That begs the question of the post I just returned.

MLW+

-----Original Message-----
From: GMSpencer@... [mailto:GMSpencer@...] 
Sent: Friday, July 29, 2005 9:39 AM
To: faithandlife@...
Subject: Re: FW: [FaithandLife] the meaning of the new birth


In a message dated 7/29/05 8:56:39 AM, mward@... writes:


> If baptism
> always "works," then Joseph Stalin (who, I believe, was at one time a
> seminary student) would be enjoying the Beatific Vision right now. 
> 

That would only be the case if the spiritual benefits of baptism, like 
regeneration, cannot be lost and we know from the liturgical texts of the
BCP that 
is the case that those benefits can be lost eternally. It is a shame that 
Stalin and Hitler were baptized, and if rightly performed, grafted into the
body of 
Christ's Church, but they did not remain so. Branches grafted into the Vine 
of Christ may be broken off and cast onto the fire. In that case the
indelible 
mark of baptism only damns one with a greater judgment. Right?
Glenn+

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