Comments on: Rebaptism: What Is It?

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:14:34 +0000

I am in a similar situation as KM. After being baptized as an infant in the Christian Reformed Church (an act that I was taught to believe was my initiation into the family of God and covenant akin to circumcision between God and my parents– not as salvific). Later as a teen I made a public profession of faith (no water involved) and became quite involved in the church. I have loved and served Christ for many years now.

Part 2: My husband has been offered a job as a pastor in a Mennonite Brethren Church and I would have to be rebaptized before he could be ordained there and before I could be a member.

+ I want to be a member of the church where my husband is serving and do not want to cause a big deal that will distract from his ministry there.
+ I have, over the years, come to believe that baptism is probably more Biblically a believer’s act and thus adulthood is a more appropriate time for this important symbol of sacrament.
- I do believe that baptism is a symbol of a heart attitude, turning towards God and confessing His lordship. Thus, I believe that is just what I did in my profession of faith though there was no water involved.
- I don’t believe that any baptism (original or ‘re’) should be taken lightly or redefined (i.e. as a ‘recommitment’ or sign of solidarity with a particular tradition)

I guess I want to know your opinions on how to humbly and honestly approach a baptism that really won’t mean anything to me theologically?

By: EricJ

EricJ — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:58:35 +0000

Rebaptism is a very serious issue as explained in the intro and shouldnt be taken lightly. It really at its core is about whether you believe Christ or not, that “you must be baptized for the remission of your sins” with water and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Its serious yet it is so simple. Our Lords words dont confuse, the message is very clear to those who have their ears open. He doesnt consider infant baptism as necessary for a baby who has no sin, no need to be saved because the child is innocent. The infant/child god forbid something terrible happens before he or she is of age to know right from wrong will not be judged and sent to eternal damnation. They will be with the Lord! So it goes without saying, once one attains to the age of accountability, they must be baptized as one of the steps to being saved.

- First one must hear the word
- One must believe the word
- One must be baptized with water via immersion
- One must repent of their earthly ways and sins
- Finally, one must fellowship, walk and live according to Gods plan.

I have a friend who when she was a teenager got baptized at an encampment at Yosemite back in the 70’s. I hadnt seen her for 20 years or so when she and her family showed up at church one evening to our surprise. She and her husband were down on their luck with 3 kids in their early teens. He was out of work, she had no work skills all this time and they were really hurting. During the next couple months Sue was confering with a few of the members as well as myself during a bible study and she brought up the question, “should i be rebaptized, i think i want to get rebaptized because i just think i need it”. I listened to Sue’s total recall of her original baptism and realized she gave her heart to Christ and that she understood her position with Christ before and after being saved. She was to my understanding fully saved as a teenager. Why did she want to be rebaptized? I explained to her that she has been going through a very tough period but that the Lord is still with her, she just isnt seieng him because she lacked the original focus and faith she posessed as a young adult. We explained that God never leaves his children and that her baptism is the same today as it was 25 years ago. All she needed was a little encouragement and some daily dosages of the word and she would be on track again with her Lord. Sue and her family are living and walking a life that makes our Lord proud!

By: Grace

Grace — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:29:52 +0000

My very godly grandmother was raised in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints — her mother was a member. They went to services about once a quarter. Her mother would have loved to have had a Book of Mormon, but her father wouldn’t spend the money for it. So, the only thing they had was the Bible! (God’s protection!)My grandmother was baptized (by immersion) at the age of 12 in the RLDS.

After she married my grandfather, who was Baptist, she began studying the Bible more deeply, because she wanted to know what the difference was between what she believed, and what the Baptists believed. She found little difference — little difference in what SHE believed, because she had had so little exposure to the actual teachings of HER CHURCH. She joined the small rural Baptist church (who were, evidently, somewhat lax on the subject, or were just unaware of the circumstances of her baptism)…she was active in the Baptist Women and was a state officer, taught Sunday School, led women’s Bible Studies in her home for over 20 years…

And yet, to the day she died at the age of 93 she was never rebaptized. I asked her about it one time. She said that different pastors had broached the subject with her, but she just couldn’t do it. She said, “When I was baptized, it was because I loved Jesus, and I KNEW I was saved. To be rebaptized would make a mockery of that.”

I have yet to meet a pastor of a SBC or similar denomination who, when I tell this story to, believe that her baptism was “valid”. I believe they are so very wrong.

