Do you believe there are circumstances under which a Christians MUST be re-baptised? Or should want to be re-baptised? For what reasons would a baptism be considered invalid and thus need to be redone?

I've always wondered this, myself.

I got baptized when I was 10-11. Then I entered my teenage years and got sucked into all sorts of sinful things... like watching The Simpsons and coming home after curfew.

Right now, I feel as though I've tarnished my baptism, and often think that I ought to be re-baptized as a way of showing that I accept the challenge now having a better understanding of what it means (15 years later).

But then, the question comes up as to whether it's actually necessary.

I guess, I don't have any problem with someone getting rebaptized to show their recommitment to the faith.

It strikes me wrong however, for one Christian to tell another that their baptism was invalid or insufficient because of the method used or their age when it happened. It think the validity of a baptism is between a person and God.

That particular issue is a little irritating to me because as I said in another thread, Baptists will never accept my first baptism because it was not by immersion. I think the quantity of water involved is really beside the point by this time. My husband is a Baptist and he accepts my first baptism, but I'll never be able to join a church with him.

Ok, since it sounds like you want to hear my view on baptism...here it is.

Baptism is just an outward sign that you've confessed your sins and that you are being sprinkled or submerged....either or....now you don't necesarily NEED to be baptized every time you confess or if you "feel" your baptism has "wore off". In our church, we don't believe in infant/child baptism because they cannot confess their faith or profess that they're a Christian. Know what I mean? Yes, I know many religions do this practice and well, it's totally up to them and their beliefs. But for myself, I got baptized at 18 and went throught catechism courses and studied it all. Then I got baptized and after that, received the first communion. Didn't mean to rub you the wrong way or anything....that's just my view on the subject. If you feel you need to be rebaptized for personal reasons, I'd suggest you talk it through with your pastor and perhaps take a baptism/catechism course to further educate yourself.

BTW: I'm Anabaptist/Mennonite. B)

I was baptized when I was an infant (sprinkling....that sounds funny! B) ), and haven't gotten re-baptized yet. Andie hasn't gotten baptized at all. My personal views are that baptism is an outward "proclamation" of your faith in God. But I also feel that it's not necessary for salvation. If I were to never get re-baptized OR if Andie for some reason didn't get baptized, I don't think that would keep us from entering the kingdom of God.....IMO... :)

I was "sprinkled" too. hehe. Our kids won't get baptized until they're old enough to know what it means and all. Baptism isn't a way of salvation, but rather you should be saved before the baptism. Of course, not being baptized won't keep you out of the kingdom of heaven. God truly knows your heart and your life. ;)

Also sprinkled as an infant...

My DH and I were baptized the same night (full body submersion) in 1999. I also believe this is a proclamation of faith and not necessary for salvation. And I think it can completely change someone's walk. I love to go to our church's baptism services just to hear everyone's testimonies and to watch the baptisms.

Very heated debate about this very subject on another forum.

Here are my thoughts, and it seems to have found agreement on all sides at the other place:

Baptism is not a requirement of salvation. Like loving your neighbor, baptism is a work. We are saved by grace through faith, not works (Eph. 2:8).

BUT

Like loving your neighbor, we are commanded to be baptized. It is a symbol of our love for our Lord. I do not believe the act of baptism achieves anything except fulfillment of a command.

This raises the question, in my mind: If we are faithful and love our Lord, will we not obey His commands? When we claim to love the Lord and consistently refuse to help a neighbor who's down - is our love for the Lord real? If we claim to love the Lord and refuse to be baptized (whether by sprinkling, pouring or immersion), is our love real?

I was baptized at the tender age of 8 weeks. I had nothing to do with that. I was baptized again at the age of 30 because I came to the understanding that it was a profession of my faith. My infant baptism meant absolutely nothing to me or to God. I also had this argument with my folks about my kids. My parents wanted to have them baptized at their church, even though I disagreed.

In Conclusion

Baptism (from the Greek word baptizo - immerse) is not a requirement of salvation, but is a command we are to follow. "Repent and be baptized". I cannot speak for anybody out there - so don't start feeding my hypothetical (or real) situations and ask me to make a decision. That's between you and God. If you feel the need to be re-baptized, perhaps that is something you need to do. Pray about it. Ask the Spirit for guidance. It won't hurt to get wet again, and it may just set your soul at ease.

But what if we're feeling the "inkling" to get re-baptized BUT don't belong to a church? It's like I keep feeling the want to get re-baptized but we don't belong to a church & I don't see that anywhere in our near future.....I don't want to join just "any" church simply to get baptized....

