# When did you become paedobaptist/credobaptist?



## biblelighthouse

Let NOT this thread become a debate. I just thought it would be fun to find out more about the backgrounds of some people on the puritanboard.

I'll start:

I was raised a credobaptist. I was taught that infant baptism was just a holdover from Roman Catholicism.

Then I read Booth and Wilson. I finally understood that Protestants had some good non-Catholic reasons for believing in paedobaptism. But I still wasn't convinced. I believed Paul K. Jewett's book was a nail in the coffin of paedobaptism. 

Then I made the mistake of emailing Dr. McMahon, trying to convince him that paedobaptism was wrong. 

The rest is history. Now I believe that paedobaptism is Biblical, and that it is required by a proper covenantal view of Scripture.


So, what's your story? Have you always been credo or paedo? Have you converted from one to the other? Share your doctrinal trek in this area.

Again, I don't want this thread to include debate. Let's just share our stories, whether credo or paedo.


----------



## heartoflesh

A better question might be, _"when did you first become obsessed with the subject of baptism?"_


----------



## biblelighthouse

:bigsmile:


----------



## ReformedWretch

I'm still learning as paedobaptism is still one of those scary things (like eschatology used to be for me) that I have old ideas about. I am not having as easy of a time getting over my concerns about that than I did my eschatology.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## RamistThomist

I grew up Credobaptist and belived that Wayne Grudem had the best, succinct case for credobaptism, but I met an OPC pastor who gently challenged my credo presuppositions; that went on for about a year. I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject. 

I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot

Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).


----------



## biblelighthouse

> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject.
> 
> I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.




Sounds like you really drank a paedobaptist cocktail!


----------



## govols

> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).



Are ya done convertin? 

You converted more than some of my SBC friends have re-dedicated their life or walked the aisle.

[Edited on 7-6-2005 by govols]


----------



## govols

> _Originally posted by biblelighthouse_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject.
> 
> I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds like you really drank a paedobaptist cocktail!
Click to expand...


Or from the Credo side - it sounds like you drank the Kool - Aid !


----------



## biblelighthouse

> _Originally posted by govols_
> 
> Or from the Credo side - it sounds like you drank the Kool - Aid !



Well, at least we didn't get _immersed_ in it . . .


----------



## VirginiaHuguenot

> _Originally posted by govols_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot_
> Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Are ya done convertin?
> 
> You converted more than some of my SBC friends have re-dedicated their life or walked the aisle.
> 
> [Edited on 7-6-2005 by govols]
Click to expand...


Aye, I'm done!


----------



## Rich Barcellos

I was paedobaptist of the Roman variety until I was converted as a young adult in a dispensational baptist church. I attended The Master's Seminary but did not look into the subjects of baptism and covenant theology (much) until I graduated in 1989. For several years I read CT material (Bullinger, Calvin, Ames, Witsius, Turretin, Fisher, Bolton, Owen, Boston, Heppe, Girardeau, Vos, Murray, Karlberg, McCoy/Baker, VonRohr, Beirma, Lillback, Robertson, etc.) and some stuff on paedobaptism (Calvin, Ursinus, Westminster Standards, Baxter, various orthodox Puritans - Dickson, Watson, Flavel, etc., Shaw, Hodge, Berkhof, DeJong, Clark, Adams, Booth, Wilson, some of the chapters in Strawbridge and other material I cannot remmber. The list of covenantal baptist material is much shorter, sadly.

I have learned that CT is not a monolithic movement, even within paedobaptist circles (and covenantal baptist ones as well). Some advocate a three -covenant structure (CR, CW, CG), some two (CW, CG). Some teach that the CW was a gracious covenant, some don't. Some teach that the Mosaic Covenant is a legal administration of the CG, some don't. Some teach that the civil law of the Mosaic Covenant is an expression of the moral law in the civil realm, some don't. Some teach the tripartite view of Old Covenant law, some don't. Some teach that the CG is made with the elect in Christ, some don't. Some teach presumptive regeneration of infants of beleivers, some don't. Some tinker with historic, orthodox CT terminology, some don't.

When it's all said I done, I have come to believe that the essence of CT is found in its foundational elements (CR/CW/CG). All who adhere to those foundation stones are within the CT camp. To the degree that one deviates from those doctrines, to that degree one has left the inner circle of essential CT.

