Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Answering an Argument Against Baptismal Regeneration Based on Spiritually Dead Baptised Church Members


One objection to the Latter-day Saint doctrine of baptismal regeneration is, if the doctrine is true, why are there so many baptised members of the Church who bore absolutely no spiritual fruit after their baptism?

The following comes from two 19th-century advocates of this doctrine, David Henkel (Lutheran) and M.F. Sadler (Anglican):

Many whose children have been baptized, bestow no labor upon them, when they arrive at the age of maturity, to instruct them with respect to the use, and design of baptism; hence, as the good seed receives no nourishment, how can it be expected to prosper? Suppose an husbandman had planted a good seed, but neglected its cultivation; noxious weeds overrun it, and prevent its fertility, could we conclude, that he spoke the language of reason, if he vilified the seed, or denied its principle of procreation? We would say, he is beside himself. Although we do not hear sober men vilify the seed, they neglected to cultivate; but many after neglecting the religious education of their children, and finding them graceless; they like men bereft of the use of heir reason, deny the divine virtue of baptism. (David Henkel, On Baptism and Justification [American Lutheran Classics Volume 10; Ithaca, N.Y.: Just and Sinner, 2019], 151)

Regeneration in Baptism, be it remembered, is only the seed, now its growth or development. To the growth or perfection of the plant many other things must contribute. The providence of God must, ordinarily speaking, bring to bear upon the recipient of His grace many things,--such as care of pious parents or spiritual pastors and there must be that divine pruning or purging, often by sicknesses or calamities, or the distresses attending a hard lot in this world, or persecution for righteousness’ sake, borne meekly and forgivingly after Christ’s example.

And there must be also the possession of the written word, as that by which the seed is internally nourished; for it is the word of God, and the doctrines drawn from it, and the teaching grounded upon it, which by the power of God’s Spirit, fill the mind with thoughts of God and heavenly desires; and there must be the constant and faithful use of the other Sacrament, by which the inner man is renewed and strengthened with Christ’s own strength. (M.F. Sadler, The Second Adam and the New Birth: Or, the Doctrine of Baptism As Contained in Holy Scripture [New York: Daniel Dana, 1857], 99-100; the “other Sacrament” Sadler speaks of is that of Confirmation)