When did you become paedobaptist/credobaptist?

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biblelighthouse

Puritan Board Junior
Let NOT this thread become a debate. I just thought it would be fun to find out more about the backgrounds of some people on the puritanboard.

I'll start:

I was raised a credobaptist. I was taught that infant baptism was just a holdover from Roman Catholicism.

Then I read Booth and Wilson. I finally understood that Protestants had some good non-Catholic reasons for believing in paedobaptism. But I still wasn't convinced. I believed Paul K. Jewett's book was a nail in the coffin of paedobaptism.

Then I made the mistake of emailing Dr. McMahon, trying to convince him that paedobaptism was wrong. :lol:

The rest is history. Now I believe that paedobaptism is Biblical, and that it is required by a proper covenantal view of Scripture.


So, what's your story? Have you always been credo or paedo? Have you converted from one to the other? Share your doctrinal trek in this area.

Again, I don't want this thread to include debate. Let's just share our stories, whether credo or paedo.
 
I'm still learning as paedobaptism is still one of those scary things (like eschatology used to be for me) that I have old ideas about. I am not having as easy of a time getting over my concerns about that than I did my eschatology.
 
I grew up Credobaptist and belived that Wayne Grudem had the best, succinct case for credobaptism, but I met an OPC pastor who gently challenged my credo presuppositions; that went on for about a year. I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject.

I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.
 
Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).
 
Originally posted by Draught Horse
I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject.

I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.
Click to expand...


Sounds like you really drank a paedobaptist cocktail! :lol:
 
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).
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Are ya done convertin? :candle:

You converted more than some of my SBC friends have re-dedicated their life or walked the aisle.

[Edited on 7-6-2005 by govols]
 
Originally posted by biblelighthouse
Originally posted by Draught Horse
I then became involved in puritanboard and watched McMahon and Scott and others debate the subject.

I then listened to a Greg Bahnsen sermon on Baptism while reading Booth and Wilson.
Click to expand...


Sounds like you really drank a paedobaptist cocktail! :lol:
Click to expand...

Or from the Credo side - it sounds like you drank the Kool - Aid ! :D:D
:banana: :banana: :banana:
 
Originally posted by govols
Originally posted by VirginiaHuguenot
Raised Roman Catholic (baptized as infant); converted to Baha'i Faith (anti-baptism); converted to independent Arminian Bible Church (re-baptized in the Jordan -- Lake Jordan, NC, that is); converted to the Presbyterian Reformed Faith (paedo).
Click to expand...

Are ya done convertin? :candle:

You converted more than some of my SBC friends have re-dedicated their life or walked the aisle.

[Edited on 7-6-2005 by govols]
Click to expand...

Aye, I'm done! :D
 
I was paedobaptist of the Roman variety until I was converted as a young adult in a dispensational baptist church. I attended The Master's Seminary but did not look into the subjects of baptism and covenant theology (much) until I graduated in 1989. For several years I read CT material (Bullinger, Calvin, Ames, Witsius, Turretin, Fisher, Bolton, Owen, Boston, Heppe, Girardeau, Vos, Murray, Karlberg, McCoy/Baker, VonRohr, Beirma, Lillback, Robertson, etc.) and some stuff on paedobaptism (Calvin, Ursinus, Westminster Standards, Baxter, various orthodox Puritans - Dickson, Watson, Flavel, etc., Shaw, Hodge, Berkhof, DeJong, Clark, Adams, Booth, Wilson, some of the chapters in Strawbridge and other material I cannot remmber. The list of covenantal baptist material is much shorter, sadly.

I have learned that CT is not a monolithic movement, even within paedobaptist circles (and covenantal baptist ones as well). Some advocate a three -covenant structure (CR, CW, CG), some two (CW, CG). Some teach that the CW was a gracious covenant, some don't. Some teach that the Mosaic Covenant is a legal administration of the CG, some don't. Some teach that the civil law of the Mosaic Covenant is an expression of the moral law in the civil realm, some don't. Some teach the tripartite view of Old Covenant law, some don't. Some teach that the CG is made with the elect in Christ, some don't. Some teach presumptive regeneration of infants of beleivers, some don't. Some tinker with historic, orthodox CT terminology, some don't.

When it's all said I done, I have come to believe that the essence of CT is found in its foundational elements (CR/CW/CG). All who adhere to those foundation stones are within the CT camp. To the degree that one deviates from those doctrines, to that degree one has left the inner circle of essential CT.

