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<\/a><\/p>\nPastor Mike Winger<\/a>\u00a0is the featured teacher of\u00a0BibleThinker<\/a><\/em>\u00a0online ministry. He graduated from the School of Ministry at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and was ordained in 2006. He has since served in various ministries with a primary focus on being a pastor for the youth. Mike has since transitioned into laboring full time with\u00a0BibleThinker<\/em>\u00a0to provide free teaching content worldwide. He also has a thriving YouTube channel called\u00a0Learn to Think Biblically<\/em><\/a>. Mike is strongly committed to a careful and thoughtful study of the Bible with a view toward answering skeptics\u2019 challenges with reason and Scripture.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n This is my reply to Mike\u2019s video, \u201cControversies and Biblical Clarity on Baptism\u201d<\/a> (6-28-21), which is drawn from an interview he did on 7-23-18 [link<\/a>] for the Remnant Radio<\/em><\/a> YouTube channel. His words will be in blue<\/span>.<\/p>\n Baptism is like an important symbol, . . . it doesn\u2019t save<\/em> the person. If the person\u2019s not been baptized, they\u2019re still saved if they have faith and trust in Christ. If they\u2019ve been<\/em> baptized, and they don\u2019t have faith and trust, they\u2019re not<\/em> saved. It doesn\u2019t affect salvation. It\u2019s supposed to be post- or even at the moment of someone coming to know the Lord, that\u2019s fine.<\/span>\u00a0[6:03-6:35]<\/p>\n I can provide plenty of biblical disproofs of his claims above. I will number them for reference purposes (listing what they say baptism does<\/em>):<\/p>\n 1)<\/span> Acts 2:38-41<\/b>\u00a0(RSV)\u00a0And Peter said to them, \u201cRepent, and be baptized<\/span>\u00a0every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ\u00a0for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.<\/span> [39] For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to him.\u201d [40] And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, \u201cSave yourselves<\/span>\u00a0from this crooked generation.\u201d [41] So those who received his word were\u00a0baptized<\/span>, and there were\u00a0added that day about three thousand souls.<\/span><\/p>\n 2)<\/span> 1 Peter 3:18-21<\/b>\u00a0For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey, when God\u2019s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were\u00a0saved through water.\u00a0Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you<\/span>, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ<\/span>,<\/p>\n 3)<\/span> Acts 22:16<\/b>\u00a0And now why do you wait? Rise and\u00a0be baptized, and wash away your sins<\/span>, calling on his name.\u2019 (cf. 9:17-18)<\/p>\n 4)<\/span> Acts 9:17-18<\/strong>\u00a0So Anani\u2019as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, \u201cBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and\u00a0be filled with the Holy Spirit<\/span>.\u201d And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight.\u00a0Then he rose and was baptized<\/span>, (cf. 22:16)<\/p>\n 5)<\/span> Romans 6:3-4<\/b>\u00a0Or don\u2019t you know that all of us who were\u00a0baptized into Christ Jesus\u00a0were baptized into his death<\/span>? We were therefore\u00a0buried with him through baptism\u00a0into death<\/span> in order that, just as Christ was\u00a0raised from the dead\u00a0through the glory of the Father,\u00a0we too may\u00a0live a new life.<\/span><\/p>\n 6)<\/span> Colossians 2:11-13<\/strong>\u00a0In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands<\/span>, by\u00a0putting off the body of flesh<\/span>\u00a0in the circumcision of Christ;<\/span> [12] and you were\u00a0buried with him in baptism<\/span>, in which you were also raised with him<\/span> through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. [13] And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God\u00a0made alive<\/span>\u00a0together with him,\u00a0having forgiven us all our trespasses,<\/span><\/p>\n 7)<\/span> Galatians 3:26-27 <\/strong>You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for\u00a0all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n 8)<\/span> 1 Corinthians 12:13<\/strong>\u00a0For\u00a0by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body<\/span>\u00a0\u2014 Jews or Greeks, slaves or free \u2014 and all were made to drink of\u00a0one Spirit<\/span>.<\/p>\n 9)<\/span> Mark 16:16<\/b>\u00a0He who<\/span>\u00a0believes and is baptized will be saved<\/span>; but he who does not believe will be condemned.