4 replies to this topic

[john norton]

I have a number of friends at our church who were baptized as infants in their previous denomination. Our church is a member of the CMA and in our policy regarding membership, the individual must be baptized as a believer. I've done limited research on this with regards to the history of the CMA, but have discovered that A. B. Simpson was baptized as an infant and was later baptized as an adult. It appears that he was not one to hold a position regarding infant baptism in terms of it restricting someone from becoming a member of the CMA church.

I'm curious to understand how other CMA churches have approached this question with regards to membership.

your comments and guidance in this question would be very much appreciated

regards
John

[Laurie Collett]

Our church (not a CMA church) also requires that members be baptized as believers, either in our church, or in a church of like faith (in which case they join by a letter of transfer). That would be in keeping with Acts 8:36-37, where Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch that belief had to come before baptism.

But why would a church prevent someone from joining, or from getting baptized once they do profess faith in Jesus, simply because they were christened as an infant? That would have been the parents' decision, and not something for which the infant, who later became a believer, could be held accountable.

Laurie Collett, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygraceb...y.blogspot.com/

[john norton]

Our church (not a CMA church) also requires that members be baptized as believers, either in our church, or in a church of like faith (in which case they join by a letter of transfer). That would be in keeping with Acts 8:36-37, where Philip told the Ethiopian eunuch that belief had to come before baptism.

But why would a church prevent someone from joining, or from getting baptized once they do profess faith in Jesus, simply because they were christened as an infant? That would have been the parents' decision, and not something for which the infant, who later became a believer, could be held accountable.

Laurie Collett, Saved by Grace
http://savedbygraceb...y.blogspot.com/

[john norton]

Good question - we do encourage those who were baptized as infants to be baptized as believers. However there is a strong commitment to that infant baptism through the understanding of the denomination they were in at the time that it is just as relevant as believers baptism. Most often infant baptism is followed up with confirmation at a very young adult age approximately 12. So yes we would kind of see this is out of sequence from those who advocate believer's baptism, however for those denominations that support infant baptism this makes complete sense.

So the decision really is up to the individual person who has been baptized as an infant whether they in good conscience before God consider themselves baptized. And then the question becomes those who advocate believer's baptism are they to challenge that good conscience before God? In our case we have taken the stance that they should be baptized as adult believers. And by taking that stance it negates their opportunity, unless they align with our view, of becoming members of this particular CMA church.

Regards
John

[Laurie Collett]

Good question - we do encourage those who were baptized as infants to be baptized as believers. However there is a strong commitment to that infant baptism through the understanding of the denomination they were in at the time that it is just as relevant as believers baptism. Most often infant baptism is followed up with confirmation at a very young adult age approximately 12. So yes we would kind of see this is out of sequence from those who advocate believer's baptism, however for those denominations that support infant baptism this makes complete sense.

So the decision really is up to the individual person who has been baptized as an infant whether they in good conscience before God consider themselves baptized. And then the question becomes those who advocate believer's baptism are they to challenge that good conscience before God? In our case we have taken the stance that they should be baptized as adult believers. And by taking that stance it negates their opportunity, unless they align with our view, of becoming members of this particular CMA church.

Regards
John

That makes sense -- thanks for the explanation!
Laurie