Should I be baptised again ?

Paidiske

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No, not if you're confident your initial baptism was valid. You can be confirmed, or reaffirm your baptismal promises, if you would like to.
 
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Fervent

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Depends on the ordinances of the church you want to fellowship with. There are deep theological debates about the appropriateness of believers baptism vs infant baptism and those waters get pretty murky. The validity of such things is going to be pretty heavily dependent on other considerations, and some churches won't accept you as a full member based on infant baptism. As baptism is primarily a sign of entering the community, the full extent of which is debated from symbol to efficacious in some manner, which community you seek fellowship with will decide the necessity or propriety of re-baptism.
 
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I was baptised as a baby but only recently because a Christian at 20 ?

should I be baptised again?
It depends. The word "baptise" means literally to immerse. Some think infant sprinkling is the same thing. Personally, I do not. I was sprinkled as a baby. When I was born again, I learned about believer's baptism. I chose to be baptised as an adult believer.

Ask God to show you what you should do. Ultimately it is between you and Him.
 
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Philip_B

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Albion

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Lucille, you've received thoughtful replies from people who represent a wide range of ideas about Baptism. These are reflected in the doctrines of different denominations.

So that is why the suggestion was made early on that the answer to your question depends on which denomination/church you belong to or favor.

If you don't have one or are completely open-minded about the matter, keep in mind that most churches (Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Eastern, etc.) believe that baptism is indelible and cannot be repeated.

However, their answer about your particular situation (which isn't unusual) is that you can renew or reaffirm the vows that your sponsors made on your behalf when you were baptized as a child. In some churches, that would mean Confirmation. But you are already baptized and would not need to be baptized again, even if that were possible, in order to become a member of a church. In any case, the pastor will advise you, so just ask. :)
 
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ViaCrucis

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I was baptised as a baby but only recently because a Christian at 20 ?

should I be baptised again?

You're going to get different answers because there are different views among modern day Christians on the subject.

Coming from an historic, traditional Christian perspective--that is to say, the views and beliefs held by virtually all Christians since ancient times--is that your one baptism is your one and only baptism.

The reason for this is simple: Baptism isn't something we do for God, it's something God does to and for us. When we are brought to the waters of Baptism to be baptized we are passive recipients of God's grace and gifts. God is the One who works in Baptism, and His work in Baptism is precisely what we read about in the Bible.

When Jesus in John 3:5 says that to be born again is a birth of "water and the Spirit" the way this has always been understood (and this is demonstrated by looking at what Christian writers have said for as long as there have been Christians writing about anything) it to be a reference to Baptism. That is, the new birth from God by the Holy Spirit is something received through the Sacrament of Baptism, hence why Jesus says "born of water and the Spirit". St. Paul in Titus 3:5 echoes this language when he says that it is not by works of righteousness which we have done which save us, but that we have been saved by God's grace through the "washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."

Other places, such as in Acts 2:38 St. Peter speaking to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem on Pentecost, telling them to "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" attaching forgiveness of sins and the receiving of the Spirit as a thing God accomplishes in our lives through Baptism.

Many things are said about Baptism in the Bible, for example in Romans chapter 6 St. Paul says that we have been united to Jesus Christ--His death, burial, and resurrection--through our baptism. In Galatians 3:27 he writes that "all who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ", and in Colossians chapter 2, verses 11-13 the same Apostle Paul writes that we have been given a spiritual circumcision "made without hands", when we were baptized and buried with Christ by that baptism, and by it we have been raised with Christ to life.

Thus Baptism is not a good work which the Christian is called to do for God's sake, it's not a work you or I do at all. It is a divine work, a work of God whereby He makes happen what He has promised to make happen--He unites us to Jesus and to Jesus' perfect work on the cross, therefore we have died in baptism to the world and been raised together with Jesus--united to Him and to His resurrection--to be alive to God, having received new spiritual birth from God by which we are now God's children and heirs.

Baptism is the ordinary means which God Himself has established by which we become Christians, we enter into the Church, as members of Christ's Body, through Baptism.

So when your parents brought you to the baptismal as an infant, and you were baptized, it doesn't matter that you were too young to understand what was going on. Because it's not about you believing, saying, thinking, or feeling the right things to earn God's favor and merit your own salvation--rather salvation is God's free and unmerited gift, by His grace.

So when you were baptized as an infant, you became a Christian right there in the waters of Baptism. You were given faith, you were born again, you received God's perfect gift of His salvation and righteousness which are yours in Jesus Christ. God did this, because that's His promise to us in His word.

