How Soon After A Person Is Saved.....

[ktn4eg]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

 

[Winman]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

I think you should get baptized as soon as possible. I accepted Jesus as my Saviour (KJB) on a Sunday, I was baptized the very next Sunday.

 

[padredurand]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

It has been the practice of our church, since its founding, to only baptize in the month of June. If someone comes to the Lord in January they'll just have to wait until June.

The creek is frozen over from November until late March. April and it is bank full from the snow melt. In May the water is so cold there's a good chance one of us ain't coming out of the water. By July the creek is down to a trickle except for a few small pools that aren't deep enough to please a Presbyterian. Water levels are back up by October but hypothermia is not a good way to remember your baptism. That leaves June. :thumbsup:

 

[Winman]

It has been the practice of our church, since its founding, to only baptize in the month of June. If someone comes to the Lord in January they'll just have to wait until June.

The creek is frozen over from November until late March. April and it is bank full from the snow melt. In May the water is so cold there's a good chance one of us ain't coming out of the water. By July the creek is down to a trickle except for a few small pools that aren't deep enough to please a Presbyterian. Water levels are back up by October but hypothermia is not a good way to remember your baptism. That leaves June. :thumbsup:

Yeah, I guess I didn't think about things like that. I got saved in Florida in the summer. :tonofbricks:

 

[JohnDeereFan]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

The verses you reference are descriptive, not prescriptive. As such, while the Bible does give us guidelines on who and how to baptize, the Bible doesn't instruct us when to baptize.

So we're one of those churches that has requirements for baptismal candidates.

 

[plain_n_simple]

.....should that person be baptized?


OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

The Baptist denomination in general has traditions contrary to scripture, rooted in pride.

 

[Revmitchell]

I believe and we practice Baptizing just as soon as is possible to the moment they accepted Christ. It is contrary to scripture to have a period of examination as it is contrary to the nature of Baptism itself. Baptism is part of the public confession of who you now are in Christ.

 

[Judith]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

At the time of salvation if possible.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

I believe and we practice Baptizing just as soon as is possible to the moment they accepted Christ. It is contrary to scripture to have a period of examination as it is contrary to the nature of Baptism itself. Baptism is part of the public confession of who you now are in Christ.

I agree, but there are extenuating circumstances in some cases. For example, my own.

I was coming out of a bad marriage -- neither of us Christians, both suffering unadmitted addictions -- and, as was my nature back then, couldn't see myself not being in a relationship. So I started dating a woman without benefit of being divorced. She, being a Christian, got me started going to church. We were getting serious, sexual (yes, Christian women do that), and we were talking about marriage when it came out from a third party that I was still married. Obviously, her hurt, rancor, anger and rejection followed. It wasn't long after that that I assessed my life, began to take to heart what I was hearing from the pulpit and from a man who had adopted me as his "project," so to speak.

It was about six weeks after my destruction of that relationship -- and in the meantime, being actually divorced because my wife rejected me, church, Christ and everything else about my life -- that I was drawn to saving profession of Christ. The pastor counseled waiting for some time to pass due to the upheaval I had caused in that particular woman's life, and I believe to this day he was right. It was nearly five months later. She was still in the church, but we were able to talk, I sought forgiveness, shared with her what had happened in my life, she wished me the best, we parted friends (more or less), and after my savlation in March, I was baptized in August.

The Baptist denomination in general has traditions contrary to scripture, rooted in pride.

You come on this board, knowing it is a Baptist Board -- how could you not know that? -- and insult the 200 denominations with the term "Baptist" in their name? And you think this is proper behavior? You hope to be an influence for your own doctrine and faith, and speak to us like this?

You have an odd concept of fellowship. >>click<<

 

[InTheLight]

The verses you reference are descriptive, not prescriptive. As such, while the Bible does give us guidelines on who and how to baptize, the Bible doesn't instruct us when to baptize.

So we're one of those churches that has requirements for baptismal candidates.

Being Reformed, I suppose one of those requirements would be to observe the baptismal candidate's lifestyle to see if they were false converts or not...

 

[InTheLight]

.....should that person be baptized?

Every NT account of a person being baptized that I know of seems to indicate that this person was baptized very soon after he/she received Christ as his/her Savior.

OTOH, I have heard of some Baptist churches that require a prospective "baptismal candidate" to first undergo a "period of 'examination'" (or whatever other term that Baptist church may wish to call it) prior to his/her baptism.

If these Baptist churches supposedly claim to hold the NT as their "standard by which all doctrines and practices ought to be measured," why then do these Baptist churches insist on delaying a person's baptism?

Are they Reformed Baptist churches? Probably.

What does the Bible say?

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[..]
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.


Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.


Looks to me like the Biblical example is baptism as soon as possible after profession of faith.

 

[ktn4eg]

Are they Reformed Baptist churches?

The particular churches to which I was referring in my OP were by no means "Reformed Baptist churches."

As a matter of fact, these churches [or at least their pastor(s)/elders(s)] were quite strongly opposed to the "Reformed" concept of soteriology (i.e., the "Doctrines of Grace").

 

[Archie the Preacher]

My eyes must be getting old. I can't tell if that's a mountain or a mole hill.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

My eyes must be getting old. I can't tell if that's a mountain or a mole hill.

Mole hill. :laugh:

 

[prophet]

The Baptist denomination in general has traditions contrary to scripture, rooted in pride.

Lol@"The Baptist denomination"