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:32:44 +0000

I have a huge issue with the baptism = public profession of faith view. I have a good friend that is a regular attender of an SBC church. The guy can’t talk in front of a large crowd. It’s just not in him. If you talk to him one on one, he gives a credible profession of faith. The pastor requires his “testimony” before the congregation prior to baptism. My good friend is scared to death to speak before the congregation, and therefore is denied baptism. That is a sad commentary, especially when he is welcomed with open arms to the communion table.

By: Caleb Childers

Caleb Childers — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:05:45 +0000

I found this conversation very interesting. Ran accross it while reading up some stuff on Apologetics. I really like the conversation going on, and I know some may have said this in the past, but it is important to define baptism. This is the root of the issue. If baptism is not clearly defined, there can be no rebaptism. As mentioned in this essay, there are many different views of baptism, flooding from denomination to denomination,etc… Thus, the exhaustive clarity of rebaptism is only made through your view of baptism. Scripture can be misinterpreted to fit almost anything in life, and therefore a deeper look at the context of scripture and the motives behind certain passages is required. I have read muchado about baptism relating to membership. Growing up as part of the IMB(SBC’s mission board) I understand the Baptist theology behind this. However, I wish to consider myself a deep thinker. Every thinker knows that in order to get an answer, you must ask the right question. So in all reality, the question of “What is rebaptism? or is rebaptism necessary?” all comes down to where we come from, theologically speaking. And I would much rather go to the scriptures than base my entire argument off the bat with my baptist background, to which I dont refer to very often, but in some cases it might be necessary. I hope I havent left anyone thinking how ridiculous of a mind I may have, but my idea here is to challenge you to find the biblical foundation for truth, which is Christ, and what are their teachings on rebaptism. I think its pretty obvious there is no need for the theological argument for rebaptism, seeing as redemption is Gods game, and not ours.

By: Rick Ritchie

Rick Ritchie — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:31:54 +0000

I was rebaptized at Calvary Chapel after being baptized as an infant in the Presbyterian Church. Then in college, shortly after the rebaptism, I came in contact with some Campbellite (both Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ) Christians who believed not only that you had to be baptized to be saved, but that you had to believe that you had to be baptized to be saved WHEN you were baptized in order for the baptism to be valid. (I don’t know if that is their official doctrine or not, but that is how the college students reported it to me.) I decided to read the Reformers. I was surprised to discover a Grace Alone position that put a lot more weight on Scriptures that linked baptism to salvation (e.g. Acts 2:38) than I had done. (”Concerning Rebaptism” by Martin Luther was especially good.) My Calvary Chapel friends just tried to explain the verses away. I still think the Campbellites are guilty of legalism here, but I’m glad they pressed the verses on me.

I think my friend who was baptized next to me in the ocean was properly baptized. But I see my rebaptism as a non-event now. The first one took.

By: iMonk

iMonk — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:45:54 +0000

KM:

There are lots of people like you in SBC churches. Thousands.

By: KM

KM — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:44:37 +0000

K.W. Leslie – “I may not see rebaptism as any way necessary—since there is, as you said, only one baptism—but if my lack of it got in the way of my relationship and ministry to fellow Christians, I might do it lest I give offense. I might be right, and preach it till I’m blue in the mouth, but being right doesn’t further the Kingdom any.”

I’d like to respond to your post. I was baptised as an infant (Presbyterian), stopped attending church as a child after the death of a parent and joined the Church as an adult by Profession of Faith. I am currently attending an Evangelical Church that would require me to be re-baptised by immersion to become a member. I don’t feel that I need to be re-baptised and if I was it would be only because the denomination wanted me to do it. I would be doing it for them not for God. I would have to stand up there and give a testimony saying that I am doing this in obedience to the elders of this church. I would find this very difficult to do.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:32:57 +0000

Aliasmoi, your points are well taken. Thinking about all of this, it could be that my bias is cultural, being raised in the SBC tradition where baptism is equated with public confession. But, there is nothing really scriptural about that coupling, is there?

To poke more holes in my logic: what about Philip and the Ethiopian? Paul and the jailer? These were private baptisms. I assume they weren’t rebaptized.

So, yeah, you disturbed my day. In a good way.

By: Anna A

Anna A — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:43:04 +0000

I have some questions for those who strongly support rebaptisms, with the assumption that you tend to think of baptism as a sign, and Not a something life changing in itself.

If it is only a sign, why the emphasis on it? Being baptized doesn’t make a person a Christian any more than wearing a ceramic cross on the outside of your clothes does. Your actions will always speak louder than your words.

Why baptism, when a more effective sign would be either sharing your testimony or having other, mature Christians tell of your life and that it shows that you are a Christian?