Can A Believer Baptise Anothre Believer

[James Is Back]

Can a believer that has been baptized themselves baptize another believer?

 

[abysmul]

Why couldn't they?

 

[James Is Back]

That's the question I'm trying to get at. Does baptisms fall under the authority of the church or can anyone with Christ in their hearts baptize someone?

 

[abysmul]

Matthew 28:16-20English Standard Version (ESV)

The Great Commission

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”










It would appear to me that Christ was commanding these disciples to do just that.

 

[bbbbbbb]

The biblical answer is - yes.

 

[James Is Back]

Nice I always assume that the church or specifically a pastor/minister was the only one that can administrate a baptism.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

Yes, any Christian can baptize, but for the sake of good order within the Chruch, generally, it should be done within the context and practice of the Church.

We Lutherans like our Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican brothers and sisters believe that Baptism is a means of Grace by which the forgiveness of sins is conveyed and salvation is imparted. We, therefore believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation (but not totally necessary). Therefore in times of emergency any Christian may baptize.

 

[James Is Back]

So let's say you do get baptized by another believer but you found a church and they can baptize you. Is it ok to be baptized twice once by a believer and once by a pastor?

Sorry for the silly questions folks!

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

So let's say you do get baptized by another believer but you found a church and they can baptize you. Is it ok to be baptized twice once by a believer and once by a pastor?

Sorry for the silly questions folks!

In our theology, no. In my Church, we accept all baptism which are done according to the Biblical, Trinitarian formula a valid and efficacious, which includes most reformed and protestant baptisms as well. We believe that the Sacraments are all about what God does for us and have nothing to do with what we do. Our confessions state that "word and sacrament remain efficacious even when administered by evil men". It is the physical element of water joined with the Word that makes the sacrament of baptism valid.

 

[contango]

So let's say you do get baptized by another believer but you found a church and they can baptize you. Is it ok to be baptized twice once by a believer and once by a pastor?

Sorry for the silly questions folks!

Why would you need to be baptised twice? The only reason I can see is if you are baptised and then fall away for some reason.

In your picture if you were baptised by a believer, then found a church and got baptised again, what happens if you move away from the area and settle in another church? Should you be baptised a third time?

 

[bbbbbbb]

Why would you need to be baptised twice? The only reason I can see is if you are baptised and then fall away for some reason.

In your picture if you were baptised by a believer, then found a church and got baptised again, what happens if you move away from the area and settle in another church? Should you be baptised a third time?

I had an interesting discussion with a Baptist pastor once about this issue. His contention was that one is baptized into a local church and when one changes churches one must be rebaptized into the new church. This helps explain the amazingly large number of baptisms performed by such denominations as the Southern Baptist Convention.

It should be noted that not all Baptists believe this. Nevertheless, I view it as a serious error on their part.

 

[Hawkiz]

Yes, any Christian can baptize, but for the sake of good order within the Chruch, generally, it should be done within the context and practice of the Church.

We Lutherans like our Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican brothers and sisters believe that Baptism is a means of Grace by which the forgiveness of sins is conveyed and salvation is imparted. We, therefore believe that Baptism is necessary for salvation (but not totally necessary). Therefore in times of emergency any Christian may baptize.

This is exactly correct (speaking only for the Catholic view). Such a case occurred in my immediate family...twice, with my sister and my son. In both cases, a 'mere' believer baptized another, and it is considered fully valid in both cases without question from the Church.

Peace in Christ

 

[ViaCrucis]

So let's say you do get baptized by another believer but you found a church and they can baptize you. Is it ok to be baptized twice once by a believer and once by a pastor?

Sorry for the silly questions folks!

Considering how confused many seem to be on the topic, I don't think it's silly at all. This is important stuff.

And like Mark said, there's no reason to receive a second baptism. In fact from our (that is, Lutheran) view point a second "baptism" isn't a baptism. It's really nothing at all.

Technically even an atheist could baptize someone, and as long as the baptism was, in fact, a Christian baptism done in the Christian manner, it is still a valid Baptism.

That, of course, is hardly ideal. But the point is this: The one officiating the Baptism is not what's important, it is instead the promises of God attached to Baptism that matter. What God has promised in Baptism is what makes Baptism Baptism.

