Why So Many Baptisms?

carrico said:

My friend, Lori used to post online her baptism spot at a nearby state park lake. She was just really proud of that moment. Fast-forward a few years, she realizes she wasn't saved, got saved and got re-baptized. The 2nd time, it was either just her, or she was joined with 3/5 (or that was a 3rd baptism for her) of her kids. Then, her last child was saved, and she got baptized with him. So, that was either 3 or 4 baptisms for Lori. Her newer church baptized her multiple times.

Another friend, Brittany, shares that her oldest daughter was saved and baptized (river) about five years ago. Her younger daughter, recently was saved over the summer. She was baptized in a river Sept 4. This past weekend, Brittany shares that she herself got baptized at a church. She said it was from the weekend of Sept 11th which was a week after her younger daughter's baptism at the river (I looked at it on FB because I thought I had just seen that kid's baptism). Along with her baptism, both of her daughters are baptized again with her (ages 12 & 9- roughly). So, her younger daughter was baptized twice this month. Looking at the picture, the church name was on the trough that she was baptized in, it was the same church Lori was baptized in multiple times.

What is this? The church is a Baptist church that just recently dropped the Baptist name and added the nickname of a nearby major city. It went from *Name* Baptist Church to *Name* *Nickname of Town*. I was really interested in going here. I think it's a good church. I am under the impression it is just still the same Baptist church, just not putting Baptist in the title. I have been in Baptist churches (or non-denom) my whole life and I have never seen this. I know a handful of people who love it this church, but I do not understand all of these baptisms. If anyone can reach out and fill me in, please. I will give any added info. I have never seen people baptized like this.

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Maybe they had to change their name because the Baptist churches complained about their unusual baptismal practices ???

I don't believe they have to go hand in hand. That's the first I've heard that.

Never heard of it myself. I can see someone wanting to be baptized as an adult if they were in a denomination that baptizes babies, without their consent or understanding. That is different, it is part of memberships to some churches.

Baptism is seen by some as a testimony to your change in that you have been born again

Others I know of have been baptized (not the first time) but while visiting Israel and want to be baptized in the Jordon river where John Baptized the Messiah.

I can see someone accompanying a child in doing this if they need the extra support, perhaps that is what she was doing?

She probably thinks of it as a way of rededicating herself.

But there is "...the doctrine of baptisms,..." (Heb 6:2).

There's 3 main baptisms - 3 immersions (different types)

1 - By The Holy Spirit into Jesus (at salvation).
2- By Jesus who sends the promise of the Father baptists us "by," "with" and "in" the Holy Spirit (The Spirit baptism)
3 - By another believer (water baptism)

1 - By The Holy Spirit into Jesus which reconciles us to God is the baptism for salvation. Baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ by believing in His death, burial, and resurrection.
(Rev 1:5; Matt 26:28; Mark 1:4-9, 16:16; Luk 3:3; 1 Cor 12:13; Acts 2:38; Gal 3:27, II Cor 5:18).

Water and Spirit baptism follows salvation - not in a set order though
2 - By another believer (water baptism) "... fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness," All 3 persons of the Godhead endorsed it (Matt 3:13-16). (Matt 3:6,11; 28:18-20; Acts 8:39, 10:47, 22:16; John 3:5).

3 - By Jesus who sends the promise of the Father baptists us "by," "with" and "in" the Holy Spirit (The Spirit baptism) includes when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, He endures us with power for service to Him, to be His witnesses, and to keep His Word. (Matt 3:11; Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16; John 1:33, Acts 1:5, 8:14-17, 10:44-48, 11:16; I Cor 12:13, Luk 24:49, Eph 5:18, Acts 4:31; I John 3:24; Eze 36:25-28; John 14:25-27).

They're different yet
"And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." I John 5:7-8

carrico said:

My friend, Lori used to post online her baptism spot at a nearby state park lake. She was just really proud of that moment. Fast-forward a few years, she realizes she wasn't saved, got saved and got re-baptized. The 2nd time, it was either just her, or she was joined with 3/5 (or that was a 3rd baptism for her) of her kids. Then, her last child was saved, and she got baptized with him. So, that was either 3 or 4 baptisms for Lori. Her newer church baptized her multiple times.

