# The "One Baptism" - countering Landmark claims



## Pergamum (Dec 23, 2009)

Help, I am being accosted by Landmark Baptists. They say that the one baptism in Ephesians is a water baptism into a local church instead of a spirit baptism into Christ.

Here are two representative articles:



> One Baptism
> By Rosco Brong, D.D.
> 
> 
> ...





And also,



> BAPTIZED BY ONE SPIRIT INTO ONE BODY
> 
> A TEXTUAL EXPOSITION OF I CORINTHIANS 12:13
> 
> ...




They seem to hate any concept of the universal church, even so much that they are willing to do exegetical gymnastics.


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## Herald (Dec 23, 2009)

Pergy, I'm scanning your post while having stopped for lunch (I'm on my iPhone). How/why are being exposed to these Landmarkists? Are they supporting churches? If you're on another message board you're like a fish swimming upstream.


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## Pergamum (Dec 23, 2009)

Bill:

Yes, among the churches that support me, many are infected with strains of Landmarkism or New Covenant Theology. 

Many constantly try to "fix" their missionary (me) or desire me to conform to their minor emphases in theology or ecclesiology (which may feed my pugnaciousness). I feel like they sometimes try to squeeze me into their "box" and I make some of them uncomfortable (and I like doing this to some of them, I admit, hee hee).


I am mobilizing missionaries and recruiting, and talk regularly to about 15 people who are actively preparing to go out. But, by and large NONE of them are from the more Fundy, Landmark churches. My efforts at missions mobilizations are failing among my supporting chuches that most strongly identify themselves as Sovereign Grace Baptist or adhere to any gradation of Landmarkism.



I guess, I have an identity problem and don't know exactly where to fit in...



My sending church is AWESOME and labels themselves "Sovereign Grace Baptist" but affirms the 1689 and is not Landmark or NCT, though they were more Fundy in the 50's and 60's. They have been a bulwark of support. I cannot imagine a better church-missionary relationship.


I have tried to fellowship closer with more confessional Reformed Baptists, in order to broaden my circles but I find many of them to be rigid and formal and having an unhealthy attitude about missions (missionaries as Third World Pastors Model versus, missionaries as members of church-planting teams, not to work in established churches but who try to establish new churches and raise up indigenous leadership). Though, I think that is changing (thanks to Dr Bob Gonzales and others).


I mostly fit in with F.I.R.E, the Fellowship of Independant Reformed Evangelicals (FIRE: Fellowship of Independent Reformed Evangelicals), but still have many ties with more fundy-type churches and landmark churches. Maybe I like the banter, and I try to appreciate the generous prayers and supporters and the genuine love from these belivers, even though I get hounded sometimes about my ecclesiology, etc.


So, Bill, if you know me, can vouch for me and can connect me, help me find a pool to swim in where the lifeguard doesn't throw me out or I am not tempted to always pee in their pool. But right now, I am into some major bantering between me and a group of Landmarker Calvy Baptists who deny the universal church, believe in Baptist Successionism and, I think, are anti-missionary society, etc.


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## py3ak (Dec 23, 2009)

I pity you. Some errors are so boring that refuting them is torture, because one has to encounter them.


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## Pergamum (Dec 23, 2009)

py3ak said:


> I pity you. Some errors are so boring that refuting them is torture, because one has to encounter them.



Ha ha. And the thing is, I am unprepared to refute many of their claims because I am left saying, "Huh...you actually believe this?"


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