Is there ever a justification for being "re-baptized"? I have questioned my baptism. I was very young and really did not comprehend the seriousness of what I was doing. I accept considered being baptized again, but some say that it would not be right to be baptized a second time.

Your question is a very legitimate 1. In that location are some people, even amid religious leaders, who oppose any form of re-baptism.

For example, in 1996, the Full general Conference of the United Methodist Church at a convention conducted in Denver, Colorado debated the matter of re-baptism. A position newspaper issued by the conference declared that Methodists who were baptized as infants should never exist baptized once again. The document explicitly stated:

"Whether a baptized babe grows up to be a professing Christian or not, that baptism stands valid."

This position is flawed in many particulars, having no scriptural support whatsoever.

New Testament Precedent for Being Immersed a Second Time

While on his third missionary campaign, the apostle Paul came to the city of Ephesus. There, he encountered twelve men who formerly had been baptized with the type of baptism administered by John the Baptizer.

One might be inclined to conclude, therefore, that the apostle would have accustomed these men as they were and merely organized them into a church.

Merely such was not the case. After questioning them as to the nature of their earlier baptism and determining that their pre-baptism instruction on the previous occasion had been defective in essential details, Paul immersed these men into Christ (meet Acts nineteen:1-v). A simple understanding of the text reveals that their beginning baptism was deficient in some way.

And hither is an extremely important implication of this example of re-baptism. The example clearly demonstrates that in lodge for i's baptism to be valid, accurate teaching and understanding must precede the rite. Otherwise, the act of baptism is a meaningless exercise and not based on faith (Rom. 10:17).

True Baptism — A One-fourth dimension Act

18-carat baptism is needed only one time in a person's life. Once a person has been baptized according to the full complement of scriptural instructions, he or she never has the demand to echo this new-birth process (cf. Jn. 3:3-5).

Later a person has entered the family of Christ through baptism (1 Cor. 12:thirteen; cf. Gal. 3:26-27), he is a part of the church, the household (family) of God (one Tim. 3:xv; cf. Eph. 2:xix-22). The new Christian has access to all of the spiritual benefits of the in-Christ relationship (Eph. 1:3).

Equally a son or daughter of God inside that sacred surroundings, the Christian prays to the heavenly Male parent for his or her personal needs by ways of prayer (see Acts eight:22, 24; cf. Jas. 5:sixteen) — including forgiveness for sins as we fail to live perfectly before God (cf. 1 Jn. one:8; ii:one).

Qualifications for Baptism

Unfortunately, there are many in today's world of Christendom that do a grade of what they call "baptism."

When we compare what is practiced and taught past many with what the Bible teaches, we can see that a variety of doctrinal errors take developed that are non found in God's word. Those corruptions invalidate a baptism and make it of none effect.

Therefore, many who accept been administered what was chosen "baptism" merely, in fact is not truthful biblical baptism, need to be baptized again — this time with a more authentic agreement that precedes the result, just like the case in Acts 19:1-five.

Here are some situations in which re-baptism would be warranted.

Baptism without faith or understanding

If one was "baptized" equally an infant, thus was defective personal faith (Mk. 16:sixteen; Acts 11:21), he should repudiate the meaningless earlier rite in which he had no determination-making power, even though his parents were sincere in subjecting him to the procedure.

In genuine religion, he should submit to the command in the proper way. Infants have neither the need nor the ability to respond to the gospel of Christ.

The aforementioned would be true for young children also young or young to understand their accountability to the plan of salvation.

Information technology is a tender matter to discover young children who want to please God. But many times, their desire precedes their understanding and accountability for personal sin.

If an adult concludes that they need to be re-baptized because they were baptized as an infant or equally a sincere but young child, nosotros would encourage them to be immersed in faith and obedience. Thus, they can be assured of the forgiveness of their sins. Their determination will bring peace of mind and confidence by knowing they are obeying God from the heart with full agreement.

Baptism without immersion

If i was "baptized" in some fashion other than past immersion, then he needs to be baptized with the proper grade. The give-and-take "baptism" literally translated means immersion, not sprinkling or pouring.

True baptism pictures the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sinner is buried in water and raised from this symbolic grave (cf. Rom. 6:3-4; Col. ii:12) just every bit the Lord was cached and then raised from the dead.

Truthful baptism validates and proclaims one'south faith in the expiry and resurrection events. Being sprinkled with h2o or having water poured upon the caput is no baptism at all. Such substitutes are without sanction in the New Attestation. They are post-apostolic innovations.

Baptism without repentance

Baptism without truthful repentance is as well ineffectual. I in one case heard nearly a man who emerged from the baptismal pool, turned to his wife, and said: "I hope y'all're satisfied!"

No who is baptized without proper motive (and other prerequisites) tin have validity in the divine scheme of things. Even John warned those who came to be baptized for a bear witness without repentance. Only God'due south wrath awaited those who were baptized with such false pretenses (Mt. 3:7).

Baptism without organized religion

If one is "baptized" without a sound organized religion, the ritual would exist of no avail.

One might experience, for instance, that Jesus was a good man, perhaps even a "perfect man" — as the "Jehovah's Witnesses" allege. Every bit sincere every bit these may be, they deny that Christ is the Son of God (i.east., deity).

And even so, for various other reasons, they might desire to be baptized. Merely baptism grounded on false organized religion cannot be deemed as genuine.

Baptism without purpose

If 1 has yielded to baptism for some purpose other than that which is supplied by God's give-and-take, he has non obeyed the Lord.

Baptism is never defined as "an outward sign of an inward grace." It is not a mere representation of redemption for those who accept already received forgiveness.

The purpose of baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), to have sins "washed away" (Acts 22:16), to put the candidate "into Christ" (Rom. 6:iii-four; Gal. 3:26-27), or into his "body" (1 Cor. 12:13). At this point, he is "saved" (Mk. sixteen:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).

The common resistance to the biblical proposition that baptism comes before salvation constitutes a bold rejection of the manifestly testimony of Scripture. One cannot be immersed "for the remission of sins" (Acts two:38), if he believes his sins have been remitted already.

Your soul is also valuable, the programme is also unproblematic and the remedy too easy to access to adventure — hoping that a former "baptism" will exist alright in spite of the deficiencies associated therewith.

If you have any question nigh a previous baptism, I would encourage you to be safe and arrange for your baptism co-ordinate to your informed knowledge.

If nosotros may assist you lot in this regard, feel gratis to contact united states of america for counsel.