baptized ?

Have you been baptized ?

  • Yes

    Votes: 9 90.0%

  • No

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Total voters
    10
GlorytoGod

GlorytoGod

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Have you been baptized ?

I dont mean christening or infant baptism, actual baptism as an adult.

And do you think fully immersion is the way or just a lite sprinkling or does it not matter ?
 
I think water baptism ended with Jesus. John used water and told us that another will come that baptises in the Holy Spirit.

I think it may be a statement, a symbol, standing up in front of your peers and saying I'm doing this...there is a moment because of the significance created around it. And for some it be required to be immersed or sprinkled depending on how your church puts whatever energy into this.

But I think for many it means nothing as they didn't do it for themselves but succumbed to that peer pressure....and for others it means a lot...and for others..when they in their heart accepted Jesus as their saviour...that was all the baptism they needed, as the Holy Spirit entered then.

For me, sprinkled/christened/baptised as a infant.... plenty of baths and showers since, but formal dunking since (unless you count that time when I volunteered at the school carnival)

My kids have had nothing yet, and I look forward to their decisions...
 
I was baptized as an infant, and I said yes anyway.

In the denominations to which I have belonged, you do not need a second baptism if you already had one and then continued to grow in the Christian church.

The Bible says one baptism is sufficient, so I am not sure why a second baptism would be necessary, unless the person in question leaves Christianity and then returns and feels it necessary. I never left my faith in Christ, so why do it again?

This is one of those denominational debates. Personally, I think baptism can be done in different ways, and this doesn't negate or change its meaning. The symbolic and mystical meaning of baptism depend on the person being baptized and their own investment in the act- but as one baptism for the forgiveness of sin is Biblically sufficient for life, this investment can come later for those who are too young at the time.
 
path_of_one said:
I was baptized as an infant, and I said yes anyway.

In the denominations to which I have belonged, you do not need a second baptism if you already had one and then continued to grow in the Christian church.

The Bible says one baptism is sufficient, so I am not sure why a second baptism would be necessary, unless the person in question leaves Christianity and then returns and feels it necessary. I never left my faith in Christ, so why do it again?

This is one of those denominational debates. Personally, I think baptism can be done in different ways, and this doesn't negate or change its meaning. The symbolic and mystical meaning of baptism depend on the person being baptized and their own investment in the act- but as one baptism for the forgiveness of sin is Biblically sufficient for life, this investment can come later for those who are too young at the time.
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IMO Christening is not the same thing as Baptism as the infant has no choice in the matter, I am not saying that it is not a nice thing to do for some parents. I am talking Baptism as a choice that you make as an adult.
 
I understand that, but what I am saying is that when a child does not leave their faith in Christ, but continues to grow as a Christian throughout their life, they make a choice (as we all do) each day to live their lives for Christ. So why get sprinkled again?

Otherwise, it'd be quite confusing in a way. I was following Christ as far back as I can remember (about 3 or 4) and never stopped, so the concept to me of a moment where I "came to Jesus" and should be baptized doesn't really make sense. That moment was at such a young age that I can't even really remember it. Instead, I just have an ongoing memory of my relationship with Christ.

To get baptized again seems odd in my case, since there is no "AH-HA" moment. Instead, it's just a relationship that grows over time. I feel like baptism is a symbolic statement that you've now chosen to accept Christ as one's savior. But if you chose that a long time ago, why do the baptism again now? That's how I figure, anyway.

But then again, I think the question depends on whether or not one's church offers confirmation. In a church that does not offer the older child or adult confirmation, fully instructing them in the faith prior to their choice to become a member in the church, then baptism becomes a sort of double-duty ritual. In some traditions, such as the Lutheran, Anglican and Episcopalian churches, baptism is initiating a child into the body of Christ and the parents promise to raise the child in this way, and then later the child chooses if s/he wishes to become a full member of the church and affirm his/her faith through confirmation. This way, the child is fully instructed on the tenets of faith and practice in the church before making his/her decision.

This explains it pretty well:
The Baptism Service | Church of England

Here's information on confirmation:

Confirmation | Church of England

As the Bible offers one baptism for the forgiveness of sin, the church just goes along with that, and has other rituals for people who were already baptized and confirmed but want to affirm their baptism (for example, if they leave Christianity and then return):

Affirmation of Baptismal Faith | Church of England
 
path_of_one said:
I understand that, but what I am saying is that when a child does not leave their faith in Christ, but continues to grow as a Christian throughout their life, they make a choice (as we all do) each day to live their lives for Christ. So why get sprinkled again?

