Should I Be Rebaptized After My First Baptism Which Was By Immersion?

Question

I have been baptized by immersion in my former church. Can I be baptized again now that I am hearing the gospel by another preacher who seems to be emphasizing the necessity of baptism?

Answer

Baptism is a command of Christ in the New Testament. Those who believed and are baptized shall be saved (Mark 16:16; I Peter 3:21). Their sins are washed away (Acts 22:16) and they have put on Christ (Colossians 3:27). Nearly all denominations deny this fact, perhaps, including the questioner’s “former church.”

Baptism is by immersion as we have seen in clear passages of the scripture (John 3:23; Acts 8:36,38-39; Mark 1:4-5). This truth is also denied by some groups as they practice sprinkling for baptism.

Furthermore, the scriptures teach that the Lord adds those who have been baptized, the saved, to “the church” (Acts 2:47; I Cor. 12:13). This church is one and not a denomination (Eph. 4:4) and it has Christ has its head and not a human general overseer or superintendent (Eph. 1:22-23). Again, all denominations believe that they have the right to establish their own group and call it a church. Baptizing a person into a denomination which is a different body (even if done by immersion) is not acceptable and rebaptism is necessary when that understanding is not present about what the purpose of baptism is and the body to which one is baptized is a different one than the ONE body of Christ just like the 12 men were re-baptized in Acts 19:1-7. These 12 men had previously been baptized by immersion (cf. John 3:23; Mark 1:4-5) but it was “unto John’s baptism” (Acts 19:3) which was already obsolete at that time. Christ had enjoined baptism in His authority (Matthew 28:19) and they needed to be baptized again.

Osamagbe Lesley Egharevba