Multiple Baptisms

[Chanticleera]

I don't want to start WW3 here. I am aware of the divisions on belief of baptism. But this is a question that is starting to....bother me. So I am looking for advice. Let me give some background...

Back when I was about 13 or 14, my dad allowed me to choose my own church, prior to that he made me go to the catholic church because that was what I was raised in, and he wanted some continuity (long story involving an ugly divorce and custody battle). After some rather interesting visiting around, I ended up in a little country church that my best friend went too. When I say little, I mean little. Maybe 10 families? 20 people at the most. Mostly I just went to be with my friend. At times, my dad went with me. Sometimes I went alone.

But there was a nice lady there, and I was basically at that time a motherless girl. I adored her, she was always very friendly, very kind to me. And when one day she asked me and my friend to sit up front with her. Of course I was absolutely delighted. After the sermon - of which I paid absolutely zero attention too, she asked me to pray for her. I happily agreed - anything at all for her attention. I honestly don't remember what was prayed, or if I said anything. Afterwards, she told me to go tell the pastor (during the alter call - baptist church here lol) that I had prayed with her.

That was more uncertain ground, but I did so anyway. I had no idea what to expect, and was somewhat alarmed to find out my salvation announced by the happy pastor and that I would be baptized that night. My dad happened to be there that day, and I could tell he looked a bit alarmed too (my dad WAS a christian).

Afterwards he took time to question me - and I made sure to give all the right answers. I was already committed. My best friend was getting baptized (again) with me. I succumbed to peer pressure. And I was promptly baptized with much enthusiasm.

Now I will be honest. At that time, I think I tried to be a christian. But there was nothing to back that up, and I ended up doing my own thing after that up till now.

But now, as a Christian, I am...struggling. I will be quite honest. I am overweight. I have social anxiety. I don't want to go through that in front of a crowd of people I don't know. The whole idea of it makes me want to curl up in bed and never come out to see sunshine again. I also don't think I need to be baptized, because I already have been. Twice, if you count when I was a baby.

But I also want to be honest with myself, and I am not sure if I am just trying to convince myself I don't need to be baptized, or if I really don't need to be.

Help. Like I said, I don't want to start a fight or argument. I just want your advice, complete with reasons and bible verses if you have them so I can research them. I am still learning the bible and you can save me some work lol.

Edit: I don't know what denomination I would fall under. I am sure that makes this all so much easier.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I don't want to start WW3 here. I am aware of the divisions on belief of baptism. But this is a question that is starting to....bother me. So I am looking for advice. Let me give some background...

Back when I was about 13 or 14, my dad allowed me to choose my own church, prior to that he made me go to the catholic church because that was what I was raised in, and he wanted some continuity (long story involving an ugly divorce and custody battle). After some rather interesting visiting around, I ended up in a little country church that my best friend went too. When I say little, I mean little. Maybe 10 families? 20 people at the most. Mostly I just went to be with my friend. At times, my dad went with me. Sometimes I went alone.

But there was a nice lady there, and I was basically at that time a motherless girl. I adored her, she was always very friendly, very kind to me. And when one day she asked me and my friend to sit up front with her. Of course I was absolutely delighted. After the sermon - of which I paid absolutely zero attention too, she asked me to pray for her. I happily agreed - anything at all for her attention. I honestly don't remember what was prayed, or if I said anything. Afterwards, she told me to go tell the pastor (during the alter call - baptist church here lol) that I had prayed with her.

That was more uncertain ground, but I did so anyway. I had no idea what to expect, and was somewhat alarmed to find out my salvation announced by the happy pastor and that I would be baptized that night. My dad happened to be there that day, and I could tell he looked a bit alarmed too (my dad WAS a christian).

Afterwards he took time to question me - and I made sure to give all the right answers. I was already committed. My best friend was getting baptized (again) with me. I succumbed to peer pressure. And I was promptly baptized with much enthusiasm.

