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[This book provides a solid
refutation of the false doctrine of Baptismal Regeneration. The book is
copyrighted; however, it is out of print and the copyright is over 50 years old.
"Some say, why stir up trouble about a question of such minor importance as Baptismal
Regeneration. Is a so-called door to heaven a small issue? Spurgeon says, 'For
of all lies which have dragged millions down to hell, I look upon this (Baptismal
Regeneration) as being the most atrocious.' ..What
must I do to be saved?... the answer shall be Not Through a Legalistic System of
Water and Works, but through a genuine new birth, wrought in the sinner's heart
by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. V.L Petersen, 1947]
Baptismal Regeneration
and the Use of Vow
in Luteranism, Catholicism, Judaism
(An exposure of the Hagar System of Works,
a heresy that has damned millions of souls)
V.L. Petersen
© 1947
CHAPTER IX
Judaism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, All Build
on the Same Foundation in the Use of the Vow. A Word to Our Jewish Friends. Closing
Remarks.
Spurgeon and McGlothlin feel as author does
about B. R.-The terrible sin of those who do not believe in B. R., but still practice it
to make a living. Lutheran Church must cleanse herself from the idol of B. R. and kindred
evils or stand convicted of being a daughter of Rome.-Reaching peace of mind as to baptism.-That
God blesses the irregularities of men, does not say He sanctions them-ye must be born
again.
We have now come to the end of the journey.
There has been some rough sailing on the way, but if it could bear fruit in the awakening
of precious souls asleep on a false foundation, how happy we shall be at the end of life's
journey. How quickly shall we forget the hurts of life. How we shall thank God for even
the deep wounds that aroused us from our spiritual sleep. After all the real issue in life
is to know that we are saved–to know that we are born–anew, and that on
Scriptural authority.
The real purpose of this book is to arouse such
as are asleep spiritually, and who are deceived as to the new birth; Jew as well as
Gentile. Of what value is much church going and zeal for the things of God if you are not
born anew? You cannot get to heaven on your good works. Examine yourself! Do you know what
it is to be quickened from above–to be quickened by the Holy Spirit? Do you know what
it is that Christ liveth in you? Do you know what it is to have passed from death to life?
Do you know what it is to reckon yourself dead with Christ and to reckon yourself alive
with him from the dead? Such as are born anew know whereof I speak.
A Word To Our Jewish Friends.
If you have read
this treatise so far we trust you have been helped. It is our prayer that God may open
your eyes as He did ours to see the curse of the vow. This vow-making in the Bar Mitzvah
is a law order, and binds you to keep the whole law according to the perfect standards of
God. This is impossible as you well know.
Some try to get around this difficulty by saying that various groups of Jews keep certain
portions of the law each, and that all together they thus keep the whole law. But where is
a, "thus saith the Lord" for such an idea? It is a pure invention of man and
will bring you under a curse.
When you take the vow in the Bar Mitzvah it
binds you to keep the whole law. If you fail so much as in a jot or tittle, you have come
under the curse of broken law, and that means death. There is no hope for you under the
law. This curse of broken law reacts on you spiritually, giving you eyes that see not and
ears that hear not. It fills you with a spirit of stupor, that is, a drunken spirit, so
you wander along in a sad spiritually darkened state, never knowing where you are.
We are not asking you to become a Gentile. We
are asking you to do as Abraham did. He was not saved by the law, for the law was not
given until hundreds of years after Abraham had died. He was saved by believing what God
had done for him. He saw in the sacrificial lamb a picture of the Messiah. He laid his
hands on this lamb, confessed his sins. Then the lamb was slain in the place of Abraham.
The fire represents God's judgment upon Abraham's sin. He saw in this the coming Messiah
upon whose shoulders God was to lay the sins of the whole world. This is clearly described
for us by the prophet Isaiah:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; . . .
and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon
him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah: 53:5-6
In Isaiah 45:22 we read-. "Look unto me,
and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth."
Look as your forefathers looked at the serpent
on the cross. This is a true picture of your Messiah. Your law says, cursed is everyone
that hangeth on a tree. That means that your Messiah who died 1,900 years ago bore the
curse due you for your sins. You are to see this, believe it and receive Him as your
Saviour. You are not to strive hard for salvation. You are to LOOK and live. Your Messiah
saves you and keeps you. This He does for you as a gift. You can strive to do good, not to
be saved nor to be kept saved, but to bear fruit for Him. God help you to see this is our
prayer.
