Why did you get rebaptized???

TGBTG · #1 05-27-2011, 03:47 PM

So considering the recent threads on baptism, I decided to start a thread on rebaptism.

Share with us YOUR testimony with us on why you got rebaptized..

Please, let's not argue whether Father, Son, HolyGhost is the right way or Jesus' name is the right way (we already have threads on that).

Sam · #2 05-27-2011, 04:03 PM

I was saved on March 28, 1955 when I asked Jesus to come into my heart. He accepted my invitation and came in to dwell as the Holy Spirit. My life was changed as I became a new creature in Christ.

I started going to the Baptist church in our small town. Later that summer the church was going to have a baptizing. Four of us applied for baptism. We were all accepted for baptism and church membership and were baptized by immersion in a nearby lake.

Through reading the Bible and listening to some ministers on the radio and reading some other literature, I realized that there was more available to me than what that Baptist church preached. The official stand of the church was cessationist. We were taught that the gifts of the Spirit had all ceased when the written Word was complete during the first century.

I began praying that God would baptize me in His Holy Spirit. There were no churches in our town that taught that the gifts of the Spirit were still available. I did get to attend a couple of UPC churches a couple of times. I read in a couple of tracts about baptism in Jesus' name. One tract published by the UPC at that time said that the name of the Father is Lord, the name of the Son is Jesus, and the name of the Holy Ghost is Christ and therefore the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is "Lord Jesus Christ." That really didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, that it took three separate words to make up one name.

On October 27, 1955 I attended a service at Elim Tabernacle in Milwaukee, WI. I don't remember if it was a conference or what but there were people there from several churches. I went to the altar and was "seeking for the Holy Ghost" (a term they used back then) and the person I came with asked me if I wanted to get baptized. I figured I was going to get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ sooner or later so I just went ahead and did it that night.

TGBTG · #3 05-27-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam

I was saved on March 28, 1955 when I asked Jesus to come into my heart. He accepted my invitation and came in to dwell as the Holy Spirit. My life was changed as I became a new creature in Christ.

I started going to the Baptist church in our small town. Later that summer the church was going to have a baptizing. Four of us applied for baptism. We were all accepted for baptism and church membership and were baptized by immersion in a nearby lake.

Through reading the Bible and listening to some ministers on the radio and reading some other literature, I realized that there was more available to me than what that Baptist church preached. The official stand of the church was cessationist. We were taught that the gifts of the Spirit had all ceased when the written Word was complete during the first century.

I began praying that God would baptize me in His Holy Spirit. There were no churches in our town that taught that the gifts of the Spirit were still available. I did get to attend a couple of UPC churches a couple of times. I read in a couple of tracts about baptism in Jesus' name. One tract published by the UPC at that time said that the name of the Father is Lord, the name of the Son is Jesus, and the name of the Holy Ghost is Christ and therefore the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost is "Lord Jesus Christ." That really didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, that it took three separate words to make up one name.

On October 27, 1955 I attended a service at Elim Tabernacle in Milwaukee, WI. I don't remember if it was a conference or what but there were people there from several churches. I went to the altar and was "seeking for the Holy Ghost" (a term they used back then) and the person I came with asked me if I wanted to get baptized. I figured I was going to get baptized in the name of Jesus Christ sooner or later so I just went ahead and did it that night.

If I may ask Sam, why did you get rebaptized since you had already been baptized before?

Sam · #4 05-27-2011, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGBTG

If I may ask Sam, why did you get rebaptized since you had already been baptized before?

I had come to believe that in the first century church they used the name of Jesus Christ in baptism so it was a step toward the NT pattern.

I did not at that time (and still don't today) believe I had to get rebaptized to get saved or to get my sins washed away.

TGBTG · #5 05-27-2011, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam

I had come to believe that in the first century church they used the name of Jesus Christ in baptism so it was a step toward the NT pattern.

I did not at that time (and still don't today) believe I had to get rebaptized to get saved or to get my sins washed away.

gotcha...thanks

Would love to hear others' opinions...

deltaguitar · #6 05-27-2011, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TGBTG

So considering the recent threads on baptism, I decided to start a thread on rebaptism.

Share with us YOUR testimony with us on why you got rebaptized..

