CAN I GET BAPTIZED TWICE?

Q&A SESSION WITH PASTOR CHRIS OYAKHILOME.

QUESTION: Pastor, I was baptized when I was 40 days old. Now, do I still need to be baptized the second time since I am now an adult? From: Meda (Eritrea)

ANSWER
The question you should be asking is,… Well, baptism is based on our faith. When we believe we are baptized upon our believing and that’s why infant baptism is a bit questionable because that infant knew nothing. The Bible gives us the instruction for baptism on the bases of our belief. We believe that we died in Christ Jesus, that when he was buried we were buried and that when he was raised from the dead we were raised from the dead. That’s what this baptism is all about, Water baptism, so when we are deep into the water it is our identification with His death, His burial, and His resurrection. So, if you were baptized as a baby, it wouldn’t make sense to you.

The question you should be asking is, what did that baptism mean to you? What was the significance of your baptism? Now, it may have been that your family believed in Jesus. It may have been that your parents believed in Jesus and upon their faith they got you baptized. If that’s the case, they would have explained to you why you were baptized. And if you believe it, its okay you don’t have to be baptized the second time except you want to and there is nothing wrong in being baptized again, there is nothing wrong with that but if it was based on the faith of your family that got you baptized in the first place that is a possibility, that is a possibility. So, maybe you should be asking why did they baptized you but now you have grown up and if it disturbs you go and get baptized.

Now, you may say there are others who may be listen and they wonder, oh really! If a child is being baptized as a child because the parents believe does it mean that that baptism is okay? Well, in Acts 10:44-48, the Bible tells us something in the house of Cornelius the Roman centurion when Peter the apostle came there to preach. The Bible said as he spoke the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word and then when he found out that the Holy Spirit has been given to them, he commanded them to be baptized. And the Bible says the whole house was baptized. Now, he doesn’t give us the whole details of the age range of those that were in the house for a reason to let us know that could happen to everybody in the house because everybody believed and the Holy Ghost came on everyone. So, that is important, can a child receive the Holy Ghost? Emphatically yes. I have seen that happen. So, if they all believed and they were young people inside the house, there were children inside the house, O yes, they would have been baptized. He says and thou shall be saved and thy house, this happened to Cornelius the Roman centurion.

So, that could have been your case, then you can find out but if you have to be finding out it means you weren’t given the significance of that baptism while you were growing up. So, that is why I would say you better get baptized because you ought to have known this all the time you were growing up. They would have thought you, they would have told you that you were baptized and they would have told you why they baptized you. But if they did and maybe so other persons are questioning you on this, then give them the scripture.

Get More Q&A SESSION WITH PASTOR CHRIS