Here is an article written by a Cambellite (baptismal regeneration) that supposedly refutes the teaching of Pastor Terence McLean of the Dispensational Bible Institute. However, the "refute" is very weak.
(See these posts before reading this one
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 1)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 2)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_11.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 3)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_15.html )
See the Campbellite article in red font with my comments in black.
CAMPBELLITE: The apostle Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). (Yes. That is called the "gospel of the circumcision" that was committed to Peter in Mark 16 and Matthew 28. He was told to offer the earthly kingdom of Christ to Israel, beginning with Jerusalem, and then he was to go to all nations (Luke 24, Matthew 10). This gospel offered the remission of sins at the 2nd coming of Christ according to Acts 3:19-26 and 1 Peter 7-11 and it was according to prophecy (Jeremiah 31-32, Ezekiel 36). Peter also followed the law of Moses and would not preach to Gentiles until Jerusalem had repented (Acts 10). Peter also preached that selling all earthly possessions was required for salvation (Matt. 10, 19, 28, Acts 2-5). This was also before the fall of Israel in Acts 7 and the dispensation of the mystery given to Paul in Acts 9. Just thought I would give a little context....) Terence McLean, preacher of Grace Bible Church, and proprietor of two religious bookstores in the Dayton area, wrote a tract, entitled "Acts 2:38," repudiating what Peter said in the verse. Interestingly, McLean never tells us what Acts 2:38 teaches, but he arrays other Scriptures against the verse with all craftiness and subtlety. Let us notice the following perversions in the tract wherein he endeavors to evade the force and simplicity of what Peter commanded those to do on Pentecost. (Apparently you have no idea what Pastor McLean teaches and you are trying to pretend that Pastor McLean does not believe Acts 2:38 for what it says. HE DOES and will tell you so. However, Pastor McLean knows that dispensationally Acts 2:38 is not written to Gentiles in this present age.)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: "Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel" (1 Cor. 1:17). And so the gospel which saves and water baptism are two different things. (And that is correct.....it also proves that Paul did not follow Christ's kingdom commission of Matthew 28 and Mark 16. The truth is, Christ did not tell Paul to baptize and it is not part of this dispensation.)
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: Paul did not say that Christ sent me not to preach baptism, or that baptism is non-essential, but Christ sent me not to do the baptizing. Read the context. Why were the Corinthians baptized (Acts 18:8) if baptism has no place in the gospel? Did Paul disobey Jesus when he baptized some of those at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:14-16)? Was Paul under the Great Commission which includes baptism (Matt. 28:19; Mk. 16:16)?
(Let us look at the context.
1 Corinthians 1:
[10] Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
[11] For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
[12] Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. (The context is DIVISIONS. The context of 1 Corinthians 1 is NOT baptism...Paul simply brought up baptism because it is a divisive issue. If you continue to follow the context of the passage from 1:10-2:5 you will find that Paul believes that the only thing that matters is the finished work of Christ--everything else is foolish.)
[13] Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
[14] I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; (If water baptism was required under the gospel of grace of God ("gospel of the uncircumcision" Gal. 2:7-8) than Paul just damned people to hell by being glad that he baptized so few.)
[15] Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
[16] And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
[17] For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
(Paul did NOT follow the "great commission". If he did, than he WOULD have been told to baptize and he would have been sent to do it. Compare the "great commission" to Paul's statement.
The "great commission" of the gospel of the kingdom.
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.....Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Mark 16:15-16, Matt. 28:19)
The statement by Paul (preaching the gospel of grace of God)
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."
WHAT PAUL WAS SENT TO DO (ACTS 26:16-18)
"But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." v. 20 " But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance."
WHAT PAUL WAS SENT NOT TO DO (1 CORINTHIANS 1:14-17)
"I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect."
Therefore water baptism has nothing to do with the following:
#1 Opening somebody's eyes to spiritual matters
#2 Turning somebody from darkness into light
#3 Turning someone from Satan unto God
#4 Receiving the forgiveness of sins
#5 Receiving inheritance with the saints
#6 Doing works meet for repentance [18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
[19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
[20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
[21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
[22] For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
[23] But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
[24] But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
[25] Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
[26] For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
[27] But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
[28] And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
[29] That no flesh should glory in his presence.
[30] But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
[31] That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 2:
[1] And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
[2] For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
[3] And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
[4] And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
[5] That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Paul did not DISOBEY Christ when he baptized, he was just NOT told to do so.
CAMPBELLITE: McLean, do you baptize? If you do, why do you do it since "Christ sent you not to baptize"? Do you also throw out repentance with water baptism in Acts 2:38? If Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation, then repentance is not in the plan.
(Pastor McLean does not baptize as it is not part of the present dispensation. We do not throw out repentance (a change of mind) because that IS part of the plan of salvation in the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gal. 2:7-8) according to Acts 26:16-18).)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: Salvation is to "him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly; his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom. 4:5). So your work of baptism does not justify. (That is true.)
