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About Hoyt Roberson
Expertise
I can answer just about any doctrinal, relational, or Scriptural question from a "traditional" church of Christ perspective, and from perspectives of somewhat more progressive congregations. If you want an answer from a particular perspective, let me know that up front, and I'll respond in that vein. If you want to peg me on the liberal-conservative spectrum, I would suggest a bit left of center. Depending on the question though, I might be far left, or perhaps rather toward the right.

Experience
I am currently a shepherd of a congregation (which means, for those of you who aren't Church of Christ folk, I'm one of a handful of people responsible for the spiritual direction and maturity of the congregation, and who hire and fire the ministers). I have served in many capacities including adult class teacher (also current), deacon, administrator, and lay leader at two military bases. I am a life-long member of churches of Christ, mostly mainline congregations, but am quite familiar with more conservative and more liberal congregations and views as well. I read and subscribe to various books and periodicals for churches of Christ, and have discussed a variety of topics with representatives of our various groups both in person, and via mail.

Organizations
Christian Association for Psychological Studies, American Association of Christian Counselors, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Publications
www.robersonblog.blogspot.com

Education/Credentials
I hold a Masters of Ministry degree from Pepperdine University, as well as a Masters of Counseling degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix.

You are here: Experts > Religion/Spirituality > Christianity - Restorationism > Churches Of Christ > baptism

Churches Of Christ - baptism

Expert: Hoyt Roberson - 10/26/2009

Question
My question is in response to your answer of "Churches Of Christ - Is sprinkling baptism?

Expert: Hoyt Roberson - 11/24/2008"

Seems as though you contradict your statement. You mentioned that God looks at intention rather than the actual action. How can a baby have any intention at all regarding baptism? A baby/infant/child who does not know anything or much about the gospel has not decided to be baptised. His parents have decided for him, therefore it is null and void. Wouldn't you agree?

Answer
I agree with your conclusion that a child cannot decide to be baptized. I would go further and argue that they cannot repent and dedicate themselves to God in any sense of the word.

However, that wasn't the basis of my comment. I agree that the Church of Christ understanding of baptism, its form, and its purpose are clearly established in Scrpture and were normative in Paul's day. In fact, if we want to be true to Scripture, immersion of believers remains the standard form of Scriptural baptism.

My comment though has to do with the fact that we are 2000 years past Paul's day, and the form of baptism has undergone considerable modification by various religious organizations. Given those modifications, I also believe that God understands that His followers may well be confused about the topic. Therefore, if a Roman Catholic woman was sprinkled when she was a baby, reads or understands the command to be baptized, and is convinced that she has been, I believe God will accept her baptism based on her current desire to follow God (which essentially is what repentance and dedication to God mean) as best she knows. She doesn't know Greek, has been told by the people she trusts that her sprinkling is her valid baptism. In her mind, she has nothing else to do even when she reads "be baptized." I am not convinced that God would not accept her simply because her denomination taught her wrongly.

My response has to do with what I understand about the grace of God, given a person's desire to follow God as they understand His word. To suggest otherwise is to question anyone's salvation that has responded to God using a text written in something other than their native language, who does not know Greek, and who has no one available to teach them accurately. This severe conclusion does not seem to jibe with God's patience and grace demonstrated in Scripture.

Blessings to you

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