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"I need to be baptized again....."

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Jkdbuck76, Jun 25, 2011.

  1. Jkdbuck76

    Jkdbuck76 Well-Known Member
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    I've had this happen twice in a few years. An adult baptist requesting to be baptized again because back when they were baptized the first time, they "didn't understand it."

    One was an old woman who was feebleminded and said she needed to be "cleansed" because it didn't feel right the first time. So I told our Pastor the full story and said "I don't think she's right in the head anymore--besides, the water doesn't cleanse--the blood of Christ does." So he talked with her and one of the ladies in the church convinced her not to. I even told the Pastor I would NOT baptize her.

    The second was a young man; probably late 20's. He said he wanted to be baptized again because even though he made a profession of faith when he was young and was baptized, that he didn't understand what baptism really was and that he wanted to be baptized again. I don't know what he meant by "I really didn't understand what it meant, but I do now."

    What do you think? Has this happened to you? Do we baptize baptists a second time? When should you? Or should you even? What is right? What about "One Lord, one faith, one baptism"?
     
  2. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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    I do not believe in rebaptism unless the original dunk was into a cult (JWs, Mormons). We are baptized upon a confession of faith. If the guy made a confession that was credible to the church he was in, that is all that is needed.

    Steve
     
  3. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    I see no reason why a person shouldn't be baptized a second time if they have questions about the authority or purpose of the first.

    In the case of your elderly lady, I'd have to agree with how you handled it. In the case of the young man, it seems he might need some more instruction in the matter, but once he understands fully the concept then I see no reason why he shouldn't be baptized a second time if he still wishes.
     
  4. preacher4truth

    preacher4truth Active Member

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    You may try this: Have them write down everything they need to do to "get to heaven."

    Then, if they hand you a list, read it off to them, and ask if there is anything else. Sometimes they'll say "that too." In any case this is your opportunity.

    Then explain it is only through Christ. Ask them if perhaps they are coming forward, maybe they've been doubting they were ever born again, and ask if they want to come forward, sincerely trusting in Christ alone this time, to save them. You know what to do from there.

    See what they say. Then of course disciple them afterwards with assurance of salvation passages &c.

    This wouldn't work on the older woman, since she sounds confused.
     
  5. webdog

    webdog Active Member
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    Agreed with mengeriekeeper...we are not to be baptism police in gauging another's doubt about baptism. If they felt they were baptized in an unworthy, unbiblical manner in the past, who are we to decide this for them?
     
  6. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Upon examination of the person the elders can help them determine if they had made a false profession....they walked the aisle, or raised the hand,
    but then later God actually converted them....or if they had a valid profession of faith...and are now struggling with their assurance of faith because of failing to mortify indwelling sin.
    This struggle against sin is on going throughout life....so you do not want to be getting re-baptized every other week.

    If the person knows they were not converted.....but just "accepted" an "invitation"....then" re-dedicated "themself many times because what they did was in the flesh.....their original baptism was not believers baptism, but in reality was unbelievers baptism.
    We believe in believers baptism.
     
  7. exscentric

    exscentric Well-Known Member
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    I was raised in a Christian Church. My mother pushed me into the aisle one Sunday morning to go forward. I hadn't been listening to the invitation, did not know what baptism was so stepped back into the pew.

    Few weeks later a friend was being baptized so I told the preacher "me too." He chickened out and I got dunked not knowing why I was wet.

    The next Easter I was standing on the interior church steps looking at the screen in the sanctuary when Christ was pictured on the cross. My mind was going over why I had gotten up so early for the sunrise service, why Easter was a big deal and why in the world they killed Christ on a cross.

    It was couple years before a fundamental pastor in another church shared the Gospel with me.

    In my second year of Bible college I decided being baptized for real would be a good thing to do.

    I certainly hope we rebaptize.

    Weren't some of our "Baptist" forfathers known for rebaptizing? They were dunked as babies and knew that was not the proper format.
     
  8. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    no big deal....It doesnt save you anyway.
     
  9. Alive in Christ

    Alive in Christ New Member

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    My view is that if anyone has any concern whatsoever regarding thier 1st baptism, by all means baptize then again. Why not? :wavey:

    If it were me I would say....absolultely I'll re-baptise you! Do you want to find some water somewhere and do it right now, or do you want our pastor to do it in front of those assembled? Your choice.
     
    #9 Alive in Christ, Jun 25, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 25, 2011
  10. Jon-Marc

    Jon-Marc New Member

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    I was baptized twice, but the first time I wasn't saved. That's the only reason to re-baptize in my opinion.
     