Satan Seeks To Deceive As to New Birth.
At the point of
the new birth is where Satan will exert his greatest ingenuity in deceiving men. He is
leading millions astray right on this point today. Arc you one of those who is deceived as
to the new birth? It was a realization of this fact that caused the great Spurgeon to cry
out against Baptismal Regeneration and say: "For of all lies which have dragged
millions down to hell, I look upon this as being one of the most atrocious-little children
were not regenerated by their godparents telling lies at the font-by a solemn mockery, in
which godfathers and godmothers promise to do for them what they cannot do for
themselves." It was this fact that caused Prof. W. J. McGlothin, D.D., LL.D., to cry
out and say, Baptismal Regeneration is "The deadliest heresy that ever crept out of
the pagan religions of the Roman Empire into the faith of the Christian Church." (The
author feels that he is not alone about having seen this deadly error).
A Great Sin.
We believe that it
was the realization of the above fact that caused a certain pastor to come to my office,
and with tears in his eyes admit that he knew in his heart that he was teaching error in
declaring children born-again in baptism, but that he must do so to retain his position
and living. We do sympathize with all such. The question is, will you sacrifice yourself
or others? Suppose that these precious souls concerning whom you gave solemn affirmation
to God that you would serve faithfully, should arise in condemnation of you in the
judgment, and you must stand condemned as the most cruel, faithless double-tongued coward
that ever polluted the courts of Zion. You who in your heart do not believe that baptism
regenerates, when you baptize a child unto regeneration:
- You lie to your own heart.
- You lie to the helpless child.
- You lie to the parents of the child.
- You lie to the congregation.
- You lie to God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Is it not a marvel of God's goodness and
grace that He does not cause the earth to open and swallow you up alive, or strike such a
hypocrite as you dead in your tracks?
Baptismal Regeneration is the most destructive
heresy that ever raised its head out of the pit of bell. It was not instigated in the
councils of God from eternity. It was instigated in the councils of bell and darkness; the
devil being the father thereof, and the harlot, Babylon the great, being the mother
thereof. The real purpose of this illegitimate "offspring of religious romance,"
being not only to seduce souls, but that it might become the "nidus" in the
building up of an educated body of Hagar-born, administrative, religious flesh, wherein
that pernicious "law of works," (Satan’s most potent instrument against the
grace of God), might be preserved within the church and made operative to the damnation of
millions of souls. Thank God many have escaped from the snare and have found the new birth
through a real experience, so we pass judgment on no man. However, let it be said, how the
ship of Zion would be lightened from an immense weight of religious carnality, if this
door into the church were shut and scaled forever. Reader, will you help seal this door?
Mother and Daughters.
The Lutheran
Church calls Rome the Mother of Harlots, and rightly so, but why does she then align
herself with this religious monstrosity? Surely she is aware, that this fallen church who
is called mother, must have given birth to daughters? Now a daughter inherits the
characteristics of the mother. Why will not the Lutheran Church rise and clear herself of
this popish folly? Will any man deny that she builds on exactly the same foundation as
that of Rome? Here is the likeness:
- Both take in 95 per cent of their members through the false door of Baptismal
Regeneration.
- They both teach basically the same error, that children are born-again in baptism.
- Both have added to Scripture the rite of Confirmation, where the unsuspecting youth is
put under law by entering into a covenant of works.
- Both have turned the simple memorial of the Lord's Supper into a mysterious Sacrament
where the unsuspecting come hoping to receive the forgiveness of sins through the magic
cup and wafer. Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation mean virtually the same to the
unlearned.
- Both have the "High-Mass." Both have the altar, which casts a shadow on the
finished work of Christ.
Now where is a "thus saith the
Lord" for this Baptismal Regeneration Order? Where is a "thus saith the
Lord" for the Vow, or the Covenant of Works Order? To my knowledge there cannot be
found a scholar in all the Breviary, who even pretends to say that these orders are found
in Scripture. Where is a "thus saith the Lord" for this sacramentalism? This
high-mass, gown and altar? The stern warning given as to the danger of adding to
Scripture, should be read over again, and heed given thereto.
Reaching Peace of Mind as to Baptism.