<\/p>\n 10)<\/span> Titus 3:5 <\/b>he\u00a0saved\u00a0us<\/span>, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy,\u00a0by the\u00a0washing of regeneration\u00a0and renewal in the Holy Spirit,<\/span><\/p>\n 11)<\/span> <\/strong>John 3:5<\/b> Jesus answered, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you,\u00a0unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Seven Things That Baptism Does<\/em>, According to Scripture:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n A) It is a means from God of salvation (1, 2, 9-11)<\/p>\n B) It regenerates us and raises us to a new life, just as Jesus was resurrected (2, 5-7, 10)<\/p>\n C) It is God\u2019s instrument to forgive our sins (1, 6)<\/p>\n D) It washes away sins; cleanses us from them; thus is a means of sanctification (3)<\/p>\n E) It is God\u2019s means of us receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit: which no unregenerate person could possess (1, 4, 8, 10-11)<\/p>\n F) It brings about inclusion in the rank of saved \u201csouls\u201d (cf. Gal 3:27); membership in the Body of Christ (1, 8)<\/p>\n G) We\u2019re buried with Christ, and raised again [see B above] (5-6)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Following up on E<\/em> above, The Bible refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit or the Spirit \u201cfalling\u201d on us, or our \u00a0being \u201cbaptized with the Holy Spirit\u201d or being \u201cfilled with\u201d the Holy Spirit (Pentecost: Acts 2:4, 17-18; Paul\u2019s conversion: Acts 9:17; disciples: Acts 13:52; all believers: Eph 5:15) as a crucial, necessary aspect of being a Christian believer and being in God\u2019s good graces; on the \u201cnarrow way\u201d road to heaven and salvation. See, for example:<\/p>\n Acts 11:13-18<\/strong>\u00a0And he told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, `Send to Joppa and bring Simon called Peter; [14] he will declare to you a message by which you will be saved, you and all your household.\u2019 [15] As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. [16] And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, `John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.\u2019 [17] If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?\u201d [18] When they heard this they were silenced. And they glorified God, saying, \u201cThen to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance unto life.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Note how the reception of the Holy Spirit had to do with being \u201csaved\u201d (11:14) and was thought to be direct evidence that \u201cGod has granted repentance unto life\u201d to Gentiles, as well as Christian Jews.<\/p>\n That\u2019s an awful lot of biblical material, contrary to Mike\u2019s claims above.<\/p>\n What I understand is, we\u2019re drawing a parallel between circumcision and baptism. . . . This is gonna relate to . . . child or infant baptism \u2013 pedobaptism \u2014 in this way: we\u2019re gonna say, \u201cinfants<\/em> were circumcised, therefore, infants get baptized.\u201d . . . That\u2019s the parallel that\u2019s being made. My contention will be that that can\u2019t be established biblically.\u00a0<\/span>[10:08-10:31]<\/p>\n Israel was the church before Christ (Acts 7:38; Rom 9:4). Circumcision, given to 8-day old boys, was the seal of the covenant God made with Abraham, which applies to us also (Gal 3:14, 29). It was a sign of repentance and future faith (Rom 4:11). Paul made the direct parallel in Colossians 2:11-13 (see the passage above). John Calvin also made an extensive biblical argument about this parallel, that I have expounded upon<\/a> in one of my articles.<\/p>\n The sign of the covenant was circumcision, right? Where in the New Testament does it say that the sign of being into the new covenant is baptism? Do you know of any passage that says that? That would really help that pedobaptism case.<\/span>\u00a0[11:28-11:45]<\/p>\n Infants were just as much a part of the covenant as adults (Gen 17:7; Dt 29:10-12; cf. Mt 19:14) and members of the Church (Eph 6:1-2; Col 3:20). Likewise, baptism is the seal of the new covenant in Christ because it signifies cleansing from sin, just as circumcision did (Dt 10:16; 30:6, Jer 4:4; 9:25; Rom 2:28-29, Phil 3:3, + Acts 22:16: \u201c. . . Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins\u201d<\/span>). I would contend also that regenerated, saved, having sins forgiven, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and being included in the Church, the Body of Christ (all effects of baptism) are all \u201csigns of the new covenant.\u201d Being saved and being in and part of the Church (which comes as a result of baptism: passages 1 and 8 above) is<\/em> being part of the new covenant.<\/p>\n Part and parcel of the new covenant was being \u201cin the Spirit\u201d, which \u201cgives life\u201d (2 Cor 3:6). It was God writing the law in our hearts and our being in a personal relationship with Him (Jer 31:33-34; Heb 8:10; 10:16). This only comes about through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which is precisely what baptism brings about (see passages (1, 4, 8, 10-11 above). Moreover, the \u201cnew covenant\u201d (Jer 31:31) was fundamentally about God forgiving our sins (\u201cI will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more\u201d: Jer 31:34). That\u2019s also what baptism causes to happen (see passages, 1, 3, and 6 above).<\/p>\n Therefore, in a very real and concrete sense, baptism is indeed the sign of being part of the new covenant. It\u2019s not in one verse but it is in the combination of many complementary passages (as with any other doctrine of theology), leading inexorably to this conclusion.