Hello everyone- :hibye:
I wanted to ask the group a another question. :confused:
Who can baptize? I dont see anything in the scriptures about the qualifications and requirements. Matt 28:19,20 commands us to, and i take it as whoever makes the disciple should do it.
Furthermore, how does one know if the baptism he perfoms upon someone is acceptable to God? :detective:
Please advise. Thanks.
Hi Yannis
This is some information copied from an earlier discussion on baptism (I do not know the writer....sorry writer)
"Baptism a Symbol of?
Baptism is a symbol of repentance and the means by which we receive forgiveness for our sins.
"Peter [said] to them: “Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit." - Acts 2:38
"owing to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit." - Titus 3:5
"That which corresponds to this is also now saving YOU, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 3:21
If Jesus Was Sinless Why Was He Baptized?
Jesus answers the question himself at Matthew 3:15 "Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous"
In order to be sanctified as high priest under the old covenant Aaron had to be cleansed with water and anointed with oil. (Exodus 29:4,7)
Aaron as High Priest was a type for Jesus Christ.
In order to enter into his role as our High Priest Jesus too had to be cleansed with water and anointed with oil. (Hebrews 2:17) Both conditions were fulfilled at the time of his baptism, "After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God's spirit coming upon him." - Matthew 3:16
As firstborn among many brothers Jesus set the example by which we too would be born again as Spiritual sons of God. (Romans 8:29)
In speaking to the Pharisee Nicodemus Jesus described the method by which one would be born again as a son of the Kingdom. "Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel because I told you, YOU people must be born again." - John 3:5-7
At the time of his baptism he was born from water and as the Holy Spirit came upon him as a dove he was born from spirit and then the voice called from heaven declaring him, "my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved." (Matthew 3:16,17)
Into Who or What Are We Baptized?
"Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is not another name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved" - Acts 4:12
The Scriptures show we are to be baptized in the name of Jesus alone.
"Peter [said] to them: “Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins ... " - Acts 2:38
"For it had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 8:16
"With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days." - Acts 10:48
"On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." - Acts 19:5
Did Jesus Command that we be Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Many religions use a variation of the baptismal formula found at Matthew 28:19 which reads, "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit,"
This has been called the trinity formula since it contains the three person of the Godhead. At present time we do not have any complete manuscripts of Matthew prior to the 4th century. All existing manuscripts written thereafter contain this phrase.
However there is some evidence that this reading was not original Early Church historian Eusebius appears to quote from a different manuscript then any we have presently. Eighteen times in between 300 to 336 he cited Matthew 28:19,20 as:
"Go ye and make disciples of all the nations in my name, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you."
The traditional reading of Matthew 28:19 does not appear in Eusebius' writings until after the council of Nicea indicating it may be a later textual variation.
If these words are authentic in no other place in the Scriptures do we see individuals being baptized explicitly in the name of three persons of the "trinity". To the contrast the apostolic example of Scripture shows baptisms being performed in the name of Jesus.
Are We Baptized Under men or Into Man-Made Religions and Organizations?
"What I mean is this, that each one of YOU says: “I belong to Paul,†“But I to A•pol′los,†“But I to Ce′phas,†“But I to Christ.†The Christ exists divided. Paul was not impaled for YOU, was he? Or were YOU baptized in the name of Paul?" - 1 Corinthians 1:12-13
"Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" - Romans 6:3
"For all of YOU who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." - Galatians 3:27
Is the Baptism of Children Scriptural?
At Acts 2:37-38 we read of 3000 men being baptized, "Men, brothers, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins,"]
At Acts 8:12 in regards to the Samaritans, "they proceeded to be baptized, both men and women"
This follows the example of Jesus who was baptized as an adult.
At Luke 2:21,23 "Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized . . . Furthermore, Jesus himself, when he commenced [his work], was about thirty years old"
From the April 1, 2006 Watchtower page 27,28 "Regarding first-century Christians, historian Augustus Neander states in his book General History of the Christian Religion and Church: "Baptism was administered at first only to adults, as men were accustomed to conceive baptism and faith as strictly connected."
