Regarding Baptism

[TopherNelson]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

 

[mjrhealth]

no unless he is God, is he??

 

[pom2014]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

No a pastor does not.

If he will not, leave him and find a priest that IS ordained by the Holy Spirit, for that one is NOT.

 

[Deborah_]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

What exactly does this question mean?

Surely the pastor has the right to arrange a convenient date in his diary?

Surely he should be satisfied in his own mind that you understand what you are doing?

Or are you asking whether he may set an age limit? ("Not yet - you're too young")

 

[TopherNelson]

Not yet, you're too young.

 

[logabe]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

Most Christians don't know or understand why they should be baptized because of their
religion. So when a person does understand the purpose of baptism they want need
anyone to tell them to go get baptized and God will plan when and how it will be performed.

What a God! What a Plan!

Logabe

 

[newbirth]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

the scripture tells us when we are to be baptised....once you have been taught the doctrine of Christ....and believe on him ....you should repent and be baptised....so I guess if the pastor is the one teaching you he would know if you have been taught what is necessary to baptised ....and you would know if you are ready to repent

 

[theophilus]

A pastor has an obligation to teach those who attend his church what the Bible says about baptism and who should be baptized. He has the right and the duty to say when you can be baptized as long as he is passing along the teachings of the Bible and not just acting on his own authority.

 

[HammerStone]

David, I am in the middle of the two extremes on this I think.

One of the keys to baptism is that one must obviously be baptized by a believer. I go to the account in Acts 2:26-40 where the Ethiopian official asked some questions:

“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:

He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so He does not open His mouth.
In His humiliation justice was denied Him.
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.

The eunuch replied to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about—himself or another person?” So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture.

As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water! What would keep me from being baptized?” [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]

So, there is a question of clarification of belief as to what the new believer is precisely believing in. Keep in mind this came about after the Ethiopian official had been reading Scripture (indicative of a willing heart) combined with the clearly divinely inspired knowledge of Philip. Only once things were explained an the official demonstrated some level of understanding was he all but immediately baptized.

While this clearly wasn't a special class (not opposed to the idea) and the time Philip spent expounding on Scripture is not indicated, it seems clear that there is a sort of basic understanding for baptism.

 

[Born_Again]

What about the denoms that baptize a newborn? I personally don't agree with this as I think it is a good idea to know what you are doing that for. Is it the believe of those churches that the child will go to hell if they are not baptized? Feelings, thoughts?

 

[mjrhealth]

If someone says I would like to get baptized, ar you willing to deny them the oportunity. only Christ knows where they are at, it may well be their appointed time, and I am not willing to stabd in Gods way.

In all His Love

 

[newbirth]

If someone says I would like to get baptized, ar you willing to deny them the oportunity. only Christ knows where they are at, it may well be their appointed time, and I am not willing to stabd in Gods way.

In all His Love

Acts 19King James Version (KJV)
19 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

 

[OzSpen]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

David,

I'm reminded of what happened with Paul, Silas and the Philippian jailer's conversion:

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized (Acts 16:29-33 NIV).

There are some fundamental biblical principles taught in this passage:

1. A person must be saved (v 29);
2. Salvation comes through continuing to believe in the Lord Jesus - it's the Greek present tense of 'believe' (v. 31);
3. There was teaching/speaking of the word of the Lord to those who believed (v. 32);
4. That foundation means there is adequate belief and teaching to be baptized (v. 33).

Therefore, this should be all that is necessary for believer's baptism to occur.

However, I speak as a former pastor who is ordained with a Christian denomination. I've seen some people who confess faith in Jesus and are baptized but within months or years they have fallen away from the faith and are no longer serving Jesus. Therefore, some pastors take a cautious approach to allow for people to be established in their faith and to continue to 'bear fruit in keeping with repentance' (Matt 3:8 ESV) before they baptize them.

I was baptized by immersion at age 16, but I can tell you that that was too early for me. I was not mature enough to demonstrate fruit of repentance. My wife was baptized at the same age, but both of us agree that for some youth at age 16 can be too young as lack of knowledge of the faith and immaturity can influence this decision.

I'm not suggesting that this is the case with you because I don't know you. For how long have you been a Christian and are you growing in your faith? If I were to speak with someone in your congregation who knows you and ask the question, 'How strong is David in his faith?' what would he/she say? Sometimes a pastor is demonstrating wisdom when he asks for baptism to be delayed.

Remember the truth of Hebrews 13:17 (ESV), as a demonstration of fruit of repentance, 'Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be no advantage to you'.

I think it would be unwise to leave a congregation because the pastor (one of your leaders) does not think you are ready for baptism. Obey and submit will demonstrate that you are understanding Scripture and growing in your faith.

In Christ,
Oz

 

[mjrhealth]

Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

One should have only one leader and that is Christ,

Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

We can go all teh way back to teh OT,

1Sa 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

In all His Love

Love your work OZPEN

 

[OzSpen]

One should have only one leader and that is Christ,

Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

We can go all teh way back to teh OT,

1Sa 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
1Sa 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
1Sa 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
1Sa 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

In all His Love

Love your work OZPEN

What you have stated here violates Hebrews 13:17 (ESV) as this verse speaks about 'Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls'. 'Leaders' is plural. And there are multiple Christian leaders around the world.

Thanks for your encouragement, brother. Or, are you sister?

Oz

 

[mjrhealth]

Hope the pic helps. Gave up following after men years ago, its the narrow way now,

Luk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Sometimes it just happens.

In all His Love

 

[TopherNelson]

I no longer go to any other churches. I don't go to church anymore. Inside me is a temple for the holy spirit. God lives in me.

 

[OzSpen]

I no longer go to any other churches. I don't go to church anymore. Inside me is a temple for the holy spirit. God lives in me.

I urge you to return to being with the people of God, in agreement with Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV), 'And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near'.

You are only young and you desperately need the fellowship and teaching of the people of God. What is causing you to walk away from the church when you are 15 years of age?

Please feel free to send me a PM so that we can interact privately about this, if that is what you desire.

Oz

 

[Born_Again]

I no longer go to any other churches. I don't go to church anymore. Inside me is a temple for the holy spirit. God lives in me.

I can say that I thought I didn't need to attend a church. And, well, I suppose it is possible to maintain without a church but, I found how important the community is. That being said (I say that a lot) I am looking to find a new church that is more spirit-filled as I feel my hunger for Him and my spiritual maturity has outgrown my current church. Don't rule it out.... The church is important... Just find one with good, sound doctrine.

 

[ATP]

Does a pastor have a right to say when you can get baptized?

No, that would be silly. You can be born again anywhere, in a park, in your house etc..Eph 2:8.