What about Baptism? Is it a singular occurrence, or is it something that can be repeated depending on circumstances? Example: random person, raised Catholic, strayed from faith, decides to commit life to Christ, wants to be baptized. Does the infant baptism count for something? Is it a "questionable" practice? Is a second baptism a good or bad idea?
That's all for this week.
Yes, I am going to make the effort to post once a week. Oh, the baptism question was inspired by a conversation that I overheard in the library. It was interesting.
What I know of infant baptism is that it is a baptism into the physical church and not into the spiritual church. In such a case, what could be wrong with infant baptism? I believe it calls upon responsibility of the church members for this child's path to salvation. Of a second baptism...that can be iffy. I would suggest that if there isn't an introduction of the Holy Spirit upon the first baptism, that the person did not truly accept Christ, then an honest baptism is welcome. But all in all, Baptism is a social/public affirmation judging by scripture. The disciples had been baptized sometime before receiving the Holy Spirit. I can only believe that baptism isn't necessary for salvation. John the Baptist even lowers the importance of water baptism when he says of Jesus, " “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire..."
ReplyDeleteOf course it is not necessary, It does not say, "Be baptized and you shall be saved" The question is more whether a second baptism is wrong, or at least not to be approved when it comes second to an infant baptism.
ReplyDeleteNo. I do not believe that a second baptism is wrong. And the as to the infant baptism, it is a question of what it is a baptism into. Is it a baptism into the physical church body? Or is a baptism into the spiritual church body? Physical I can see nothing wrong with.
ReplyDeleteI know this is almost a two year old topic but I was looking through the archives and ran across this so I hope you don't mind adding my two cents in.
ReplyDeleteYou stated that the Bible does not say "be baptized and you shall be saved" but I think the Bible might disagree with you there. Jesus stated in Mark 16:16 that those who believe and are baptized shall be saved. Now this isn't a baptism of the Holy Spirit because this is part of the great commission in which He tells His disciples to go preach and to baptize (Matt. 28:19) so why would Christ tell them to go do something they couldn't accomplish?
In 1 Peter 3:21 it says that there is also an anti-type which does also now save us- baptism. We know this is a water baptism because of the verses previous comparing the flood in which 8 souls were saved through water. The Ethiopian eunuch even stated "see here is much water what hinders me from being baptized?" (Acts 8) Peter told the crowd on Pentecost that they must "Repent and be baptized *for* the remission of sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." That goes back to the Spirit baptism. If it were the case the verse would most likely read, "repent and let yourself be baptized by the Holy Ghost for the remission of sins and you will receive His gift," but it doesn't read that way.
Now I'm not saying, nor is the Bible saying, that it's the water that saves. It's the act of obedience. Being baptized is what puts us into Christ (Gal. 3:27) we are buried with Him (Rom. 6:4, Col.2:12) and if a person is not baptized for the right reasons then by all means a second baptism should take place (Acts 19:1-5). However notice again Mark 16:16 it is stated that those who believe are qualified for baptism. An infant, not knowing anything about scripture, cannot be baptized because they don't even know what the word "believe" even means! Also an atheist would not qualify since they don't believe in the first place so there would be no need to go any further. If they did start believing then baptism would have to take place in order to be saved.
2016 December
DeleteI'm glad you added your cents in :) I know I have been a long time coming in seeing baptism in more of its importance. What you said about obedience is particularly important. He said to baptize, to be baptized, so we must obey. It is for the forgiveness of sins, which we absolutely need.
The more I reflect on scriptural baptism, the more I see the good sense in infant baptism and in only one time being baptized.