Thanks to Shane for reminding us why we should expend the energy to oppose the Federal Vision of baptismal union with Christ. In contrast, Reformed theology is neither sacerdotalist, nor quasi-sacerdotalist, nor mere sacramentarianism.
R. Scott Clark
R.Scott Clark is the President of the Heidelberg Reformation Association, the author and editor of, and contributor to several books and the author of many articles. He has taught church history and historical theology since 1997 at Westminster Seminary California. He has also taught at Wheaton College, Reformed Theological Seminary, and Concordia University. He has hosted the Heidelblog since 2007.
More by R. Scott Clark ›
Dr. Clark,
The Westminster Confession Chapter 28 section 5 makes it clear ( “Although it be a great sin to contemn or neglect this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated”.) that partaking or not partaking in a baptismal ceremony in the visible church is not a means of salvation .
Yet under what circumstances exactly, if any, does a Union with Christ occur? Is there a straightforward answer to such a question as this last one?
It’s not that difficult:
The older Reformed theologians did not have a crisis over union with Christ. That’s a recent phenomenon.
http://heidelblog.net/category/union-with-christ/