I was baptized before conversion. Should I be baptized again after coming to faith?

If you were baptized prior to your conversion, should you seek baptism again as a believer in Christ? From one of our Ask Ligonier events, W. Robert Godfrey shows that we find our answer in what baptism signifies as a sacrament.

[artistocracy]

Being someone who was baptized as an infant, I know that God was with me then just as he is with me now I am saved. God knew me in the spirit before I was born: he knitted me in my mother's womb and was with me all my life. He gave me the gift of his grace of salvation was an adult and I was adopted unto Christ Jesus. One baptism. One God.I trust God, not the logic of the mind of men because I read my bible. We may be conscious of our salvation however we cannot be conscious of the mystery that God is!

[CrumbsDM]

I was classed as having been 'baptised' as a baby when I was christened. I chose to be baptised as an adult because it was a profession of faith whereas before, I was too young to know or make that choice.

[dreyko]

About four years ago I was a new Christian and my faith was like the seed planted in the rock. I was excited and got baptized but when I went through some difficult times I fell away hard. I came back about a year ago and my faith is stronger than ever. This question been on my mind, thank you.

[GabiMacovei]

One affirmation he makes is that "we believe as reformed christians that baptism does not have to occur after faith, in some circumstances is perfectly legitimate to occur before faith". I am curious on what the actual biblical texts this affirmation is based upon.

[stefaniamirri]

Indeed is the CONSCIOUNESS OF CHOOSING JESUS TO BE CRUCIAL HERE

[DavidJonespirateking]

I'm glad he accurately acknowledged my argument. I believe, for example, Catholics who were baptized as children, and later come to a true faith in Christ should out of obedience and choice, submit themselves to legitimate baptism. It's not works-based righteousness. It's all about faithful submission.

[thomasnorton]

I was baptised in a Presbyterian church as a baby. Saved in 2018 at 17 y/o, baptised by full immersion in a Baptist Church last October

[Jonnycakes]

At around 0:12 Godfrey speaks about clergy who wish to baptize you "properly" because they don't believe you've been baptized "properly" before.

I just want to say this to anyone out there who is joining a different Church (either within Protestantism or from Protestantism to Roman Catholic or Orthodoxy) to NOT question the validity of your baptism if you believe it to have been done "properly."

I married into the Oriental Orthodox Church, and my priest gave me the same speech about how my baptism basically didn't count to them because of the aspect of Apostolic succession.

I was reluctant, but I very much love my wife as much now as I did then and I saw it as just a hoop to jump, since she was adamant about me joining the Orthodox Church. I wasn't really plugged into any Protestant church at the moment, anyhow.

The dilemma is that I was actually previously baptised at around 12yo by my father, an ordained minister in the Pentacostal Assemblies of Canada, who died a few years after my baptism. He wasn't actively pastoring at the church at the time, but had made a special request to the senior pastor at the time. So this was a rather significant experience.

Fast-forward to several years into orthodoxy, I started to really no different than I was before my re-baptism, and re-baptising showed a great disrespect to the memory of my father. As such, I am filled with anguish and regret over agreeing to be baptized "properly." I wish so badly that I had stood my ground.

So in sum: if you have been baptised by a legitimate, recognized Protestant organization - do not let anyone tell you that you haven't been baptized "properly." You will not be transformed based on the premise that you're now being baptized by someone in the line of Apostolic succession. The spiritual experience of baptism supercedes all physical/temporal factors. The physical act itself is ritualistic, but it's what's happening in your spirit at the time that matters. If you did it properly once, you don't need to do it properly again.

[marcwilliams]

I'm confused then. In preparing the way for Jesus Christ our "Saviour", John the Baptiser would only baptize those who had "fruits of repentance". Repentance is a "choice". Being baptized as an infant is not a choice the infant is cognisant to make. It's a conscious decision on the part of the individual to make [repentance], before the baptism can be taken seriously in my honest opinion.

[janetteolivier]

I am confused! I come from "Reformed tradition", meaning infant baptism. I was 3 months when I was baptised. Knew nothing what was going on. Grew up as a Christian: Sunday school, confirmation, still not having take hold of the faith but went through the motions/traditions of man. At age 22 I came to conversion and struggled for most of my adult life between reformed tradition and Scripture Acts 2:38. I finally had peace and was baptised. Acts 8:15-17 & 19:1-7. An act of obedience. Glory to God!

[denonjoka]

Hawayu Lingoiner Ministries *& Thanks Robert W. Geoffrey 4 Answering This Question 4 I Say That When We're Baptized, Our Faith & Love of Our Great Lord Jesus Christ Will Show Whether Our Faith In Our Lord Jesus Christ Is Strong or Not 4 When Our Great Lord Jesus Christ Was Baptized In Matthew **3:16**-17, It Was 2 Show He Was The One Whom John The Baptist Prophesied About* & May Our Great Lord Jesus Christ Bless Yu Robert W. Geoffrey & Lingoiner Ministries So Very Much.

[kilgen]

Baptism is first of all God’s covenant promise to us and not first our statement of personal faith.

[aaronanimal]

I attended an SBC church in Western Kentucky that required new members to be baptized into their church, and apparently that was the norm in that area- you have to be rebaptized if you change churches.- H

[HankaLutheran]

Luther would say that God the Holy Spirit acts in baptism. The validity of the sacrament come from our obedience of Christ's command; Matt. 28:19, the use of water and the Word of God. See Titus 3:5-8

[lizmadson]

Well I was baptized as a infant in 1958 as a Protestant Christian.I have asked the same question should I be baptized again as a Christian in my 62nd year....My answer is no, because I wholeheartedly believe in my Saviour Jesus Christ

[joshhigdon]

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I was baptized at 15 and wasn't a true convert.

[esccools]

Calvin is not a biblical authority, Paul on the other hand is a biblical authority! Acts 19:1-5 Paul had some men be baptized again.

[MrPandajaye]

I had this question plaguing me, I felt ashamed? To ask about it. Thank you and God bless you!

[JezzaODoyleRules]

I'm struggling to find where being baptized as a baby is in the Bible?

[prayerforceone]

Just obey Acts 2:38. When I read this with fresh eyes not as someone who grew up “going to a ‘Reformed’ church, ” but simple as one wanting to follow Jesus, I knew what I needed to do.