The Controversy Between Baptism and Born-Again By Rev Fr Kelvin Ugwu.

Read previous post that lead to this https://www.nairaland.com/5627540/being-born-again

Biblically, to be born again is to be BAPTIZED. Ordinarily, this won't have been a case to debate on because the
bible is very clear about it. Unfortunately, almost every person and every denomination have their own
interpretations and teachings on what they consider to be born again and what they consider to be baptism.

This confusion in Christianity especially since it is about Baptism worries me so much because I know that the
God we all claim to be serving is not a God of confusion. How come the members are?
If you can spare few minutes, I just would like us to look at the Bible objectively and see what it says on
baptism so we can at least trace where we got it wrong. I promise you will not regret taking out time to read this
post, even though it is a bit long.

First, we begin with where the word "born again" was first used. It was from Christ himself. John 3:3.
“Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again."
The Greek word translated as born again is "ἀναγεγεννημένοι". Some translations used "Born from Above"
instead of "Born again".
Because it was even confusing to the person Jesus was talking to, he had to take his time to explain what be
meant by born again in verse 5.
“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit."
Ordinarily, I would have concluded that Jesus' explanation was very clear until some Christians started having
the claim that Jesus was not talking about Baptism with water rather that he was talking about "baptism of the
Spirit."

The big question is, can there be Baptism at all, in which ever form we see it, without the Holy Spirit?

Now, let us imagine the importance Christ placed on Baptism. It was the last command he gave before his
Ascension. I want us to imagine our typical parents. If they are dying or better still traveling and it will take a
very long time before their children see them again, at the sick bed or airport, those messages they give to their
children as they bid each other farewell are usually the most important from their hearts.
In the same way, that was what Jesus did to his disciples as he bid them farewell. He said:
"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but
whoever does not believe will be condemned."(Mark 16:14-16).
There are three key words there: Preach. Believe. Baptise.
To still make everything more clearer, Matthew's account gave us how we can Baptised. The formula to use.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19).
What could be clearer than that?
Interestingly, the early disciples of Jesus understood how important this was. They took it seriously.
In Acts of the Apostles 16: 14-15, Paul baptised Lydia and his household.
I would like you to read for yourself:
14. One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a
worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15. And after she was
*BAPTIZED*, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord,
come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
This is the same Paul some people were misquoting out of context that according to Romans 10:9 we are
saved only by confessing with our mouth and not Baptism.
In Act 16, we saw the beautiful story of Paul and Silas in the prison and the conversion of the Jailer. Paul and
Silas sang songs and the prison gate opened.

But the interesting part was the jailer who wanted to kill himself thinking the prisoners have escaped.
After Paul talked to him, he was moved. And he asked a very important question in verse 30, and a beautiful
and very important response was given to him in verses 32,&32.
30 “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you
and your household.” 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house."
You noticed how the first thing was for him to believe. For most Protestants and Pentecostals, that is all, that is
Altar call. The person is proclaimed saved.
But that was not the same for Paul.
After Paul has seen that he believes, he did not stop there. In verse 33, we saw his baptism.
33 "And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was BAPTIZED AT ONCE,
he and all his family."

If you noticed, the words "At Once" was there for some emphasis. It was as though, there is no need waiting. It
was like saying, "let us complete the conversion process immediately."
This is the same Paul that some people are misquoting o.
Have we also forgotten that after Paul was converted on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, he was
made blind. The disciple Ananias was sent by God himself, not to ask Paul to repeat any prayers and be saved,
but to Baptise him.(Act 9:10-19).

How else do we want God to show us how important Baptism is?
Now we move to Peter, the head of the church. In Acts of the Apostles chapter 10, the entire chapter was all
about a certain man called Cornelius and how Peter preached to him and he was baptised.