I'm curious, have any of you been re baptized, or do you find that to be needless? Real question here. I actually wonder if I should be sometimes.
Hello everyone- :hibye:
I wanted to ask the group a another question. :confused:
Who can baptize? I dont see anything in the scriptures about the qualifications and requirements. Matt 28:19,20 commands us to, and i take it as whoever makes the disciple should do it.
Furthermore, how does one know if the baptism he perfoms upon someone is acceptable to God? :detective:
Please advise. Thanks.
1st Baptists for sure!:D
I think the "baptizer" is more or less a tool. He performs a function. So...if you're a Christian not afraid of water, I'd say...you're good to go.
gus
Where there are no instructions from the Bible we must assume that there are no hard and fixed rules as to who may do the baptizing.
My dear grandmother was baptized back in 1923, but since she lived so far from any congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, she asked a traveling preacher to baptize her.
Well, due to the period, she (and everyone else) accepted that she was one of the "anointed," and she spent the rest of her life zealously serving Jehovah. But when she turned 90, and Alzheimer's had already started taking her mind, a circuit overseer declared that she had never been "legally" baptized and that she had to be baptized again.
What do you think... did Jehovah accept her baptism as valid?
Andrew,
I have never felt the need to get rebaptised and my baptism was post-1986 within the WT Society.  So I said, "yes" to some pretty disturbing things prior to being immersed. Gladly, it hasn't limited me and I've since received the baptism of the Spirit.  So until God tells me otherwise I'm going to assume that my first baptism was valid in the eyes of Heaven.    I can't rule out though I won't end up somewhere, someday and say, "look a body of water what prevents me from getting baptised."    I tend to try to move according to the Spirit and if ever get the nudge to get ana-baptised I will.
This is just me personally and your feelings may vary.
Jim,
If my post-1986 WT baptism is valid I'm sure your grandmothers is as well. :thumbsup:
Where there are no instructions from the Bible we must assume that there are no hard and fixed rules as to who may do the baptizing.
My dear grandmother was baptized back in 1923, but since she lived so far from any congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, she asked a traveling preacher to baptize her.
Well, due to the period, she (and everyone else) accepted that she was one of the "anointed," and she spent the rest of her life zealously serving Jehovah. But when she turned 90, and Alzheimer's had already started taking her mind, a circuit overseer declared that she had never been "legally" baptized and that she had to be baptized again.
What do you think... did Jehovah accept her baptism as valid?
Good morning, Jim. Your CO is just another example of an organization stepping out of its designed role and running amok. Perhaps I should say (again) that if we allow for it, we really just get what we pay for.
Organizations are "nice" when they function as intended (and as outlined in scripture); but as CT Russell was known to say: they're 'wholly unnecessary.' Organizing a ministry, redistributing resources for widows and orphans, maybe putting together a talk schedule, are all fine and good. Turning traditions into laws and running the lives of the faithful? Not so good. For a good number of years I was under the impression that "teachers of religious law" were smarter than they were. Well, I got what I paid for.
Speaking of which, in the real world, the general rule is that a 'worker is worthy of his wages.' (Luke 10:7) I used to pride myself on the fact that JWs have no paid clergy. It took awhile, but now I have to wonder about the quality of the experience. It's not that I don't admire those who volunteer to help out. Anyone who responds to the spirit of giving is admirable. As a student of human nature, however, I understand that men will not endlessly give without some form of compensation. Having "been there done that" amongst JWs, I found that compensation usually comes in the form of prestige. Perhaps it would have been better to appoint hiring committees, have aspiring elders submit resumes, hire the most qualified, evaluate them yearly, and pay them accordingly. Perhaps the sisters should have been in charge of that.
As it is, JWs get what they pay for...men who insert themselves unnecessarily into other's lives and wreak havoc to justify their questionable positions. The answer to the baptism question is found in Acts 8, but it isn't all that "prestigious," so another, more complicated, answer is created by those requiring justification and prestige.
gus