# Baptists - Why believers only?



## WrittenFromUtopia (Jan 26, 2005)

I was hoping all the Baptists could chime in and give me a list of Scriptures proving that New Covenant membership is BELIEVERS ONLY (i.e. elect, regenerate people), therefore leading to the teaching that Baptism should be of professing believers alone.

Thanks!


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## govols (Jan 26, 2005)

For you to debate against.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Jan 26, 2005)

No, I'm writing something about this and I'd like to have all the major texts that are used to support the belief. I'm not going to interact with verses used as responses in this thread at all. I've been Baptist for 21 years so I know a lot about this subject, I'm just wanting to make sure I don't miss any key texts that are used.


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## pastorway (Jan 26, 2005)

New Covenant references in Scripture: 

Jeremiah 31:31
Matthew 26:28 (Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20, 1 Cor 11:25)
2 Cor 3:6-7
Hebrews 8:1, 7-8, 13; 9:15; 12:24

Let's examine them.

*Jeremiah 31*
31"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah-- 32not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. 33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, "Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." 

For members of this new covenant, God says, "I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, "Know the LORD,' for they all shall know Me" and further, "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."

*Matthew 26*
28For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

*Mark 14*
24And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

*Luke 22*
20Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.

*1 Cor 11*
25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 

Here we see that it is the New Covenant in His blood. His blood was shed only for the elect.

*2 Cor 3*
5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

2 Cor 3 goes on to compare the old and new covenants. It is referred to as the ministry of the Spirit which gives life, a more glorious covenant with a glory that does not pass away.

*Hebrews 8*
7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8Because finding fault with them, He says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah--

The new covenant is faultless, a better covenant based on better promises with a better Mediator, a better sacrifice.

*Hebrews 9*
15And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 

Those called into the new covenant receive the promise of eternal life.

*Hebrews 12*
24to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. 

Again, the new covenant is tied directly to the sacrifice of Christ, the substitutionary shedding of His blood for His elect. 

So we see from these verses in a simple overview that the following can be said about those who are members fo the New Covenant:

1. Law of God in their minds and hearts
2. He will be their God and they will be His people
3. All will Know Him
4. All will have their sins forgiven
5. Blood of Christ shed for them (Limited Atonement)
6. Partakers of a more glorious permanent covenant that is better because it is based on better promises with a better Mediator and a better sacrifice
7. Partakers of the ministry of the Spirit who gives them life
8. Called to receive the promise of eternal life

Who else can these people be but the elect?

Phillip


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## Augusta (Jan 26, 2005)

Pastor Way, what about the wheat and the weeds growing together and it says in the parable not to try to separate them?


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## john_Mark (Jan 26, 2005)

Gabriel, 

Here are a few links you may like to listen to by James White teaching during Sunday School at his church or they may have been sermons.

Hebrews 8: The Better Covenant
http://prbc.org/Sermons/sermon070801AM.RAM

Paedo Baptism
Part 1: http://prbc.org/Sermons/sermon081901AM.RAM

Part 2: http://prbc.org/Sermons/sermon081901PM.RAM


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## govols (Jan 27, 2005)

Mark,

I listened to those again at work. Some good listening. I just wish people would leave me alone at work so that I can concentrate on listening better.

:bigsmile:


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## govols (Jan 27, 2005)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> No, I'm writing something about this and I'd like to have all the major texts that are used to support the belief. I'm not going to interact with verses used as responses in this thread at all. I've been Baptist for 21 years so I know a lot about this subject, I'm just wanting to make sure I don't miss any key texts that are used.



Hence your thread, "Why I am no longer Baptist.?"

You may want to look at http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/topic/babtism.html


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Jan 27, 2005)

> _Originally posted by john_Mark_
> Gabriel,
> 
> Here are a few links you may like to listen to by James White teaching during Sunday School at his church or they may have been sermons.
> ...



Those sermons weren't that good, honestly. I like James White, but he really missed the mark on those.


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## john_Mark (Jan 27, 2005)

Gabriel, anything in particular?


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## WrittenFromUtopia (Jan 27, 2005)

> _Originally posted by john_Mark_
> Gabriel, anything in particular?



Sure, his entire argument.

The New Covenant is better and new.

It is better and new because it is:
A. Better
B. New

The reason it is better is because it is new.

The reason it is new is because it is better.

So, don't baptize your kids.


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