The story is very dramatic. First, Peter saw the vision to go, then he was hesitant because the man in question
was a pagan, and finally when he arrived, he preached.
Then the last part and interesting part. When Peter was preaching the Holy Spirit came down on them. And do
you know what Peter said in verse 47? Read for yourself.
"Then Peter responded, "How could anyone prohibit WATER, so that those who have received the Holy Spirit
would not be BAPTIZED, JUST AS WE ALSO HAVE BEEN?"
Verse 48
"And he ordered them to be BAPTIZED in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they begged him to remain
with them for some days."
If you look at that verse 47, it is like as if Peter was saying..."oya, let us do it quick quick…who can ever dare to
deny them baptism when the holy spirit has spoken."
You see, even for the apostles, baptism was the ultimate point of conversion. That is what they understood as
being born again.

In all the passages I have quoted so far, do you also noticed that every member of the house were baptised
too? Is it possible that there were no children that were baptised along side? Why do we fight over infant
baptism? Why can't a child be baptised with the faith of the parents. Where in the scripture was infant baptism
condemned?

I am so sorry that this is getting too long. I just want to give you all the possible instances that will help you see
what I mean. The last example I will quote is about Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.
In Act 8: 26-40, it is all about the dramatic story of Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch. Philip was sent to him.
After Philip had explained the scripture to him, he was touched.
Then something dramatic happened in verse 36 as they were on the way. Read for yourself:
36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “SEE, HERE IS
WATER! WHAT PREVENTS ME FROM BEING BAPTIZED?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they
both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

From what the man said alone, you could deduce that Philip had told him so much about Baptism using water.
All he was just looking out for was where he will find water. And once he did, he could not hold it again. He
even ordered his chariot to stop. Once he was baptised, the whole conversion process was complete.
From that passage also and some other passages I already quoted, we can deduce that baptism is not merely
an act done in the river. All that is needed is water and the formula given in Matthew 28:19.
In conclusion,
There is a consistent trend in the whole passages I quoted. First, there is preaching. Secondly, the person
believes. Thirdly, the person is baptised.
For so many people who feels Altar call is what it means to be born again, what is important to them is
preaching and then believe. They do not add the last and most important part. Yet they want us to believe that
they are following the bible.
Let me leave it like this while I wait for your own say on this.
Thanks for the patience to read. Thanks too for sharing this post. God bless you!

Fr Kelvin Ugwu MSP

Will read this later!
It's probably similar to the circumcision confusion that popped up in early church which apostle Paul beautifully addressed in book Galatians and Corinthians.

OpenYourEyes1:
Will read this later!
It's probably similar to the circumcision confusion that popped up in early church which apostle Paul beautifully addressed in book Galatians and Corinthians.

yah...very important read for all Christian and none Christian

Great Grace Padre....
Steps:
Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.
Believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.
Baptizing those who have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.

As a Roman Catholic, when are we going to stop the *long processes* that delays people whether young or old from being baptized *immediately after they have believed the gospel or indicated they have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified after homily/sermon in the Holy Mass or after sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified outside the liturgy/church-premises whether by the priest or lay-faithful* ?

ochibuogwu5:
Great Grace Padre....
Steps:
Preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.
Believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.
Baptizing those who have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified.

As a Roman Catholic, when are we going to stop the *long processes* that delays people whether young or old from being baptized *immediately after they have believed the gospel or indicated they have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified after homily/sermon in the Holy Mass or after sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ Crucified outside the liturgy/church-premises whether by the priest or lay-faithful* ?

There is actually no long process in baptizing the young and old. Infant as old as 7 days old are being baptized, just let the church know that you want to be baptized and you will be baptized. Last week an old man...very old man that's more than 100 years, after listening to the word of God and experiencing Christ, gave his life to Christ and a priest baptized him. The priest who did the baptism, told us himself. You can see that there is actually no process involved. Anyone who hasn't being baptized, can walk into the church and meet a priest and your baptizing date would be fixed. Some church have fixed date for infant baptism...so they may ask you to pls wait till then, which doesn't exceed 2-3 weeks intervals..mass baptism for infant is done so that priest can meet up with other schedules for the day or week....that one no be long process na....abi na long process?? But as a matured adult, just walk in, meet the priest and your date would be fixed. But before baptism, the two steps u mentioned above must have been followed.