In this episode of the Theopologetics Podcast I interview Gene Cook, Jr., host of The Narrow Mind radio show, discussing the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, which teaches that water baptism is a prerequisite for salvation.
Music
- The Exies, Baptize Me, from the Head for the Door album, 2004
Promoted Resources
- The Whole Truthblog and podcast
- The Narrow Mindwith Gene Cook, Jr.
- Subscribe to the podcast
- Gene’s book, The Baptism Cult: Exposing the International Church of Christ
- Download Gene’s debate with Bruce Reeves on baptismal regeneration here
- Download Gene’s debate with David Brown on baptismal regeneration here
- Redemption, Accomplished and Applied by John Murray
- Check out other resources recommended by Gene here
Terminology
- Pelagianism: the belief that original sin did not taint Human nature and that mortal will is still capable of choosing good or evil without special divine aid.
- Total Depravity: the doctrine that mankind, by virtue of being tainted by original sin, is unable to do anything that pleases God without His divine enabling.
Biblical References
- Salvation through faith alone after regeneration from God
- Indwelling of the Holy Spirit saves
- Baptismal regeneration proof-texts
i never knew that a distinction was made between regeneration and justification.
now i have a new question. can a person have one without the other? like can one be regenerated without being justified?
Yeah, I think we distinguish regeneration from justification, in that the former is the act of God metaphorically replacing our heart of stone with a heart of flesh, freeing us from our slavery to sin and enabling us to respond in faith to the gospel, whereas the latter is God’s legal declaration of our innocence and righteousness based on our faith in Christ as the atoning sacrifice that propitiates God’s wrath. Regeneration–>Faith–>Justification.
In answer to your question, I think we Reformed folks would say that this is not a chronological sequence, but a logical one. God regenerates the heart, from which faith follows, by which we are justified. All at once, but in that logical order.
Of course, my non-Reformed brothers and sisters would disgree. They would say, I think, that the order is Faith, Regeneration and Justification. However, I think they, too, would say that that is a logical order, not a chronological one.