One shift I have noticed in the more recent literature is to approach CT from ecclesiology instead of soteriology. I think this is a shift in the wrong direction. The WCF is clear - CT is first and foremost soteriological. WCF VIIff. puts CT in the locus of soteriology. Ecclesiology comes inferentially second to soteriology. I think putting ecclesiology above soteriology is what the Federal Vision men are doing. I am not the first to point this out.

I have learned much from my dear paedobaptist friends - the venerable dead and the living. Many on this board have taught me and helped me sharpen my too often dull thinking. I am very thankful for this venue, even though it has its limitations, as do all such venues.

My two cents.


----------



## daveb

Raised Roman Catholic but didn't hold to any belief on baptism. After my conversion started attending a baptist church and accepted credo because I was told it was "right" and paedo was Roman baptism. 

Held to the credo position until I started to study the issue as a result of this board.


----------



## govols

> _Originally posted by biblelighthouse_
> 
> 
> 
> _Originally posted by govols_
> 
> Or from the Credo side - it sounds like you drank the Kool - Aid !
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Well, at least we didn't get _immersed_ in it . . .
Click to expand...


----------



## WrittenFromUtopia

Southern Baptist for 21 years, raised in the Bible Belt (in other words, ignorant, knew nothing about anything except pot luck fellowships and alcohol = devil). Moved to Louisville a year ago, studied Reformed theology on my own, converted to RPW, then Presbyterian Church gov't, then Postmillennialism, then paedo-baptism. Now I'm a member of the RPCNA where I plan on pastoring.


----------



## Philip A

I was baptized and raised Lutheran, and accepted pedobaptism out of tradition. I never had that challenged until I had gone to college. While I was there I started attending a fundamentalist dispensational baptist church, because that was the only thing I could find that wasn't purpose driven. They talked to me a few times about baptism, but I didn't really consider it much until later. I read, studied, contemplated, and was coming around to the credo position. Then some guy named Barcellos told me to read the 1689 confession and some other RB literature, and that finally did it for me.


----------



## Augusta

Was raised Foursquare credobaptist. I was reformed over a period of time listening to radio. RC and then WHI. I didn't know what to do about baptism for a while so I back burnered it. 

It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.




It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right). 

If there is one thing that I have learned it's that God is sovereign in everything. He receives the glory in EVERYTHING. No human attempts to keep the NC pure are going to work. We don't have to worry about the NC sign going to the right people, that is God's thing and He will see to it just as He did in the OT. We are to baptize and make disciples and if they leave us then they were not of us. 
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

Sorry guys there are some very nice baptist people here and I don't want to make anyone mad but this is what I see happening.


----------



## Romans922

I was raised Roman Catholic (baptized), then at 17 I became a sappy evangelical and was a credobaptist, then at the age of 21 I became a paedobaptist.

[Edited on 7-7-2005 by Romans922]


----------



## doulosChristou

I was a paedobaptist for the first 10 years after conversion. I've been a credobaptist for a little over 10 additional years. 

I know some hardcore paedobaptist guys here who will remain paedobaptists until the day they die ... at which point they will become credo.  :bigsmile:


----------



## heartoflesh

> _Originally posted by Augusta_
> 
> It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.
> 
> 
> 
> It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right).



Wait a minute, are you saying that adult believers shouldn't be baptized? What are those mega-churches supposed to be doing with professing believers, if not baptize them?


----------



## WrittenFromUtopia

I think she's saying the baptism of an adult is not their profession of faith but its God's sign of the covenant.


----------



## biblelighthouse

> _Originally posted by Augusta_
> Was raised Foursquare credobaptist. I was reformed over a period of time listening to radio. RC and then WHI. I didn't know what to do about baptism for a while so I back burnered it.
> 
> It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.
> 
> 
> 
> It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right).
> 
> If there is one thing that I have learned it's that God is sovereign in everything. He receives the glory in EVERYTHING. No human attempts to keep the NC pure are going to work. We don't have to worry about the NC sign going to the right people, that is God's thing and He will see to it just as He did in the OT. We are to baptize and make disciples and if they leave us then they were not of us.
> 1 John 2:19
> They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
> 
> Sorry guys there are some very nice baptist people here and I don't want to make anyone mad but this is what I see happening.




 You go girl!!!

That's one of the many reasons why I myself dislike credobaptism.


----------



## heartoflesh

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> I think she's saying the baptism of an adult is not their profession of faith but its God's sign of the covenant.



Sorry, not following. Opening up new thread so as not to hyjack further.


