A Restoration Highlight 
 

by Hugh Fulford

According to the biography "J. D. Tant—Texas Preacher" by his son, Fanning Yater Tant, J. D. Tant and Ben M. Bogard engaged in eight debates with each other during the course of their careers. Their last one was near Greenwood, Arkansas in the fall of 1937. Among the propositions discussed was one that had to do with whether or not baptism of a penitent believer is for (in order to) the remission of sins and therefore essential to salvation. Tant affirmed the essentiality of baptism for the remission of sins; Bogard denied it.

Early in the debate Bogard took up the entirety of one of his thirty minute speeches trying to show that when the apostle Peter said, "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21), all that Peter intended to convey was the notion that baptism is just a "picture" of salvation from sin. Arguing that Noah and his family were saved from the flood by faith only and then pictured their salvation in the waters of the flood, Bogard argued that the sinner is saved by faith only and then pictures his salvation by being baptized.

When Tant arose for his next speech, he replied, "My good friends, remember that baptism is just a 'picture.' Ben Bogard says it is . . . and that makes it so. Now, Ben says baptism is a 'picture.' That does not help Baptist doctrine at all; for it was Jesus Christ himself who said in Mark 16:16, 'He that believeth and gets his picture taken shall be saved.' And when those wicked people on Pentecost asked Peter and the rest of the apostles what they had to do, Peter replied, 'Repent ye, and get your picture taken, every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.' And when Ananias came to Saul of Tarsus there in Damascus, he said unto him as recorded in Acts 22:16, 'And now why tarriest thou? Arise and get your picture taken, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' So you can see, Ben, you, too, will have to get your picture taken or you can never be saved!" ("J. D. Tant--Texas Preacher," p. 467). (The above is excerpted from "Hugh's News & Views" of April 22, 2014).

 

Other Articles

Forsaking True Worship
Have You Ever Been a Seeker?
An Undeclared War
Getting Tougher Minded
There Is A Higher Standard
Too Late for Tears
Worthy of Worship
Assuming the Better