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Parent Post: Who wants to get baptized?
carp30mnia
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3/6/2025, 2:37:24 AM
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Many questions: Would you even know where to start? Do you have any in-person religious community to have these conversations with or help you since you don't go to Church? And baptized as what? A Catholic? A protestant? Non-denominational Christian? Do you have a body of water in mind? Would it be blessed? By who? Would your baptism/baptism certificate be recognized by any Church if the baptized person wished to join one after, or would they have to be baptized 'again'? etc. \> "God will help us figure out how to get it done." Remember, just because God's grace might help you manage it, doesn't mean he's going to do all the 'thinking' for you. It's better you come up with a plan and do your research than going in blind, BEFORE you start trying to invite people to be baptized by you. Otherwise, it could come across as shallow, impulsive, and actually put a candidate off baptism altogether --- creating the opposite effect of what you're intending. And to be honest, I would imagine many people would find the churches' authority on baptism more 'genuine' and thus more appealing (not necessarily true spiritually, but a reality for most people that appeal to authority). Would you be willing to send them to a church instead if that's what they prefer? Not judging, I'm sure you have sincere intentions and it's quite admirable of you to do this. However, it comes across like you're greatly inspired but you haven't fully thought this out. Consider giving such a big sacrament the amount of deep consideration its due. Since, respectfully, playing it by ear probably isn't the best practice for something this spiritually significant.
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leeroyjenkins
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3/6/2025, 3:01:04 AM
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When we accept Christ and are baptized, we do so in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. That's it. No other man-made label is needed. We’ve become so attached to religion. Being reborn with Christ isn't complicated, but you’re right that it’s spiritually significant. It’s the most important decision one can make. Look at the early church in Acts, where thousands were baptized at a time. The text does not state prerequisites to accomplish or require getting a certificate once you're out of the water. All of that is man-made. What scripture are you referring to in asking if the water would be blessed?
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carp30mnia
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3/6/2025, 3:58:19 AM
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Well yes, that's why I asked 'if' the water would be blessed (which is something someone more familiar with that version of baptism practice might ask)... not that it '*should'* be blessed. Imo it would help the OP to be prepared to answer such questions from a prospective baptism candidate more familiar with the Orthodox/Catholic model. %%You are correct that on a Biblical Basis, it is not required:%% 1\. The New Testament does not explicitly require that baptismal water be blessed. Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 simply instructs to baptize "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." 2\. The early Christian practice of baptism, as seen in the Book of Acts, does not mention any ritual blessing of the water. %%But there are Historical and Theological Developments, aka 'traditions'%% which might appeal to some people depending on what flavor of Christianity they're interested in: 1\. **Early Church Practices**: Some early Christian writings, such as those of Tertullian and Hippolytus of Rome, suggest that water was sometimes blessed or prayed over before use in baptism. 2\. **Sacramental Theology**: In Catholic and Orthodox traditions, baptism is a sacrament, and the water is typically consecrated with a prayer asking for divine grace to be imparted through it. 3\. **Symbolism**: The blessing of water is seen as invoking the Holy Spirit, paralleling the waters of creation (Genesis 1:2) and Jesus' baptism in the Jordan River, where the Holy Spirit descended. You are right that certs/prereqs/etc. are not necessary and 'religion' as a theological organization is overly depended on. My point is that ***all that being true***... what if the person being baptized still prefers that religious attachment/expression anyway? And what if they would want their baptism to be recognized by a Church in the future? (Ex: Many Protestant denominations recognize lay baptisms, but most Orthodox Christians and Catholics don't.) Then the OP should be very clear his baptisms are unaffiliated and not necessarily recognized by all religious institutions/denominations... which might not be what the baptism candidate wants. I'm not arguing against simpler lay-person baptisms being a genuine method of baptism, so much as that the person being baptized should be well-informed as possible about their status under OP's baptism method (that it will be spiritually genuine but not necessarily recognized institutionally), and that OP should be prepared to answer such questions. Even if it has no scripture basis or spiritual necessity, not everyone would want a baptism unaffiliated with or unapproved by religious institutions. And maybe certain institutional baptizing traditions appeal to that individual, and heighten their spiritual experience personally. TLDR: While scripturally supported, it's not always the case that a lay person performed baptism is in the individual's best interest... like if the baptized person plans future interaction/integration with a denominational institution and desires its' official recognition of their baptism method.
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