If I Was Baptised in Catholicism Do I Need to Be Baptised Again

Have you e'er considered our tagline hither at A Faith that Obeys? Information technology reads, "Rethinking the Traditional Plan of Salvation." Now, I must admit, this does sound a bit presumptuous doesn't it? Hopefully the tagline provides a crisp clarity to the upshot we are debating and anyone piqued enough to investigate this apparent arrogance, discovers a warm and welcoming place to explore the historic period old debate regarding water baptism.

Now, you know me. I gotta pick apart a term! Afterwards all, nosotros need to agree on what a word means. Let's begin with, "Rethinking." Why are we "rethinking" annihilation? Well, because nosotros call up we might have gotten something incorrect or we need to review our agreement of a affair; in this instance, The Traditional Plan of Conservancy.

Defining Our Terms

A "plan" is an ordered succession of smaller events leading to a specific goal and our program leads to salvation.

"Salvation" ways, a person receives the forgiveness of sins, from God; is moved from a lost state to a saved country and will enjoy the benefits of the indwelling gift of the Holy Spirit and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

"Traditional" means; the plan is something which has been used and reused for a very long time and is causeless to be correct.

Our process of rethinking, leads u.s. to probe, poke holes in and otherwise scrutinize the assertions made by the traditional plan. At A Organized religion that Obeys, nosotros've discovered the master and most glaring difference between the Traditional Plan and the Biblical Program is this small, seemingly insignificant fact. Heed carefully. The only deviation betwixt the 2 plans is that the proclamation of conservancy is made at dissimilar points along the same common path. Allow me explicate considering this issue tin be a little hard to run across.

The Roadmap to Salvation

The plan of conservancy is like a map. When we look at the map carefully, we spot 2 different exit ramps. Both are clearly labeled, "This way to the Pearly Gates." To arrive at our destination, we must use the correct exit ramp. Merely, right at that place on the map are ii unlike exit ramps going off in different directions.

The traditional program asserts a person is saved when they offset believe and trust in Christ. This happens at some point before h2o baptism. That's ramp one. The Biblical Plan demonstrates that a person is not saved until they obey the Gospel, which includes water baptism. That's ramp 2. Intellectual belief and acceptance of the Gospel message and obedience to that message, are ii separate things and happen at different times along the same spiritual highway to sky. The crazy affair is that if we are non paying attention, the routes look identical!

When deeply committed Christian believers, who have not nonetheless obeyed the "Biblical Plan of Salvation," hear about it, become convinced of its truth and want to obey, the question inevitably comes up, "Do I need to be baptized again?" They are questioning this because, erstwhile in the past, they experienced a full immersion baptism, and now remember they may need to be baptized again, the right way.  They made a sincere delivery to Christ and believed they had been saved but, that happened well earlier their h2o baptism.

Our goal should e'er be to humbly obey the Gospel to the best of our power, correct? Anybody who truly loves Jesus wants to delight him. If nosotros were baptized at some point in the past with a full immersion baptism, we should inquire ourselves a couple of questions; "What teaching were we following?" And, "Why did nosotros get baptized?" Let'south spring in the Wayback Machine and review our thinking. How did our original introduction to Christ play out?

Why did you get baptized, way dorsum when?

At some point in the by, we heard the Gospel message. We learned about Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. This is, of course, is where and when everyone'southward journey started. Nosotros recognized our sinfulness and our need for a savior. Nosotros were ready for a change. Nosotros repented of our sins. We accepted Christ's offer of salvation… we "received Christ." So far, so good. These are all Biblically prescribed and sanctioned activities in response to the Gospel message. But, this is where the plans diverge.

When nosotros made that initial, sincere commitment, nosotros believed we were saved. We may have even known water baptism would be an important next stride, at some point in the hereafter. Accompanying our decision may have been some actually powerful and convincing emotional experiences. For case, we may take felt like the weight of the world was now off of our shoulders. Nosotros may have felt tremendous joy and a sense that we had truly begun a new life. At present let's be honest, we were new to the religion and pretty naive.