<\/p>\n I would say that if there is any kind of sign that is of being in this new experience, it\u2019s the Holy Spirit. It\u2019s not baptism. He\u2019s the sign and the seal. Specifically, we\u2019re sealed with the Holy Spirit.<\/span>\u00a0[12:30-12:46]<\/p>\n I agree. 2 Corinthians 1:22 states: \u201che has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee\u201d (cf. Eph 1:13; 4:30). But what Mike neglects to see is that the Bible teaches that baptism is key for receiving<\/em> the indwelling Holy Spirit. Therefore, once again, baptism is crucial in that process. Because this is such an important point and connection, I\u2019ll cite again portions of the passages above specifically connecting baptism as the means for receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit:<\/p>\n John 3:5<\/b> Jesus answered, \u201cTruly, truly, I say to you,<\/span>\u00a0unless one is born of water<\/span> and the Spirit<\/span>, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Acts 2:38 <\/b>And Peter said to them, \u201cRepent, and be baptized<\/span>\u00a0every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ\u00a0. . . and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 9:17-18<\/strong> So Anani\u2019as . . . said, \u201cBrother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit<\/span>.\u201d . . . Then he rose and was baptized<\/span>,<\/span><\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 12:13<\/strong>\u00a0For\u00a0by one Spirit we were all baptized<\/span> into one body . . . and all were made to drink of\u00a0one Spirit<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Titus 3:5 <\/b>he\u00a0saved\u00a0us, . . . by the\u00a0washing of regeneration<\/span>\u00a0and renewal in the Holy Spirit<\/span>,<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I looked at the New Testament. I can\u2019t find<\/em> justification for infant baptism. So I go to the Old and I find something you did to infants then<\/em> and then make that the reason that I should do this to infants now<\/em>.<\/span>\u00a0[17:40-17:51]<\/p>\n The following passages strongly indicate infant baptism:<\/p>\n Acts 16:15<\/strong> . . . she was baptized,\u00a0with her household<\/em>, . . .<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 16:33<\/strong>\u00a0. . . he was baptized at once,\u00a0with all his family<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n Acts 18:8<\/strong>\u00a0Crispus, . . . believed in the Lord, together\u00a0with all his household<\/em>; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were\u00a0baptized<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n 1 Corinthians 1:16<\/strong>\u00a0. . . I did baptize also\u00a0the household<\/em>\u00a0of Steph\u2019anas . . .<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Who are the\u00a0members<\/em>\u00a0of a household? In my own household, the \u201cmembers\u201d are my wife and I, three sons, and a daughter. Families had many more children in those days, so it is quite reasonable to assume that they were included in the baptism. In Acts 18:8 the phrase used is\u00a0all his household<\/em>. As in Acts 18:8, above, many other passages reference entire households being saved (Jn 4:53; Acts 11:14; 16:31). I see no reason to exclude infants from that equation. To be saved (or baptized), one doesn\u2019t necessarily have to be aware\u00a0<\/em>of what is happening.<\/p>\n For example, say a child was born with severe brain defects, and died at ten years of age, still incapable of rational thought or communication. Is that child damned simply because he or she couldn\u2019t \u201cbelieve\u201d? The determination of salvation or reprobation is a mystery ultimately resting with God. But it\u2019s certainly not based only on mere age and state of knowledge.\u00a0The baby obviously doesn\u2019t consciously \u201caccept Christ,\u201d but is made a member of God\u2019s covenant by grace, just as the Old Testament circumcised child was part of the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants.<\/p>\n People receive grace all the time based on other people\u2019s actions. That\u2019s what intercessory prayer is about. When the child is old enough, he or she can choose to be a follower and disciple of Christ of their own accord (a large part of the function of the sacrament of confirmation).<\/p>\n At length, Mike does bring up the passages above about households being baptized, which he calls \u201cthe most powerful argument made for infant baptism\u201d<\/span> [32:15-19].<\/p>\n I really think, as I study these passages, that the term \u201chousehold\u201d just naturally ignores infants.<\/span>\u00a0[34:21-27]<\/p>\n Many biblical passages, to the contrary, \u2014 far from ignoring the children or infants \u2014 connect household<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0children<\/em> (e.g., Gen 18:19; 31:41; 36:6; 47:12; Num 18:11; 1 Chr 10:6; Mt 19:29; 1 Tim 3:12).\u00a0 The argument that Mike offers is a terribly weak one from silence. We\u2019re to believe that the infants and children under the age that Mike thinks is old enough for them to believe and be baptized are simply ignored. The passages I gave in this paragraph all show that children were not<\/em> ignored in the context of discussions of a \u201chouse\u201d or \u201chousehold.