{"id":89,"date":"2019-01-25T05:07:16","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T05:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cusens.co.za\/?page_id=89"},"modified":"2019-04-30T07:02:21","modified_gmt":"2019-04-30T07:02:21","slug":"baptism-re-baptism-dedication","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/baptism-re-baptism-dedication\/","title":{"rendered":"Baptism"},"content":{"rendered":"

We should<\/strong> only be baptized once we have been saved<\/strong>. (Repent \/ Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior – Who Died on the Cross of Calvary for our Sin \/ Be reborn in the Holy Spirit and of Water)<\/p>\n

Jesus Explains First Hand to Nicodemus what it means to be Born Again:\u00a0https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/commentaries\/the-fourfold-gospel\/by-sections\/jesus-talks-with-nicodemus.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Being baptized as a child is a religious event. A child has no sin<\/strong>. Jesus was an adult when he went to be baptized by John. Nowhere in the scripture \/ bible is there mention of: the baptism of children, (Except where there is mention of a entire “Household” being Baptized) this is a Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, practice \/ and not found in many other Denominations –\u00a0https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Infant_baptism<\/a><\/p>\n

Rather:\u00a0Proverbs 22:6 –\u00a0Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it<\/span><\/h3>\n

Question:<\/strong> Is there ever a justification for being \u201cre-baptized\u201d? I have questioned my baptism. I was very young and really did not comprehend the seriousness of what I was doing. I have considered being baptized again, but some say that it would not be right to be baptized a second time.<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/strong> Your question is a very legitimate one. There are some people, even among religious leaders, who oppose any form of re-baptism.<\/p>\n

For instance, in 1996, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church at a convention conducted in Denver, Colorado debated the matter of re-baptism. A position paper issued by the conference declared that Methodists who were baptized as infants should\u00a0never be baptized again<\/strong>. The document explicitly stated:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether a baptized infant grows up to be a professing Christian or not, that baptism stands valid.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This position is flawed in many particulars, having no scriptural support whatsoever.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

New Testament Precedent for Being Immersed a Second Time<\/h2>\n

While on his third missionary campaign, the apostle Paul came to the city of Ephesus. There, he encountered twelve men who formerly had been baptized with the type of baptism administered by John the Baptizer.<\/p>\n

One might be inclined to conclude, therefore, that the apostle would have accepted these men as they were and merely organized them into a church.<\/p>\n

But such was not the case. After questioning them as to the\u00a0nature of their earlier baptism<\/strong>\u00a0and determining that their pre-baptism instruction on the previous occasion had been lacking in essential details, Paul immersed these men into Christ (see Acts 19:1-5)<\/strong>. A simple understanding of the text reveals that their first baptism was deficient in some way.<\/p>\n

And here is an extremely important implication of this case of re-baptism. The case clearly demonstrates that in order for one\u2019s baptism to be valid,\u00a0accurate teaching and understanding\u00a0must precede the rite<\/strong>. Otherwise, the act of baptism is a meaningless exercise and not\u00a0based on faith<\/strong>\u00a0(Rom. 10:17).<\/p>\n

\/ One must Repent and Born Again –\u00a0\u201cJesus answered and said to him, <\/strong>\u2018Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God \u2026 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the\u00a0flesh<\/a><\/span>Sin is anything that goes against God\u2019s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The\u00a0lust\u00a0to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This…\u00a0More<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.\u201d\u00a0John 3:3-15<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

True Baptism \u2014 A One-time Act<\/h2>\n

Genuine baptism is needed only\u00a0one time<\/strong>\u00a0in a person\u2019s life. Once a person has been baptized according to the full complement of\u00a0scriptural<\/strong>\u00a0instructions, he or she never has the need to repeat this new-birth process (cf. Jn. 3:3-5).<\/p>\n

After<\/strong>\u00a0a person has entered the family of Christ through baptism (1 Cor. 12:13; cf. Gal. 3:26-27), he is a part of the church, the household (family) of God (1 Tim. 3:15; cf. Eph. 2:19-22). The new Christian has access to all of the\u00a0spiritual benefits<\/strong>\u00a0of the in-Christ relationship (Eph. 1:3).<\/p>\n

