A Simple Test for Baptismal Regeneration

It’s been some time since I’ve written on baptism. This post will focus more on the subject of regeneration, with respect to its timing in the order of salvation. I here propose a rather simple way to test the validity of the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Can we find any didactic texts which actually indicate the timing of the new birth? Do we have any practical examples in the Scripture which would indicate this for us? If this can be shown to be the case, then baptismal regeneration, it seems to this writer, is directly refuted.

1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

We have looked at this text before. It is quite familiar to most Reformed believers. The verb γεγέννηται (“is born”) is in the perfect passive construction. This denotes an action that took place in the past with continuous results in the present. In English this is typically expressed in the present-pefect-passive participle construction “is born” or “has been born”. Think of the phrase “the boy who resembles his father is born of him”. The boy’s resemblance is indicative of the fact that he has previously been born of him. This is what’s going on in 1 John 5:1. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ is indicative of the new birth.

In John’s first epistle, he talks about those who have truly been born of God, and the evidences that show a person to be so. In 1 John 2:29 he gives the first evidence of the new birth by saying that he who does righteousness “is born of him”. Now, even most baptismal regenerationists will concede that we cannot do acts of righteousness in order to merit the new birth (they will deny that baptism is an act of righteousness). The grammar is clear enough. The one doing righteousness is born of God. He has experienced the new birth, which results in him walking “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:11–13).

The second mark is listed in 1 John 4:7, where we read that everyone who loves God and the brethren “is born of God”. Once again the idea is the same. Love is the direct result of the new birth, not vice versa. He that loveth is born of God, just as the child who resembles his father is born of him. So also, 1 John 5:1 is explicit that faith, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, is the chief evidence of the new birth. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. If you believe on the Lord Jesus, this is indicative of the fact that you have been regenerated.

The significance of this text is that it is didactic. That is to say, John is giving his readers Holy Ghost-inspired truth in this text, which he expects them to read, understand, and believe. I once had a Roman Catholic tell me that a person could hypothetically be born again prior to baptism, and he granted that I might be able to find one example in Scripture of such being the case, but that this wouldn’t negate the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. He was essentially arguing that an exception (regeneration before baptism) doesn’t negate the rule (baptismal regeneration). 1 John 5:1 shows that this is the rule, not the exception, however. John is telling you, point blank, the person who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. If regeneration precedes believing, then it goes without saying that it ordinarily precedes baptism.

It is upon this basis that we can point to one such example of what John is talking about here:

Acts 8:26–38 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. (27) And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, (28) Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. (29) Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. (30) And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? (31) And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. (32) The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: (33) In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. (34) And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? (35) Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. (36) And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? (37) And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (38) And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Here is the eunuch of Ethiopia, who was evangelized by Phillip. He was taught directly out of the scriptures, from Isaiah 53. He was told the truth concerning Jesus the Christ and his effectual, redemptive work on the cross for his people, so beautifully and prophetically illustrated out of that famous chapter. He heard the voice of the great Shepherd as Phillip was preaching, and as a result he confessed, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God”. He was not born again the moment he made that profession. He was already born again, and consequently believed. We must conclude this based upon John’s teaching. The ethiopian eunuch believed, therefore he had been born of God. Subsequently he was baptized. That baptism pictured the work of the Holy Ghost which had previously been wrought within his heart. That baptism sealed to his conscience the forgiveness of sins and cleansing by the blood of Christ. But that baptismal water did not in the least bit bring about his regeneration. He had already passed from death unto life by the time he believed, also in accordance with our Lord’s testimony in John 5:24, which I might do another post on.

There are several other verses that can be looked at but I wanted to keep this post short and to the point. I also recommend the reader check out my post addressing the subject of regeneration here as well as my other post critiquing baptismal regeneration here.