Now I will be honest. At that time, I think I tried to be a christian. But there was nothing to back that up, and I ended up doing my own thing after that up till now.

But now, as a Christian, I am...struggling. I will be quite honest. I am overweight. I have social anxiety. I don't want to go through that in front of a crowd of people I don't know. The whole idea of it makes me want to curl up in bed and never come out to see sunshine again. I also don't think I need to be baptized, because I already have been. Twice, if you count when I was a baby.

But I also want to be honest with myself, and I am not sure if I am just trying to convince myself I don't need to be baptized, or if I really don't need to be.

Help. Like I said, I don't want to start a fight or argument. I just want your advice, complete with reasons and bible verses if you have them so I can research them. I am still learning the bible and you can save me some work lol.

Edit: I don't know what denomination I would fall under. I am sure that makes this all so much easier.

Baptism is a one-time deal, so don't give it a second thought. If you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, then your baptism is authentic, no matter who performed it. Baptism is something done, "to you" not something done "by" you. See the Great Commission, where Jesus told the then leaders of the church to go into all the world and make disciples, baptizing, and teaching. The church baptizes.

 

[Daniel9v9]

Well, as you yourself are aware of, there are regrettably different views on baptism. There is a lot that can be said, but my main encouragement would be to:

1. Read everything the Bible has to say about baptism and being born again.
A few verses I would highlight are: Mark 16:16 Galatians 3:27 John 3:5 Ephesians 4:5 Matthew 28:19

2. Providing we are baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - there is no need for further baptisms, and neither is there any evidence for multiple baptisms (into the triune God) in Scripture, nor historically speaking. The early church explicitly recognized only one baptism.

Baptism is not our own work for salvation, but rests in God's promise of salvation, which is a free gift according to God's grace, apprehended by faith.

I don't know if any of this helps at all, but I'm happy to clarify

 

[Chanticleera]

*points* I have more questions for you, Sir Jimmy. Not about baptism, but about Pentecostalism.

I know it doesn't SAY I am new to the sight, but I kinda am. I was here briefly as an agnostic last year and just recently came back as a christian. Is there a way to privately message you?

 

[paul1149]

I never realized it before, but I've been baptized three times. Once as an infant, then when I decided to follow Christ, and then when I felt I needed a new start. The second baptism I would do over again without hesitation. The third I think was optional.
To my understanding, baptism is the seal of the covenant, as circumcision was to the Jews. It's necessary to do out of obedience.
I wouldn't do anything you're not comfortable with. I don't mean that your flesh is comfortable with, but that you don't have a conviction about. Take your time. Remember, the main thing is to follow Jesus in faith. Keep that first, and the questions will resolve themselves in time.
And welcome back to the faith, and to the Body! Wherever you are in your understanding, or wherever you have been in life, coming to the Lord, even as you are, is the right thing to do. Remember, you are God's "poem" (Eph 2.10), and He is making something beautiful out of you.
And as your first experience may have taught you, be a little leery of well-meaning Christians.

 

[raffadalbo]

Well, the Nicene Creed (in its version dating back to year 381, accepted by Catholics, Orthodox and most Protestant churches) states: "I / we acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins" (see "Nicene Creed" in Wikipedia).
Baptism is common to all Christians and it makes you a Christian forever.
The second baptism had a good effect on you (if I understand correctly), because it led you to rediscover a partly forgotten faith. But the original baptism that you received when you were a baby already made you not just a Catholic but a Christian.

 

[wheatpenny]

I am of the opinion that once you have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you never need to be baptized again.

 

[jimmyjimmy]

I am of the opinion that once you have been baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you never need to be baptized again.

You are in very good company.

 

[1watchman]

You have had enough of baptisms, and maybe enough of worry about salvation; so, read John 1; John 3; John 14, and see what God wants to say to you. Trust the Lord Jesus as your Savior and Lord of your life, and be settled with His "exceeding great and precious promises" by faith in Him. God wants you to be happy in your new life with Him through Jesus, the Christ.

