Our notes in the February, 1944, Testimony, pp. 37 and 38, on the subject of Baptism have evoked considerable criticism, particularly as regards the validity of the baptism administered by John the Baptist. A Rhyl (North Wales) reader has sent in a pamphlet entitled Baptism—Its Importance, printed at the Mercury Offices, Llanelly, but without any indication of the author’s identity. There is much in the pamphlet which is questionable, but we can now only notice a paragraph headed “Was there re-Baptism.” Here it is, reproduced verbatim:
There is a suggestion abroad that certain disciples were re-baptised after Paul had a conversation with them. This is recorded in Acts 19. If this is accepted it would nullify the whole line of evidence which is so strongly interwoven in the records previous to this period. It may be seen why it is thought that these men were re-baptised.
They had said they had not received the Holy Spirit and had not even heard of its workings. Yet they had been baptised “into John’s baptism.” Then follows seemingly another act of immersion. But is it so? The difficulty lies really in the punctuation, and as it should be known this was arbitrary. Here is the record in the Authorised and Revised translations:—
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Author: P. H. Adams
Keywords: baptism, baptized, baptised, john the baptist, baptize, baptise, John baptizing, immersion, reimmersion, re-immersion, re-baptized, re-baptised, second baptism, baptized against, baptised again, John's baptism, baptized into Christ, baptised into Christ, water immersion, believer's baptism, child baptism, baptize children, baptise children, mikveh, washing, submersion, water submersion, Baptize infants, re-baptism, Adult baptism, credobaptism, Affusion, pedo baptism, anabaptist, anabaptism
Bible reference(s): Matthew 3:6, Matthew 3:7, Mark 1:5, Mark 16:16, Luke 3:3, Luke 3:7, Luke 3:12, Luke 3:21, Luke 7:30, John 1:25, John 1:31, John 3:22, John 4:2, Acts 2:41, Acts 8:12, Acts 8:13, Acts 8:16, Acts 8:36, Acts 8:38, Acts 9:18, Acts 10:48, Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, Acts 18:8, Acts 19:3, Acts 19:5, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3, Romans 6:4, 1 Corinthians 1:13, 1 Corinthians 1:14, 1 Corinthians 1:15, 1 Corinthians 1:16, 1 Corinthians 1:17, 1 Corinthians 10:2, 1 Corinthians 15:29, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 4:5, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:21
Source: “Baptism,” The Testimony, Vol. 14, No. 162, June 1944, pp. 120-3.
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