HELP!!! They want to CONVERT me!!!

[HeatherJay]

It has been awhile.. But after completing the confirmation several years ago, the most they did was sprinkle some water on our heads and said, "Remember your baptism."

Right, it's called reaffirmation and it's not a second baptism. It's re-affirming to YOURSELF (not to God) what the first one meant. But, I also believe that adult baptism is extremely important...not necessary from a salvation standpoint, but definitely something that I feel we're called to. I'm Nazarene, but we have reaffirmations, too.

Also, infant baptism is not something that's 'required' in either the Methodist or the Nazarene church...it's strictly up to the parents to decide if they want to or not. And there's the choice of dedication (no water) or baptism (water). And even if an infant is baptised, that baptism has no bearing on his/her salvation. It's a plea for prevenient grace...not guaranteed salvation.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Wow, I must admit, because of my past history with churches, I'm pretty gun shy and this would be enough to make me leave a church. Having been raised in catholic and word of faith type churches, I really have a problem with making the 'church' my focus and, as a result, have no desire to become a member of any church (unless God puts it on my heart, which, thus far, He has not). Anyhow, by chance, we're attending a Nazarene church which really seems non-denominational based on the other Nazerene churches I'm reading about here. We've had no pressure to become 'members' and nobody is pressured to be baptized. Baptism is a very personal thing. If you're to be baptized again, the Lord will put it on your heart and you'll feel a desire to be baptized. Personally, I believe baptism is pointless when it is forced.

This sort of reminds me of something my MIL said to me once. Her fourth husband refused to marry her unless she got baptized again. She was baptized as an infant but he was a member of the Church of Christ which, I guess, demands a person be baptized to be saved. She was really bitter when talking about it but I'm not exactly sure where she stands spiritually.

I hope you get everything straightened out and figure out if this is the church for you.

 

[HeatherJay]

Wow, I must admit, because of my past history with churches, I'm pretty gun shy and this would be enough to make me leave a church. Having been raised in catholic and word of faith type churches, I really have a problem with making the 'church' my focus and, as a result, have no desire to become a member of any church (unless God puts it on my heart, which, thus far, He has not). Anyhow, by chance, we're attending a Nazarene church which really seems non-denominational based on the other Nazerene churches I'm reading about here. We've had no pressure to become 'members' and nobody is pressured to be baptized. Baptism is a very personal thing. If you're to be baptized again, the Lord will put it on your heart and you'll feel a desire to be baptized. Personally, I believe baptism is pointless when it is forced.

This sort of reminds me of something my MIL said to me once. Her fourth husband refused to marry her unless she got baptized again. She was baptized as an infant but he was a member of the Church of Christ which, I guess, demands a person be baptized to be saved. She was really bitter when talking about it but I'm not exactly sure where she stands spiritually.

I hope you get everything straightened out and figure out if this is the church for you.

Welcome to CF, OreGal.

Nothing is forced as far as membership or baptism in my Church of the Nazarene. My pastor actually sees church membership as pretty un-important...it's only real purpose in our church being that you have to be a church member to be on the church board.

Also, the opinion of baptism above is my own and not necessarily the official Nazarene position. Didn't mean to make my church sound so scary.

As far as the Church of Christ view of baptism, my understanding is that they believe that THEY are the true church and that you must be baptised within the Church of Christ for the baptism to count towards your salvation. Somewhat of an extremist view, in my opinion, and probably why your MIL was so bitter about it.

Again, welcome to CF.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Thanks for the welcome.

I was actually just talking to a friend this morning about why I'm not into church memberships. I suppose if I got an off-the-cuff remark from somebody there about joining, it wouldn't be a huge deal.

Oh, and my MIL is just bitter about life in general. I think the baptism thing is just one more reason for her to complain about her current husband. I just hear about forced baptisms elsewhere and that idea bothers me.

Well, thanks for the welcome. I'm 'meeting' some great people here.

Kay

 

[ufonium2]

I was baptized as an infant in the United Methodist Church, and I would never be re-baptized. Your baptism is valid, and any church that's worth belonging to will recognize that. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, right? If a church declares your baptism invalid by requiring you to be rebaptized, and they believe (most of these churches do) that a specific baptism is necessary for salvation, then they are saying that in your current situation you are un-saved. Is that for them to judge?

Remember, the first person to get into heaven wasn't baptized at all.