But clearly they DO believe in baptismal regeneration, which means that those who have not been baptized as believers are not in a right relationship before God, and is not regenerated. Regeneration is the action that makes one a child of God, or the same as being "born again" They therefore teach that someone not rightly baptized is lost, and still in their sins.brothereicher wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:32 pmI'm not familiar enough with CoC to say for sure.mike wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:27 pmBrothereicher, does this mean that FOTW does not hold to the same concept of baptismal regeneration that Church of Christ has?brothereicher wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2024 12:24 pm
Absolutely not.
Source:
I was baptized by my Beachy bishop at the age of 19. The baptism, as the Beachy mode is, was by pouring. I am a member in good standing at FOTW, and have been for about six months. In that time, there hasn't been even the slightest hint that my baptism was invalid or that I wasn't saved because the mode was incorrect or ahistorical.
The Didache and the EC recognized pouring as legitimate forms of baptism, although immersion in living water was strongly preferred.
I would be the first in line to find the exit if my adult baptism were called into question over mode.
FOTW does unapologetically teach baptismal regeneration, that is, that baptism confers real grace on the recipient and is the ordinary means for the remission of sins. We recognize that God's grace is bound to the sacraments, but that God Himself is not bound by the sacrament, meaning that He is able to save outside the ordinary means.
Hope this helps.
But if CoC is saying that everyone is damned who doesn't receive baptism in a specific mode, then FOTW does not teach that.
PLEASE do not try and claim otherwise. I am one of the authors involved in the dialog with Mr. Miloni in Sword and Trumpet. I KNOW WHAT HE WROTE.
I personally regard that position as heretical, full stop. Enough said.