We fabricated a delivery to Christ based on what someone told us and had no clue there are actually 2 completely unlike paths. One claims, "You lot just got saved!" And ane says, "Great so far; now take the final stride and obey the Gospel in baptism." One path is the correct path, one is non. One stops us in our tracks, the other urges the states to continue and immediately obey Christ's control to be baptized. Now remember, the side by side footstep in both plans is indeed water baptism so the plans tin expect super like!

These differences may seem subtle and insignificant. It may fifty-fifty seem like splitting hairs; particularly to an outsider of our argument. Simply 1 path is right and i is incorrect. One is the truth, and ane is a subtle and clever deception. When we commencement made our very existent and very sincere conclusion, we were not aware at that place were two paths and neither was the person who was instruction us.

Dedicated and Sincere but Something Missing

And you know what? This is nothing new. Remember those good, hard-working, sincere believers of Matthew seven:28 and following? This is the aforementioned issue they were experiencing. They made a solid determination to follow Christ. They were at a indicate in their spiritual life where they knew Jesus very well. They worked difficult for him and called him, "Lord." But, they were non saved. This is shocking!

Let's review information technology and so its fresh in our mind.

Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, only only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many volition say to me on that day, Lord, Lord, did nosotros non prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles? And so I will tell them patently, I never knew you. Abroad from me, you lot evildoers!

This little story could go out us quite distressed, but thankfully, Jesus explains the problem so nosotros don't brand the same error. As He explains, it's not well-nigh how well they know him, it's about him knowing them. He tells them, He NEVER knew them! Recollect this through carefully. There's a forensic timeline. Attempt this; read the account carefully post-obit the program of salvation. Sketch it out on a timeline.

We surmise these sincere, hard working people followed a actually solid, well presented introduction to Jesus and the plan of salvation. They heard the Gospel. That'south step 1. But, the plan they heard must have diverged onto some other path, at some point in fourth dimension, which did not atomic number 82 them to the correct destination. They never arrived at salvation. Remember about this carefully. That critical bespeak of time had to take occurred after they heard about Jesus. This is obvious. Absolutely everything else in the story looks and feels exactly like it should for a solid biblical conversion. It's hard to understand Christ'southward refusal to have them. It'south stunning. When we wind the record backwards, we conclude that some sort of mistake must accept occurred right after they learned about Christ. Something prevented them from hearing a vital fleck of information independent in the rest of the story.

But wait… In that location'south a Sequel!

At present, these are not the only people in the Bible to experience this problem. I suspect God knew nosotros might have a difficult time accepting these people as lost, and then He included a sequel!

Yeah, at that place is another case of this happening in the book of Acts. This is exactly the state of affairs with a boyfriend named Apollos. Let's read it.

Acts 18:24-26
"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough cognition of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with not bad fervor and taught nigh Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

Apollos had the same problem equally the folks in Matthew vii. He knew accurately about Jesus just did not know almost obedience through the baptism into Christ! In fact, merely similar the people in Matthew seven, who were actively promoting Jesus, we run across Apollos while he is on his own personal mission trip. We catch him in the act, so to speak. He is doing 1 of the exact same things Jesus said those people were doing; preaching about Christ!

Acts eighteen:26
He began to speak boldly in the synagogue.

Now don't miss the language used in verse 25, right before this. "He taught about Jesus accurately just knew merely the baptism of John." Allow's understand this? Luke, the author of Acts, makes a comparing between two things. Apollos has experienced the baptism of John the Baptist, which is very plain a water baptism, simply he did not know most the baptism of Christ; likewise a h2o baptism and thus the comparison. Apollos has not obeyed the Gospel. If he was teaching the Gospel adequately, at that place would accept been no need for Pricilla and Aquila to have him over of lamb-chops and explain the way of God, more adequately. And that is exactly the same situation as our friends in Matthew 7. They plainly knew Christ merely Christ says, He never knew them.

Us knowing God is not the same thing as God knowing us.

The big have-abroad from all this is, "It is possible to know God, but God not know us!" That'due south tough to swallow but that'south the truth. Non convinced there's more!