You don't need to be baptized again. If you have come back to the faith now as an adult, there are many ways to celebrate this (and it is indeed worthy of celebration!). Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the parable of the Prodigal Son, who left his father's house and then squandered his inheritance, but then later returns home humbled and with nothing. What does the father do? The father rushes out to meet his son when he sees them in the distance, throws his arms around him and proclaims, "My son was dead, but look he is alive again!" The father than instructs his servants to prepare a lavish feast in honor of his child returning. That is the joy of return, and it is deserving of full celebration.

Instead I would recommend rejoicing in your baptism. Rejoice in God's grace and word. Rejoice that He is Faithful. Think upon your baptism, and treasure in your heart all that God has done for you.

In Lutheranism we have an expression, "Baptizatus sum!" it is Latin for "I am baptized!". We are to think of our baptism and find comfort there, not because there is something special about water of course, but because God has attached His word and promises to the water of Baptism--it is no longer mere water, but water united to God's word. And so when we think about the water, we treasure in our hearts God's word and promises.

"I am baptized!" I belong to Jesus Christ.
"I am baptized!" Christ died for me.
"I am baptized!" There is no power in all of creation that can separate me from God's love in Jesus Christ.
"I am baptized!" I need not fear death, or hell, or devil--Christ is risen and I have victory with and in Him.
"I am baptized!" I am more than a conqueror through Him.

That's why in my signature I have a picture with the words "Remain Calm and Remember Your Baptism".

God's promises are faithful and true, the word of the Lord is forever.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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d taylor

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You're going to get different answers because there are different views among modern day Christians on the subject.

Coming from an historic, traditional Christian perspective--that is to say, the views and beliefs held by virtually all Christians since ancient times--is that your one baptism is your one and only baptism.

The reason for this is simple: Baptism isn't something we do for God, it's something God does to and for us. When we are brought to the waters of Baptism to be baptized we are passive recipients of God's grace and gifts. God is the One who works in Baptism, and His work in Baptism is precisely what we read about in the Bible.

When Jesus in John 3:5 says that to be born again is a birth of "water and the Spirit" the way this has always been understood (and this is demonstrated by looking at what Christian writers have said for as long as there have been Christians writing about anything) it to be a reference to Baptism. That is, the new birth from God by the Holy Spirit is something received through the Sacrament of Baptism, hence why Jesus says "born of water and the Spirit". St. Paul in Titus 3:5 echoes this language when he says that it is not by works of righteousness which we have done which save us, but that we have been saved by God's grace through the "washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit."

Other places, such as in Acts 2:38 St. Peter speaking to the crowd gathered in Jerusalem on Pentecost, telling them to "repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" attaching forgiveness of sins and the receiving of the Spirit as a thing God accomplishes in our lives through Baptism.

Many things are said about Baptism in the Bible, for example in Romans chapter 6 St. Paul says that we have been united to Jesus Christ--His death, burial, and resurrection--through our baptism. In Galatians 3:27 he writes that "all who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ", and in Colossians chapter 2, verses 11-13 the same Apostle Paul writes that we have been given a spiritual circumcision "made without hands", when we were baptized and buried with Christ by that baptism, and by it we have been raised with Christ to life.

Thus Baptism is not a good work which the Christian is called to do for God's sake, it's not a work you or I do at all. It is a divine work, a work of God whereby He makes happen what He has promised to make happen--He unites us to Jesus and to Jesus' perfect work on the cross, therefore we have died in baptism to the world and been raised together with Jesus--united to Him and to His resurrection--to be alive to God, having received new spiritual birth from God by which we are now God's children and heirs.

Baptism is the ordinary means which God Himself has established by which we become Christians, we enter into the Church, as members of Christ's Body, through Baptism.

So when your parents brought you to the baptismal as an infant, and you were baptized, it doesn't matter that you were too young to understand what was going on. Because it's not about you believing, saying, thinking, or feeling the right things to earn God's favor and merit your own salvation--rather salvation is God's free and unmerited gift, by His grace.

So when you were baptized as an infant, you became a Christian right there in the waters of Baptism. You were given faith, you were born again, you received God's perfect gift of His salvation and righteousness which are yours in Jesus Christ. God did this, because that's His promise to us in His word.

You don't need to be baptized again. If you have come back to the faith now as an adult, there are many ways to celebrate this (and it is indeed worthy of celebration!). Our Lord Jesus Christ told us the parable of the Prodigal Son, who left his father's house and then squandered his inheritance, but then later returns home humbled and with nothing. What does the father do? The father rushes out to meet his son when he sees them in the distance, throws his arms around him and proclaims, "My son was dead, but look he is alive again!" The father than instructs his servants to prepare a lavish feast in honor of his child returning. That is the joy of return, and it is deserving of full celebration.

