Baptized But Not Born Again?

Q

Ephesians 1:13 says “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit…”: are these “having believed”people only the born-again ones? What I’m trying to figure out is the destiny of the baptized people who will not be raptured because they were not spiritually re-born: was the Holy Spirit sealed within them at the moment of baptism?

A

Everyone who believes in their heart that Jesus died for their sins and rose again is born again (John 1:12-13, John 3:5-8, Romans 10:9-10) and will be raptured. This is what Paul meant by the phrase “having believed” in Ephes. 1:13-14.

There are people who claim to believe in Jesus but who are not born again because they don’t really believe in their heart that He died for their sins and rose again. I call these people “Christians in name only”. Some of them may have been “baptized” as infants, but infant baptism is more of a “christening” or “dedication” and does not mean that the infant is born again. Only those who make an adult decision to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior based on their belief that He died for their sins and rose again can be born again.

Also, in Ephes. 1:13-14 Paul said it’s our belief that causes the Holy Spirit to be sealed within us. He didn’t mention anything about a baptism. Baptism is meant to be the public confirmation of a private decision to be born again. Without the private decision, the public confirmation is of no value.