----------



## Presbyrino

*Baptized as infant in Roman Catholic Church
*Converted to Pentacostalism, Oneness Pentacostal(credo)
*Converted to Arminian/Dispensational Church, Calvary Chapel (credo)
*Converted to Presbyterian (paedo)


----------



## VanVos

Raised credo, will die credo. But I might be a paedo in between. But for right now I'm very much a credo.

VanVos

[Edited on 7-7-2005 by VanVos]


----------



## Larry Hughes

Let's see:

1. Raised in a non-religious Christian home.
2. Attended VBS a few times when very young, main memory the pledge, milk and cookies and crafts.
3. Saw nothing in religion and began transferring over to atheism/agnosticism via my like of the sciences (seem to have truth in it).
4. Driven by atheist/agnostic thinking acheived degree in sciences and remained a/a until age of 32.
5. Converted at 32 by dramatic truth during a preacher that placarded Christ before my eyes like none before, and not slappy happy experential Christianity.
6. Baptized in SBC of my mom's, didn't know where else to go, just knew I needed to be baptized into the church.
7. Began to not understand remaining sin in my life, doubted my conversion due to the intensity of the struggle, and struggled with "when" I was baptized per credo doctrine.
8. Almost re-baptized a number of times under the torment of it all.
9. Read a couple of pieces by RC Sproul but still doubted it.
9. Two years later studied covenants unrelated to baptism and was stunned at what I saw via the Scripture alone.
10. Continued this for about 3 more years, under much prayer and sweat over the issue.
11. Arrived at Paedo by the grace of God.

Larry


----------



## Michael Butterfield

I was born into a Baptist family and, consequently, baptized at the prescribed age of 12. After the Lord saved me some 9 years later I became a Charismatic. At that time I became a practicing Anabaptist, because I was baptized again knowing this time I was an actual Christian. Then I was introduced to the Reformed faith. After wrestling with the issue of baptism, it became clear to me that paedobaptism was right after reading John Flavel´s treatment of the Covenant, but I cannot now recall which volume it was in. At the point I was convinced of Covenant Theology I saw the biblical doctrine of Paedobaptism.


----------



## pastorway

born and raised Southern Baptist, educated Southern Baptist with some Particular Baptist profs, embraced DoG while in high school, have always been credo....

So credo by birth and practice until a few years ago when I became a _convinced_ credo. When did that happen?

well, one day I joined this thing called the Puritan Board and right after that I became ad have continued to become a _MORE AND MORE CONVINCED_ credo.

Thanks PB. Now I am SURE about what I believe.

Phillip

[Edited on 7-7-05 by pastorway]


----------



## RamistThomist

> _Originally posted by pastorway_
> born and raised Southern Baptist, educated Southern Baptist with some Particular Baptist profs, embraced DoG while in high school, have always been credo....
> 
> So credo by birth and practice until a few years ago when I became a _convinced_ credo. When did that happen?
> 
> well, one day I joined this thing called the Puritan Board and right after that I became ad have continued to become a _MORE AND MORE CONVINCED_ credo.
> 
> Thanks PB. Now I am SURE about what I believe.
> 
> Phillip
> 
> [Edited on 7-7-05 by pastorway]



What was the tenor of Criswell College with respect to Calvinism, if you don't mind me asking? I always liked WA but never did think he was a Calvinist.


----------



## pastorway

yes, WA Criswell was a calvinist! And a GREAT preacher.

I had a few profs who were also calvinists (and a few who were not).

One prof in particular, my systematic theology prof, was a Particular Baptist educated at Spurgeon's Pastor's College! 

Here are some quotes from WA - 



> "That´s Calvinism. And I am a Calvinist. That´s good old Bible doctrine. And I believe the Bible. These things are in God´s hands. And ultimately, and finally, He purposed it and executeth all of it." - WA Criswell, 1955
> 
> http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.Transcripts/sermon/1821.cfm
> 
> 
> "When a man is saved, he's an Arminian, always. Arminius was a Dutch theologian who flourished in 1600. And he was the great champion of freedom of the will, freedom of choice. When you are saved, you're an Arminian. 'I did it. I repented of my sins. I came down that aisle. I gave the preacher my hand. I accepted the Lord as my Savior. I turned and looked to Jesus and He saved me.' You're an Arminian. You did it. You can tell the day and the hour and the preacher and the service. You're an Arminian. 'I did it.' But I don't care who you are, as you grow in grace and the days multiply, you'll become a Calvinist. Calvin flourished in 1550 and was the great exponent of the elective purposes of God in the earth. And, as you grow older and as you experience His love and mercy in your life, the day will come when you avow, 'God did it. He touched my heart. He wooed me and sought me and bought me and brought me. God did it.'" - WA Criswell, 1987
> 
> http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.Transcripts/sermon/640.cfm


----------



## RamistThomist

Criswell's 1973 address to the SBC kept me from becoming a liberal. He was one of the greatest pulpiteers on the 20th century.


