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What is the meaning/purpose behind baptism? Also, is this a "personal" view or one that is practiced in your church? Also, can a person be baptised multiple times?
To me, baptism is a way of publicly announcing your decision to follow Christ. In my church people are baptized after accapting the Lord. There is much to the symbolism of baptism. It can symbolize dying to one's sin (going under the water) and then rising to new life in Christ (coming back up out of the water).
I don't have a problem with people being baptized more than once, but to me it would be unneccesary unless someone had completely turned their back on God and then returned to their belief. In that case, it may serve a purpose. I've also heard of people visiting Israel and being baptized in the Jordan River even though they have already been baptized at church. Kind of a "touristy" thing in that case.
I have always believed that baptizism it the symbol of what has happen to the life. It is done to represent a life that has changed!
That baptizism is the outward (public) confession of the inward change of the heart of repentance from sin, to following Christ Jesus who forgives us of our sin.
The immersing or sprinkling of water symbolized the cleansing and purification of the heart from sin.
That being baptized doesn't save us, it is the representation of the changed life, from death to life. A spiritual state.
I have seen individuals who at some time in their life went astray for a season and the Holy Spirit drew them back to the state of their commitment to Christ and the individual experience the conviction of being rebaptized.
Doing it over and over again I'm not to sure about that. Maybe someone else may have so knowledge of it.....
God Bless!
Last edited by Cyber Munchkin; 01-16-2008 at 11:59 AM..
Reason: add content
Baptism is our entry into Christian life. Baptism comes from the Greek baptizein, meaning "to immerse" or "to plunge" into water. It symbolizes our participation in Christ's death and Resurrection. Being immersed or washed in water signifies the removal (the "death") of sin. Rising from the water symbolizes our rising to the new life of grace (C1213-1216).
Last edited by weatherologist; 01-16-2008 at 12:44 PM..
Reason: typo
Baptism is our entry into Christian life. Baptism comes from the Greek baptizein, meaning "to immerse" or "to plunge" into water. It symbolizes our participation in Christ's death and Resurrection. Being immersed or washed in water signifies the removel (the "death") of sin. Rising from the water symbolizes our rising to the new life of grace (C1213-1216).
I agree completely with what you have posted!!!
Lord Bless!
Baptism is publicly identifiying oneself as being a follower of Christ. Christ tells his followers to get baptised and in the early church unlike today, people were baptised immediately following their descision to follow Christ by whomever led them to Christ. They were fully emersed in water to signify dying with Christ and then resurrecting with him. This is not a personal view or a view practiced by a Church but the view that's found in the Bible.
In Hebrews 6, Paul discourages the practice of going back to the basics over and over, including Baptism. Why anyway, would you need to be baptised again? Baptism in itself does not wash away sin, it is a symbolic act. Paul says that we should go on to perfection, i shall paraphrase that when you do fall away (whatever that means) you pick yourself up and instead to going back to the start of the race, continue from whence you left off.
What is the meaning/purpose behind baptism? Also, is this a "personal" view or one that is practiced in your church? Also, can a person be baptised multiple times?
Baptism is following an example set by Christ..He had no need to be baptized since he WAS the Christ, but he did to show us that we should humbly, publicly and unashamedly show the world that we believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Him..
What is the meaning/purpose behind baptism? Also, is this a "personal" view or one that is practiced in your church? Also, can a person be baptised multiple times?
Ro 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
According to the scripture baptism actually combines us with Christ in his death so that we can be raised with him. Essentially baptism into Jesus name is required for salvation. Not to say that if one became a Christian (whomsoever believeth John 3:16) and died before having a chance to be baptised that we would not be saved - rather, since we are instructed to do so how much trust (belief) can we really have in Christ if we think we know better?
There can be a reason for multiple baptisms:
Ac 19:4 Paul said, "John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus."
Ac 19:5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
When Paul was at Ephesus the believers there had been baptised but it was a baptism "of repentance". Baptism into the name of Jesus is a seperate event, the former is not required, the latter is.
1 Peter 3:20-22 (NIV)
20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Notice, the water symbolizes baptism, notbaptism symbolizes a goodconscience or pledge.
Baptism is one of the means of grace - God doing something for us, not we doing something for God.
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Baptism
My two cents