Otherwise, it'd be quite confusing in a way. I was following Christ as far back as I can remember (about 3 or 4) and never stopped, so the concept to me of a moment where I "came to Jesus" and should be baptized doesn't really make sense. That moment was at such a young age that I can't even really remember it. Instead, I just have an ongoing memory of my relationship with Christ.
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no offense but most children of 3 or 4 can barely wipe their own backsides let alone make an informed decision about a religious ritual ?
 
GlorytoGod said:
no offense but most children of 3 or 4 can barely wipe their own backsides let alone make an informed decision about a religious ritual ?
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ah, informed decision about religous ritual.

For most children in the world this 'informed decision about religious ritual' is made by the parents. Most will grow up atheist, secular, quasi religious, evangelical, catholic, baptist, buddhist, hindu, muslim, jewish, whatever, based not on any informed decision but indoctrination by their parents and/or community depending on which egg which sperm decided to fertilize.

Now the 'born again' does appear to often be an exception...many somewhere along the line made a choice to move from their upbringing and the ritual has a significance....(but out of all that I've known, I'd say over half slipped back out, or back to whence they came within 20 years)
 
By the time I was about 3-4, I had little picture books about Jesus' life and my mother read the Gospels to me. While I didn't understand intricacies of doctrine, I did know about, understand, and have faith in Jesus' life and teachings as recorded in the Gospels.

But then, by that time I already saw suffering in the world and wanted to participate in healing it. I already had been taught the basics of justice and mercy.

In case you're curious, I wrote my testimony here:
http://www.interfaith.org/forum/alternative-christian-awakenings-2688.html

I think that children can be deeply spiritual creatures if they are treated in that manner and encouraged in their faith. We dumb things down for kids and think they can't have a "real" faith or religion... I think they can. I know I did. I was fortunate to have parents who didn't treat me as if I couldn't be a spiritual person because I was young.
 
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I think water baptism ended with Jesus. John used water and told us that another will come that baptises in the Holy Spirit.
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True, John told us that one would come baptizing in the Holy Spirit, but the disciples continued to baptize in Jesus' presence. And in Acts, we have the examples of water baptism with Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch as well as Peter and Cornelius. Maybe water is symbolic of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and is needed to drive the point home to a lot of people.
 
So has anyone here actually been Baptized as an adult or it just me ?
 
I think it is symbolic- a statement to the community that one is dedicating himself or his child to the Christian faith.

But I do think it may also have mystical value. Communion, for example, is a symbolic action, but I also find it is mystical- that it is transformative. It's symbolic for me, but not in the way that a stop sign is symbolic (i.e., the red sign stands for putting on the brakes).

For me, baptism stands for a certain commitment to the Christian faith, but it can be something more, as well. It can also have a transformative effect. That is, while I don't think baptism confers salvation (but rather symbolizes it), I do think it is possible that there is a feedback loop going on there, a sort of mystical strengthening in that commitment. Kind of hard to explain what I'm getting at, but hopefully it will be sort of intelligible. :eek:
 
GlorytoGod said:
So has anyone here actually been Baptized as an adult or it just me ?
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I was baptized twice...as an adult.

The first time was when I got 'saved' at the age of thirteen. Knowing I didn't want to go to hell, I went forward at the invitation of the service at the Baptist church I went to and was led to a back room where a deacon shared me the Gospel and asked me if I wanted to pray to get saved. So I did, and afetrward was told I could get baptized (full immersion) the next week. Since I witnessed my sister's baptism a few years earlier, I felt it the right thing to do, albeit I didn't quite understand it.

The second time I got baptized was 9 years later at age 22. Let me preface this. I had gotten into a low point in my life and tried various things to improve my life, but nothing seemed to work for me. At the time I was borderline agnostic (mainly because I kinda wanted my own thing). But before I really started spiraling, I turned back to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy and help from the road I was going. In that, I felt an enormous power of forgiveness, release, and love than I'd ever felt in my life, which I attribute as God's acceptance of me, despite myself, and my self-loathing (it's hard to continue hating yourself when someone else loves you more). Anyway, I began looking for a church and I ended up at an Apostolic church (long story). They believe that one not only have to be baptized in full submersion, but that you have to be baptized in Jesus name only (as opposed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as I did in the Baptist church), AND that you have to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (I was a bit naive then). They took their baptisms so seriously, that when I went under, one of my feet came out of the water, so that had to dunk me again, making sure that no part of my body came out of the water. So in essence, I've been baptized three times.

I eventually made my way back to a Baptist church, but needless to say, I'm done with getting baptized.
 
Dondi said:
I was baptized twice...as an adult.

The first time was when I got 'saved' at the age of thirteen. Knowing I didn't want to go to hell, I went forward at the invitation of the service at the Baptist church I went to and was led to a back room where a deacon shared me the Gospel and asked me if I wanted to pray to get saved. So I did, and afetrward was told I could get baptized (full immersion) the next week. Since I witnessed my sister's baptism a few years earlier, I felt it the right thing to do, albeit I didn't quite understand it.

