Monday, August 24, 2020

Believer's Baptism

Were you baptized as a baby? I was. At least I think I was. I don't really remember. And what did it do? I don't really remember that either. So what good was it? Let's go to the experts!

The Catholic Church has some interesting thoughts. There is a link at the bottom of this story where they will tell you exactly what they think baptism is. The funny thing is they start out their definition by stating  that other churches with different baptism beliefs are wrong.

I wonder what infant baptisms look like in the age of Covid-19. Two masked people handing their vulnerable healthy baby to an unmasked priest. Doesn't sound very smart to me. And, I'm just guessing here but, most infant baptisms have been against the baby's will. But I'm getting off track.

I was at a baptism yesterday. It was great. The pastor asked each person if the truly placed their faith in Jesus and that they have freely chosen to follow Him. All confessed their faith and were indeed baptized. Isn't that the way it should be?

All through the book of Acts, when the Apostles were spreading the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, it repeated says that people believed and were baptized. Not that people were baptized and then came to faith.

"But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." - Acts 8:12

It is really the baptism of the Holy Spirit that matters. Baptism by water is only symbolic. And what about the thief on the cross, hanging next to Jesus. He was never baptized. At least not that we know of.

The baptism I was at yesterday featured two men, a woman, and a young pre-teen girl. They all love Jesus and have given themselves freely to Him. Isn't that how it should be?

Infant Baptism - Catholic Answers

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