Yeah !! I started this debate, and yet I don't have to Participate!! Wooo Hooo...

nah.. It's pretty civil in here... No one said anything whacky, I don't disagree w/ anyone's statement, I think it's just a symbol.

This is something I have a lot of trouble with as a Presbyterian girl that married a Baptist boy. I mean, how do WE know that it doesn't mean anything to God?

I'll have to find a real statistic sometime, but I bet far more people are baptised as infants than adults. Is there a whole section of Christendom out there that God shakes his head at and thinks, "If only they would get baptised again! Don't they know that no matter how much they profess their faith, believe in their first baptism and live by my Word, I simply can't count their baptism because it happened while they were infants?"

I'm willing to admit that adult baptism is probably the better way, but I have trouble thinking that God grants no validity or purpose to a baptism in infancy. Infant baptism has great import and value to those who practice it and they believe that they do what they do out of obedience to God. How can that mean nothing to Him?

The reason I said that about infant baptism is that I had absolutely nothing to do with it. It edified my parents and the church, but if baptism is a public profession of faith, how did I profess my faith at 8 weeks old? If baptism is for the remission of your sins, how could I consciously choose whether or not to follow God's example at 8 weeks old? There is nothing in my infant baptism that brings me any closer to God.

Infant baptism comes from the dark ages belief (immortalized by Dante) that unbaptized children are hell bound. The first level of Hell in Dante's Inferno was reserved for these unfortunate souls. Christ Himself said this is not so when He said "Let the little children come unto me."

But, my choice to be 're-baptized' was mine, and came after many weeks of discussion and study. Note that I was re-baptized at 30 but truly found Christ at age 36. This alone is fodder for many who say that I cannot be saved since I prayed 'The Sinner's Prayer' six years after I was baptized. I have discussed and prayed about this paradox for the last four years, and will likely continue to pray about it till the day I die. Is my baptism legitimate? I believe it is, but periodically someone will suggest it is not. Given a good reason, I'll contemplate it some more.

I believe it is up to the individual to determine their own obedience. I know some things as fact (Read the Nicene Creed), and the rest is opinion. I know what I believe about what I've written here, but it is open to debate. I will not condemn one who was baptized as an infant and doesn't believe it to be necessary now. You are still my brothers and sisters in Christ, and a few drops of water are not going to change that!

Peace!

First Can you finaad any scripture that says that Baptism is merely a "public profession of faith". THis idea that is is merely symbolic is unscriptural. Can you prove it otherwise? It is a protestan invention.
As for edifying the parents---you must have never read the baptism service to know what hapens. In the Orthodox Church, the parents aren't even involved in the infant baptism...
We believe that it is at the point of baptism that the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within the person, and like any adult who has been baptised, how you behave and conduct yourself thereafter is still entirely up to you. As a child, they are not able to make the conscious decision, so the parents must treach and lead them in the right direction. When they become aware of their choices and behaviors, they make the decisions on whether to be obedient to God or not, just as the adult batpisee does..

No so my friend. dante wrote based on the Roman Catholic belief, and we know that the Catholics got a bit off track and started killing people if they wouldn't convert, their teachings were way off and they were corrupt. Go back in time before Dante. Go back before the existance of Roman Catholicism. Infant baptism has its roots in the very beginning. I cannot remember the location, but do you remember in the Bible when they were baptising whole families ? That was the whole family. Not just the ones they deemed to be "old enough" or "Mentally mature enough to understand what they were doing" No. It was the whole family . That usually included children and babies. Also it is unscriptural to assume that one must be at an "age of accountability" before they can receive the Holy sacrament of Baptism.

Salovation is not a once in a lifetime moment. It is a process. Paul said we are to "Run the race." Salvation is like a lifetime journey from a place far from God and disobedient to him, to HIs presence and His glory. If it were a single event that happens in a split second, then paul didn't know what he was talking about. There was no "race" to run or a "fight" to be fought. IF saying this "sinners prayer" is all it takes and BAM your saved for all eternity, then what the heck did Paul think he was talking about?
Salvation is a process. "I am saved. I am being saved. I shall be saved" It requires someting more from us than what many protestant churches teach. Just saying the "sinners prayer" once is not enough.

Speaking og the "Sinner's Prayer" does anyone know where it came from and who invented it? All I know is that it popped up with the protestants sometime in the last 500 years. Hmmm.. I wonder if I can google its history.. That would be interesting.......

I don't know why I didn't ask this before, but what exactly is a re-baptism?

I was Catholic and got the baby sprinking. As an adult, I received a full-body submersion baptism. Is that what your calling re-baptism?