Hither's a fascinating scripture from Galatians. Listen to this carefully!

Galatians 4:eight-9
"Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who past nature are not gods. Simply at present that you know God…  or rather are known by God… how is it that you are turning dorsum to those weak and miserable principles?"

Knowing God and existence known by God, are completely unlike things! I know all about the President of the United States but rest bodacious he does not know me.

If nosotros were baptized in a church building which teaches that salvation comes before baptism, information technology is important to understand, that is non the Biblical Programme of Salvation.

I had been wrong!

If you lot take been listening to the Podcast for a while, you know I made a sincere commitment to Christ and prayed the Sinner's Prayer when I was about 22. That's what someone told me to exercise. They never opened the Bible to show me anything. I said the prayer and considered myself saved. Years afterward, I was shown the Biblical Program of Salvation and quickly repented and obeyed it because I knew based on the scriptures I had been incorrect. For over ten years I believed I was saved, but I was not. When I saw the truth, I was eager to obey. I wanted to be right with God.

But please sympathize something. The second fourth dimension around, information technology was non a person who was telling me what to do. Information technology was the scriptures. I read the Bible for myself. I made a conclusion based on scripture, not the same onetime Sinner'southward Prayer confession I had previously followed. Someone showed me the scriptures and asked me if I had obeyed them. I said, "No."

On January 20th, 1985, I stood in the waters of baptism and said, Jesus is Lord. This happened Afterward I had repented of my sins and knew I would mean what I said for the rest of my life. The older I get, the more I understand merely how lost I really was. After this, my life changed in indescribable means.

Information technology's non nigh doctrine, information technology's virtually repentance.

Now, there's another subtle point of discovery in all this which I think is of import to empathise, I was not saved by simply irresolute doctrines. I did not, at one betoken in time, believe baptism was merely an outward sign of an inward grace, and now that I understood the doctrine correctly my original baptism was somehow magically valid. I did not, at i fourth dimension, believe people were saved when they Accustomed Christ and at present understood things correctly so I was good to get. We don't clean up a little doctrinal error and now everything is fine. Let'south not fall into that charade. An incomplete or erroneous Gospel saves nobody! People are lost because they have non obeyed the Gospel, regardless of whatever religious experience they have had or have been participating in maybe for years.  Here'southward why.

Repentance always precedes salvation, correct?

Sometimes we need to apologize of things we take done.

Sometimes nosotros need to repent of things we take believed.

Sometimes we need to repent of things we accept taught.

Without repentance, no one volition be known by God.

Erroneous behavior are sort of the black and white sins we repent of just like the technicolor sins of adultery, lying or stealing; and every bit e'er, salvation follows repentance.

If I accept believed, followed and taught an erroneous program of salvation, it certainly did not save me or anyone I taught. How could it? An erroneous plan is no plan at all. So, this is not a affair of patching up some erroneous doctrine and slapping a new coat of paint on it. Information technology's not about our doctrine. We are repenting of something we are doing wrong and obeying what we learn is correct. This is a matter of facing the truth that nosotros are yet in a lost country and repenting of the things which take brought us here. Is it hard to believe God may exist revealing new truth to us? Actually? Exercise we really think we have it all figured out? I certain don't.

Why so difficult to accept?

For some, this is incredibly difficult to accept and I completely empathize that. Some really peachy people have spent years serving the Lord and have experienced truly astonishing things. They have known joy, peace, patience, the thrill of introducing people to Christ and more! They have given their fourth dimension, money, sweat and sometimes claret for the cause of Christ. To fifty-fifty consider the possibility that they are not saved is pretty crazy and honestly, perchance even a bit offensive.  But step back and think virtually it. Let the scriptures guide united states.

Are we really absolutely certain that those good folks, who had dedicated their lives to the cause of Christ back in Matthew 7:28, were really lost? Do nosotros want to waffle on that? Considering of that story, nosotros know it is possible for someone to be in the same position. But when we retrieve of ourselves in that position, it raises red flags and alert lights because we use our spiritual resume equally our defensive proof of conservancy. Just isn't that exactly what the believers of Matthew 7 did? Their protests were all about their by experiences!

