Baptism

Were you Baptised as an infant or child? What is Baptism for? Should you be Baptised again when you're older if you have been Baptised in your youth? Please read our article on Baptism. Discover one woman's answers to these questions, then consider if you should be Baptised again. For in depth information, there are books on Baptism.  Amazon.com is a great place to buy books and many other things.  Have a look at the books below.  If you don't see one that interests you, just click on the Amazon logo and search for more.

Immersed In Love by Angelica Candelaria    12/29/07 On October 21, 2007, I was baptized. For the Christian, water immersion is replete with symbolism. It is an act of obedience proceeding repentance of sin and trust in Jesus Christ--an "appeal to God for a good conscience" (1 Peter 3:21) stemming from an already established faith in Christ. As God's only begotten son, Jesus alone was qualified to live a perfectly righteous life, culminating in an excruciating death upon a rugged Roman cross. It was here that He fully and willingly absorbed God's holy and just wrath toward sinners, thereafter rising from the dead and granting those who would believe in Him eternal life (Colossians 1:21-23; Ephesians 2:1-9.) On this glorious truth the believer rests and is compelled to be baptized, publicly identifying himself with Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12.) One may ask, "Why water immersion and not something else?" The water symbolizes the cleansing of sin that Christians have experienced as a result of God's redemptive work through Christ. Jesus Himself was baptized as an example to all who would follow Him. As a woman raised in a Roman Catholic household, I had been "baptized" in my infancy, oblivious to its occurrence and ignorant of its significance. This seemingly momentous occasion in my early life was not so much as a vague recollection within my mind and I therefore paid it little consideration. At least, not until I became a Christian in late 2003 and began studying the Bible. Even then, I did not immediately recognize the meaning and importance of baptism in the life of a believer. The inevitable question arose: Did my infant baptism fit the biblical model? In my reading of Scripture, I discovered that the answer was a resounding "no." I realize that I have brothers and sisters in the faith who have likewise searched the scriptures and drawn distinct conclusions. Indeed, I have read several compelling arguments that appear to support the concept of infant baptism and I would be remiss if I did not briefly include a couple of them here despite any personal disagreements. There are sections in the New Testament (Acts 16:15, 33; 1 Corinthians 1:16) that seem to favor the idea of infant baptism. Herein, entire households are cited as being baptized, and supporters of infant baptism (at times referred to as "paedobaptists") deduce from these verses that infants were included. This is possible, yet it is an argument from silence, at best. It is also incongruent with a number of other baptismal accounts in the New Testament. Another argument used to sustain the paedobaptist view regards the continuity of covenantal signs. Under the Old Covenant, God commanded His people (the Jews) and their children to be circumcised, thus indicating their covenant with Him. Paedobaptists assert that under the New Covenant, circumcision has been replaced by baptism as a covenantal sign. However, circumcision was designed to set Israelites (along with their servants, irrelevant of ethnicity) apart from members of surrounding pagan nations. Not all who bore this distinguishing mark enjoyed a genuine, personal relationship with God. In fact, many of them rebelled and refused to obey Him, thus breaking the covenant. On the contrary, New Testament baptism is meant to follow repentance of sin and trust in Jesus: it is the result of a heart transformed by God in Christ. Neither circumcision nor baptism, in and of themselves, serve to declare a man righteous before God. They also do not guarantee future repentance and trust in Jesus. While a child born to Christian parents may enjoy the peculiar blessings of belonging to a godly household, he is not "saved by association" or externalities. God must draw the child to Himself, that he may repent and believe. It must be clarified that a believer does not lose his salvation if he fails to be baptized. The thief upon the cross is an oft-used and appropriate example of this (Luke 23:39-43.) However, his circumstances were quite extraordinary. Believers must earnestly seek to be baptized, for they are commanded by the Lord to do so. It is also important to note that as members of God's family, we must strive to attend the baptisms of brothers and sisters in our local congregation. It is a family affair that should not be disregarded after we ourselves have been baptized. Not only are we granted the unique opportunity to rejoice with those whom God has saved, yet we will be blessed in remembering anew the marvelous work God has performed within our own hearts. Long before the foundations of the world were fashioned, it was God's purpose to create a New Covenant built upon Jesus Christ and His shed blood on behalf of transgressors. Unlike the Old Covenant, the New one is superior, for it cannot be broken. Under it, God's Holy Spirit indwells believers: they walk in newness of life, for His law is written upon their hearts. What a remarkable privilege it is to follow in our Lord and Savior's footsteps, reflecting this glorious reality through baptism! Comments

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