“Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually,"”(Article VII, Of Original or Birth Sin, #13, The Methodist Discipline, p. 20, 1922). This is a softening of original terminology that affirmed that babies were born totally depraved as found in The Methodist Discipline prior to 1910. Methodists originally taught that babies were born sinners, because they carried over many of the original doctrines of The Church of England which, when they became a separate entity for political reasons, had carried those doctrines from Catholicism. Catholicism had, for many years, taught that babies inherited the sin of Adam and, because they were born sinners, needed to receive the sacrament of baptism in order to be cleansed from that original taint of sin.
Even though Methodists changed their creed book, they continued the practice of baptizing infants, because it had always been a part of their cherished doctrines. The paradox of their change following 1910 is that they still baptize infants while having abandoned the original purpose of baptizing them. Currently they baptize (christen) infants with the pledge from the parents to train their children to serve the Lord. The Methodist Church allows the babies’ parents and all other candidates choices for the “mode” of baptism as sprinkling, pouring or immersion.
There are three fundamental errors in the teaching and practice of the Methodist Church about baptism.
First, there is no such thing as a “mode” of baptism, because the Greek word itself means “immersion”. One might just as well argue that there are modes of immersion as to claim that there are modes of baptism. The Greek language had an entirely different word for “sprinkling” and, should Jesus and his inspired apostles have authorized “sprinkling,” the Greek word “rantizo” would have been employed.
Second, only repentant believers can be baptized by the authority of Jesus -- Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38. Babies have neither the capacity to believe or repent. When infants are christened, they have no choice whatsoever in the action being done to them. They believe nothing. They have no sin of which to repent.
Third, Methodists teach that man is justified by faith only (The Methodist Discipline, Article 9, #15); hence, they baptize people, not for the forgiveness of sins, but to initiate them into the Methodist membership. Scriptures teach that repentant believers are to be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38); to be saved (from sins) (Mark 16:16) or; as Ananias commanded Saul, to “wash away sins” (Acts 22:16).
People born into a religion frequently accept its teachings as though the Bible plainly says what the creed book interprets it to say. If that is your circumstance, and your thinking has been challenged to search the scriptures to know what it teaches, a sense of urgency should drive you to find out how God saves man through cleansing him by the blood of his Son. It is your soul that is at stake and you can’t afford to take something so important as your relationship with God for granted. If you are lost because you believe and practice error, you can blame only yourself. – Jim R. Everett
“Original sin standeth not in the following of Adam (as the Pelagians do vainly talk), but it is the corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendered of the offspring of Adam, whereby man is very far gone from original righteousness, and of his own nature inclined to evil, and that continually,"”(Article VII, Of Original or Birth Sin, #13, The Methodist Discipline, p. 20, 1922). This is a softening of original terminology that affirmed that babies were born totally depraved as found in The Methodist Discipline prior to 1910. Methodists originally taught that babies were born sinners, because they carried over many of the original doctrines of The Church of England which, when they became a separate entity for political reasons, had carried those doctrines from Catholicism. Catholicism had, for many years, taught that babies inherited the sin of Adam and, because they were born sinners, needed to receive the sacrament of baptism in order to be cleansed from that original taint of sin.
Even though Methodists changed their creed book, they continued the practice of baptizing infants, because it had always been a part of their cherished doctrines. The paradox of their change following 1910 is that they still baptize infants while having abandoned the original purpose of baptizing them. Currently they baptize (christen) infants with the pledge from the parents to train their children to serve the Lord. The Methodist Church allows the babies’ parents and all other candidates choices for the “mode” of baptism as sprinkling, pouring or immersion.
