REPORT ON 9/29 DEBATE
The proposition: "The Bible teaches that Water Baptism is the Sacrament of Regeneration that justifies the individual."
Affirmative: Tim Ouelette; Negative: Bill Jackson
We only have space for a short summary; we have available a tape recording which gives almost all of the debate (question and answers will not be included as they were not originally taped.)
Tim Ouelette had a number of Old Testament references . He said regarding Genesis 1:2 that the Spirit of God was present, as a mighty wind through which the earth came into existence.
We know that the earth was created in Genesis 1:1, and that the word for the Holy Spirit's moving (Hebrews rachaph) is used in Jeremiah 23:9, all my bones shake (rachaph). This is far from describing a "mighty wind."
Tim also used the belief that baptism is the fulfillment of circumcision. The Israelites did not become Israelites because they were circumcised; they were circumcised because they were Israelites. Likewise, Christians are baptized because they are Christians, not to become Christians as the Catholic Church teaches.
A question came up concerning the fact that a baby cannot believe or repent; Tim assured us he receives his parents' faith by proxy, and cited Matthew 8:6-13 as proof.
Tim quoted 1 Peter 1:3,4 and stated that this was a reference to water baptism because the Church says "begotten again" is water baptism. The reasoning is that even although the Bible doesn't say it, it must be true because the infallible Church says it.