is my infant baptism enough?

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[JoeP222w]

Many Protestants believe that Baptism by immersion is the only way

Because that is what is in the Bible.

they didn't accept my infant baptism that they would force me to get rebaptized their way

I know of no Baptist church that would "force" you to be baptized.

 

[Silentdecay]

If you were baptized in the Catholic Church, then your baptism is fully valid. Getting a second baptism would be a very serious sin.

The 1 ecumenical council declared that if one was baptized and left the faith completely, they did not have to be re-baptized. Their first baptism is valid for all time.

 

[Anna Scott]

I was also baptized as in infant.

And I stuck with that, and would argue for it, until the Holy Spirit told me explicitly to join a certain church. It happened like this: We had moved to DC and were visiting churches to join. I had prayed that I would not join a church unless the Holy Spirit made clear which church it should be.

We had visited close to a dozen, I prayed for the week afterward about each one. Nothing.

Then one Friday night during prayer, the Holy Spirit said, "Tell them tomorrow you want to join." Just like that.

I got up that Saturday morning, waited until about 9, then called the office and told them we had visited the Sunday before and decided to join. The receptionist said, "Well, okay, come back tomorrow and after service the associate pastors will be down front to take your information."

About 20 minutes later, one of those associate pastors knocked on the door. He said that it was his task to pay a visit to everyone who had filled out a visitor card. He tried to make all those visits early in the week, but so many things had come up hindering him, and he apologized for it taking all the way until Saturday before he could get to us.

I realized that was a Holy Spirit appointment, and that he was the person I was supposed to tell.

It happened that was a Church of God, and CoG believes in baptism by immersion.

I prayed about that over the next couple of weeks, because I'd never felt "unbaptized" before, yet this congregation had its beliefs. Did I need to be baptized again?

The Holy Spirit spoke to me again: "That is the congregation I told you become a member of, and that is what their members do."

I felt led by the Holy Spirit to become part of a body of believers who do practice infant baptism. I left the Southern Baptist Church, the Church I had been in for most of my life. I too spent time in prayer, and study of Holy Scripture.

 

[vinsight4u]

/nvm

 

[Neostarwcc]

Infant baptism IS enough. God is ALWAYS enough. I have seen all sorts of baptisms in all sorts of ways. Triple immersion is always considered the standard by which ALL OTHER churches measure themselves. However, a Roman Catholic Baptism usually involves putting the child IN the water. The priest usually places one hand over the nose and mouth of the child, and dips him over his/her head, so that the child is wet all over. It doesn't even take a second.

As far as being baptized again, there is no need. God's grace is sufficient. If there is anything missing, count on God to make it enough.

I don't know how I was baptized since I was far to young to remember. But, you're probably right and I was immersed in the water. I'd have to ask my mother that question. But, thank you for saying that my infant baptism is enough and that I don't need to get baptized again.

One thing you'll notice about Lutheran and Episcopal churches, if you visit, is that we'll be pretty familiar to you if you're used to how things are done in Catholicism--we worship the same way because we have kept the historic liturgy and liturgical practices of the historic Christian Church. And, in fact, since the 2nd Vatican Council in the 1960's many of the liturgical changes in Catholicism have largely looked a lot like the reforms Lutherans did 500 years ago (Mass in the common language, the priest facing the congregation during the Lord's Supper, etc) so there may be little to no difference--which hopefully means you might find it familiar and more comfortable.

-CryptoLutheran

We don't have a Lutheran church around here or I might consider joining one. I think the closest Lutheran church is about 100 miles away from here. But, we have just about every other church imaginable.

 

[JoeP222w]

Most Christians are baptized as infants.

No, simply not true.

No one doubted or disputed the validity of infant baptism until the Anabaptists started their own denomination over 1,000 years after Christ.

Historical and biblical references that infant baptism is decree by God?

Getting re-baptized is sacrilegious because it shows doubt and disrespect toward God for what He did in making you a child of God when you were an infant.

God never tells us the identity of the elect, so saying that an infant is a child of God is beyond the knowledge that God grants us.

 

[~Anastasia~]

I know of no Baptist church that would "force" you to be baptized.