----------



## Steve Owen

Raised in non-religious home, but baptized as infant into Church of England  like 70% of population in those far-off days.
'Confirmed' at age 12 with no real idea of who Jesus was or what He came to do.
Assumed I was a Christian for the next 25 years.
Converted suddenly in Brethren Assembly, relatively late in life. Baptism was mentioned. I panicked at the thought, read up like fury and came to the conclusion that my infant 'wetting' was not true baptism, a position I have maintained to this day.
Became convinced of Calvinism by reading the Bible. Moved to Particular Baptist Church.

The position in England seems to be almost exactly opposite to that in America. The English Presbyterian Church turned largely unitarian by 1715 (despite the WCF!) and disappeared. It was revived in the 19th Century, but became liberal very quickly; it merged with the equally liberal Congregationalists in 1972 and is now the 'United Reformed Church'. United it may be, Reformed it ain't! 

Today Reformed Paedobaptism is mostly confined to a few evangelical Anglican Churches, and many of those are closet Credos! The only signs of life in the English church scene are
1. Some Aussie theologians coming over from Moore College to run one of the Anglican Theological Colleges..
2. A load of new Reformed Baptist churches springing up. Most of them are pathetically small, but I suppose you have to start somewhere.
3. Many Plymouth Brethren starting to come to the Doctrines of Grace. Some of them join the Baptist churches mentioned above; others are starting to reform their own assemblies. 

Grace & Peace,

Martin


----------



## Puritan Sailor

Born and raised a pentacostal credo, then became a reformed credo for a couple years, then finally a Presbyterian peado.


HAH! Thanks Chris! 

[Edited on 7-14-2005 by puritansailor]


----------



## Authorised

> _Originally posted by pastorway_
> born and raised Southern Baptist, educated Southern Baptist with some Particular Baptist profs, embraced DoG while in high school, have always been credo....
> 
> So credo by birth and practice until a few years ago when I became a _convinced_ credo. When did that happen?
> 
> well, one day I joined this thing called the Puritan Board and right after that I became ad have continued to become a _MORE AND MORE CONVINCED_ credo.
> 
> Thanks PB. Now I am SURE about what I believe.
> 
> Phillip
> 
> [Edited on 7-7-05 by pastorway]




Hmm. I became paedobaptistic after reading your responses in the baptism threads, pastor Way.


----------



## Me Died Blue

I became paedobaptistic after reading various articles online from both sides, as well as reading Michael Horton's _In the Face of God_.



> _Originally posted by puritansailor_
> Born and raised a pentacostal credo, then became a reformed credo for a couple years, then finally a Presbyterian credo.



I think you mean reformed Presbyterian.


----------



## SRoper

I was baptised as an infant and raised UCC for a while. Then my mom stopped going to church. Then we started going to Parkside Church (non-denominational church) and they became followers of Christ. I didn't become a Christian until about five years ago, and was a weak credo. I was finally convinced of paedobaptism a little over a year ago.


----------



## PuritanCovenanter

I think I was baptized as an infant. The story is not so clear. I was born in a RC Hospital to unchurched parents. In my mid teens I was baptized in a NACC (Independent Christian Church... Campbellite). When I was 18 God awoke me and a couple of years later I wanted to be rebaptized because I understood salvation finally.

No one told me I needed to be rebaptized. I felt compelled. I am not as hardcore about it as it may seem. I am convinced though. Credocovenanter/Puritancovenanter 
I have a love for all the Reformers and Puritans whatever side of the isle they line up on concerning this issue.


----------



## Peters

I was sprinkled by the Church of England when I was an infant. Consistently, I was therefore considered to be a Christian until I was clothed in the righteousness of Christ by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and became a true Christian. Ever since then, the more I study the Scriptures (and non-inspired books) the more I am convinced that credobaptism is one of the many sweet consequences of a Scripture alone conviction and, like everything else, is unto the glory of God alone.

[Edited on 7-15-2005 by Peters]


----------



## JonathanHunt

Born into a reformed baptist family, baptised after my conversion at age 15.

Never challenged by paedo theology until I came across the PB.

At least I now know what I believe and why.

Iron does sharpen iron, y'know.

Still a credo.

JH


----------