 

[hedrick]

At least in Protestant theology, God loves you, and his love persists even when you fall away. Everyone has ups and down. But it helps to understand that even during the downs, God is still there. (Technically, this is “justification by faith.”)

My concern about multiple baptisms is that they imply that one has to start again. It seems to be associated with the fear that you’re no longer one of God’s pepole, and have to start again. I’m not so concerned about whether you get sprinkled or dunked a third time. But these are symbols of something, and I’m concerned that the desire is associated with a lack of confidence that you are in God’s hand, and have been all along. The idea that you’re only a Christian when you think you’re being good is going to cause trouble for you.

 

[TurtleFish The Challenged]

...Remember, the main thing is to follow Jesus in faith. Keep that first, and the questions will resolve themselves in time...

Amen. So true!

 

[1watchman]

True, Hedrick! Baptism is taking a stand for the Lord against the unbelieving world, so one needs to be settled with that good testimony, and then live for the Lord Jesus and stay close to Him with that good relationship.

 

[Soyeong]

I don't want to start WW3 here. I am aware of the divisions on belief of baptism. But this is a question that is starting to....bother me. So I am looking for advice. Let me give some background...

Back when I was about 13 or 14, my dad allowed me to choose my own church, prior to that he made me go to the catholic church because that was what I was raised in, and he wanted some continuity (long story involving an ugly divorce and custody battle). After some rather interesting visiting around, I ended up in a little country church that my best friend went too. When I say little, I mean little. Maybe 10 families? 20 people at the most. Mostly I just went to be with my friend. At times, my dad went with me. Sometimes I went alone.

But there was a nice lady there, and I was basically at that time a motherless girl. I adored her, she was always very friendly, very kind to me. And when one day she asked me and my friend to sit up front with her. Of course I was absolutely delighted. After the sermon - of which I paid absolutely zero attention too, she asked me to pray for her. I happily agreed - anything at all for her attention. I honestly don't remember what was prayed, or if I said anything. Afterwards, she told me to go tell the pastor (during the alter call - baptist church here lol) that I had prayed with her.

That was more uncertain ground, but I did so anyway. I had no idea what to expect, and was somewhat alarmed to find out my salvation announced by the happy pastor and that I would be baptized that night. My dad happened to be there that day, and I could tell he looked a bit alarmed too (my dad WAS a christian).

Afterwards he took time to question me - and I made sure to give all the right answers. I was already committed. My best friend was getting baptized (again) with me. I succumbed to peer pressure. And I was promptly baptized with much enthusiasm.

Now I will be honest. At that time, I think I tried to be a christian. But there was nothing to back that up, and I ended up doing my own thing after that up till now.

But now, as a Christian, I am...struggling. I will be quite honest. I am overweight. I have social anxiety. I don't want to go through that in front of a crowd of people I don't know. The whole idea of it makes me want to curl up in bed and never come out to see sunshine again. I also don't think I need to be baptized, because I already have been. Twice, if you count when I was a baby.

But I also want to be honest with myself, and I am not sure if I am just trying to convince myself I don't need to be baptized, or if I really don't need to be.

Help. Like I said, I don't want to start a fight or argument. I just want your advice, complete with reasons and bible verses if you have them so I can research them. I am still learning the bible and you can save me some work lol.

Edit: I don't know what denomination I would fall under. I am sure that makes this all so much easier.

Before immersion was a Christian tradition, it was a Jewish tradition, and one that Jews did regularly, and which involved repentance. I know people who get baptized every year as a way of rededicating themselves to God. So I see nothing wrong with you wanting to become baptized again, especially considering that you didn't know what you were doing at the previous times. The important thing is not in itself getting immersed, but what getting immersed is symbolic of, so without a repentant heart all that is accomplished is getting wet.