Some of them require it if you want to be part of the community.

Some of them are now teaching it is completely optional and one can simply choose never to be baptized at all.

Theology is rather fluid in the Baptist denominations, taken as a whole.

The early Church never saw baptism as an option or something that could simply be dismissed.

 

[LoricaLady]

If you will research the roots of the English word baptism, you will see that it meant "immersion" not sprinkling. Of course a baby has no clue what is going on in a sprinkling and is not participating in the spirit, in any way, with what is going on. But again, it is also not being immersed.

 

[JoeP222w]

God can save infants without faith since salvation is by grace and not based on anything we do such as having faith.

Faith is a gift from God. Faith is not something we do. And if one is saved, it is solely because of God and He gives them their faith (regardless of their age).

Once you're old enough to believe, then faith (as well as righteous living) is necessary to remain right with God.

Reference from the Bible that teaches an age of accountability? And you are promoting works based righteousness (that our efforts of righteousness is what cause us to "remain right with God").

Being a Baptist or following the historical Christian faith.

Major false dichotomy.

I'd find another church but if you really wanted to be a Baptist then I guess you'd have to follow their rules regardless of what scripture teaches.

Another major false dichotomy. Baptists follow scripture. Do they do it perfectly? No. That is why we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

 

[disciple1]

Okay so, I was baptized as an infant by the Catholic church in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I was wondering if that baptism was valid or if I should get baptized full immersion by a Protestant pastor.

It's been made aware to me that this might be considered heretical because I was already baptized as an infant. I don't want to be a heretic I just wanted to make a public confession of faith because as an infant I obviously couldn't make a public confession of faith and, I didn't even come to Christ until over 20 years later. So, I want to be baptized in the "correct" way.

Should I get rebaptized? Or is my infant baptism enough? I know different denominations will tell me different things But, I feel like Christ didn't accept me when I was baptized as an infant and he would accept a "proper" baptism more. What do you think?

I don't think it matters, I've got no verses for it, my dad is 76 and was never baptized, I was baptized when I was 24 by a thief, I believe faith expressing itself in love counts more than if your baptized.

 

[Monk Brendan]

The first step is to repent- then you can be baptized as a Christian.

infants should be stated as - baptized

Okay, I'll admit that I am looking through an Eastern Catholic lens, but there is no reason for a person who has been baptized to be re-baptized. I take it you go to a church where the child is "Dedicated" to the Lord. If this is true, did you ever sin? Even though you're dedicated to the Lord?

Baptism is a grace, given by God to us. It is not a sign, or a public profession. In the Early Church, Baptisms were done in the nude, with just the priest, a deacon, and a couple of people called sponsors, who were willing to help that child grow up right.

Repentance comes later, when there is awareness of sin. Then comes a willingness to cooperate with Christ, (a term I like much better than "saved") because our personal salvation is based on our willingness to work WITH God in obeying Him, including studying the Bible, our prayers, and our willingness to reach out to others.

 

[JoeP222w]

Some of them require it if you want to be part of the community.

That is not the same as "forcing".

Some of them are now teaching it is completely optional and one can simply choose never to be baptized at all.

And that would be unbiblical.

Theology is rather fluid in the Baptist denominations, taken as a whole.

Maybe in some, but if you think that is the case in all, you are using a really bad generalization.

The early Church never saw baptism as an option or something that could simply be dismissed.

I agree.

 

[ViaCrucis]

No, simply not true.

It's objectively true.

There are over 2 billion Christians in the world right now. A billion of those are members of the Catholic Church. Over a quarter billion belong to the Orthodox Churches (Eastern and Oriental). There are around 80 million members of the Anglican Communion (that includes the Episcopal Church in the US), around 75 million Lutherans, around 75 million Methodists, between around 85 and 100 million Reformed churches (including 55 million Presbyterians).

That alone constitutes about 1.62 billion of the world's 2 billion Christian population.

I'm going to go ahead and say that 1.62 billion of 2 billion constitutes the majority of Christians. I'm certainly not any good at math, but I'm pretty sure that over 3/4 constitutes a majority.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[samir]

If you will research the roots of the English word baptism, you will see that it meant "immersion" not sprinkling.

