Your opinions on baptizing at home.

[Emily]

I would suggest that in more cases than we might suspect baptismal records have helped people who needed documentation of their identity. Church records are generally considered to be reliable sources of information. So I would recommend a couple of things.

First, as has already been stated, have some other believers present to witness the baptisms and celebrate with you. Baptisms are a good cause for celebration, and need to be shared.

Also, make sure you produce a written record of the baptisms, and make out a certificate for each candidate. Yes, I know God is the only One who really matters, but such things can be helpful in the future, and a precious testimony to future generations. Somewhere among my siblings we have our grandparents' certificates of several such things, and we treasure them and realize that we are the recipients of the blessings of their faith.

Now as far as whether the person performing the baptism should be a Christian or not, of course to knowingly have an unbeliever perform such a thing would be a mockery. But if the person professes to be a follower of Jesus Christ, performs a baptism, and later turns out to be a fake, well the baptism ought to be considered valid. The candidate confessed his faith and submitted to baptism in good faith, and ought not to be distressed if he discoveres the baptizer wasn't what he professed to be.

I have a desire to see more house churches, but not single family ones, unless it is impossible to find other believers. We need to be connected more closely to each other, and we will have greater need in the near future. Of that I am certain.

May your baptismal service be blessed!

Garryowen

While your logic is very sound, the times we live in is not.
Most churches are not godly ones anymore. They are either community centers that teach yoga or are complete lies looking to just take people's money and give the illusion of holiness.

People need to follow God's lead. Many will not find local churches that are godly and need to let the Holy Spirit lead them to do the best they can while keeping their family safe.

Baptismal records are no longer any valid source of identity with all the technology that can manufacture such documents as well as on line so called ordinations. The schools that used to produce men of God now mostly produce business men who build churches for the benefit of financing and lining the pockets of the higher ups.

We truly live in the end times and the only one we can trust now is the Holy Spirit to lead us and do the best we can even if that means there are no more in our immediate area than Lot and his family had or Noah and his family had.

[Fisheater]

Pope Emily has spoken !

Again I ask .... Where in Scripture does it show anyone else bedsides the Apostle's or those appointed by the Apostle's Baptizing ?

[Fisheater]

Second question .... How Can the Holy Spirit .... The Giver of all Truth... Be guiding so many people to so many different truths ?

There can be only 1 Truth right ? How can you all proclaim here that the Holy Spirit is guiding you ? Is that even Scriptural ?

[Emily]

Second question .... How Can the Holy Spirit .... The Giver of all Truth... Be guiding so many people to so many different truths ?

There can be only 1 Truth right ? How can you all proclaim here that the Holy Spirit is guiding you ? Is that even Scriptural ?

Great question. The difference between those who are and who are not is those who are do not need to seek the counsel of men or women but Him alone. And yes, it is very scriptural.

We can know because what He teaches lines up perfectly with scripture. Once we test to know that who we are hearing from is indeed Him by making sure the counsel lines up with the scriptures as He will not contradict Himself, then we know His voice.

All scripture points to the glory of God, the work of Christ, and loving and trusting God above self. Anything else is not of God.

When we are born again, we are indwelt by His Holy Spirit. As we study His word and listen to His guidance and test what we hear against scripture, we know His voice and we can have confidence in listening.

God is the perfect parent and the perfect shepherd. He makes sure that we know Him and once we have walked with Him for awhile, there is no doubt when we hear Him. We know His voice as well as our own.

John 3:3
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. ”

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Romans 8:9
You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.
1 Peter 1:23
For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Luke 12:12
for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

John 14:26
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

[Emily]

Pope Emily has spoken !

Again I ask .... Where in Scripture does it show anyone else bedsides the Apostle's or those appointed by the Apostle's Baptizing ?

Why do you always insist on being nasty? Am I not allowed to share my opinion and view without your garbage insults?

I will not answer questions when you act like a child.

[RossLunch]

Pope Emily has spoken !

Again I ask .... Where in Scripture does it show anyone else bedsides the Apostle's or those appointed by the Apostle's Baptizing ?

Fisheater, this may satisfy the scripture on others baptizing:
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus commissioned the Apostles to go and baptize all nations and then commanded them to "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:". Jesus knew the Apostles would not live forever, so it follows that those who were taught and their descendants are commanded to do the same.

I hope this meets with your approval.

[Theresej]

Fisheater, this may satisfy the scripture on others baptizing:
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Jesus commissioned the Apostles to go and baptize all nations and then commanded them to "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:". Jesus knew the Apostles would not live forever, so it follows that those who were taught and their descendants are commanded to do the same.

I hope this meets with your approval.

Well here's the thing.

The scriptures you quoted have Jesus telling the Apostles to baptize. . not every believer to baptize. Jesus ordained the Apostles, sent them as God had sent Him. . with all the power and authority God sent the Son with, including the power and authority to pass on the same power and authority.

Those words were not spoken to ordinary believers, but the handpicked Apostles.

So, in the same way Jesus handpicked His Apostles, so those Apostles handpicked others to cotninue in their ministry, and sent them as Jesus and sent the Aposltes. . . those who were sent by the Aposltes, handpicked others and sent them with the same power and authoirty and they had been sent by the Apostles .. . and those sent by those where handpicked by the Apostles also handpicked others to send in the same power and authority.

These words were spoken by Jesus to those He chose and ordained to carry on His work as He was sent by the Father.

So, a command was never given to the ordinary believer, laity, to baptize.

That said, laity can baptize, even unbelivers can baptize in emergency situations, such as those first century catechumens who waited in prision to be sent to the arena to be eaten alive by lions. . . they had not yet been baptized, their catechumenate had not been finished (a period that could take up to 3 years at times), they had not yet been fully admitted entrance into the full life of the Church .. but facing sure death, they could be baptized by someone who was not ordained.

[Theresej]

Second question .... How Can the Holy Spirit .... The Giver of all Truth... Be guiding so many people to so many different truths ?

There can be only 1 Truth right ? How can you all proclaim here that the Holy Spirit is guiding you ? Is that even Scriptural ?

I don't see that your question has been answered. . . . I have always wanted to know the answer to that myself. . . no one has been able to really answer it.

[Emily]

I don't see that your question has been answered. . . . I have always wanted to know the answer to that myself. . . no one has been able to really answer it.

I provided overwhelming evidence. If you do not see it from what I provided then you are choosing not to.

If you have me on ignore then your loss because the question was answered with full scriptural support.

[Theresej]

Despite claims to the contrary I don't see the actual question answered:

"Second question .... How Can the Holy Spirit .... The Giver of all Truth... Be guiding so many people to so many different truths ?"

I saw an attempt at a response, but the response didn't address the question

"How can The Holy Spriit, The Giver of all Truth be guiding so many people in so many different truths?"

For instance . . take baptism . . there are many different beliefs and ALL claim to be led by the Holy Spirit in coming to their particular belief:

• Some believe you must be baptized by water to be saved.
• Others believe water Baptism is not necessary for salvation, but necessary as a matter of obedience.
• Still others are adamant that water Baptism is optional.
• Still others claim water Baptism was never for believers.
• Still others claim that Baptism does not refer to water baptism but baptism in the Holy Spirit and forgo water baptism altogether.

All claim to be led by the Holy Spirit into their understanding of truth.

Yet each claim of the truth is different, even contradictory.

How can all make a valid claim they are being led by the Holy Spirit into this truth about Baptism and end up with such contradictory results?


Where do you draw the line?