Being baptize after conversion.

[george]

I didn't know exactly how to ask this question without ppl taking it the wrong way. anyway. the question is...how long should we wait befor baptising a new believer or a person who has made a profession of faith? we can't judge ppl's hearts or know if their sincere or not. so should we wait to see some fruits and evidence that their conversion is genuine?

didn't john tell the pharisees and sadducess to produce fruit in keeping with repentances (matt 3:8).( or were they coming to be baptize?)

I think the church does recieve alot of false conversions, some not intenionally, but some just to build up numbers. I don't want to be responsible for misleading someone into a false conversion. cause I do jail ministry, and I try to be careful.

what do you guys think? and how do you handle this? how can you tell for sure if that person is truly saved and ready to be baptize?

 

[Qvashti]

Working in prison ministry tends to give a more black and white view of things, and having worked in that environment myself I would tend to take more seriously someone's confession (depending on the perks associated of course) Society has given christianity a title of respectability that leads many to complacency. The opposite usually is true in prison ministry.
But I would recommend that the person be made to realize that the commitment is no different than a marraige vow that takes serious consideration of what and Who is being committed to. Belief comes with knowing the character of God and how that character is translated to the Kingdom of God. Speaking about baptism and what it stands for should be from the beginning imo, but it should be a discision reached by the new creation promted by the Spirit and not from the position before the cross and throne is realized. I think that might have been 4 cents worth

 

[JPPT1974]

I think when you are baptized
After your conversion
You are wiped away clean
To start anew in Christ
Only the beginning of your Christian walk.