Baptism - when are you ready?

[Resource181]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

 

[NoahK]

What you are not sure about God is 100% sure about. So pray about your inward change knowing that only God is able to change hearts (including yours). And just so you know, God knows we are weak and even baptized Christians are still human. Also please know that God accepts you regardless of how strong or weak your faith is. If it needs strengthening He's the One Who can help you become stronger in faith.

 

[Who Me]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

You have attended the same church for 15 years and never been challenged by the minister about why you are not baptised?

Are you a member of this church, or of any church?
Are you always to be found attending church on Sunday, do you regularly volunteer or help in the life of your local church?

Christians live out their faith both in how they act daily and in how they identify with the local church.


Do you know what baptism is?

It is a public declaration that I am a Christian. that is all. It is not a statement that I am perfect, in fact most testimonies given when being baptised say ' I am not perfect, I still make mistakes/fail, but I trust in Jesus and in his forgiveness to help me pick myself up and carry on'


my advice.
Join as a member your local church, attend every Sunday and ask about baptism, then be baptised.

 

[WIP]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

Baptism is much more than just a public declaration. Baptism is a means of grace that God uses to create and sustain faith in the person being baptized. It's more than just the water. It is a sacrament ordained by Christ himself that includes the water along with the Word of God. It is commanded by Jesus, in Matthew, chapter 28, when He said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (NKJV) and Jesus himself obeyed and was baptized by John the Baptist. (Matthew 3:13-17). As a follower of Jesus, all Christians ought to be baptized. Jesus commands it and did it.

 

[JLB]

as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith.

I hope and pray you commit to Jesus Christ, the One who gave Himself for you; The One who loves like no other.


If your commitment is to Christianity, you will be disappointed.

 

[for_his_glory]

Ephesians 2:8 Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus and not by works, which would make water baptism a work towards repentance. John said I must decrease and Jesus increase. John's water baptism was only for repentance as being prepared for the coming of the Lord as the water represented the washing away of sin, or as John put it "prepare ye the way of the Lord". It is not clear in scripture that Jesus ever baptized anyone in water even though He first came to John's water baptism as a fulfillment of prophecy as He had to identify with humanity even though He had no sin. This was the beginning of Christ ministry as the Holy Spirit fell down on Him that day as God gave Him full power and authority here on earth and there after Jesus went about teaching the disciples as it was not Jesus who the Pharisees heard that He baptized more than John did, John 4:1-3, but His disciples baptizing others in water for remission of sin after the death of John the Baptist as all together they would have baptized others in water for the remission of sin then John could at one time. Jesus could not baptize anyone in the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost after He ascended up to the Father and the Father sent down the indwelling Holy Spirit, Acts 2.

John 3:5 never mentions the word baptize, but says only by being born of water and spirit, which means water as living water (word of God) that no one can enter into the kingdom of God unless they are Spiritually renewed (born again) by the hearing of the word, which is Christ Jesus and by the Holy Spirit that came on them in the OT and indwells us in the NT. Many do read into the passage a preconceived idea or theology, but baptism is never mentioned in this verse. Word is living water as described in John 4:10; 7:38; 1John 5:6; Jeremiah 2:13; Isaiah 55:1-3 to name a few.

If salvation came by actual immersion in water Jesus clearly could have simply stated, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is baptized by being immersed in water and born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Further, if Jesus had made such a statement, He would have contradicted numerous other Bible passages that make it clear that salvation is by faith (John 3:16; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).

John's baptism was literal, but yet symbolic for cleansing after one repented of their sin. Notice in Mark 1:8 I have baptized you with (actual) water, but he (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Not water, but baptize you with the Holy Spirit after you have repented and made clean again through the washing of the word as you become a new creation in Christ. There is nothing wrong with being dunked in water, but know that it is only an outward appearance to others of what has already taken place Spiritually within you when you repented, accepted Jesus and was indwelled with the Holy Spirit, John 3:5-7; Romans 10:9-10.

 

[Tenchi]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

Christianity is ultimately about a Person, not a system of beliefs, of religious propositions. That Person is God, of course, who has "put skin on" in the Person of Jesus Christ, dwelling among us for a time, and who has given to those who've trusted in Christ as their Savior and yielded themselves to him as their Lord, the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:9-10; James 4:6-10; Titus 3:5; Romans 8:9-14). God has done all of this so that you and I can enjoy Him in direct, personal fellowship all the time, not simply come to be related to Him as a member of His kingdom.

Revelation 3:20
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

1 John 1:3
3 ... our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 13:14
14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Psalm 36:7-9
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.

I mention all this because it is an experience of the life and work of the Holy Spirit that is the means whereby a Christian enjoys personal fellowship with God. Such an experience is actually basic, normal Christianity and is an essential basis upon which to establish one's membership in God's family. But, as is the case with all relationships, one's experience of God the Holy Spirit takes time to grow and mature, the full effects of his presence only becoming evident gradually.

Often, though, the new believer hasn't any idea what life in the Spirit looks like, what it is they are to be looking for, and recognizing as evidence of, the Holy Spirit having made of them his "temple." And so, these Christians can vacillate widely in their confidence that they're really one of God's own. So, then, what does "life in the Spirit" look like?