When the Lord brought me to conviction, I knew
in my heart that this was of the Lord, The cost of obedience stood before me like a
terrible sword. Having a family of four to share my lot made the matter harder. The
thought of possibly bringing shame and disrepute to them was almost more than I could
bear, to say -nothing of poverty and want. It led into a job experience indeed. Through
this trial, however, we learned as never before to trust the Lord alone; and although we
do not wish to boast, we do say that the experience of David as recorded in the fortieth
psalm is truly our own.
"I waited patiently for Jehovah; And he
inclined unto me, and heard my cry; He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of
the miry clay; And he set my feet upon a rock-and established my goings. And he hath put a
new song in my mouth, even praises unto our God."
Stand by the God
of the Bible and the God of the Bible will stand by you. Grace was given us to obey the
Lord, so we resigned, since the constitutions of our congregations forbade any teaching
contrary to regeneration in baptism. God began to open doors. The question of our baptism
became a burning issue.
In order to quiet my conscience I would say
time and again: "O God, ask not more of me. Let me rest where I now am, for baptism
is not a fundamental question anyway, therefore, it should not make so much difference one
way or another. Baptism is not necessary to salvation, but when it comes to a matter of
testimony, obedience and church order-well that is a different question.
Things went on this way until after a sermon
one evening a group of earnest young people requested an audience with me relative to
baptism. I opened the Scriptures to them the way that God had showed it to me, and after
several hours of study and prayer, we were all pretty much of one mind, that the right way
in baptism was to be buried as a believer with Christ, in the likeness of His death, and
raised again in the likeness of His resurrection, for we saw clearly that the mode of
baptism grew naturally out of the nature of our salvation, which was wrought through His
death, burial and resurrection.
After arriving home that night I was arrested
in my conscience by the thought of my being a teacher of God's Word-telling young people
to walk in a way of obedience that I was not willing to go myself. Immediately I tried to
marshal every argument at my command for my position, and thought that I had almost won
the day, when an argument appeared that I was not able to set aside.
In disputing with my own conscience about the
matter, time and again the question came to me as to whether I had been baptized or not. I
naturally insisted that I had been baptized. Then came the question as to whether I
considered sprinkling or pouring unto regeneration good baptism. I, of course, insisted I
did not. The thought then came, that since I believed in being baptized, and since I
accepted baptism unto regeneration as good enough for me, why was it not good enough for
everyone? If it was good baptism, then why should I condemn it with my mouth? I saw
clearly as the noonday sun that I was condemning such baptism with my mouth, but standing
for it with my life. That if Baptismal Regeneration was not good baptism, then I had not
been baptized at all.
Even yet I countered with the fact that it
would in the eyes of many make me too radical and destroy my testimony. The stigma of
"gjendopere" (they who baptize over again), was hard to assume. However, as I
pondered at what a terrible cost Jesus had gone into death for me, yes gone into the grave
and hell all for me; how reproach had broken His heart, and shame had covered His face.
How He became a stranger unto His brethren, and an alien unto His mother's children,
"For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up" -when I considered all this, then
at once it seemed a great honor to follow Him into the likeness of His death and
resurrection through baptism, let men say what they will.
I am happy to say, that I have never regretted
the step. As I descended into the watery grave the Holy Spirit showed me clearer than ever
before my union with Christ in His death. As I passed beneath the waters, how I was
reminded of the great judgments that fell upon Christ, when all of God's waves and billows
passed over Him, and the horror of the great darkness that fell upon Him as His life drew
"nigh unto Sheol," when God laid Him in the "lowest pit, in the dark places
in the deeps." How it brought to mind the great truth, "thou wilt not leave my
soul unto Hades, neither wilt thou give the holy one to see corruption." As we arose
again from the watery grave we saw prefigured in this rising a union with Christ in our
new spiritual life, and also the hope that some day we shall arise from the grave also in
our physical bodies. As we paused then to look back we could see how clearly we had passed
over from the dominion of Pharaoh-saw our old man slain and buried together with Christ
and we joined to a new leader, even the risen Lord Jesus Christ, and could now stand on
resurrection ground and sing the songs of Moses and the Lamb. The line of demarcation
between the old life in the flesh and the new life in the Spirit was so clearly seen, (the
line between life and death), and this in turn became an inspiration to walk in this new
life, and not be a transgressor by stepping over the dead-line and allowing the old man
again to bear fruit, but keep him in the place of death, as we walk daily in the Spirit,
conscious that the life of the risen Lord is really our life.
