Who should baptise?

[Help-me-learn]

If I were in a bible study and invited a friend, and that person wanted to be baptised. Is it okay for just any christian to babtise them? Not being a preacher, what it they wanted me to baptise them? What if they wanted only me to baptise them?

This is a what if question, it hasn't come to pass yet.

 

[Help-me-learn]

anybody got a comment?

 

[Gerry]

Yes! I do. ANY Born Again Christian can baptize any other Born Again Christian. It's that simple. The only requirement is that BOTH be born Again.

So you need to be sure of your own salvation and THEN you want to be sure the person you are baptizing is Born Again as well. You do NOT want to baptize people who are not truly born again.

 

[PastorFreud]

Who do you want to recognize the baptism as valid? If just God and God only, Gerry is right about your qualifications (although I don't like the unscriptural born again language).

If you want a particular denomination to recognize the baptism as valid, you should talk to the minister. In some cases, the church would support you in baptizing the person and recognize it as valid. In other cases, they would not. If the person is seeking to follow Christ in obedience to baptism, it should not matter to that person who dunks them.

Gerry, how do you make SURE the person is born again? Their public behavior and their word is all you can possibly go on, right? Or do you think God would show you through some sign you have to interpret?

 

[Gerry]

*sigh* No I am not God and I do not believe he will open the sky and tell me in a big booming voice "SAVED" or "Unsaved". I believe there are obvious questions the answer to which would indicate if a person was born again or not. Now if the person is a good actor and/or deceitful person who deceived me then that would be between he and God. But I believe it is my duty to do what I can to discern the truth.

As for the "unscriptural" born again language, I use it because it is what Jesus used and I am a follower of Jesus.

 

[paulewog]

I agree too. You don't need to be anything special. John the Baptist wasn't exactly and ordained minister by the Church


I think it's a bit more special though if your pastor does it...

 

[Help-me-learn]

Thanks Guys.

 

[PastorFreud]

Originally posted by Gerry
*sigh* No I am not God and I do not believe he will open the sky and tell me in a big booming voice "SAVED" or "Unsaved". I believe there are obvious questions the answer to which would indicate if a person was born again or not. Now if the person is a good actor and/or deceitful person who deceived me then that would be between he and God. But I believe it is my duty to do what I can to discern the truth.

As for the "unscriptural" born again language, I use it because it is what Jesus used and I am a follower of Jesus.

Thanks for clarifying Gerry.  I haven't interacted with you before and I thought you might be one of *those* who regularly determine who is a Christiand who is not.  Sure, there are some questions, and I believe you should ask them.  I just picked up on the word "sure" and thought you meant you had to know beyond any doubt.

I dislike what the term "born again" has become.  Jesus did use it once (do you count more?) and it has become an overarching metaphor now complete with rules and such.  Even the person Jesus used it with didn't get it and so Jesus moved on with a different explanation using light as a metaphor.  I prefer the term disciple, but it has negative connotations too.

 

[PastorFreud]

Originally posted by paulewog
I agree too. You don't need to be anything special. John the Baptist wasn't exactly and ordained minister by the Church


I think it's a bit more special though if your pastor does it...

 

Was John Southern Baptist or American Baptist?  Or Independent Baptist?  Others?  (tongue-in-cheek smiley)

 

[Gerry]

He was clearly Hard Shell Baptist.

 

[fragmentsofdreams]

Anyone can baptize, as long as they baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. However, it is customary to give the pastor the honor of leading the ceremony. Also, a baptism is a baptism with no baptism being more special than any other.

 

[Help-me-learn]

Independent Baptist. lol

 

[PastorFreud]

Actually, Fragment of Dreams post reminded me that some people insist Baptism must be in Jesus name. They don't like the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost line. They say the name of the Son is Jesus and there are a couple of verses where the line seems to be in the name of Jesus. We just make everyone happy and use both.

I am pretty sure there are no Methodist and Presbyterians in the Bible. Just the Baptist.

 

[Blindfaith]

Why is it that I find that a little argumentative Pastor Freud?

A baptism, no matter when it's done, is between the Father and the person being baptised.

Very simple, and there's no reason for argument. 

 

[PastorFreud]

Originally posted by blindfaith
Why is it that I find that a little argumentative Pastor Freud?

A baptism, no matter when it's done, is between the Father and the person being baptised.

Very simple, and there's no reason for argument. 

I don't know why you find that argumentative.  Maybe you are sensitive?

I was just telling some of the different positions I have seen on this issue, including the very simple ones.  I am not arguing one over the other.

The comment about John the Baptist was an attempt at humor, not argument.