The second time I got baptized was 9 years later at age 22. Let me preface this. I had gotten into a low point in my life and tried various things to improve my life, but nothing seemed to work for me. At the time I was borderline agnostic (mainly because I kinda wanted my own thing). But before I really started spiraling, I turned back to the Lord for forgiveness and mercy and help from the road I was going. In that, I felt an enormous power of forgiveness, release, and love than I'd ever felt in my life, which I attribute as God's acceptance of me, despite myself, and my self-loathing (it's hard to continue hating yourself when someone else loves you more). Anyway, I began looking for a church and I ended up at an Apostolic church (long story). They believe that one not only have to be baptized in full submersion, but that you have to be baptized in Jesus name only (as opposed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as I did in the Baptist church), AND that you have to be baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (I was a bit naive then). They took their baptisms so seriously, that when I went under, one of my feet came out of the water, so that had to dunk me again, making sure that no part of my body came out of the water. So in essence, I've been baptized three times.

I eventually made my way back to a Baptist church, but needless to say, I'm done with getting baptized.
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interesting story Dondi, thanks for sharing. I think some churches can get really anal about the whole thing of Baptism.

I was Baptized at a Assemblies of God Pentecostal church a little over a year ago fully immersed, was an amazing experience. Although whether one needs to be Baptized in water is open to debate, when I read about it the Bible it was something I wanted to do, no peer pressure or anything like that.

I just started thinking about it today because I realized that its been one year now since being Baptized :cool:
 
I have been baptized twice as an adult and both times full immersion. Baptism signifies death to the old man and rebirth in Jesus Christ. Its also and outward showing of an inward change. Jesus commanded we be baptized..

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost".
– Matthew 28:19.
 
Congrats on your baptism anniversary, G2G! :)

And by the way, I think it is perfectly fine to be baptized as an adult, and if that is when someone comes to Christ, I think that is the time to do it. Lots of people are baptized as adults, and some churches who don't have other rituals to commemorate a new stage in one's journey with Christ use baptism in this place, so some people do get baptized multiple times. Just depends on which church you go to, I suppose.
 
GlorytoGod said:
interesting story Dondi, thanks for sharing. I think some churches can get really anal about the whole thing of Baptism.

I was Baptized at a Assemblies of God Pentecostal church a little over a year ago fully immersed, was an amazing experience. Although whether one needs to be Baptized in water is open to debate, when I read about it the Bible it was something I wanted to do, no peer pressure or anything like that.

I just started thinking about it today because I realized that its been one year now since being Baptized :cool:
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I would like to stress that the second time really meant a lot to me (despite the church's misaligned views). I felt I was doing it for the Lord in a renewed spirit of service to Him. I understood the concept of being buried with Him and rising up in newness of life (Romans 6). I think there is something about baptism that opens one up for a deeper relationship with the Lord. I mean it was a time in my life that I came to the Lord not because I was looking for 'fire insurance', but because I was in need of help. I felt God reaching down to me in love and I had a genuine desire to seek the Lord and begin a real relationship with Him. And I have seen so much change in my life (though I'm still 'me'), only because I've learned to trust Him (how many jams have I gotten out of?).

Congratulations, G2G, on your one year anniversary!
 
Faithfulservant said:
I have been baptized twice as an adult and both times full immersion. Baptism signifies death to the old man and rebirth in Jesus Christ. Its also and outward showing of an inward change. Jesus commanded we be baptized..

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost".
– Matthew 28:19.
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why twice Faithfulservant ?
 
I've never been as an adult, just a wee baby. I think that the reason that John used water and Jesus's disciples continued to is a sign of those times. John, and Jesus and his disciples were preaching to people of Jewish faith, who believed highly in being cleansed with water and it cleansing the spirit as well. Like the mikvahs were used. With living (moving) water. I believe that was the reason that water was so important, and why it was such a big deal that someone would be able to cleanse the soul without water.

So I don't believe that the water is an important factor except psychologically. But full immersion in water is still ideal.
 
I think if I were ever to be baptized again, which is unlikely since my denomination only does it once per person, I'd like to do it in a river or the ocean.

It just seems kind of artificial in the church. It'd be neat to do it the way John the Baptist did it- as immortalitylost says, in living water. There is a different feeling to rivers and such, to flowing water, than stagnant pools. In some Druidic practice, one has ritual cleansing from running water before ceremony (consisting of worship/praise, meditation, and the like) and when I'm out in the woods, I often do this in the river. There is something about the natural world and its provisions from God that is really moving to me.
 
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