Baptism

[Introverted1293]

I am curious. But when a person wants to get baptized, does it have to be a pastor that does it; or could it be a regular person who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Lol A pastor is a regular person, but I mean a person who is not an elder or a pastor in the church; but can a believer be baptized by a friend who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

 

[Chinchilla]

Any believer which has Holy Spirit himself

 

[bcbsr]

I am curious. But when a person wants to get baptized, does it have to be a pastor that does it; or could it be a regular person who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Lol A pastor is a regular person, but I mean a person who is not an elder or a pastor in the church; but can a believer be baptized by a friend who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

There's no scripture that places a restriction on that. In fact it's implied in the great commission that it's part of being a disciple.

go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

So he commanded them to baptize, and he commanded them to makes disciples teaching them to do what he commanded them, which includes baptizing people.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I am curious. But when a person wants to get baptized, does it have to be a pastor that does it; or could it be a regular person who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Lol A pastor is a regular person, but I mean a person who is not an elder or a pastor in the church; but can a believer be baptized by a friend who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Historically it was done (when possible) by one placed in authority to do so. The Apostles, and they passed that authority to others.

However - because it is such an important rite and initiates one into the Body of Christ, in any emergency situation, any baptized believer can baptize. It was generally necessary to simply say the Trinitarian formula "I baptize (name) in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit".

Our Church still applies these guidelines.

 

[HTacianas]

I am curious. But when a person wants to get baptized, does it have to be a pastor that does it; or could it be a regular person who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Lol A pastor is a regular person, but I mean a person who is not an elder or a pastor in the church; but can a believer be baptized by a friend who is a follower of Jesus Christ?

Remember that baptism has two distinct steps, baptism itself and then chrismation, the receiving of the Holy Spirit. We can read in Acts accounts of people who are baptized in water but then only chrismated by an apostle. As Peter said to Simon, giving the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift in and of itself.

So while anyone can perform a water baptism, only the clergy can perform chrismation.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Remember that baptism has two distinct steps, baptism itself and then chrismation, the receiving of the Holy Spirit. We can read in Acts accounts of people who are baptized in water but then only chrismated by an apostle. As Peter said to Simon, giving the gift of the Holy Spirit is a gift in and of itself.

So while anyone can perform a water baptism, only the clergy can perform chrismation.

That understanding made some Scriptures finally make perfect sense to me ... but it wouldn't fit into the vocabulary of some folks.

 

[HTacianas]

That understanding made some Scriptures finally make perfect sense to me ... but it wouldn't fit into the vocabulary of some folks.

I live to expand vocabularies.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I live to expand vocabularies.

Admirable. But I also don't like to argue.

 

[Introverted1293]

Thank you