Baptism

Baptism has been a common topic between Tim and I lately. When we first started dating we talked about all our differences in beliefs and were able to come to an understanding on each others beliefs and knowing that the purpose of being in a relationship with someone is to see if they are a fit mate for marriage. With this we knew we had to be equally yoked in faith. With Tim growing up Baptist and me growing up United Methodist there were a few differences. The first 3 months of our relationship were really tough finding out if we were equally yoked with each other or not. But God used that time and each other to sharpen our faith and study the Bible and learn why we believe what we do, or change our reason for believing something to fit what we learned from studying the Bible.

Tim and I were both baptized differently, and accept each others baptism. I spent some time Friday afternoon studying scripture about salvation, really enjoying my time I had with God. Tonight I did a little internet searching on baptism.
I looked up baptism in Wikipedia.org and here is a section of what I found.

Form of Baptism

Among those Christians espousing the practice of baptism, the ritual is performed as:

Aspersion - sprinkling water over the head,
Affusion - pouring water over the head, or
Immersion - lowering the entire body into a pool of water.

For Christians who baptize by pouring or sprinkling, the washing with water from above pictures the cleansing of one's sins by the blood of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, who unites the baptized person to Christ in his death, and in His resurrection from the dead. It is administered from above to point to that gift of the life-giving Spirit, and to portray baptism as an act not of man, but of God. In contrast, a person baptized by immersion is enclosed under the water and brought out, to signify cleansing through death and burial with Christ, and consequent raising again in newness of life by the Holy Spirit. Regardless of the form, baptism is a public rite, in testimony to others of the grace of God bestowed upon the person, and as a seal of God's promises in Christ to those who believe.


If you want to read more from Wikipedia you can go here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism

1 comments:

  1. I read years ago that Billy Graham said he'd pay anyone to get his wife immersed... :-)
    She was a daughter of good Presbyterian missionaries, and very devoted people, as she is..
    Presbyterians believe pouring is the way.. symbolizing the Holy Spirit being poured out.
    G'pa Hugh has this background. Maybe that's the middle ground ? :-)
    It is of the heart, after all... and God never minds study and investigation. HE can stand it !!
    LUVYA
    G'ma Betty