Obey God
Since it cost
Jesus so much to provide this great salvation for us, should it not be easy for us, to
suffer with and for Him in having a correct picture of this salvation set before men in
baptism? What is the essential difference in giving a wrong testimony to the death, burial
and resurrection of Jesus with the mouth or through baptism?
How could sprinkling a few drops of water upon
the head of a child possibly be a testimony to the death, burial and resurrection of
'Christ? You who love the Lord, and would not knowingly or willingly give a wrong
testimony with your lips to Jesus, why will you knowingly and willingly give a wrong
testimony in your baptism? If you know that immersion is right, then should you not
quickly obey Him so that you may also through your baptism glorify His name?
We shall briefly consider two classes of
people. There is first a class who do not see very clearly just what it is all about, but
who feel in their heart, that there is something wrong with their baptism. The writer
stood there for many years, until one evening he was privileged to see a real Biblical
baptism performed and although he did not understand all the why's and
wherefore's,
yet he knew in his heart that when he saw that believer buried with Christ in the likeness
of His death and raised again in the likeness of His resurrection, that that was the right
kind of baptism. When he thought of his being baptized so, then he saw clearly the many
bonds that first had to be broken, and he was not willing to pay the price. To quiet his
conscience he marshalled his arguments against such baptism, but it was like trying to
stop a leaking dam by using soft mud as a filler.
The other class are such as know full well what
to do, having seen this both in. Scripture and experience. When, however, they think of
obeying the Lord in baptism, then denominational pride stops them. Then personal pride and
reverence for the traditions of the forefathers comes to the front.
They see the confusion it would bring into
their own life, in the organization to which they belong, the humiliation and consequent
suffering such a step would entail–yes, all these and many more arguments stand in
the way. Then they reach for that ever-ready bottle of balm: "So many good men have
lived and been blest without it, and if they could get along without a proper baptism, so
can I." That God seemingly blesses the irregularities of men does not say that He
sanctions them. The question for an enlightened child of God to settle is this: "Do I
know my Master's will? Then hear the Word of God: "And that servant, which knew his
lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten
with many stripes," Luke 12-47. "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and
doeth it not, to him it is sin," James 4:17. Why willingly invite God's judgments
over your life through your disobedience? Should you not rather gladly glorify God through
your obedience, and thus escape the judgments of God? Do you not realize that the sword of
separation created by your obedience is what we so much need in our day to awaken such as
are asleep. Preaching will not reach many of those who are asleep, but obedience on the
part of their fellow Christians will create a stir that will reach them.
I know that some say that the Bible tells us to
continue in what we have learned as we read in II Tim. 3:14: "But continue thou in
the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast
learned them." We believe in respecting the teachings of our parents and elders. They
no doubt were true to the light they had. However, since it has pleased God to give you
more light on baptism than they had, it must be self-evident that you must not be retarded
by their limited knowledge of the Word of God. Had they had our light, they no doubt would
have obeyed.
If they were true in following the light that
they had, you will, therefore, most fully follow the teaching of your parents by now
obeying the light God has given you, for so no doubt would your parents have done had they
had the light you have. Then, of course, we must obey God rather than men.
Ye Must Be Born Anew
And now a closing
word to you dear friend who may not know what it is to be born again. Come to Jesus as
Nicodemus did. He did not know much when he first came to Jesus. It takes the Spirit of
God through the Word to give you new life. It cannot be done by the magical touch of a
moistened hand. Come to Jesus and seek the new birth. Jesus will raise up for you many
good friends who will show you the way. He will send His angels to minister to you.
Remember the promise is, that he who seeketh shall find. You will know that you have been
begotten of the Word. You will know that your sins have been forgiven. You will know that
you have passed from darkness to light. He will give you a peace that passeth
understanding. Jesus died to save you-He lives to keep you. Listen to what he says:
John 6:37: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
John 1:12: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God, even to them that believe on his name:"
Mark 1:15: "Repent ye, and believe the gospel."
Rom. 10:9-10: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For
with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made
unto salvation."
Now you just begin to do what God has
commanded you. When you open your heart and begin to seek, then God comes to your aid.
Jesus says: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup
with him, and he with me. We shall be happy to, hear from any such seeking soul.
Now, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal,
invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen!"
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