One shift I have noticed in the more recent literature is to approach CT from ecclesiology instead of soteriology. I think this is a shift in the wrong direction. The WCF is clear - CT is first and foremost soteriological. WCF VIIff. puts CT in the locus of soteriology. Ecclesiology comes inferentially second to soteriology. I think putting ecclesiology above soteriology is what the Federal Vision men are doing. I am not the first to point this out.

I have learned much from my dear paedobaptist friends - the venerable dead and the living. Many on this board have taught me and helped me sharpen my too often dull thinking. I am very thankful for this venue, even though it has its limitations, as do all such venues.

My two cents.
 
Raised Roman Catholic but didn't hold to any belief on baptism. After my conversion started attending a baptist church and accepted credo because I was told it was "right" and paedo was Roman baptism.

Held to the credo position until I started to study the issue as a result of this board.
 
Southern Baptist for 21 years, raised in the Bible Belt (in other words, ignorant, knew nothing about anything except pot luck fellowships and alcohol = devil). Moved to Louisville a year ago, studied Reformed theology on my own, converted to RPW, then Presbyterian Church gov't, then Postmillennialism, then paedo-baptism. Now I'm a member of the RPCNA where I plan on pastoring.
 
I was baptized and raised Lutheran, and accepted pedobaptism out of tradition. I never had that challenged until I had gone to college. While I was there I started attending a fundamentalist dispensational baptist church, because that was the only thing I could find that wasn't purpose driven. They talked to me a few times about baptism, but I didn't really consider it much until later. I read, studied, contemplated, and was coming around to the credo position. Then some guy named Barcellos told me to read the 1689 confession and some other RB literature, and that finally did it for me.
 
Was raised Foursquare credobaptist. I was reformed over a period of time listening to radio. RC and then WHI. I didn't know what to do about baptism for a while so I back burnered it.

It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.
aahhhhhhhh.gif
It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right).

If there is one thing that I have learned it's that God is sovereign in everything. He receives the glory in EVERYTHING. No human attempts to keep the NC pure are going to work. We don't have to worry about the NC sign going to the right people, that is God's thing and He will see to it just as He did in the OT. We are to baptize and make disciples and if they leave us then they were not of us.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

Sorry guys there are some very nice baptist people here and I don't want to make anyone mad but this is what I see happening.
 
I was raised Roman Catholic (baptized), then at 17 I became a sappy evangelical and was a credobaptist, then at the age of 21 I became a paedobaptist.

[Edited on 7-7-2005 by Romans922]
 
I was a paedobaptist for the first 10 years after conversion. I've been a credobaptist for a little over 10 additional years.

I know some hardcore paedobaptist guys here who will remain paedobaptists until the day they die ... at which point they will become credo. :D :bigsmile: ;)
 
Originally posted by Augusta

It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.
aahhhhhhhh.gif
It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right).
Click to expand...

Wait a minute, are you saying that adult believers shouldn't be baptized? What are those mega-churches supposed to be doing with professing believers, if not baptize them?
 
Originally posted by Augusta
Was raised Foursquare credobaptist. I was reformed over a period of time listening to radio. RC and then WHI. I didn't know what to do about baptism for a while so I back burnered it.

It just really struck me finally. I realized that (and you can't gang up on me baptists because I am girl!!) credobaptism is just repackaged arminism.
aahhhhhhhh.gif
It is taking the sinners prayer and moving it someplace else. It is giving us a work that doesn't even work. (many unsaved are baptized I have witnessed it over and over in my arminian church, look at these mega-churches baptizing people left and right).

If there is one thing that I have learned it's that God is sovereign in everything. He receives the glory in EVERYTHING. No human attempts to keep the NC pure are going to work. We don't have to worry about the NC sign going to the right people, that is God's thing and He will see to it just as He did in the OT. We are to baptize and make disciples and if they leave us then they were not of us.
1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

Sorry guys there are some very nice baptist people here and I don't want to make anyone mad but this is what I see happening.
Click to expand...


:amen: You go girl!!!

That's one of the many reasons why I myself dislike credobaptism.
 
Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia
I think she's saying the baptism of an adult is not their profession of faith but its God's sign of the covenant.
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Sorry, not following. Opening up new thread so as not to hyjack further.
 