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Children seem to be part of the covenant, according to Jesus:<\/p>\n Matthew 19:13-15<\/strong>\u00a0Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people;\u00a0[14] but Jesus said, \u201cLet the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.\u201d [15] And he laid his hands on them and went away.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The disciples wanted these children to be ignored, as of no import or significance. Jesus felt otherwise. Some of the Pharisees had the same attitude:<\/p>\n Matthew 21:15-16<\/strong> \u00a0But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, \u201cHosanna to the Son of David!\u201d they were indignant; [16] and they said to him, \u201cDo you hear what these are saying?\u201d And Jesus said to them, \u201cYes; have you never read, `Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast brought perfect praise\u2019?\u201d (cf. Mt 11:25; Lk 10:21; Acts 2:17)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Bengel\u2019s Gnomen<\/em><\/a> comments on Acts 16:15 and similar passages:<\/p>\n Who can believe that in so many families there was not a single infant? and that the Jews, who were accustomed to circumcise their infants, and the Gentiles, to purify their infants by washings (lustrations), did not also present them for baptism?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Likewise, Pulpit Commentary<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n This frequent mention of whole households as received into the Church seems necessarily to imply infant baptism.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Mike provides an argument from Acts 10, which mentions Gentile Cornelius\u2019 \u201chousehold\u201d in 10:2. He says that \u201cthe Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word\u201d (10:44) and that baptism was reserved for those who had \u201creceived the Holy Spirit\u201d (10:47-48), thus excluding infants. This is a fair argument and a clever point, I concede. But this passage is not \u2014 in any event \u2014 one which I have used in my arguments for infant baptism.<\/p>\n He deals with Lydia\u2019s baptism \u201cwith her household\u201d (Acts 16:15) and states: \u201cI think we have good reason to think that there probably aren\u2019t<\/em> [infants in her house] . . . why would we assume infants are baptized in this example?<\/span>\u00a0[37:03-13] What is<\/em> this \u201cgood reason\u201d for thinking this? We assume they were because people still had lots of children in those days\u2019 therefore, the average Jewish household would have contained many<\/em> children.<\/p>\n Infants aren\u2019t mentioned specifically and it\u2019s entirely possible that Lydia was either unmarried or past childbearing.\u00a0<\/span>[37:43-48]<\/p>\n Then what does her \u201chousehold\u201d refer to? Who can we likely expect them to be, and why would we assume<\/em> it excludes infants?\u00a0He argues that \u201cshe\u2019s the host\u201d<\/span> (whereas the man would usually be). Maybe. But then the question still remains: to whom does her \u201chousehold\u201d refer to? Then he argues that she was from out of town and that \u201cLydia doesn\u2019t give us any kind of solid case that infants were being involved in baptism\u201d<\/span> [38:41-46]. The case is relatively weak and deductive, we freely concede, but then again, I don\u2019t see how it\u2019s any more \u201csolid\u201d to believe that no infants were or could have been involved in any<\/em> of these incidents.<\/p>\n He addresses the Philippian jailer in Acts 16:33, and notes 16:31: \u201cBelieve in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.\u201d He comments: \u201cit\u2019s assumed that the members of his household are people who are capable of believing\u201d<\/span> [39:32-38]. That doesn\u2019t necessarily follow from logic or the grammatical structure. The jailer had asked, \u201cwhat must I do to be saved?\u201d (16:30). For him, as an adult, belief would obviously be required. It doesn\u2019t follow that this same criterion would apply to everyone else in his household. That\u2019s just a bit of his \u201cbeliever\u2019s baptism\u201d view in play there. All sides in this debate must be careful not to assume what isn\u2019t present in the text.<\/p>\n Then he brings up: \u201cthey spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all that were in his house\u201d (Acts 16:32) and maintains that it\u2019s \u201csilly\u201d<\/span> to think that infants were being preached to. Again, a fair point, but why could it not also be interpreted as (unspoken premise) \u201cpreached to all who were capable<\/em> of understanding?\u201d It\u2019s not proven, in other words, that an infant had<\/em> to be preached to or understand the preaching in order to be baptized, anymore than male babies had to understand circumcision, which still made them members of the covenant.<\/p>\n I think Mike has come up with some fairly decent arguments with regard to his disbelief in infant baptism. I gave my side and he has given his. 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