Christians borrowed an existing word (that meant "to immerse" as you pointed out) to describe a sacrament of Christian initiation that was often performed by immersion but that doesn't mean Christian baptism is limited to immersion just because that's what the word they borrowed originally meant.

 

[Devin P]

Okay so, I was baptized as an infant by the Catholic church in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I was wondering if that baptism was valid or if I should get baptized full immersion by a Protestant pastor.

It's been made aware to me that this might be considered heretical because I was already baptized as an infant. I don't want to be a heretic I just wanted to make a public confession of faith because as an infant I obviously couldn't make a public confession of faith and, I didn't even come to Christ until over 20 years later. So, I want to be baptized in the "correct" way.

Should I get rebaptized? Or is my infant baptism enough? I know different denominations will tell me different things But, I feel like Christ didn't accept me when I was baptized as an infant and he would accept a "proper" baptism more. What do you think?

Do as you feel convicted. You're asking, so you're seeking.

Look to what Jesus did when in doubt, He wasn't baptised until He was 30. Baptism is something that I feel is best when you make the choice yourself and understand what it means. As a baby, you don't really understand what's happening. I don't think it matters if it's a protestant pastor though. So long as your dad is alive, able, and in the word, he could even baptize you if you wanted. That's technically his job, as your father is supposed to teach and instruct you in the word.

 

[bekkilyn]

For those who are saying things like "it's unbiblical" and that baptism must be done a certain way that that it means ____, please keep in mind that different denominations view the meaning of baptism in different ways.

For instance, the United Methodist Church states:

Why Baptize Babies?
From the earliest times, children and infants were baptized and included in the church. As scriptural authority for this ancient tradition, some scholars cite Jesus’ words, “Let the little children come to me…for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs” (Mark 10:14). However, a more consistent argument is that baptism, as a means of grace, signifies God’s initiative in the process of salvation. John Wesley preached “prevenient grace,” the grace that works in our lives before we are aware of it, bringing us to faith. The baptism of children and their inclusion in the church before they can respond with their own confirmation of faith is a vivid and compelling witness to prevenient grace.

Baptism Is Forever
Because baptism is a sacrament of God’s grace and a covenant that God has initiated, it should not be repeated. However, God’s continuing and patient forgiveness, God’s prevenient grace, will prompt us to renew the commitment first made at our baptism. At such a time, instead of rebaptism, The United Methodist Church offers the ritual for the reaffirmation of baptismal vows, which implies that, while God remains faithful to God’s half of the covenant, we are not always faithful to our promises. Our half of the covenant is to confess Christ as our Savior, trust in his grace, serve him as Lord in the church, and carry out his mission against evil, injustice, and oppression.

Baptism Is the Beginning, Not the End
You have heard people say, “I was baptized Methodist,” or “I was baptized Presbyterian,” which could mean that in baptism they got their identity papers and that was the end of it. But baptism is not the end. It is the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith. It makes no difference whether you were baptized as an adult or as a child; we all start on that journey at baptism. For the child, the journey begins in the nurturing community of the church, where he or she learns what it means that God loves you. At the appropriate time, the child will make his or her first confession of faith in the ritual the church traditionally calls confirmation. Most often, this is at adolescence or at the time when the person begins to take responsibility for his or her own decisions.

​

 

[Monk Brendan]

Faith is a gift from God. Faith is not something we do. And if one is saved, it is solely because of God and He gives them their faith (regardless of their age).

Let me ask a question. If your non-denomination asks that you dedicate your child before the Lord, what happens to him if you have an auto accident on your way home from the dedication? Does he go to heaven or to hell? He hasn't had any chance to repent, has he?

Think about your answer, I'll get back to you.

 

[Monk Brendan]

Baptism isn't required for salvation. The thief on the cross wasn't baptized. Your infant baptism is certainly enough.

Yes, he was. It is called Baptism by Blood, and it happens frequently to Christians who are martyred.

 

[Silentdecay]

Faith is a gift from God. Faith is not something we do.

100% wrong

"Faith" is a verb in Koine Greek. That means faith is something you "do". It's not something you "have"