Bible Study - How Do I Know It's the Holy Spirit?

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. A few years ago now, I was talking with a young man...

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Bible Study - The work of the Holy Spirit: Transformation.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who...

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Bible Study - The Work of the Holy Spirit: Divine Strengthening.

Philippians 2:12-13 12 ...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Perhaps in no other area, spiritually, is there more confusion than in the area of how the born-again person "works out their...

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Bible Study - The Work of the Holy Spirit: Comfort.

John 14:16-17 16 And I will pray to the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in...

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It's in reflection of what the Holy Spirit has done in you that baptism is performed. Ideally, it is to serve, in part, as a way of connecting belief to action, of "completing" a saving faith in Jesus Christ, which is why it was, in the record of the NT, done right on the heels of a profession of faith in Jesus. As the apostle James pointed out, Christian faith is never to be merely intellectual assent to the truth propositions of Christianity but expressed in corresponding deeds (James 2:14-26). This relationship between faith and action, illustrated in baptism, is lost when years of time intervene between the moment of conversion and baptism.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

In light of what the Bible indicates about those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, do you have good cause to think you're God's child? If so, get baptized!

 

[WIP]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

You have received quite a few answers. Has your question been answered or do you still have more?

 

[Hopeful 2]

I have been trying to decide whether or not to be Baptised for a while, as I want to commit to Christianity, but I sometimes have doubts in Faith. Somedays I can be fully Christian, while on other days my Faith is weak. If Baptism represents an 'inward change', I couldn't in all honesty say that I have had that inward change yet, at least on the majority of days, although I can feel fully Christian on others.

The ten commandments tell us “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour”, and I feel that to publicly state faith in Christ would be lying, if I was going through weak faith on the specific day my Baptism falls on. I feel ready to follow Christ, and want to feel part of Christianity, but am really struggling over this particular hurdle, perhaps really just wanting the 'inward change' to happen. I have attended Church for over 15 years, and have gone through this cycle of thinking repeatedly over the past few years.

When you are ready to stop committing sin, you will be ready for baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of past sins.
Peter put it this way, in Acts 2:38..."Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
A turn from sin comes first.

Welcome to the site !

 

[Resource181]

Many thanks everyone for your responses!

 

[miamited]

Hi Resource181

If you have believed that Jesus died for your sin and was raised from the dead; if you have repented and seek now to live following Jesus' commands, as best we wicked humans can, then you should be baptized. That's all that is necessary. It isn't some test that you have to prove anything to anyone else or to yourself, if you have believed on the basic tenet of the gospel, then you should be baptized.

 

[D-D-W]

If you have repented your sins and accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, get baptized immediately. While it is not a part of initial salvation, it does play an important role in your growth as a believer. It is possible the doubts and fears you have is because you have not taken that first step in growing up in the Faith.

 

[Resource181]

Thanks everyone. Just to check specifically on stating your faith, with my faith changing very regularly, is it OK to lie and state faith if you don't believe it on the specific date of the Baptism, or be Baptised without Faith, and hope Faith comes around later? I am in Christian mode today, but can have no way of knowing what I will believe tomorrow, next week, next month etc.

 

[Tenchi]

Thanks everyone. Just to check specifically on stating your faith, with my faith changing very regularly, is it OK to lie and state faith if you don't believe it on the specific date of the Baptism, or be Baptised without Faith, and hope Faith comes around later? I am in Christian mode today, but can have no way of knowing what I will believe tomorrow, next week, next month etc.

Then it is doubtful you are Christian or understand what being a Christian actually is. And so, baptism isn't appropriate for you.

 

[Resource181]

I understand what being a Christian is, it is more just that I have doubts in my faith, and worry that one of these may coincide with the date of my Baptism. I feel fully Christian today, but tomorrow, I have no idea what I may feel or believe in.

 

[Tenchi]

I understand what being a Christian is, it is more just that I have doubts in my faith, and worry that one of these may coincide with the date of my Baptism. I feel fully Christian today, but tomorrow, I have no idea what I may feel or believe in.

Being a Christian has nothing to do with your feeling that you are or aren't a Christian. It is a daily, personal experience of God that bears out the truth of God's word in one's life that is the sole and proper basis of one's confidence that one is truly one of God's own, that one is a Christian.

 

[miamited]

Thanks everyone. Just to check specifically on stating your faith, with my faith changing very regularly, is it OK to lie and state faith if you don't believe it on the specific date of the Baptism, or be Baptised without Faith, and hope Faith comes around later? I am in Christian mode today, but can have no way of knowing what I will believe tomorrow, next week, next month etc.

No!!!! If you're going to not tell the truth and you don't really believe that Jesus died for you sin so that you could have peace with God, then by all means, don't be baptized. As I said, if you can make the statement of faith that converts made in all of the accounts of the Acts of the Apostles; if you believe in your heart that God raised this Jesus from the dead so that we also may have eternal life, then you should be baptized. But if your faith is a wishy washy faith and what you believe as the truth changes with your mood, then you haven't believed and you shouldn't be baptized.

 

[Resource181]

Thanks again, I'll continue praying and reading through the Bible, and hope I will one day be able to take this step.