. Thus, for Baptists to receive into the membership of a Baptist church (or to invite to the Lord’s Supper) any believer who lacks such baptism, is to receive non-baptized persons as if they were baptized. Any compromise of Baptist conviction concerning the requirement of believer’s baptism by immersion amounts to a redefinition of Baptist identity. More importantly, it raises the most basic questions of ecclesiology. We must give those questions intent attention in these days. Otherwise, will there be any Baptists in the next generation?

For an extremely well-written allegorical treatment of this issue, please visit Prayer and the Ministry of the Word, the blog of Jeff Richard Young, pastor of Corinth Baptist Church near Ravenna, Texas. Here is an excerpt from his excellent post titled Mr. and Mrs. Sprinkled Prospect:

Eventually Dennis restored order and said to the Prospects, “It’s simple. You just have to be re-baptized to join the Baptist church. That’s what our last pastor used to do.” That almost made me choke on my iced tea, but I managed to swallow, and said, “Dennis, we Baptists recognize that baptism can only be by immersion. Therefore no one who has merely been sprinkled can be ‘re-baptized,’ because he wasn’t really baptized in the first place. The word ‘re-baptized’ really shouldn’t be used, at least among Baptists. ‘Re-baptism’ simply doesn’t exist.”

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  Jeff Richard Young Jul 20 2006 - 10:37 am

  Dear Brother Wes,

  I can’t believe you gave Dr. Mohler top billing. The next time you quote both of us in the same blog post, I demand to be first.

  Love in Christ,

  Jeff

  Reply

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  Bro. Robin Jul 20 2006 - 11:58 am

  Bro. Wes

  I appreciate you taking the front lines in this issue and bringing in varying voices like Dr. Mohler. Keep up the good work.

  Also, thanks for backing me up on the \\\”correction\\\” from Bro. Paul. I go into more detail on my blog concerning his position that the command to baptize was given to the disciples and not the church.

  Thanks again for spear heading this issue.

  Bro. Robin

  Reply