a question of rotten fruit

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance...I baptize you with water. But one more powerful that I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." - John the Baptizer (Luke 3:8, 16)

I would never describe myself as a pentecostal, nor as an anabaptist, BUT at times I really have trouble with the concept of baptismal regeneration. Clearly not doing the historic debate sufficient justice by summing up in one sentence, I stand ready to be reprimanded (but here goes):

Baptismal Regeneration is the belief that the sacrament of baptism in and of itself is effective in regenerating a person from sin and death to new life in Christ. sola baptisma!

The strength of this position is that it rightly emphasizes that salvation is solely in God's hands and does not require anything from us (we just receive it). The weakness is that it can so easily become formalism that is divorced from personal and active faith and obedience.

Now, here I have to state that my concern here is NOT surrounding a theology of baptism (infants or believers? sprinkling or immersion?). My concern, rather, is why so many Christians don't look anything like what Jesus' taught and demonstrated. Why does the Church look so pagan most of the time. Why do we spend our money, rent DVDs, treat others, and spend our free time almost identically to the pagan world? Where is the fruit of our repentance?

For me, today (who knows what my answer will be tomorrow), the answer is in the Holy Spirit and fire that Jesus brings to our baptisms. Without denying or embracing the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, is it possible to say that most of us are capable of quenching the Spirit (1Thess 5:19)? Do I seek to embrace the gift of (purifying and transforming) fire and (empowering and guiding) Holy Spirit that Jesus brings to the baptismal waters? Or do I spend most of my life running away from the fire and Holy Spirit? Do I, instead, embrace my brokeness (a la Oprah's advice) and seek to be my own source of power and my own tour guide through life? Wow, that sounds like the self-help section at Chapters!

Is the fruit missing because I keep pushing away the gardener and keep refusing to be pruned?