Sainath Posted August 21, 2019 Group: Members Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 0 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/21/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted August 21, 2019 Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steward George Posted August 21, 2019 Group: Steward Followers: 110 Topic Count: 10,465 Topics Per Day: 1.26 Content Count: 27,774 Content Per Day: 3.33 Reputation: 15,466 Days Won: 129 Joined: 06/30/2001 Status: Online Birthday: 09/21/1971 Steward Share Posted August 21, 2019 3 minutes ago, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? There's no commandment describing when you need to be baptized. It's just an act of obedience and truly is a symbol of realizing that you putting to death your former self -- and being risen to new life in Him. Romans 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life. God bless, George 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Repose Posted August 21, 2019 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 205 Content Per Day: 0.12 Reputation: 231 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/06/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted August 21, 2019 The Ethiopian eunuch was attempting to read Izaiah when Philip was brought to him. When asked if he understood what he was reading, he replied, "How can I understand unless I have a teacher to teach me?" He heard the gospel, and believing in the name of Jesus, was baptized (presumably) that self-same day. One could say he did not have a complete understanding. He certainly didn't spend a lot of time reviewing the gospel and learning it. Spiritual maturity comes with experience. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnthebaptist Posted August 21, 2019 Group: Non-Conformist Theology Followers: 6 Topic Count: 118 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 4,361 Content Per Day: 2.31 Reputation: 2,109 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/25/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/03/1953 Share Posted August 21, 2019 13 hours ago, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? There might be at least two ways to look at this. Some people believe you can't go to heaven until you've been baptized. If that is the case, you might want to get baptized as soon as possible. On the other hand, other people might believe a person should get baptized when they are ready. I was baptized as an infant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah_ Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Senior Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 13 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 790 Content Per Day: 0.25 Reputation: 878 Days Won: 0 Joined: 07/07/2015 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2019 21 hours ago, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? Why? In the book of Acts, we find that the custom of the early church was to baptise people on the day they became Christians! At that time, of course, there was no New Testament for them to read (because it hadn't yet been written). Reading the NT is a very good thing to do, but why put off your baptism until you have done it? Baptism is an initiation into the way of Christ, and it's therefore done right at the beginning. Full understanding isn't required, only commitment. If you wait until you've attained "spiritual maturity", you'll be waiting far too long! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who me Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 17 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 3,300 Content Per Day: 1.72 Reputation: 1,686 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/27/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 10:33 AM, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? May I suggest that you talk with your minister about doing a baptismal ourse, where you can look at the theology behind baptism and to tal about whether you are ready for baptism. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Adams Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 25 Topic Count: 61 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 9,606 Content Per Day: 3.97 Reputation: 7,795 Days Won: 21 Joined: 09/11/2017 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 10:33 AM, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? I suggest you just do it. You may mature quicker. Do not procrastinate if at all possible. Just do it, any place any anywhere you like. Do not put it off if at all possible. (That's my take anyhow.) 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayne Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 107 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 3,820 Content Per Day: 1.30 Reputation: 4,806 Days Won: 2 Joined: 03/31/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted August 22, 2019 There is only one way to be scripturally baptized and that is after you have been saved. All baptized in the New Testament did so AFTER receiving the gospel and accepting Christ. Then and only then were they baptized. Baptism does not save you, but the Lord did command it. It's a picture of your commitment to Christ and to follow him. When you are put under the water, that's a sign of your being dead to self and sin and being "buried" with Christ. When you are raised up from the water, it's a symbol of your being resurrected into a new life IN Christ. All new believers should be baptized as that is the Bible model. I have known a small handful of people who have water phobia or are in too bad of a physical shape to be baptized to enter the water on their own. One young man I know was baptized in his home in the bathtub. He was so phobic of pools, ponds, and even a baptistry that he would get sick. He was a little person and could not swim. So, the pastor invited a small handful of men of our church to go with him to the young man's house and bear witness and rejoice with him over his baptism in his bathtub. You can be baptized wherever there is water enough to do so. My mother's church, when beginning 35 years ago, met in the pastor' home while building a church building. Until then, they used his neighbor's swimming pool for a baptistry. You CAN wait to be baptized, but that is not the Bible model. But you DON'T have to be "spiritually mature" to be baptized. That's not what baptism is a symbol of. It's a symbol of your being saved and committed to follow Christ always. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeauJangles Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Royal Member Followers: 43 Topic Count: 229 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 10,900 Content Per Day: 2.92 Reputation: 12,145 Days Won: 68 Joined: 02/13/2014 Status: Offline Birthday: 08/14/1954 Share Posted August 22, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 2:33 AM, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? You could, but this is a good time of the year for it. I was baptized twice. Once when making my public confession of Jesus as Saviour and Lord, I was 12 years old, and unlearned of God's Word. The second time as a re-dedication decades later. Both occasions were in the freezing winter temps of central California. Trust me, summer time is better. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saved34 Posted August 22, 2019 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 1,185 Content Per Day: 0.27 Reputation: 667 Days Won: 3 Joined: 03/28/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/19/1971 Share Posted August 22, 2019 On 8/21/2019 at 5:33 AM, Sainath said: Can I postpone the water baptism ceremony of mine until I read the whole New Testament once and attain the spiritual maturity before being Baptized? Like others have said, why wait? You have met the criteria to be baptized which is faith in Christ. Spiritually you have already been baptized and placed in the body of Christ. Now in obedience you should profess this outwardly in showing everyone that you identify with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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