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Hi, i am new to this board, i was drawn to it by my search to find info on the trinity, i am another one who was brought up as a j witness and although i am no longer one still dont believe in the trinity. as i cannot find a church/faith that doesnt teach the trinity, can i still get baptised, and if so, can you give me any advice as to how without joining a church first? many thanks for any help in this matter
Hi Vanilla, In my research on this subject is that I found that you must look into this two fold. 1st being baptizing, 2nd church.
Church and what makes a church? People assembling together in Christ Jesus.
Baptizing is when you have accepted the Word and have repented and sought for a holy person to baptize you with water and the Holy Spirit.
[Matt 28:19] states this; Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
Study guide notes:
Water baptism accompanied the proclamation of the gospel from the beginning of the church mission. It was the rite of Christians initiation used in the new testament to indicate that a person was committing himself or herself fully to Jesus Christ. By going into the baptismal water in the name of the Trinity [Matt 28:19] . Or Of Christ [Acts 19:5] believers visibly demonstrated their faith before the Christian community .
1. Water baptism "into Christ" [Gal 3:27] or "in the name of Jesus Christ." [Acts 2:38 cf. Matt 28:19] , signifies that one now is the property of Christ and has a share in His Life, His Spirit and His inheritance with God. [ROM 8:14-17] , Gal 3:26–4:7]
2. Water baptism is a response to what Christ has done for the believer. To be valid, it must be preceded by repentance [Acts2:38] and a personal faith in Christ. [ Col 2:12].
3. Water baptisms, when undertaken with a sincere heart of faith and commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior, is a means of receiving grace from Christ. [cf. 1 Pet 3:21]
4. Water baptism is an outward sign and testimony of our receiving Christ, as Lord and Savior and of the washing away of our sins. [ Act 2:38 ,Tit 3:5; 1 Pet.3:21]
5. Water baptism portrays the union of the believer with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection [ROM 6:1-11; Col 2:11-12.] This signifies an end to a life of sin [ROM 6:3–4,7,10,12; Col 3:3-14] and the beginning of a new life in Christ [ROM 6:4-5,11; Col 2:12-13.] Therefore, water baptism involves a commitment to a life-long practice of turning one’s back on the world and all that is evil [ROM 6:6,11-13 ] and living a new life in the spirit that reflect God’s standards and righteousness. [Col 2: 1-17]. …………happymanDear vanilla,
The article posted by thehappyman was a good article. What I recommend you do is pray about it. The Lord will open up the way for you if you believe. He will lead you to where you need to go to be baptized. All you have to do is believe.
The important thing is that you are born again. To be reborn in the spirit. When we ask for forgiveness of our sins, we are reborn, born again, John 3:3. It is at that moment, we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins, and by his blood we are cleansed of our sins and are reborn in the spirit. Praise God.
If you are born again, pray that the Lord show you where to get baptized by water. He will lead the way. All you will have to do is wait.
Hi Vanilla,
HappyMan laid it out perfectly as to what true water baptism is from the scriptures. Even though you were with the JW's, after 1985 they made a subtle change in their baptism declaration so that you would then say that your were agreeing to be baptised into THEIR organization. Prior to that, one would be simply be baptised into Christ. This was very sneaky and in fact prevents you from protesting how they treat you thereafter because you agreed to be baptised into THEM and do everything THEY say above and beyond Christ.
So it is good that you walked away from that. Actually any baptised Christian can baptise another Christian. Heiscomingintheclouds advice is good. However, beware of churches or individuals who insist you proclaim or acknowledge, “Jesus is GOD” before they will baptise you. That's NOT what the Bible says at all, as you well know:
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [Romans 10:9]
Anyone who is trying to add any more to that is deceiving you and should be avoided. Ask the Lord Jesus to direct you to someone. Some American Baptist churches will do it without you having to recite some creed or rules you don't agree with or you having to become a member. The head pastor of the church I serve got a call at 3 am one morning. The man insisted he had to be baptised right away. So the man came over to the pastor's house and he baptised him right in his bathtub! Now was that a legitimate baptism? Did God honor that? Yes on both counts! No papers to sign, churches to join or creeds to recite. He just dunked him!
So that might be an approach for you. It is difficult to find new Christian friends after being with JW's because they systematically isolate you from anyone who believes differently from them. It may take a little time but you WILL find a true servant of Christ to baptise you. This is because it is God's will that no one should perish. He also wants to give us our heart's desire. Getting baptised into Christ is obviously yours.
Bless you much,
Semmy
Hi Semmy,
I see you have quoted Romans 10 for salvation.
You said“That's NOT what the Bible says at all, as you well know:
That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [Romans 10:9]”
The points I would make are that this book was written to the “saints”, the saved, as a look at Rom 1 will confirm.
It was written to the Jewish converts and as in the book of Galatians Paul was pleading with them to go forwards in faith and not attempt to try to go back under the Law as they were tempted to do.
They had already been baptised into Christ. They had gone through the Gate. That door was closed.
That is why Paul was encouraging them because Christ was already planted in them, and he was teaching them not about how to be saved because that was already done, but how to let the Spirit lead them.
As he said elsewhere in his letters no man can say “Jesus is Lord” unless led by the Spirit of God so how could these verses not contradict one another? He was speaking of the “working out of our salvation” that he had discussed with Timothy.
I realise this verse is quoted by most as a way of salvation but I believe falsely. If it was another new way it would nullify the teaching of Jesus in Jn 3 and the work of the Spirit shown in Acts through the apostles.
God does not change his mind and decide Rom 10 is all we need. Nothing has changed except men have got confused and are spreading that confusion around to the detriment of many.
There will be a time as spoken of in Joel when calling on the name of the Lord will save men but looking at the context of Joel and Rom 10 that is after the changes in the sun and moon, and they have yet to occur.
Think about it anyway and let us know your thoughts.
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