Question about baptism

Well, if someone came to me and they understood completely about baptism, I would have no problem baptizing them whatsoever, even if I knew I would never see them again.

However, if you don't want to be EF, why do you go there?

 

Remember what baptism represents. It is an outward expression of an inward decision. It represents the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.

Baptist is not required for salvation. I think one ought to be baptized after they are saved, but it's not required.

That being said, if you want to be a baptist, why don't you find a baptist church you agree with and unite with that local body? I don't know the area you speak of, but I would imagine there is a baptist church within an hour's drive of you.

In lieu of that, if you find a baptist church and explain to the pastor why you want to be baptized, I think he'd be happy to oblige, even if you are not able to unite with the church.

 

is this church you don't agree with the same one as the one your mom goes to that you mentioned in your first post? If it is, then Id suggest first going to the pastor and asking him to help you "understand" the things he's said which have disturbed you. You might find out he has a Biblical basis for them, OR you might find out you completely disagree and would not feel comfortable identifying with his congregation.

If the two churches are NOT the same, and you DO agree with the church your mom goes to, than be baptised there. Like others said, it would not make much difference if you were unable to continue there for long. You have a legitimate situation which will be requiring you to leave soon. But that is no reason to have to postpone baptism.

Also, find out if being baptised automatically makes you a member of the church, and what that would entail since you will be transferring soon.

 

Not meaning to sound harsh, but a lot of souls have gone into the baptismal pool bound and come out still bound. Salvation is not founded in the water but in the heart and in the speaking of your belief.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

 

But, if you're interested in doing the will of the father, then you need to be dunked.

 

churches without baptismals sometimes hold baptisms in churches with baptismals. i went to an e-free church as a young person. the church had no baptismal...i was dunked at a nearby baptist church.

talk to the pastor.

 

It's obviously important to you or else you wouldn't be asking. I think it's important to be Baptised and some churches will not even allow you to be a true member without making that public profession now or at some point in your life.
Pray about it.

 

princessJJ, IMO, baptism is a personal and intimate thing, and you should do it according to how you would like it done. I myself did not get baptized right away. It was a year or two later, and was with a small gathering of friends at the beach.

 

I agree with Johnv. It's very personal. I wasn't Baptized until last year even though I was saved as a child. We held my Baptism on a Thursday night with my family and fiance and best friend. Not all Pastors may be willing to make the exception for a private Baptism but the church I was going to had less than 100 members and the pastor was very understanding of why I wanted a special private ceremony with just family and close friends.

 

We went to a church that was E-Free and my wife was baptized in the ocean. That is closer to biblical than in a church building anyway. It was a public event in front of a number of non-believers present on the beach in the winter when it was about forty degree out. It was cold!

If you feel comfortable with that church read about the E-Free history. I think you will appreciate their history.

 

I was saved as a child and didn't get baptized until my teen years, and looking back I regret it. I would advise you to go ahead and do it. It is an ordinance from Christ and the sooner you obey the sooner He'll really began to use you to your fullest capability.

What's E-Free?

 

Yes, it's to be a public event. If there weren't many people around, I would still baptize someone, but I would never intentionally set out to avoid people. When John was baptizing, it was public, with a public declaration of repentance.

 

Sister Princess - Glad to hear you are trusting Christ and Him alone for eternity - then baptism follows, then church membership on the basis of that salvation and baptism. Don't just "get dunked" to say you have baptism; that happened when you were still lost (happened to me too, and that by a Baptist church! After I was saved, very much as you describe your conversion, I had to convince them to properly baptize me! That was hard for a shy kid of 14!). Make sure you agree doctrinally with the group doing the immersion. If that takes a while, so be it; my wife was saved early in life, baptized about the time we got married (over a decade later) because there was no Baptist church in their home town. Her dad was a lay minister and tried to get one started, but the United Brethren group there held enough Bible doctrine that the three or four Baptists in town couldn't pick up enough interest to bring people out of the UB (later EUB, now part of United Methodists). The EUB would immerse on request, but to me that isn't enough. If in the NT baptism was only and always the brief immersion in water of one who was already a believer in Christ, then any group which will sprinkle, pour, or immerse at the candidate's request, or do something called "baptism" to an unaccountable infant, has disqualified itself from doing true baptism, IMHO. (Lots of folks on this board will disagree, I'm sure!) But when you are comfortable
being immersed, possibly at your mom's church, by a church that teaches only believer's immersion, then you can move your letter from that church to another wherever you live, or leave it there while you attend school. Some churches will keep college students under "watch care" without formal membership for the school year; the E-Free folks might do that while your membership stayed at home, if that turns out to be the most comfortable place for you while in school. You sound like someone who wants to follow the Bible, and that is great! Too few of those today. Best in Christ - Bro. Charles Blair - Rom. 8:28

 

What is E-Free? Guess I'll google it and find out...

 

Baptism is an external expression of an internal decision. It is not required for salvation. But why would you not want the world to know you are His? You never know who is watching. Your baptism could be a testimony in and of itself! God works through each of us and, in my experience, mostly when we least expect it!

 

The main E free group is the Evangelical Free churches of America. Last I knew they allowed each pastor to determine the mode of baptism (sprinkle, pour or immerse).

http://www.efca.org/ is their website.

Trinity seminary is one of their schools.

http://www.efca.org/about/doctrine/ is the doctrinal statement.

There are some other evangelical free groups also, including an e free baptist.