Rules for Communion

[TruthSeeker2012]

A child should not be water baptised until they get to an age that they completely understand what it means to be water baptised and if they are old enough to make a decision for themselves to follow Christ or not.

Water baptism is likened to a marriage ceremony, and you would never see an underage child getting married would you?

Water baptism is an outward sign of total commitment to Christ, and water baptism shows your loyalty and commitment to Jesus and your desire to walk as He did. Can a baby or underage child understand this completely? I don't believe so.

And as you would never get married as a baby or a young child, so neither should a person be water baptised as a baby or young child.

A person should be water baptised once they have heard, understood and accepted the Gospel.

AND by the way, in the Bible in every occurrence, the person was water baptised the SAME DAY they heard the Gospel and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Long term preparations for water baptism is completely foreign to Scripture and never happened even once.

 

[Cynthia]

Yes, that all makes sense to me. In this case though, children of the same age (8-9 years) are told that unless you have been baptized, you're not allowed to take communion. Where in the bible does it say that baptism goes before communion??? That's the issue I've been trying to understand. :

 

[felix]

Yes, that all makes sense to me. In this case though, children of the same age (8-9 years) are told that unless you have been baptized, you're not allowed to take communion. Where in the bible does it say that baptism goes before communion??? That's the issue I've been trying to understand. :

Both water baptism and communion both are just symbolic acts.

Baptism is a symbolic act of dying with Christ and rising up to walk in newness of life as in Rom 6:4. Communion means 'fellowship with Christ' and eating the bread (as His flesh) and drinking the wine (as His blood) symbolizes this. You cannot have fellowship with Christ by still walking in darkness as in 1John 1:6. Hence, Baptism precedes Communion.

Over the past 2000 years, church had been institutionalized and shepherds were created by seminaries rather than God appointing shepherds as in Eph 4:11. So, most of today's shepherds (not all) are just hirelings who blindly follow what has been taught to them by men in seminaries rather than Holy Spirit and they follow men's rules without even questioning it.