Is at that place ever a justification for being "re-baptized"? I have questioned my baptism. I was very young and really did non embrace the seriousness of what I was doing. I have considered existence baptized again, but some say that it would not be right to be baptized a second fourth dimension.

Your question is a very legitimate one. There are some people, even among religious leaders, who oppose any form of re-baptism.

For instance, in 1996, the General Briefing of the United Methodist Church at a convention conducted in Denver, Colorado debated the matter of re-baptism. A position newspaper issued by the briefing declared that Methodists who were baptized equally infants should never be baptized again. The document explicitly stated:

"Whether a baptized infant grows upwardly to be a professing Christian or not, that baptism stands valid."

This position is flawed in many particulars, having no scriptural back up whatsoever.

New Testament Precedent for Being Immersed a 2nd Time

While on his tertiary missionary campaign, the apostle Paul came to the city of Ephesus. At that place, he encountered twelve men who formerly had been baptized with the type of baptism administered by John the Baptizer.

One might exist inclined to conclude, therefore, that the apostle would take accepted these men as they were and only organized them into a church.

Merely such was not the case. Afterwards questioning them equally to the nature of their earlier baptism and determining that their pre-baptism instruction on the previous occasion had been defective in essential details, Paul immersed these men into Christ (see Acts 19:1-5). A simple understanding of the text reveals that their starting time baptism was scarce in some fashion.

And hither is an extremely important implication of this case of re-baptism. The case clearly demonstrates that in club for 1's baptism to be valid, accurate teaching and understanding must precede the rite. Otherwise, the deed of baptism is a meaningless exercise and not based on faith (Rom. 10:17).

Truthful Baptism — A Ane-time Act

Genuine baptism is needed only i fourth dimension in a person's life. In one case a person has been baptized according to the full complement of scriptural instructions, he or she never has the need to repeat this new-nascency process (cf. Jn. iii:3-5).

After a person has entered the family of Christ through baptism (one Cor. 12:13; cf. Gal. 3:26-27), he is a office of the church building, the household (family) of God (1 Tim. 3:fifteen; cf. Eph. 2:xix-22). The new Christian has access to all of the spiritual benefits of the in-Christ relationship (Eph. 1:3).

As a son or daughter of God within that sacred environs, the Christian prays to the heavenly Male parent for his or her personal needs by ways of prayer (see Acts 8:22, 24; cf. Jas. 5:16) — including forgiveness for sins as we fail to live perfectly before God (cf. ane Jn. i:8; 2:1).

Qualifications for Baptism

Unfortunately, there are many in today's globe of Christendom that practice a form of what they call "baptism."

When nosotros compare what is good and taught past many with what the Bible teaches, nosotros can see that a variety of doctrinal errors have developed that are not found in God's word. Those corruptions invalidate a baptism and make it of none effect.

Therefore, many who have been administered what was called "baptism" merely, in fact is non true biblical baptism, demand to be baptized again — this time with a more than authentic agreement that precedes the issue, merely like the example in Acts 19:1-5.

Here are some situations in which re-baptism would exist warranted.

Baptism without faith or understanding

If one was "baptized" as an infant, thus was lacking personal faith (Mk. 16:xvi; Acts 11:21), he should repudiate the meaningless earlier rite in which he had no determination-making power, even though his parents were sincere in subjecting him to the procedure.

In genuine faith, he should submit to the command in the proper fashion. Infants have neither the need nor the ability to respond to the gospel of Christ.

The aforementioned would be true for young children too immature or young to sympathise their accountability to the plan of salvation.

It is a tender affair to observe immature children who want to please God. Only many times, their want precedes their understanding and accountability for personal sin.

If an adult concludes that they need to be re-baptized considering they were baptized as an infant or as a sincere merely immature child, nosotros would encourage them to be immersed in religion and obedience. Thus, they can be bodacious of the forgiveness of their sins. Their determination will bring peace of mind and conviction past knowing they are obeying God from the heart with full understanding.

Baptism without immersion

If one was "baptized" in some fashion other than past immersion, then he needs to be baptized with the proper form. The give-and-take "baptism" literally translated means immersion, non sprinkling or pouring.

True baptism pictures the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The sinner is cached in water and raised from this symbolic grave (cf. Rom. half dozen:iii-4; Col. 2:12) but as the Lord was cached and then raised from the dead.

True baptism validates and proclaims one's faith in the death and resurrection events. Being sprinkled with h2o or having water poured upon the head is no baptism at all. Such substitutes are without sanction in the New Testament. They are post-churchly innovations.

Baptism without repentance

Baptism without true repentance is also ineffectual. I once heard about a man who emerged from the baptismal pool, turned to his wife, and said: "I hope you're satisfied!"

No who is baptized without proper motive (and other prerequisites) can have validity in the divine scheme of things. Even John warned those who came to be baptized for a show without repentance. Only God's wrath awaited those who were baptized with such false pretenses (Mt. three:vii).

Baptism without faith

If one is "baptized" without a sound religion, the ritual would exist of no avail.

One might feel, for instance, that Jesus was a good homo, perhaps even a "perfect man" — every bit the "Jehovah'south Witnesses" allege. As sincere as these may be, they deny that Christ is the Son of God (i.e., deity).

And even so, for various other reasons, they might desire to exist baptized. But baptism grounded on simulated religion cannot exist deemed as genuine.

Baptism without purpose

If one has yielded to baptism for some purpose other than that which is supplied by God's word, he has non obeyed the Lord.

Baptism is never defined as "an outward sign of an inwards grace." It is non a mere representation of redemption for those who have already received forgiveness.

The purpose of baptism is "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38), to take sins "washed away" (Acts 22:16), to put the candidate "into Christ" (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27), or into his "torso" (1 Cor. 12:13). At this betoken, he is "saved" (Mk. 16:16; 1 Pet. iii:21).

The common resistance to the biblical suggestion that baptism comes before salvation constitutes a bold rejection of the obviously testimony of Scripture. One cannot be immersed "for the remission of sins" (Acts ii:38), if he believes his sins have been remitted already.

Your soul is too valuable, the plan is besides simple and the remedy also easy to access to adventure — hoping that a former "baptism" will exist alright in spite of the deficiencies associated therewith.

If you have any question about a previous baptism, I would encourage you lot to be safe and accommodate for your baptism according to your informed noesis.

If we may help yous in this regard, feel free to contact us for counsel.