Baptism

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Christ as personal Lord and
Savior, and a period or process
of instruction or testing.
3. Baptism ceremony (taking
the vows of faithfulness). To be
baptized as a symbol of personal
regeneration involves
sprinkling, pouring or
immersion with water of an
individual as an outward sign of
an inward spiritual grace, or
acceptance of Jesus Christ as
personal Lord and Savior.
4. Church Membership
process of instruction or testing.
3. Dedication ceremony (taking the vows
of faithfulness). Confirmation or
dedication is a symbol of personal
regeneration that involves the laying on
of hands as an outward sign of an inward
and spiritual receiving or acceptance of
Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior
.
4. Church Membership
So we see a logical fallacy and contradiction in the argument for believer’s
baptism. We are trying to keep our feet in two boats simultaneously. The
result is disaster. The withholding of Baptism from infants could mean the
loss of their salvation. To baptize them mistakenly, if it were in error, would
have less serious consequences. God would forgive anyone who baptized
infants in ignorance but with good motives.
The meaning of baptism is redefined by interpretation from an initiation
process to a rite of passage process by many credo-baptist groups. None
of the scriptural passages supports such an interpretation. The jewish rite
of passage – coming of age and maturity to join the community as full
member of the church (this was 13) –as bar/bat mitzvah and not
circumcision. In our study of verses we discovered that there can only be
two interpretations possible. It is a salvific process (which we discarded)
or it is an initiation process into discipleship to Christ. The children born
in a covenant community do not require a conversion. "We believe that
all children prior to the age of accountability, being covered by the
atonement of Christ, are spiritually safe, and stand in need neither of any
ceremony, such as baptism, nor of conversion." ( The Nurture and
Evangelism of Children, Mennonite Church, 1955 a CMEO Source
Document, The Nurture and Evangelism of Children A Statement
Adopted by Mennonite General Conference, August 26, 1955.)
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