Devil in the Water Baptismal Regeneration — E.A. Johnston

I remember years ago, my wife and I joined a Christian church, and when it came time for them to baptize us, a shout went up in the congregation. When we came up out of the water, they were hooting and hollering, because they believed a person got saved when they were baptized.

Baptismal Regeneration and the Meaning of Water Baptism

That group of religious folk believed there was something in the water, because water baptism meant baptismal regeneration. There are other denominations that believe in the doctrine of baptismal regeneration as well.

I'm going to be real honest with you, friends. The only thing in the water is H20, but the doctrine of baptismal regeneration has something deeper in the water, and it is the devil, because the devil doesn't want you to get a good look at Calvary and see the bloodstained Christ hanging there who died for sin.

Redemption Through Christ's Blood

The only way to receive pardon for sin is to get your sin washed in the blood of Christ Jesus. Like Ephesians 1 .7 declares, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

But if the devil can keep you a prisoner in his kingdom and give you some religion by telling you your sins are washed away in water, then he's got you in his claws. Water only washes away dirt and grime.

Your sins are a crime against a sovereign. And to stay out of hell, you need pardon for sins through Christ of the cross, who shed his blood for sinners. Like the old hymn says, there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

Catholic Baptism and the Failure of Holy Water

The title of my message this evening, friends, is Devil in the Water, Baptismal Regeneration. I was the son of an Italian mother who came from a long line of Catholics, and when I was a baby, my mother had me baptized in her Catholic church, because the Catholic religion believes that spiritual life begins with baptism.

But when I was a little baby, that holy water only washed away the grime on me. It didn't travel any deeper than that. My spiritual life was not regenerated when I was baptized. That's doctrinal hogwash from the pit of hell.

Salvation Through Christ and His Substitution

When I grew up, I had to get to Christ and get under his blood for forgiveness of sin. And so do you, friend. I know I am a sinner, and I need a substitute for sin in the person of Christ Jesus. And so do you.

His merits must be applied to you. His life must be laid down and applied to you. When that priest sprinkled me with holy water, nothing happened other than I got a little wet. And when that pastor baptized me underwater at that Christian church, nothing happened other than I got soaked through with water.

Baptism Does Not Save From Sin

Those people were yelling for nothing. I wasn't saved then. Although I was baptized, I was just a lost man on a religious road to hell. If you grew up in a religion that taught you that you were saved when you were baptized, then nothing happened.

Repentance, Faith, and the New Birth

You were yet in your sins. You must exercise repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ for pardon of sin. Regeneration is a supernatural act of the Spirit of God that takes the heart of stone and makes it a heart of flesh.

God declares in Ezekiel 36, 26, a new heart also I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. And I will give you a heart of flesh. This, friends, is called the new birth.

The New Birth and Eternal Salvation

Now let me ask you, have you been born from above and washed in the blood? That's the only way you'll stay out of a smoke in hell. Baptismal regeneration is like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. They're not real.

Get to Christ, friend, for forgiveness of sin. Salvation is Christ.