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Religion

2013-02-01 09:55:58

Questions on baptism

Q-Must a person be baptized in order to be saved? If a person who is already baptized in a Christian church, changes to another church, is it necessary for him/her to be re-baptized? If one is not sure whether she/he was baptized, should she/he be baptized again?

A-In the area of the sacraments you will find a wide range of different beliefs and even interpretations of some of the same scriptures used to affirm a particular denomination’s practice. For instance, even with our first question, the Catholic Church in the Council of Trent in Session VII, De Baptismo, (primarily written by Tertullian for the church in early 210AD) declared that the belief, “Baptism is free, that is not necessary for salvation” was heresy. However, this belief is held by most protestant churches. The Church of Rome holds that in Baptism salvation is bestowed and entrance into the family of God begins at infant baptism. (John 3:5) Other groups, like the Mormons, that claim to be Christian, think baptism is so necessary that they baptize the dead or will baptize by proxy their loved one if they have died without baptism. Joseph Smith claimed Paul’s writing in 1 Corinthians 15:29 referred to that procedure. On the other side of the Christian spectrum some protestant groups like the Salvation Army and the Quakers do not believe it is necessary and don’t practice the institution of baptism. Both groups believe that “how a person lives their life is a sacrament and the formal observances are not necessary…baptism is an inward act, not outward, act.” (Romans 2:29} The same diversity is held in the second question. Some churches will not accept you into their fellowship if you are not baptized by their church or their way or in their belief of baptism. Some churches say if you are not baptized by believer’s immersion baptism that it is of no effect to you. They hold that you had no idea what was going on and you did not believe. They claim New Testament baptism is believer’s immersion baptism. (Acts 2:38; 8:26-40} On the other hand some point to the Baptism of the Philippian jailor and “all his household were baptized” {16:33} which indicates infant baptism, children, women and slaves. They point out that the early church accepted it as signifying God’s work of inward washing already in a young life as entrance into the body of Christ. To some churches the mode is very important because it speaks to a church’s theology. The Catholic Church bestows salvation at infant baptism; some see it as entrance, others in the hope of the promise God has placed on the child for salvation. Others feel that it is totally wrong to baptize an infant so they dedicate their children to the Lord and only baptize them when they personally accept Jesus as Lord and savior as a mature child or adult of their own volition. Some feel strongly even about the words used in the ceremony saying it has to be in the Trinitarian formula, “Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” {Matthew 28:20} Others, like the Oneness Pentecostals, hold that it is only to be done “in the name of Jesus.” {Acts 17:11} Now having an understanding of the wide field of beliefs and practices in Christianity with baptism, I want to answer all three questions from my understanding of the scriptures beginning with the last question. If you haven’t been baptized then you should for several reasons. First, for the scriptures call us to be baptized. {Acts 2:38, 41} Second, Jesus submitted to baptism in obedience to the Father. {Mark 1:9} It’s a visible sign and advertisement of our allegiance to Christ through the washing away of our sin, the burial of our old nature and being raised in Christ as new creatures. {Romans 6:3-10} Now if you have already been baptized as a Christian, the scriptures testify that “there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, {6} and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.” {Ephesians 4:5-6} These are the words of God as Paul addresses the body of Christ speaking about its unity. Now I understand that this may not be acceptable to some denominations as you look at their theological distinctions. This you must pray and seek God’s guidance. As you search the scriptures, ask yourself how and what is the most important thing in God’s eyes? Whether I get re-baptized or not, is that crucial? If a person truly comes to Christ and is not baptized, will that keep him out of heaven? Will it affect a person’s eternal destiny? We can say with scripture absolutely not. In Ephesians 2:8 we are saved totally “by grace through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God!” Not even baptism. Grace from beginning to end! Paul had this heated debate with Peter and with the Jewish Christians of Galatia and wrote the book of Galatians because of the problem. He says adding anything to the gospel is a distortion. {Galatians 1:7}Then look at the strong words he uses in verses 8 & 9; “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!{9}As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Baptism is not necessary to save us, but we do it out of obedience in affirming our belief in His grace. God gave us baptism to show what words fall short to say! In Him, PD.