Instead I would recommend rejoicing in your baptism. Rejoice in God's grace and word. Rejoice that He is Faithful. Think upon your baptism, and treasure in your heart all that God has done for you.

In Lutheranism we have an expression, "Baptizatus sum!" it is Latin for "I am baptized!". We are to think of our baptism and find comfort there, not because there is something special about water of course, but because God has attached His word and promises to the water of Baptism--it is no longer mere water, but water united to God's word. And so when we think about the water, we treasure in our hearts God's word and promises.

"I am baptized!" I belong to Jesus Christ.
"I am baptized!" Christ died for me.
"I am baptized!" There is no power in all of creation that can separate me from God's love in Jesus Christ.
"I am baptized!" I need not fear death, or hell, or devil--Christ is risen and I have victory with and in Him.
"I am baptized!" I am more than a conqueror through Him.

That's why in my signature I have a picture with the words "Remain Calm and Remember Your Baptism".

God's promises are faithful and true, the word of the Lord is forever.

-CryptoLutheran

How can a person remember their baptism if they are a 1, 2, 3 year old child.
 
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Albion

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How can a person remember their baptism if they are a 1, 2, 3 year old child.
The effects of Baptism don't require you to remember the ceremony, not any more than remembering the vaccination you received is necessary for it to have been effective.
 
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Fervent

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Lucille, you've received thoughtful replies from people who represent a wide range of ideas about Baptism. These are reflected in the doctrines of different denominations.

So that is why the suggestion was made early on that the answer to your question depends on which denomination/church you belong to or favor.

If you don't have one or are completely open-minded about the matter, keep in mind that most churches (Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Eastern, etc.) believe that baptism is indelible and cannot be repeated.

However, their answer about your particular situation (which isn't unusual) is that you can renew or reaffirm the vows that your sponsors made on your behalf when you were baptized as a child. In some churches, that would mean Confirmation. But you are already baptized and would not need to be baptized again, even if that were possible, in order to become a member of a church. In any case, the pastor will advise you, so just ask. :)
It's always struck me as somewhat strange the denominations most likely to insist on infant baptism being invalid and a need for believer's baptism are the most likely to also be Zwingliest, which seems like it should render the question of baptism somewhat unimportant.
 
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d taylor

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The effects of Baptism don't require you to remember the ceremony, not any more than remembering the vaccination you received is necessary for it to have been effective.

I was not addressing the effect, but his statement about remembering a persons baptism.

Maybe it should be stated, Remain calm and let people tell you about your baptism.
 
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ViaCrucis

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How can a person remember their baptism if they are a 1, 2, 3 year old child.

I don't remember coming out of my mother's womb. That doesn't mean that I can't celebrate and remember the gift of life which I was given in my birth. In fact, we have a cultural tradition of remembering the days of a person's birth and celebrating it, we call them birthdays.

-CryptoLutheran
 
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d taylor

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I don't remember coming out of my mother's womb. That doesn't mean that I can't celebrate and remember the gift of life which I was given in my birth. In fact, we have a cultural tradition of remembering the days of a person's birth and celebrating it, we call them birthdays.

-CryptoLutheran

Well actually in truth, a person can celebrate their birth day only every seven years, but they can celebrate their birth date every year.
 
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I was baptised as a baby but only recently because a Christian at 20 ?

should I be baptised again?

I would.

What you had as a baby was a Christening. It was a promise by your parents to raise you in a Godly home.

A baptism on the other hand is by immersion and is you making a promise to God in front of eye witnesses.
 
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seeking.IAM

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Consider the Creed as the word of the Church since the First Ecumenical Council in 325 A.D. (emphasis added is mine)

"...We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
⁠We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. ⁠We look for the resurrection of the dead,
⁠⁠and the life of the world to come. Amen.
"​
 
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xaris

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I was baptised as a baby but only recently because a Christian at 20 ?

should I be baptised again?
Whatever you choose, make certain you were baptized into Christ.

Romans 6:3-6 ESV
[3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? [4] We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
 
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I was baptised as a baby but only recently because a Christian at 20 ?

should I be baptised again?

This may be useful

Acts 19:2-6
New King James Version

2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?”

So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”

4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

I would suggest you search scripture and don't listen to religious prostitute organisations made by man. Put your trust in GOD the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ only and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance through wisdom from above in scripture concerning your matter.

Peace be to all those in the body of Christ.
 
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