  11. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    We have had requests to "baptize" people who were duly regenerated and immersed in a Baptist church

    A couple wanted a "do-over" as a public testimony.
    Another couple wanted to be baptized with their 10-12 year old children as a symbol of family unity
    Many have asked on our trips to Israel (we're going Dec 2012 if interested) to be re-baptized in the Jordan, in the Pool of Siloam and one even in the Dead Sea!!

    What do you all see as the harm in a person desiring to be immersed a second time for such reasons? Is this causing confusion or more a matter of personal decisions.

    {Historical note: Jewish baptism and baptism of John is often plural; symbolizing repentance and identification with the repentant ones, a mikvah was done many times a year. These plural washings are the pattern and precedent for Christian baptism.)
     
  12. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    I get a bit uneasy when I read about using baptism to satisfy a personal whim.

    One of our posters described baptism as "no big deal" since it does not save. It is a big deal. For centuries people have been killed, burned at the stake, drawn and quartered because they refused to baptize infants and insisted that baptism was for believers only.

    Baptism is also the door to the local church. Therefore, it is the church's responsibility to determine whom it will baptize.

    Now, if someone has been sprinkled (as an infant or adult); if someone was baptized believing it was necessary for salvation; or if someone was baptized by a church not of like faith and order, then immersion is warranted.

    Baptism is too dear and too many people have died, for us to trivialize one of the ordinances given to us by the Lord Jesus.
     
  13. Earth Wind and Fire

    Earth Wind and Fire Well-Known Member
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    OK....answer me directly....Does it save?
     
  14. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    be "baptised" Again IF
    was either done as an infant, or by a "Church: not seen as Chrsitian, like JW/Mormons/Jesus Only Erc
    or if the person was baptised as an Adult, but NOT sure that when really saved, that was for "emotional rewasons/talked into it/faked being saved" etc!
     
  15. menageriekeeper

    menageriekeeper Active Member

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    And I'm probably one of the few here who thinks it shouldn't be except in the case of a new believer. (the door to church membership) Two examples to explain why:

    I was baptised "up north" when I was 7. When I was 10 we moved here to Alabama. My parents, for reasons they've never explained, refused to join a church here. We kids lost all contact with our previous lives. When I moved off, amist a huge family uproar that led to me having no contact with my parents for several years my then fiance/now husband wanted me to join his church. Guess what? In the intervening 15 years I had forgotten the name of the church we attended! I can perfectly well remember my baptism and even the preacher's name (though how it is spelled? no idea). The new church gladly accepted my statement of faith rather than disrespect my salvation and commitment to Christ. And when I moved from there, that letter moved with me. This is the way it should be done.

    Second story. I have South African neigbors who came to the US just about the time I was moving from one church to another. They were "taken in" by another local Baptitst congregation. However, because they had been saved at a Billy Graham meeting and baptised at a Methodist church they were required to be rebaptised "for membership". And you know what? It made them feel as if their salvation was being questioned and it ate at them enough that the husband no longer attends church very often anywhere and neither of them attends there.

    It doesn't take much to alienate people, but questioning the salvation of a mature Christian will certainly accomplish it in a hurry. We should think before we make baptism anything more than what it is: a public declaration of a new life in Christ.

    If folks want to do that over and over again, so be it. But don't require baptism where the scriptures don't.

    My two cents.
     
  16. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    NO....
    BUT
    Commanded to do such by the Lord, to become a visible sign of the salvation already done in you by Him..

    public confession/many see as required for Church membership...
     
  17. JesusFan

    JesusFan Well-Known Member

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    There is NO official baptist stance on what Churches considered"like minded and of like faith" though, correct?

    Just asking, as mine accepted as valid mine done in Assemblis of God as it

    was full immersion, believer baptism
    Evidence of true salvation, was saved before Baptism
    ThatChurch though Pentacotal is considered to be Evangical and a "real" christian Church group
     
  18. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Of course not. It still doesn't make it "no big deal."
     
  19. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Pentecostal churches such as the Assemblies of God are not of like faith and order. If they were, they wouldn't be Pentecostal.

    At the church I serve, we'd have to dunk you again.
     
  20. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    With this I agree. Sometimes churches disband, records are lost. Statements of faith and baptism are certainly acceptable.

    If they feel their salvation was being questioned, then how did they arrive at that? Somebody dropped the ball in properly explaining the meaning of baptism. Who taught them that baptism is necessary for salvation?

    You do understand that you are advocating allowing a candidate for membership in your church to dictate the terms of that membership, and to tell you the circumstances under which he will join. And you are also sympathetic to those who get their feelings hurt hurt if the church doesn't bend its policies to suit them.
     
    #20 Tom Butler, Jun 27, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 27, 2011
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