# Questioning the validlity of your baptism?



## satz (Jun 9, 2004)

I grew up attending a methodist church and was baptised as an infant there. 

I am now wondering if i should investigate if that baptism was 'valid'? Assuming the church is generally doctrinally sound (i think it is arminian but i;am not sure) would baptism be valid? Would whether my parents were christian or not have any impact on the answer?

Also, i've read some of the arguments for and against infant baptism, and they are pretty complex to a dumbo like me If i am unable to come to a conviction in either direction, what should i do? I hate to think that i haven't really been baptised yet, but i getting baptised again unless i was absolutely sure my previous one was invalid would seem to be treating baptism way too lightly.


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## A_Wild_Boar (Jun 9, 2004)

Mark,

I was baptized in a Methodist church as an infant. My hippie pot smoking atheist parents thought it was traditional. Ask them what Baptism means and they would shrug their shoulders to this day.

I was told in a round about manner by some folks here that I am now at this here point in life of belief because of said Baptism. I.e. I was regenerated later in life because of it.

I was pretty much an atheist most of my life. I used to actually hate Christians because the only ones I ever encountered were the &quot;Jesus Loves you Wont you Just accept Him into :blah1::blah1:&quot; The wild eyed freaky types that seemed more like cult members than anything else (in retrospect I guess many of them were). I considered Christianity a death cult of types and actually viewed Christians with contempt.

Well thanks be to God for saving me against my sin enslaved will. 

I asked folks how I could be saved and I was surrounded by the Calvary chapellites in my area so I did what they said. They told me I had to do an altar call (like that saves anyone). They mentioned Baptism quite a bit.

Well I went and did the altar call. I was the first one to get up and quickly realized I was the only one. Now what makes this weird is that usually this church has around 30-50 people do an altar call every time. Little did I know or care that this was an associate pastor that evening. I actually remember others who almost went up being refrained because they should wait until the &quot;real" pastor was there next week. I was big time nervous. Here I am in front of at least 500 people probably more getting ready to recite the formula / prayer in front of everybody. Now I am not much of a person who seeks attention, so the giant wall monitors everywhere having me zoomed in was not making me feel any better. Heck even folks in the nursery and overflow rooms can see this. Right before they started another woman came forward, giving me little relief to my butterflies. 

BUT butterflies, monitors and 500+ people or not watching. I was convinced this was the way to be saved and I was going to do it no matter what.

I did it and that was about it

I knew I was baptized as an infant, but it seemed like it was of little importance. I wanted to be baptized. To show God that as a sentient and responsible creation seeking to do that which was commanded, I was baptized. I will never forget it. Gator infested lake (ok not infested but they had a few in there) I told the elders to hold me under a while just to make sure because of the life I lived. I was kidding of course. I already realized that without faith I was nothing more than a washed pig only to return to the mud later. (Again Thank you God for saving me with an everlasting Salvation cause I would surely be in the mud now).

Anyway, longer story short (it was getting long eh? ) I did not believe the God of my Salvation was this weak beggar I kept hearing about from many professing Christians. I wanted to learn more and prayed that God would enlighten me to the hard truths.

Man oh man. I struggled against the truth like never before. I didn't want God to be the God of scriptures the more I read. I wanted the easy going fishing buddy god that I always heard about. You know the one who winks at sin like it was youthful indiscretion on my part. Thanks be to God for leading me to authors like AW Pink, RC Sproul and all the reformed friends I got to know, who would not withhold the stinging truth when I asked of it.

Ok its getting long. Bottom line. Yea I was baptized in a Methodist church under the name of tradition. Yes I had no choice (though someone here said I did ), should I have stayed with that B baptism after later in life and I being later converted? I could not, it just did not seem right and I still felt compelled (Yes by the Spirit) to show before God that was was crucified with Him and raised again in Him. I will never regret the Baptism I took part in as a confessing adult confessing and convicted by the Spirit to do so.

Was it valid as a child, some say yes some no. Do I regret being baptised later . NO. Do I have a suggestion for you? Absolutely and here it is.

PRAY PRAY PRAY about it.

[Edited on 6-10-2004 by A_Wild_Boar]


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## 9:9 (Jun 10, 2004)

I was Christened by my Mother's Roman Catholic family a few days after my birth.

I was baptized and catechized in my youth when my Mother became a Presbyterian.

After living a depraved life, I was Saved and Born Again in the Spring of '00 - Baptized in a river a few days later.


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## C. Matthew McMahon (Jun 10, 2004)

Emme,

Read the thread on whether Roman Catholic Baptism is valid - your questions will be answered there. Its the same answer...

[Edited on 6-10-2004 by webmaster]


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