*Baptized as infant in Roman Catholic Church
*Converted to Pentacostalism, Oneness Pentacostal(credo)
*Converted to Arminian/Dispensational Church, Calvary Chapel (credo)
*Converted to Presbyterian (paedo)
 
Raised credo, will die credo. But I might be a paedo in between. But for right now I'm very much a credo.

VanVos

[Edited on 7-7-2005 by VanVos]
 
Let's see:

1. Raised in a non-religious Christian home.
2. Attended VBS a few times when very young, main memory the pledge, milk and cookies and crafts.
3. Saw nothing in religion and began transferring over to atheism/agnosticism via my like of the sciences (seem to have truth in it).
4. Driven by atheist/agnostic thinking acheived degree in sciences and remained a/a until age of 32.
5. Converted at 32 by dramatic truth during a preacher that placarded Christ before my eyes like none before, and not slappy happy experential Christianity.
6. Baptized in SBC of my mom's, didn't know where else to go, just knew I needed to be baptized into the church.
7. Began to not understand remaining sin in my life, doubted my conversion due to the intensity of the struggle, and struggled with "when" I was baptized per credo doctrine.
8. Almost re-baptized a number of times under the torment of it all.
9. Read a couple of pieces by RC Sproul but still doubted it.
9. Two years later studied covenants unrelated to baptism and was stunned at what I saw via the Scripture alone.
10. Continued this for about 3 more years, under much prayer and sweat over the issue.
11. Arrived at Paedo by the grace of God.

Larry
 
I was born into a Baptist family and, consequently, baptized at the prescribed age of 12. After the Lord saved me some 9 years later I became a Charismatic. At that time I became a practicing Anabaptist, because I was baptized again knowing this time I was an actual Christian. Then I was introduced to the Reformed faith. After wrestling with the issue of baptism, it became clear to me that paedobaptism was right after reading John Flavel´s treatment of the Covenant, but I cannot now recall which volume it was in. At the point I was convinced of Covenant Theology I saw the biblical doctrine of Paedobaptism.
 
born and raised Southern Baptist, educated Southern Baptist with some Particular Baptist profs, embraced DoG while in high school, have always been credo....

So credo by birth and practice until a few years ago when I became a convinced credo. When did that happen?

well, one day I joined this thing called the Puritan Board and right after that I became ad have continued to become a MORE AND MORE CONVINCED credo.

Thanks PB. Now I am SURE about what I believe.

Phillip

[Edited on 7-7-05 by pastorway]
 
Originally posted by pastorway
born and raised Southern Baptist, educated Southern Baptist with some Particular Baptist profs, embraced DoG while in high school, have always been credo....

So credo by birth and practice until a few years ago when I became a convinced credo. When did that happen?

well, one day I joined this thing called the Puritan Board and right after that I became ad have continued to become a MORE AND MORE CONVINCED credo.

Thanks PB. Now I am SURE about what I believe.

Phillip

[Edited on 7-7-05 by pastorway]
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What was the tenor of Criswell College with respect to Calvinism, if you don't mind me asking? I always liked WA but never did think he was a Calvinist.
 
yes, WA Criswell was a calvinist! And a GREAT preacher.

I had a few profs who were also calvinists (and a few who were not).

One prof in particular, my systematic theology prof, was a Particular Baptist educated at Spurgeon's Pastor's College!

Here are some quotes from WA -

"That´s Calvinism. And I am a Calvinist. That´s good old Bible doctrine. And I believe the Bible. These things are in God´s hands. And ultimately, and finally, He purposed it and executeth all of it." - WA Criswell, 1955

http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.Transcripts/sermon/1821.cfm


"When a man is saved, he's an Arminian, always. Arminius was a Dutch theologian who flourished in 1600. And he was the great champion of freedom of the will, freedom of choice. When you are saved, you're an Arminian. 'I did it. I repented of my sins. I came down that aisle. I gave the preacher my hand. I accepted the Lord as my Savior. I turned and looked to Jesus and He saved me.' You're an Arminian. You did it. You can tell the day and the hour and the preacher and the service. You're an Arminian. 'I did it.' But I don't care who you are, as you grow in grace and the days multiply, you'll become a Calvinist. Calvin flourished in 1550 and was the great exponent of the elective purposes of God in the earth. And, as you grow older and as you experience His love and mercy in your life, the day will come when you avow, 'God did it. He touched my heart. He wooed me and sought me and bought me and brought me. God did it.'" - WA Criswell, 1987

http://www.wacriswell.org/index.cfm/FuseAction/Search.Transcripts/sermon/640.cfm
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