Some questions...

[DoMiNiQuE]

ok um.. I have been in Conformation since school started ( but really started in 6th grade) and I have learned SOOO much, its unbelievable.. Recently, we have been talking about Baptism. Do your denomanation have any certain beliefs on that? Do you believe that you should dunk the whole person in the Holy Water?
We were talking about the Cathloics and how they immerse. I learned, that you can even sprinkle water and they will be baptized.. but that is only if you do it in the Father, Son and Holy SPirit.. This guy in my class, asked a hypathatical (sp?) queiston but kinda.. stupid.. but its interesting.. ok he asked "Pastor, since you said anyone can baptize you in case of an emergancy, lets say, you were driving and u drove into a puddle of water and u splashed a person and at that same time you said ' Your baptized in the name of the Father, son, holy spirT! Does that mean, that person is baptized??"
and like The pastor was talking about, you can get like a bottle water and just dump it on someone.. and just say the Holy Words.. I mean... ok to me, I think that is wrong.. I wanted to ask , but we didnt have any time.. What do yall think about it?

ok bye

[Asmi-chan]

I don't know about what anybody else thinks, but I see baptism as more of a symbol of being saved. I was raised Catholic, meaning I was baptized way before I became a born again Christian (I was saved in 5th grade, I think). I mean, the idea of Catholics raising their family in that faith is nice, but still, my baptismal really didn't mean anything except that I would be raised Catholic. But, just recently, in fact, my mother got baptized again in a Baptist Church, cause she kinda felt that her confirmation didn't quite cut it. I've never gone through the confirmation process myself, so I don't really understand it, but I'm thinking about being baptized again, too. Still, I consider myself non-denominational.

As for your original question about the methods, I think dunking the person underwater symbolizes the act of cleansing someone. But, I don't think anyone could truly baptized someone in the holy spirit unless the person accepted Christ. After that, I don't think the baptismal methods really matter. But, that's just me and my brain. Anyone else got something to say bout the subject?

[Mave]

Part of my Christian life involves the never ending debate of "how one ought to be baptised." I grew up as a Catholic, got sprinkled baptized before Confirmation. At that time, baptism was just a ritual for me and didn't do anything spiritual for me. It had nothing to do with HOW the baptism was carried out.

Later on, I decided to get more serious with God and as a declaration of faith, I chose to get baptized again and I was submerge-baptized. I've heard a lot of arguments as to which is right, but my personal answer to your question, Dominique (whether it may be bottled water, puddle of water, gushing river, pouring rain, the ocean...whatever) "Get your heart right first." No point getting wet and splashing around if your heart isn't open for Jesus. IMO, the society has diluted the whole meaning of baptism. Baptism ought to be taken seriously like an blood oath or marriage to God....not just because "everyone 's doing it." >_<

[DoMiNiQuE]

Yea.. I think in my opinion, that if you want to be batized, you have to open your heart first to God, then just being baptized b/c everyone else is. But like what I said up there, like you can drive into a puddle of water or something and baptized. If you were, in your heart, seriously wanting to be baptized, Then i wouldnt do it that way.. but like if your in a stuation that like your about to die, and you have no one around, and you wanted your whhholllle life to be baptized before you die, what would you do??? Like for instance, your stranded in the desert, and you know, right then and there , you know your going to die, but you havnt been baptized.. WhAT WILL U DO!! U CANT BAptize ur self!! ...... wiat wait.. look at this....

251. Is it possible for an unbaptized person to be saved?
It is only unbelief that condemns. Faith cannot exist in the heart of a person who despises and rejects Baptism against better knowledge. But those who believe the Gospel, yet die before they have an opportunity to be baptized are not condmned.

I'm thinking it is okay if you didnt get to have a chance to be baptized before you die.. but im not sure! cuz i dont understand it!

ok bye

[cbwing0]

Since I am a life-long Baptist, I have some rather strong beliefs on this issue, and to avoid a debate, I will simply say that I wholeheartedly endorse immersion baptism as opposed to sprinkling/infant baptism.

I agree that faith and belief are the most important things for determining someone's salvation, with baptism being more of a public declaration of your decision to follow Christ and accept his sacrifice as necessary and sufficient for the forgiveness of your sins.

[ice122985]

you said this:

I'm thinking it is okay if you didnt get to have a chance to be baptized before you die.. but im not sure! cuz i dont understand it!

I am not claiming to know it all...far from it...but i do know that baptism cannot clean us of our sins- only the blood of Christ does that. The only thing baptism can clean us of is a little dirt.

THe Bible is most clear on this subject with John 3:16- For God so loved the world that He have His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. It is believing in Christ that assures your ticket to heaven, not the act of baptism.

Please tell me though if i am wrong.

[DoMiNiQuE]

ok I am not telling you that your wrong.... here is my point of view

Even if they got Baptized, Would it hurt to anyways???

Ephesians 4:5- One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

[Rashiir]

I think that if you're gonna do it, you might as well go all the way and get dunked. I mean, why not?

[ShiroiHikari]

At my church, when the pastor baptizes someone, he says "Buried together in death" *dunks and raises person* "Raised to walk a new life" So to me, that kind of does a good job explaining the symbolism of baptism by immersion.

I don't think that you will be condemned if you're saved but not baptized in water, but I think it's a good thing to do. Even if you're already saved, and you just came out of a "valley". *nod*

[Straylight]

As a CoE guy who was brought up a Christian, I've not been immersion-baptised. When they did this at my church they always said "I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit".

I expect that one day I will get baptised though. I've been thinking about it.. I did get an infant baptism though... hmm

[Will Smith, Jr]

The Baptism is just an outward expression of the change that has happened on the inside of our hearts. Baptism is not Heaven or Hell but it does declare to the world that I am for Jesus. The thief on the cross didn't get baptized but He believed on Jesus and was saved (For this day you will be in paradise is a paraphrase of what Jesus said to him). Whether you use tap water or Niagra falls is irrelevant - we must confess Jesus and live for Him. But I will add it is an awesome thing to get baptized.

WillieDoc

[The Grammarian]

As a CoE guy who was brought up a Christian, I've not been immersion-baptised. When they did this at my church they always said "I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit".

I expect that one day I will get baptised though. I've been thinking about it.. I did get an infant baptism though... hmm

Raised United Methodist myself. Never been immersed, no plans on it. I have a covenantal understanding of baptism, anyway, so I believe the paedobaptism covered it.

(The covenantal understanding of baptism is that baptism takes the place of circumcision and is "an outward sign of an inward grace." A logical extension of this belief that it takes the place of circumcision is that it's just as proper to baptize an infant as it is an adult. The baptism isn't about affirming your own belief in God, it's about affirming God's covenant with his "household of faith," as the term goes. Just for those unfamiliar with covenantal theology.)