Another friend, Brittany, shares that her oldest daughter was saved and baptized (river) about five years ago. Her younger daughter, recently was saved over the summer. She was baptized in a river Sept 4. This past weekend, Brittany shares that she herself got baptized at a church. She said it was from the weekend of Sept 11th which was a week after her younger daughter's baptism at the river (I looked at it on FB because I thought I had just seen that kid's baptism). Along with her baptism, both of her daughters are baptized again with her (ages 12 & 9- roughly). So, her younger daughter was baptized twice this month. Looking at the picture, the church name was on the trough that she was baptized in, it was the same church Lori was baptized in multiple times.

What is this? The church is a Baptist church that just recently dropped the Baptist name and added the nickname of a nearby major city. It went from *Name* Baptist Church to *Name* *Nickname of Town*. I was really interested in going here. I think it's a good church. I am under the impression it is just still the same Baptist church, just not putting Baptist in the title. I have been in Baptist churches (or non-denom) my whole life and I have never seen this. I know a handful of people who love it this church, but I do not understand all of these baptisms. If anyone can reach out and fill me in, please. I will give any added info. I have never seen people baptized like this.

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Multiple water baptisms signifies that the person has not been reborn and baptized by His Holy Spirit. This is the one time event that all Christians should seek after.
Blessings.

As @Daniel9v9 said, this demonstrates a bad understanding and faulty theology of Baptism. In the last few hundred years a lot of churches have adopted a deeply unbiblical and, quite frankly, unChristian understanding of Baptism; believing it to be some kind of mere religious gesture. But in Scripture, and according to the historic confession of the Christian Church, Baptism has nothing to do with us performing a religious gesture for God but everything to do with God's word and promises to us.

So when a person is baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit it may, the religious rite may be performed by a human being (i.e. a pastor), but it is God Himself who is at work marking us, sealing us, as His own. In Baptism God Himself declares that we are His, He even stakes His own name on this, that's why Jesus says in Matthew 28 to baptize "in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit". God doesn't put His name on something that is a mere religious gesture; when God connects His own name, and His very word to something, it means He takes it very seriously. And He was being very serious when you and I were baptized, so serious in fact that St. Paul writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says that we were baptized into Christ's death, buried with Him, and raised up to new life with Him (Romans 6:3-4, Colossians 2:12-13). And in Galatians 3:27 says that we were clothed with Jesus Himself in that baptism.

This isn't about religious works and gestures to impress God. It's about God's own faithful word and promise to us, that we belong to Him, and we can look outside of ourselves, not to our own works--our own thoughts, our own feelings, our own actions--but to God's promise, look to Christ and what He has done for us already.

Those tho turn Baptism into a human work and try and earn brownie points by thinking that their works will impress God are deeply misunderstanding Scripture. The Gospel isn't about you and me doing things, saying things, thinking things, or even believing all the right things in order to earn favor from God--it's about God who loves you and me and all sinners, and who sent Jesus Christ, His only-begotten Son, our Savior and Lord who by His life, death, and resurrection has reconciled us to God, justified us, and gives us life everlasting, forgiveness of our sins, and the hope of the resurrection.

Our salvation is in God's hands, not our own. And God declares this to us time and again: That we are forgiven, Christ died for us, we belong to Him. In our baptism, in the preaching of the Gospel, in the Lord's Supper, in Confession and Absolution. God is continually telling us that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can trust this, for it is most certainly true.

-CryptoLutheran

carrico said:

What is this? The church is a Baptist church that just recently dropped the Baptist name and added the nickname of a nearby major city. It went from *Name* Baptist Church to *Name* *Nickname of Town*.

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Sounds like enthusiasm that is not that Biblically grounded to me. They are treating baptism as if it is simply a "a revival service" where people are called to rededicate , reform, revive their faith and then they have conflated that with baptism in their short sighted enthusiasm.

carrico said:

Hmmmm. Perhaps so, Mr. Carl! Hope you are doing well! I have recently been back here at CF. You used to comment on some of my things. Glad to be back!

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Welcome back any time...

What is the Scripture that states only one water baptism is permitted?