And isn't that exactly what our dear brother Apollos did? No! Cypher like it! His reaction was far dissimilar and exemplary. We see no protestation from Apollos, we just encounter the church rejoicing and sending on his way to continue preaching that Jesus is the Christ! He didn't argue with Pricilla and Aquila, he accepted the truth and obeyed it. How practise nosotros know he obeyed it? Well, the church would never accept endorsed his ongoing mission! Listen.

Acts 18:27
"When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a smashing help to those who by grace had believed."

The church would have never approved if Apollos was still teaching only the baptism of John. He had obviously been baptized into Christ which the church would accept witnessed. This is why they were enthusiastically confident sending him off to a sis congregation.

God is nevertheless in control… always has been!

Now heed to me. Coming to the earth shattering conviction that; even though we accept years of sacrifice and devotion to the Lord… nosotros are actually in a lost state, did not of a sudden remove Jesus from His throne! Zip happened which shook the foundations of Heaven. Creation did not come up to a stand still in shock and atheism just considering nosotros have accepted new truth. In fact, I hear the distant sound of applause! Heed advisedly.

Do y'all think God does not know or has non known what He has been doing regarding your human relationship with him? Practice yous think he has not lovingly and patiently led you to this exact point in your life; preparing you, perhaps for years, to understand the things you are now learning? Practice you remember God has not been watching over yous and protecting you and loving you enough to bring you to salvation, no matter how long it took? I'm pretty sure God knows what He is doing. God knows our hearts. God knows our past, our present and our future. God sees the desires of our eye and God knows how to lead us to repentance… even from bad doctrine.

Our part is to accept the truth; to gratefully accept God's mercy and gentleness as He reveals his plan. In fact, if we really stop and think about it, we could be quite overwhelmed when we consider the gentleness and patience equally He has skillfully employed, leading usa to this fourth dimension in our lives. Our hearts should overflow with gratitude!

Shall we grumble or whine?

No. Wait. Can you imagine complaining that God didn't lead united states of america to salvation in the manner we thought it should be done? Shall I whine that God should take saved me sooner or used some other fashion to exercise information technology? Do I really want to pick that fight? No! We must never grumble, "God just took too long to salve me and I have been working so difficult for Him!"

Oh! Now we understand the parable of "The Workers in the Vineyard." Some worked a full day others worked only a couple of hours only both got paid the aforementioned wage. Here's the owners response to their complaints:

Matthew 20:13-16
"But he answered one of them, Friend, I am not existence unfair to you. Didn't you lot concur to work for a denarius? Have your pay and go. I want to requite the man who was hired concluding the aforementioned as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?"

Do we actually want to be the guy who complains about how God conducts his business organisation? I promise not. God knows exactly what it took to relieve me and He knows exactly what information technology takes to save you.

This is actually good news!

In reality, this is amazingly Proficient News! From the first time nosotros decided to make Jesus the Lord of our life, until this time when we can now obey the Gospel the right way; God has kept us rubber and audio, preparing us for such a time as this? Is it not amazing how God crafts all the experiences of our life to bring us… or anyone for that thing… to a knowledge of the truth?

And then, do we need to be baptized once more, even though we were baptized equally an infant or as an adult in a full immersion baptism? The short reply is, "No, you do non demand to be baptized, once again."

In reality, you need to be baptized for the showtime time.

An immersion for the wrong reason is not a Christian baptism and hopefully we want to do things the right mode. Ultimately, it'due south your conclusion. But, I tin can tell you that every bit for me and my firm, we will follow the Lord, no matter how or when He leads us. We will obey the Lord, making certain that if and when whatsoever new agreement is revealed, we do non lean on our former understanding and we do not rely on our spiritual resume. Our charge is to repent and believe the Good News and that kind of belief is a special kind of belief… a special kind of faith we call, "A Faith that Obeys!"

Enjoy!

Dana Haynes

Listen Now – Podcast 064 – Practice I Actually Need to exist Baptized the "Correct Mode?"

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