Though for the sake of good order, the Church as a whole designates certain individuals to serve, as their vocation, to be ministers--servants--of Word and Sacrament. We call them pastors. Pastors are not the CEO or "leader" of the church, they are the servants of the Church whose given calling and task is to serve by proclaiming God's Word and administering the Sacraments. The authority which Christ commissioned His apostles to proclaim the forgiveness of sin in His name, to baptize, etc is not an authority of power operating top-down, but is an authority of service, bottom-up.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Albion]

That's the question I'm trying to get at. Does baptisms fall under the authority of the church or can anyone with Christ in their hearts baptize someone?

Technically, yes.

Doing so without benefit of clergy will always make the baptism suspect, however, if that person wants to join a church, changes churches, needs to establish he's been baptized when he's seeking marriage in a church, and so on.

 

[RDKirk]

I had an interesting discussion with a Baptist pastor once about this issue. His contention was that one is baptized into a local church and when one changes churches one must be rebaptized into the new church. This helps explain the amazingly large number of baptisms performed by such denominations as the Southern Baptist Convention.

It should be noted that not all Baptists believe this. Nevertheless, I view it as a serious error on their part.

That's very strange, and not common in my experience. The most strict churches I've run into would require, at most, a letter or some communication with the previous church to indicate you were a member of a church that baptized by immersion.

I've never heard before of one that would require re-baptism of someone who had already been baptized by immersion, and I think most would consider that a heretical opinion that denied the basic efficacy of baptism.

 

[Albion]

This is exactly correct (speaking only for the Catholic view). Such a case occurred in my immediate family...twice, with my sister and my son. In both cases, a 'mere' believer baptized another, and it is considered fully valid in both cases without question from the Church.

Peace in Christ

This may be what happened in these particular cases, and if so, it's because the priest in charge made a personal decision to accept what he was told. However, there are plenty of cases in which "considered fully valid...without question from the Church" was not what carried the day.

 

[hedrick]

I agree with the consensus so far: yes, anyone can baptize. But except in a pretty unusual situation it should be done in a Church service. It's not that only a pastor has the power to baptize: neither Catholics nor Protestants believe that. However part of baptism is becoming a part of God's people. Hence it makes sense to do it by a public confession of faith, and as part of a congregation.

 

[MarkRohfrietsch]

This is exactly correct (speaking only for the Catholic view). Such a case occurred in my immediate family...twice, with my sister and my son. In both cases, a 'mere' believer baptized another, and it is considered fully valid in both cases without question from the Church.

Peace in Christ

Thanks Hawkiz; these baptisms are valid.

Technically, yes.

Doing so without benefit of clergy will always make the baptism suspect, however, if that person wants to join a church, changes churches, needs to establish he's been baptized when he's seeking marriage in a church, and so on.

This may be what happened in these particular cases, and if so, it's because the priest in charge made a personal decision to accept what he was told. However, there are plenty of cases in which "considered fully valid...without question from the Church" was not what carried the day.

I agree with the consensus so far: yes, anyone can baptize. But except in a pretty unusual situation it should be done in a Church service. It's not that only a pastor has the power to baptize: neither Catholics nor Protestants believe that. However part of baptism is becoming a part of God's people. Hence it makes sense to do it by a public confession of faith, and as part of a congregation.

In our Church such is not the case; these baptisms are proclaimed in the Church; noted in the Church records, and a Baptismal certificate is issued and signed by the Pastor. There is no question; praise God!

 

[Radagast]

Therefore in times of emergency any Christian may baptize.

AFAIK, Catholics go even further and say that, in times of emergency, even non-Christians may baptize, provided that they intend to do what the Christian Church does.

Yes, any Christian can baptize, but for the sake of good order within the Chruch, generally, it should be done within the context and practice of the Church.

For one thing, if a non-pastor baptizes, it can be hard to prove that a valid baptism took place.

In both cases, a 'mere' believer baptized another, and it is considered fully valid in both cases without question from the Church.

That seems unusual; in cases of doubt, AFAIK, Catholics have a formal process of "conditional rebaptism." The priest will use the words "If you are not yet baptized, then I baptize you in the name..." This will also be applied to converts to Catholicism where (1) there is no written evidence of previous baptism, or (2) it is unclear whether the process of the previous baptism was valid in a Catholic sense (for example, if the previous baptism was done in a denomination with no standard wording).

 

[RDKirk]

For one thing, if a non-pastor baptizes, it can be hard to prove that a valid baptism took place.

Not if you have one or two witnesses...which might be a good idea regardless who does it.