As a son or daughter of God within that sacred environment, the Christian prays to the heavenly Father for his or her personal needs by means of prayer (see Acts 8:22, 24; cf. Jas. 5:16) \u2014\u00a0including forgiveness for sins<\/strong>\u00a0as we fail to live perfectly before God (cf. 1 Jn. 1:8; 2:1).<\/p>\n

Qualifications for Baptism<\/h2>\n

Unfortunately, there are many in today\u2019s world of Christendom that practice a form of what they call \u201cbaptism.\u201d<\/p>\n

When we compare what is practiced and taught by many with what the Bible teaches, we can see that a variety of doctrinal errors have developed that are not found in God\u2019s word. Those corruptions invalidate a baptism and make it of none effect.<\/p>\n

Therefore, many who have been administered what was called \u201cbaptism\u201d but in fact is not need to be baptized again \u2014 this time with a more accurate understanding that precedes the event, just like the case in Acts 19:1-5.<\/p>\n

Here are some situations in which re-baptism would be warranted.<\/p>\n

Baptism without faith or understanding<\/h3>\n

If one was \u201cbaptized\u201d as an infant, thus was lacking\u00a0personal faith<\/strong>\u00a0(Mk. 16:16; Acts 11:21), he should repudiate the meaningless earlier rite in which he had\u00a0no decision-making power<\/strong>, even though his parents were sincere in subjecting him to the procedure.<\/p>\n

In genuine faith, he should submit to the command in the proper way. Infants have neither the\u00a0need<\/strong>\u00a0nor the\u00a0ability<\/strong>\u00a0to respond to the gospel of Christ.<\/p>\n

The same would be true for\u00a0young children too young or immature to understand their accountability<\/strong>\u00a0to the plan of salvation.<\/p>\n

It is a tender thing to observe young children who want to please God. But many times, their\u00a0desire precedes their understanding<\/strong>\u00a0and accountability for personal sin.<\/p>\n

If an adult concludes that they need to be re-baptized because they were baptized as an infant or as a sincere but immature child, we would encourage them to be immersed in faith and obedience. Thus, they can be\u00a0assured<\/strong>\u00a0of the forgiveness of their sins. Their decision will bring peace of mind and confidence by knowing they are\u00a0obeying God from the heart with full understanding<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Baptism without immersion<\/h3>\n

If one was \u201cbaptized\u201d in some fashion\u00a0other than by immersion<\/strong>, then he needs to be baptized with the proper form. The word \u201cbaptism\u201d literally translated means immersion, not sprinkling or pouring.<\/p>\n

True baptism pictures the\u00a0burial and resurrection<\/strong>\u00a0of Jesus Christ. The sinner is buried in water and raised from this symbolic grave (cf. Rom. 6:3-4; Col. 2:12) just as the Lord was buried and then raised from the dead.<\/p>\n

True baptism validates and proclaims one\u2019s faith in the death and resurrection events. Being sprinkled with water or having water poured upon the head is no baptism at all. Such substitutes are without sanction in the New Testament. They are post-apostolic innovations.<\/p>\n

Baptism without repentance<\/h3>\n

Baptism without true repentance is also ineffectual. I once heard about a man who emerged from the baptismal pool, turned to his wife, and said: \u201cI hope you\u2019re satisfied!\u201d<\/p>\n

No who is baptized without proper\u00a0motive<\/strong>\u00a0(and other prerequisites) can have validity in the divine scheme of things. Even John warned those who came to be baptized for a show without repentance. Only God\u2019s wrath awaited those who were baptized with such false pretenses (Mt. 3:7).<\/p>\n

Baptism without faith<\/h3>\n

If one is \u201cbaptized\u201d without a sound faith, the ritual would be of no avail.<\/p>\n