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: On the back of his tract Mr. McLean teaches an alien sinner is to pray for salvation. He says, "Get the matter right with the Lord now! Tell him in prayer: 'Dear God, I am sorry that I was not trusting only in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and that I thought I had to be baptized to be saved from sin. Please forgive me and save me now." Then McLean says, following his formulated prayer and self-devised plan of salvation, "If you prayed that prayer and meant it: you are saved."
(Pastor McLean no longer teaches that....
I noticed that the Campbellite did not answer Romans 4:5. All he did was talk about prayer.)
CAMPBELLITE: Obviously, prayer is a work, but the way McLean construes Romans 4:5, prayer could not be a condition of salvation because "faith is counted for righteousness." If "faith" excludes baptism, then "faith" also excludes prayer. So, "your work of prayer does not justify."
(True! There is no baptism, confession, or any other works required for salvation!
1 Corinthians 15:
[1] Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Ephesians 2:
[8] For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 4:
[4] Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
[5] But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Galatians 3:
[1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
[2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
CAMPBELLITE: Certainly, no one is saved by meritorious works, that is, works of perfect law keeping. Man violates the law and becomes a sinner (Rom. 3:23). Hence, we must look to Jesus and his blood for forgiveness, but forgiveness is conditional. Baptism is one of those conditions (Acts 2:38).
(You are trying to divide works into separate categories....but they are all works! Any works we do before we get saved will NOT please God...
Romans 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
And the verse you quote (Acts 2:38) is not in the right dispensation and you are not even preaching the entire gospel of the circumcision which includes selling all that you have.)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean has strange reasoning. He teaches that if an alien sinner does what God says to do (be baptized), he is saved by meritorious works, but if an alien sinner does what God has not said to do (pray), he is saved by grace. You figure that one out!
(God has not told us to get baptized in this present age (Romans-Philemon, Eph. 4:5, 1 Cor. 1:17). Meanwhile prayer is also a requirement in the gospel of the kingdom (1 John 1:9). )
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: Salvation is "not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us by the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit" (Tit. 3:5). And so the washing you need is by the Spirit not by water.
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: McLean even quotes the Scripture to suit his own purpose. He did not quote Titus 3:5 correctly. It says "washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost." The passage does not say we are washed by the Holy Ghost, but rather "renewed" by the Holy Ghost. Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, on "washing of regeneration," states that it "distinctly refers to baptism." So, McLean is wrong again. For some reason McLean is anti-water. He is against water. If he had been back there in the shoes of Elisha, he would have told Naaman to go wallow in the sand at Beersheba; just stay out of the water of Jordan. He would have called Elisha, "Watered-down Elisha," as he did me, and would have said, "There is power, power, power in the tub. Blub, Blub," as he said to me.
(The campbellite quoted a MAN and NOT the word of God. The scripture reveals that the washing is by the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Titus 3:5 would have a contradiction if the washing was water baptism!!!)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: "For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8) and "grace" is not water baptism. "Not of works lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:9) and baptism is a work you do, not God.
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: McLean says that "grace is not water baptism. " Well, is it prayer? He also says, "Baptism is a work you do, not God." I ask: Is prayer a work you do, and not God? If a man can pray to be saved (as McLean says), and not earn it, he can be baptized and not earn it. McLean would have us to believe that a humble, sincere soul who obeys the Lord in baptism is working to earn his salvation. Did Naaman earn his cure of leprosy when he dipped seven times in the Jordan River? Salvation is by grace, but we must accept it by obedience (Rom. 6:17-18; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; 1 Pet. 1:22). To cure our spiritual leprosy (sin) we have to get into the water (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).
(Again, the cambellite talks about prayer but he did not answer Ephesians 2:8-9. The gospel of the uncircumcision (Gal. 2:7-8) only demands ONE thing, that is BELIEVING (Eph. 1:13, Rom. 4:5). )
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: "For by one Spirit (not Pastor; Elder, Deacon, Bishop) are we all baptized (which means immersed or buried) into one body (1 Cor. 12:13) and that's not a body of water but the body of the Lord Jesus Christ and his body of believers."
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: Who said that a preacher, elder or deacon ever put anybody into the body of Christ? McLean wrote a prayer on the back of his tract for an allen sinner to pray in order to be saved. You suppose McLean could be guilty of trying to put somebody into the body, himself?
(Again, the campbellite talked about prayer but did not answer 1 Corinthians 12:13.)
CAMPBELLITE: E.Y. Mullins, a Baptist scholar, wrote in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Vol. 1, p. 401) in reference to 1 Corinthians 12:13: "But here the reference is not to baptism of the Spirit, but rather to ism into the church which is the body of Christ." "By one Spirit (agency) are we all baptized" (water baptism, the act that puts us into the one body).
