LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SHOULD SOUTHERN BAPTISTS BAPTIZE THEIR CHILDREN? A BIBLICAL, HISTORICAL, THEOLOGICAL DEFENSE OF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE BAPTISM OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CREDOBAPTISTIC PRACTICES A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY ROBERT JOSEPH MATZ LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA APRIL 2015 Copyright © 2015 by Robert Joseph Matz All Rights Reserved ii APPROVAL SHEET SHOULD SOUTHERN BAPTISTS BAPTIZE THEIR CHILDREN? A BIBLICAL, HISTORICAL, THEOLOGICAL DEFENSE OF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE BAPTISM OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH CREDOBAPTISTIC PRACTICES Robert Joseph Matz Read and approved by: Chairperson: KEVIN KING Dr. Kevin L. King Sr. Reader: DAVID A. WHEELER Dr. David A. Wheeler Reader: SCOTT HAWKINS, PHD Dr. Scott M. Hawkins Date: 4/3/2015 iii To my wife, Jessica Without you, this goal could never have been achieved. You are my best friend, and I am continually blessed by your love, support, and encouragement. iv CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... ix LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ xii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. xiii INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 1 Research Question ...................................................................................................................... 5 Relevance of This Study ......................................................................................................... 6 Biases ...................................................................................................................................... 8 Methodology and Chapter Summaries...................................................................................... 10 Chapter Summaries ............................................................................................................... 11 Definitions and Key Terms ....................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER ONE: THE CONTEMPORANEOUS NATURE OF SPIRIT AND WATER BAPTISM FOR CREDO-BAPTISTS .......................................................................................... 17 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 17 John the Baptist and Spirit Baptism in the Gospels .................................................................. 19 Mark 1:2-11 .......................................................................................................................... 20 Matthew 3:1-17 ..................................................................................................................... 28 John 1:19-34.......................................................................................................................... 34 Luke 3:1-22 ........................................................................................................................... 39 Synthesis on John’s Baptism and Its Relations to Spirit Baptism ........................................ 43 Spirit and Water Baptism in the New Testament Church ......................................................... 46 Spirit and Water Baptism in the Book of Acts ..................................................................... 47 Spirit and Water Baptism in Pauline Literature and 1 Corinthians 12:13 ............................ 58 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 65 v CHAPTER TWO: CHILDREN AND CHRISTIAN CONVERSION ......................................... 67 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 67 Children in the Old Testament .................................................................................................. 68 Children and Discipleship ..................................................................................................... 69 Children and Accountability ................................................................................................. 77 Children and Initiation into the Faith Community ................................................................ 87 Children in the New Testament ................................................................................................ 90 Children and Discipleship ..................................................................................................... 90 Children and Conversion ...................................................................................................... 95 Children and Accountability ............................................................................................... 106 Children and Initiation into the Faith Community .............................................................. 109 Conclusions and Application .................................................................................................. 114 CHAPTER THREE: THE HISTORY OF SOUTHERN BAPTISTS, BAPTISM, AND THE AGE OF INITIATION ............................................................................................................... 117 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 117 Early Views of Baptists in America on the Conversion and Baptism of Children ................. 120 The Views of Early Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism ......................................... 121 Age-Related Demographic Trends amongst Early Baptists ............................................... 123 Southern Baptists and the Baptism of Children: 1845-1900 .................................................. 125 The Views of Southern Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism .................................... 126 Age-Related Demographic Trends among Early Southern Baptists ................................... 133 Southern Baptists and the Baptism of Children: 1900-1950 .................................................. 136 The Views of Southern Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism .................................... 137 Age-Related Demographic Trends among Baptists 1900-1950 ......................................... 143 Southern Baptist and the Baptism of Children: 1950-2000 .................................................... 147 vi The Views of Moderate Southern Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism ................... 149 The Views of Conservative Southern Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism .............. 154 Dissertations Relating to Children and Baptism ................................................................. 160 Age-Related Demographic Trends among Baptists: 1950-2000 ........................................ 162 Southern Baptists and the Baptism of Children: Early 21st Century ...................................... 168 The Views of Southern Baptists Regarding Children and Baptism .................................... 168 Age-Related Demographic Trends among Baptists ............................................................ 172 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 179 CHAPTER FOUR: THE BAPTISM OF CHILDREN AND A REGENERATE CHURCH MEMBERSHIP........................................................................................................................... 180 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 180 The Psychological Inability of Children to Function as Regenerate Church Members ......... 182 The Psychological Argument against the Baptism of Children .......................................... 183 In Response to the Psychological Arguments against the Baptism of Children ................. 194 Conclusions about the Cognitive Abilities of Children ...................................................... 208 The Sociological Critiques ...................................................................................................... 209 Religious Socialization Theory ........................................................................................... 210 Social-Exchange Theory ..................................................................................................... 213 Church-Sect Theory ............................................................................................................ 216 Theological Objections to the Baptism of Children ............................................................... 217 The Sin Nature of Children: The Age of Accountability .................................................... 218 Soteriology and the Baptism of Children ............................................................................ 224 Ecclesiastical Concerns Pertaining to the Baptism of Children .......................................... 228 Evangelistic Practices Relating to the Conversion of Young Children .............................