Water Baptism

nephilimiyr · Dec 3, 2007

What is the doctrinal belief of water baptism in the Pentecostal Churches?

I know that most PCs go be complete emersion. What I'm really wanting to know is, how big of a part does baptism play in ones salvation and or life as a christian?

JEBrady · Dec 3, 2007

nephilimiyr said:
What is the doctrinal belief of water baptism in the Pentecostal Churches?

I know that most PCs go be complete emersion. What I'm really wanting to know is, how big of a part does baptism play in ones salvation and or life as a christian?

I'm AoG, and every Pentecostal church I've ever been in, regardless of denomination, do the total immersion baptism. No infant baptism, either- you have to be old enough to receive Christ and be born again.

I consider from what the scriptures say about it, and the practice we see in the NT, that it is mostly neglected in the Pentecostal church today, and considered to only be an outward proclamation of one's identity with Jesus Christ. I see otherwise in scripture and believe there's a spiritual change to a person when water baptized, just as there is when one is born again and when one is baptized in the Holy Spirit.

I believe a person, once they accept Christ, should be baptized asap. I disagree that it's an outward proclamation of identity with Christ. Consider that there were no other witnesses to Paul's baptism other than Ananias, who did the baptizing.

nephilimiyr · Dec 3, 2007

Ok, thanks JEBrady

satrunstar · Dec 5, 2007

I'm an AOG and though we do not baptise our infants, but we do dedicate them. We don't believe that we are going to hell if were not baptized if that is what you are wondering.

Jesusong · Dec 5, 2007

This is the AoG's doctrinal statement concerning water baptism:

Assemblies of God said:
Baptism in Water
The ordinance of baptism by immersion is commanded by the Scriptures. All who repent and believe on Christ as Saviour and Lord are to be baptized. Thus they declare to the world that they have died with Christ and that they also have been raised with Him to walk in newness of life.

While much emphasis is placed on "altar calls," within pentecostal churches, I agree with one of the previous poster that water baptism seems to be somewhat neglected or put on the back burner for a time when its more convenient. I guess they don't want people to come to the belief that the baptism is what's saving them or that it is completing the salvation process. I remember teaching in my adult Sunday school class that the early church taught that baptism was the external declaration to the world that you are now uniting yourself with Christ. It was done publically in the river or lake. Altar calls that are practiced today was completely foriegn to them.

satrunstar · Dec 6, 2007

Jesus song,
maybe I'm just completely misunderstanding you, but baptism is not the salvation process, or what is saving us. Yes Jesus commanded that we go and baptise in the name of the Father the son and the holy spirit, but it never says that you are going to hell if you are not baptised. In Fact, the ONLY way to heaving is through Jesus. Jesus is the way truth and life and no one gets to the father except through him(Jesus) ~John 14:6

nephilimiyr · Dec 6, 2007

satrunstar said:
Jesus song,
maybe I'm just completely misunderstanding you, but baptism is not the salvation process, or what is saving us. Yes Jesus commanded that we go and baptise in the name of the Father the son and the holy spirit, but it never says that you are going to hell if you are not baptised. In Fact, the ONLY way to heaving is through Jesus. Jesus is the way truth and life and no one gets to the father except through him(Jesus) ~John 14:6

I agree with you satrunstar but I'm not sure that Jesusong is placing that much importance in the water baptism. Perhaps Jesusong would like to clarify?

satrunstar · Dec 6, 2007

acts 10:48 he orders them to be baptised (no mention of sin here)
here are a bunch more versus on it
mark 1:4
Mark10:38
mark 10:39
Mark 11:30
Acts 1:5

satrunstar · Dec 6, 2007

acts 10:48 he orders them to be baptised (no mention of sin here)
here are a bunch more versus on it
mark 1:4
Mark10:38
mark 10:39
Mark 11:30
Acts 1:5
2:38-41
8:12,13,16,36,68
9:18
10:47and 48
11:16
16:15,33
18:8
19:5
22:16
None of these mention it affecting your salvation. I can post more verses if need be. Again if I have misunderstood anything sorry and please reexplain what you ment. Thanks

satrunstar · Dec 6, 2007

your probably right

satrunstar · Dec 6, 2007

I personally have not been baptised yet, there is a baptismal service comming up soon, but I just have a lot of personal issues that keep me from doing it. I have been a Christian for nearly 18 years now

Jesusong · Dec 7, 2007

I'm not saying that baptism is part of the salvation process. Eph. 2:8-9 makes that very clear.

But I do notice that in many Pentecostal/Charismatic groups there is no immediate felt need to have someone be baptize as soon as they give their life to Christ. There are many within the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches that are former Roman Catholics, where it is taught that baptism is part of the salvation process, which explains why the RCC practice infant baptism, and may explain why baptism is not stressed right after conversion in a Bible believing church. Yet among Baptists I've been looked down upon because we (my church) didn't baptize the person right away after they got saved. For example, I was talking to a baptist lady at work, and mentioned how much our church has been growing. she asked how many people have been baptized, and I stated that we haven't had a baptism since our New Years service (this was in May). She started to rebuke me because we weren't good Christians, etc. etc.
We baptize people when they ask to be. We teach that all believers should be baptized, but I would rather see someone get baptized because they have a desire to be, and that they understand why they are being baptized rather than just go and dunk them as a religious formality. It's alot more meaningful that way.

nephilimiyr · Dec 7, 2007

Thanks Jesusong, and I agree with you

JEBrady · Dec 7, 2007

Jesusong said:
I'm not saying that baptism is part of the salvation process. Eph. 2:8-9 makes that very clear.

But I do notice that in many Pentecostal/Charismatic groups there is no immediate felt need to have someone be baptize as soon as they give their life to Christ. There are many within the Pentecostal/Charismatic churches that are former Roman Catholics, where it is taught that baptism is part of the salvation process, which explains why the RCC practice infant baptism, and may explain why baptism is not stressed right after conversion in a Bible believing church. Yet among Baptists I've been looked down upon because we (my church) didn't baptize the person right away after they got saved. For example, I was talking to a baptist lady at work, and mentioned how much our church has been growing. she asked how many people have been baptized, and I stated that we haven't had a baptism since our New Years service (this was in May). She started to rebuke me because we weren't good Christians, etc. etc.
We baptize people when they ask to be. We teach that all believers should be baptized, but I would rather see someone get baptized because they have a desire to be, and that they understand why they are being baptized rather than just go and dunk them as a religious formality. It's alot more meaningful that way.

Dunking as a religious formality is not desirable, any more than praying for someone to receive the baptism in the Holy Ghost and just assuming they got it when they didn't. The power of God is supposed to be in manifestation at both events. And being water baptized should go with salvation, it should be second nature in the church, not something that is considered optional.

I fear the last days are upon us, and even in Pentecostal churches the power of God is becoming harder to find. God forbid we should become the church that has a form of goliness but not the power of God.

satrunstar · Dec 17, 2007

Thank you Jesussong, for clearing up your previouse statement to me. I fully agree with what you just said. I also would rather they fully understood what was happeining and what it means, than just doing it.

Nikos7 · Dec 17, 2007

Baptism represents dying to this world and being resurrected spiritually into new life by the power of God alone. Thus, baptism is not a vehicle of salvation, but is a sign that we have already been saved. The process of entering the water, being fully immersed and coming back out again, is symbolic of dying to the world and then arising in new life. It is the way a Christian witnesses to the reality of his new faith.

lilmissmontana · Dec 17, 2007

Precisely the way I understand it!

quietbloke · Dec 18, 2007

Absolutely!

Water Baptism

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