One might feel, for instance, that Jesus was a good man, perhaps even a \u201cperfect man\u201d \u2014 as the \u201cJehovah\u2019s Witnesses\u201d allege. As sincere as these may be, they deny that Christ is\u00a0the Son of God<\/strong>\u00a0(i.e., deity).<\/p>\n

And yet, for various other reasons, they might desire to be baptized. But baptism grounded on\u00a0false faith<\/strong>\u00a0cannot be accounted as genuine.<\/p>\n

Baptism without purpose<\/h3>\n

If one has yielded to baptism for some purpose other than that which is supplied by God\u2019s word, he has not obeyed the Lord.<\/p>\n

Baptism is never defined as \u201can outward sign of an inward grace.\u201d It is not a mere representation of redemption for those who have\u00a0already received<\/strong>\u00a0forgiveness.<\/p>\n

The purpose of baptism is \u201cfor the remission of sins\u201d (Acts 2:38), to have sins \u201cwashed away\u201d (Acts 22:16), to put the candidate \u201cinto Christ\u201d (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27), or into his \u201cbody\u201d (1 Cor. 12:13). At this point, he is \u201csaved\u201d (Mk. 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).<\/p>\n

The common resistance to the biblical proposition that baptism comes before salvation constitutes a bold rejection of the plain testimony of Scripture. One cannot be immersed \u201cfor the remission of sins\u201d (Acts 2:38), if he believes his sins have been remitted\u00a0already<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Your soul is too valuable, the plan is too simple and the remedy too easy to access to gamble \u2014 hoping that a former \u201cbaptism\u201d will be alright in spite of the deficiencies associated therewith.<\/p>\n

If you have any question about a previous baptism, I would encourage you to be safe and arrange for your baptism according to your informed knowledge.<\/p>\n

By\u00a0Wayne Jackson<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

From\u00a0https:\/\/www.christiancourier.com\/articles\/656-do-i-need-to-be-re-baptized<\/p>\n

\n

Question: “I have sinned. Do I need to be baptized again?”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Answer:\u00a0<\/strong>The question of whether a person who has sinned should be baptized again is a fairly common one. First, it is important that we understand what baptism is. Baptism does not save us or wash away our sins. Baptism is simply an illustration of what has occurred in a believer\u2019s life when he\/she believes in Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

Baptism illustrates a believer\u2019s union with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.\u00a0Romans 6:3-4<\/a> teaches us, \u201cOr don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”<\/p>\n

The action of going under the water pictures being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water illustrates Christ\u2019s resurrection and our identification with Him as we are raised to \u201cwalk in newness of life\u201d (Romans 6:4 KJV<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Baptism is important because it is a step of obedience\u2014a public declaration of faith in Christ and commitment to Him<\/strong>, and identification with Christ\u2019s death, burial, and resurrection. If we know Jesus Christ as Savior and understand what baptism signifies when we are baptized, then we do not need to be baptized again.<\/p>\n

If we did not know Jesus as Savior when we were baptized, then we do need to be baptized again. If we knew Jesus as Savior but did not truly understand what baptism signifies, then perhaps we do need to be rebaptized. But this is a matter of conscience between the believer and God.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to understand that believers will continue to sin, although sin should have less and less of a hold on us as we mature in Christ, and the incidence of sinning should continue to lessen throughout our lives. When we do sin, we should confess it to God, asking Him to forgive us and to restore our intimate fellowship with Him. We have the promise that \u201che is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness\u201d (1 John 1:9<\/a>). Nowhere does the Bible say we must be rebaptized to be forgiven.<\/p>\n

From\u00a0https:\/\/www.gotquestions.org\/baptized-again.html<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We should only be baptized once we have been saved. (Repent \/ Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior – Who Died on the Cross of Calvary for our Sin \/ Be reborn in the Holy Spirit and of Water) Jesus Explains First Hand to Nicodemus what it means to be Born Again:\u00a0https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/commentaries\/the-fourfold-gospel\/by-sections\/jesus-talks-with-nicodemus.html Being baptized […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":179,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":219,"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/89\/revisions\/219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cusens.co.za\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}