(The campbellite quoted a MAN to explain-away the scriptures! This baptism is done BY the Spirit and it is an operation of God according to Colossians 2:10-12.)
CAMPBELLITE: If 1 Corinthians 12:13 is Holy Ghost baptism, then only alien sinners receive it because it is what puts one into the body. However, the disciples at Samaria obeyed the gospel, were saved, and did not receive the Holy Ghost until sometime later when the apostles came among them (Acts 8:14-17). They were baptized in water, like the Eunuch (Acts 8:12,13,38). 1 Corinthians 12:13 is water baptism.
(Here the cambellite has confused Christ baptizing with the Holy Ghost onto a person (Acts 2, Matt. 3, Joel 2) with a baptism by the Spirit with a person into Christ.)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: "For as many of you as have been baptized (immersed by the Spirit) into Christ (not water) have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27) not self-righteous works. "There is neither male nor female" (Gal. 3:28) but there is in your baptistry.
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: McLean makes Galatians 3:27 Holy Ghost baptism. Hence, an alien sinner, a child of the devil, must be baptized by the Holy Spirit to get into Christ. But the Samaritans were in Christ before they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:17), therefore the baptism of Galatians 3:27 could not be Holy Ghost baptism. McLean cannot afford to admit the baptism in Galatians 3:27 is water baptism, because he would have to begin teaching the truth on the matter as the verse teaches we are baptized into Christ.
(Here the cambellite has confused Christ baptizing with the Holy Ghost onto a person (Acts 2, Matt. 3, Joel 2) with a baptism by the Spirit with a person into Christ.)
CAMPBELLITE: His cohort, Cornell Howard, in a debate in February 1989, made the baptism of Galatians 3:27, "baptism of suffering." McLean was there on the second row, backing Howard all the way. Now, boys, which is it: baptism of the Holy Ghost or baptism of suffering? Perhaps Howard and McLean need to debate.
(Baptism of suffering does not make any sense. It is baptism BY the Spirit "through the faith of the operation of God" (Col. 2:10-12) and it is part of the "unity of THE SPIRIT" (Eph 4:1-6) and it is part of a calling that is not according to our works (2 Tim. 1:9, Eph. 4:1-6). )
CAMPBELLITE: McLean says there is "male and female in the baptistry, " but on the back of his tract, he has a place for the name and address of one who has prayed for salvation, and he asks, "If you prayed that prayer and meant it: you are saved! Write me and let me know so that I may rejoice with you." If one who writes you McLean is Nancy and another one is William, don't you have male and female in your "Sinner's prayer"?
(Again, the cambellite talked about prayer but did not answer Galatians 3.)
CAMPBELLITE: McLean wrote: Acts 2:38 is not the plan of salvation because: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell when it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" (Jn. 3:8), but in your baptistry you can tell who is there. The baptism you need is not water but the baptism of the Holy Spirit - into the Lord Jesus Christ!
CAMPBELLITE: Answer: Yes, we can see the human body in the baptistry, but we cannot see the soul. My Bible speaks of the conversion of the soul - not the body. I didn't know John 3:8 was referring to the Spirit working on the fleshly body. McLean has given us a new revelation!
CAMPBELLITE: Wonder if we can see who is in McLean's prayer fine or at his mourner's bench, seeking and pleading, yea, working for salvation?
CAMPBELLITE: John 3:5-8 says nothing about Holy Ghost baptism. Every time McLean sees "Spirit," or "Holy Ghost" in the Bible, he jumps to conclusions (in all directions) and hollers, "Holy Ghost baptism." Read Acts 2 and observe how those on Pentecost were born of water and of the Spirit. It is quite different to McLean's gospel.
( Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 1)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 2)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_11.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 3)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_15.html )
Conclusion
CAMPBELLITE: We have thoroughly and completely answered McLean's little tract on Acts 2:38. 1 believe it would be profitable if Mr. McLean would publicly debate his position on water baptism and what an alien sinner must do in order to be saved.CAMPBELLITE: Several months ago he signed propositions to debate water baptism, but then went back on his word and "chickened" out for some reason or other. McLean likes to berate, belittle, misrepresent and malign the church of Christ from a distance, like behind a microphone at a radio station or from his pulpit, or from the printing press. But face to face, "No, no, never, not me, no way."
CAMPBELLITE: Below is the first proposition which Terence McLean's signed, a signature he did not honor. I am ready to discuss the Scriptures whenever he is.
CAMPBELLITE: "Resolved, the Scriptures teach that alien sinners are saved at the point of faith and without water baptism."
(Yes, yes...we get it. You like to debate. But how come you haven't sold all that you have? How come you are mixing different gospels and different dispensations? Can you answer these posts and the scriptures provided?
( Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 1)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 2)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_11.html
Baptismal regeneration heresy and the failures of the COC. (Part 3)
http://av1611studyblog.blogspot.com/2014/09/baptismal-regeneration-heresy-and_15.html )
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