Please, let's not argue whether Father, Son, HolyGhost is the right way or Jesus' name is the right way (we already have threads on that).

I was baptized at the age of 7 or 8 because I knew Acts 2:38 was the way to keep out of Hell. I was baptized by my pastor Wayne Ellard at the United Pentecostal Church of Greenville, Mississippi.

I never did receive the Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in other tongues but everyone thought I did because I told them I did. I wanted to be accepted and plus I didn't want to go to hell. Even I had told myself that I had received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, but at the age of 27 I woke up in the middle of the night and realized that I had never spoken in tongues and that I had been living a lie. I repented of that lie.

I do not hold anything against the people that taught me these things growing up. I think they were really teaching me what they thought was right. Still, the results were disastrous and I praise God for bringing me out.

I am now a member of The Village church in Flower Mound, TX. It is a reformed church that allows for the gifts of the spirit. It is without a doubt one of the best churches in the world and has grown from 180 to 12000 in less than 9 years. I do not believe that my first baptism was valid because I didn't have the understanding neither had I been born again. My intention is to be rebaptized as soon as I can work up the courage.

Sam · #7 05-27-2011, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

...I am now a member of The Village church in Flower Mound, TX. It is a reformed church that allows for the gifts of the spirit. It is without a doubt one of the best churches in the world I do not believe that my first baptism was valid because I didn't have the understanding neither had I been born again. My intention is to be rebaptized as soon as I can work up the courage.

Two questions:
1. How does The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX baptize?

2. If it is not by immersion and they do not vocalize the name of Jesus, how do you feel about that?

deltaguitar · #8 05-27-2011, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam

Two questions:
1. How does The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX baptize?

2. If it is not by immersion and they do not vocalize the name of Jesus, how do you feel about that?

They baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Pastor's do not baptize but people are baptized by their friends or those who are influential in their life. I have seen son's baptize their mother and father's baptize children.

It is by immersion. They are a traditionally baptist church. The baptism services are very powerful and people give their testimony before they are baptized.

This is what is said over baptism. "Who do you call upon for your salvation?" and the person being baptized will say, "Jesus Christ" and the baptizor will say, then I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The way I have come to understand this is that the "name" means authority. We are being baptized by the authority of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I have to admit. A few years ago, I was still very oneness in my thinking and to be baptized this way would have been difficult. However, I now embrace trinitarian doctrine so this method of baptism doesn't bother me at all.

I still remember being apostolic so I know the feelings and how different it can feel to baptize this way.

Margies3 · #9 05-27-2011, 05:02 PM

I was baptized as an infant in the Methodist Church because that is where my parents attended at the time. Eventually they stopped going to church completely (my Mom goes now and has a wonderful walk with the Lord. Praise God for that!). But I went to the Missionary Church from the time I was 5 years old until I was 14.

At 14, I repented of my sins and wanted to be baptized. However the church I attended only held baptisms once a year because they had to borrow a baptistry to do it. So a lady had been coming to our church from the UPC church in Toledo. She found out that a couple of us wanted to be baptized, so she invited us to attend First Apostolic with her on Sunday nights. After about the third week that we went, we were invited to be baptized that very night. I didn't know that there was any difference in the words at that point at all. I just knew I wanted to be baptized by immersion. So I jumped at the chance. I have to tell you tho - my parents were FURIOUS with that church for baptizing me without their permission.

TGBTG · #10 05-27-2011, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margies3

I was baptized as an infant in the Methodist Church because that is where my parents attended at the time. Eventually they stopped going to church completely (my Mom goes now and has a wonderful walk with the Lord. Praise God for that!). But I went to the Missionary Church from the time I was 5 years old until I was 14.

At 14, I repented of my sins and wanted to be baptized. However the church I attended only held baptisms once a year because they had to borrow a baptistry to do it. So a lady had been coming to our church from the UPC church in Toledo. She found out that a couple of us wanted to be baptized, so she invited us to attend First Apostolic with her on Sunday nights. After about the third week that we went, we were invited to be baptized that very night. I didn't know that there was any difference in the words at that point at all. I just knew I wanted to be baptized by immersion. So I jumped at the chance. I have to tell you tho - my parents were FURIOUS with that church for baptizing me without their permission.

lol...