Jeff:
<< When do you perform a believer's baptism? Do you do it immediately
someone says they want it, no matter what age they might be?
Does age matter?
Are baptismal classes Scriptural? >>
Believers in believer's (believers' ?) baptism [ :-) ] may be divided into
two "camps":
1) those who believe in baptizing converts, and
2) those who strive to baptize only the regenerate.
This distinction hinges on the following issues:
1) that there is a difference between conversion and regeneration, and
2) that conversion may be faked, while regeneration is the work of the
Spirit of God.
In other words, the regenerate will always be soundly converted, while all
those professing or appearing to be converted may not be genuinely regenerated.
The doctrinal issue concerning candidates for baptism is directly related to
whether you believe in a converted church membership, or a regenerate church
membership.
The stance on this issue will determine what view you have of church
membership on the "in" side of the coin:
1) Easy in - easy out -
Churches who are not careful about who they accept into the membership end
up, as a consequence, facing many more cases of church discipline than the
others if they do practice consistent Biblical discipline. This is especially true
in the last 1-2 centuries due to the effects of Finneyistic evangelistic
methods and teaching.
2) Easy in - hard out -
Such churches are not "fussy" about who they accept into the membership, do
not practice consistent Biblical discipline, and even the deceased find it hard
to get removed from their membership rolls! Unfortunately, this
classification may fit the majority of the churches within American evangelicalism. This
is a quick recipe for filling churches with the unregenerate.
3) Hard in - easy out -
Some churches examine prospective members rigorously, and are quick to
discipline the unrepentant out of the membership. These churches appear to be more
concerned about maintaining the purity of the local body.
4) Hard in - hard out -
In these churches, while they rigorously examine prospective members, they do
not practice consistent Biblical discipline.
To answer your questions more specifically:
1. << When do you perform a believer's baptism? Do you do it immediately
someone says they want it...? >>
The candidate is not the determiner of whether they will be baptized or not.
The ordinances have been committed to the Church. The Church answers to her
Head concerning how she administers those ordinances. For example, if someone
believes that being baptized will save them or gain them "points" or merit
with God the Church should not baptize them. The decision must rest with the
Church as she faithfully administers the ordinances Christ has committed to her
to His glory.
2. << no matter what age they might be? Does age matter?
Age is not the issue, nor should it be. The genuineness of someone's faith
is. Jonathan Edwards recorded a sound conversion of a four year old during
the Great Awakening.
3. << Are baptismal classes Scriptural? >>
If a local church believes that the best way they can discharge their
responsibility under their Head is to have candidates for baptism go through a period
of instruction to determine the genuineness of their faith, or to aid them in
understanding what the ordinance means, they should have the liberty to do
so. In any case, a period of examination is the only way that the difference
between false conversions and genuine regeneration may be determined. "Instant
baptism" is a recipe for future problems within the Church, and for possible
confusion for the baptized.
Soli Deo Gloria,
John T. "Jack" Jeffery
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