How Many Times Must I Be Baptized?

[Salyan]

Not entirely correct.  The members should not allow an unrepentant adulterer partake in the Lord's Supper for example.  How would we know you ask?  She's sitting right next to him.  The last time this was brought up you rejected 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.  Then there's also Matthew 18:15-17 and other verses that deal with separation from members not following correct doctrine.  

 

This situation should already have been dealt with by removing the member from membership. He is not welcome in the assembly until he returns with a repentant attitude. If you properly administer church discipline, it seems that you will most likely avoid this outcome. In my experience in a similar situation, the member under discipline never came for his disciplinary hearing, much less attempted to attend communion.

[Ukulelemike]

 

Does this scripture apply to the issues at all?

 

Mat 13:24  Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 

Mat 13:25  But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 

Mat 13:26  But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 

Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 

Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 

Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

 

1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 

1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

1Co 11:33  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 

1Co 11:34  And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. 

 

God bless,

Larry

 

This is why I hold to the 'Close' position, rather than the 'closed' position. It is not for the church to judge the heart. We can see open, unrepentant sin, and as was siad by Salyan, proper church discipline should make this a non-issue. But I suspect every church may have one or more who seem saved, act asved, maybe even think themselves saved, but are not-how can we judge their hearts? Or if one is visiting, and they give a testimony of salvation, or even if they don't, is it our place to judge their hearts and salvation before the Lord's Supper is passed out? I think not.

 

HOWEVER, that being said, when we observe it at our church, I read over those verses, and make it abundantly clear that partaking of the supper by one unsaved, who partakes unworthily,  can bring serious consequences. Any blood of wrong-doing is off my hands. More often than not, there will be some who don't partake, some due to that, some due to believing in a closed position, and that they are not yet worthy to partake. I don't judge any-I figure better for them not to partake, than to possibly partake unworthily. Those who DO partake, if unworthy, then they have been warned.  Tare with wheat-the Lord will divide them, if the Word doesn't.

[JerryNumbers]

We do not judge the heart, {salvation}, of the visitor who happens to be with us on the day set aside for observing the Lords Supper. Anyone having read the articles I posted would know this. If you stating we are them your not informed.

 

We firmly believe the Lord's Supper is a church ordnance, & its for its members only, & you are to observes the Lord's Supper in the local church your a member of.

 

I would never expect a church that I was visiting with to offer me the Lord's Supper, & even if they did I would not partake because I feel I have no right to partake of the Lord's Supper in any church that I'm not a member of. I'm only a member of one {1} local church at a time, I'm not a member of a universal church, for there is no such thing.

 

So if you happen to visit our church on the day we are celebrating the Lord's Supper, because we do not offer it to you, we are not judging you to be saved nor unsaved, we are sticking with what the Bible teaches us.

 

Church Ordinances

 

So, do not accuse us or any church that holds to this of judging you to be not saved, of separating the wheat from the chaff.

[Ukulelemike]

We do not judge the heart, {salvation}, of the visitor who happens to be with us on the day set aside for observing the Lords Supper. Anyone having read the articles I posted would know this. If you stating we are them your not informed.

 

We firmly believe the Lord's Supper is a church ordnance, & its for its members only, & you are to observes the Lord's Supper in the local church your a member of.

 

I would never expect a church that I was visiting with to offer me the Lord's Supper, & even if they did I would not partake because I feel I have no right to partake of the Lord's Supper in any church that I'm not a member of. I'm only a member of one {1} local church at a time, I'm not a member of a universal church, for there is no such thing.

 

So if you happen to visit our church on the day we are celebrating the Lord's Supper, because we do not offer it to you, we are not judging you to be saved nor unsaved, we are sticking with what the Bible teaches us.

 

Church Ordinances

 

So, do not accuse us or any church that holds to this of judging you to be not saved, of separating the wheat from the chaff.

The issue I have with the articles you gave, is that they seem to either be, in one, nothing but historical positions and nothing biblical-which is fine, by the way, as we can lean much from history, but still, its not a biblical position. And the other is pretty much all open vs closed, without the consideration of the 'close' position being laid out. And again, while there is clear Bible against non-believers partaking, there is nothing that I have seen that stops a believer who is not a specific 'member' of that particular assembly, of partaing with them. In fact, in Acts 20:7, we read this: "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."

 

Here we see the disciples meeting to break bread-I believe this generally refers to observing the Lord's Supper, though some may differ. And Paul is among them in Troas, at a church where Paul was not a member, as he was from the church at Antioch. Are we to assume that Paul was not welcome at the table of the Lord among them?  In fact, in all of Paul's travels over many years, I suppose he could never once partake os the Lord's Supper in the churches he started, as he was not a member.

 

Specifically, in scripture, the only requirement for partaking is to be a born-again believer. The Lord's Supper was to be a reminder between the believer and the Lord of what Christ did for him. It is done through the church as an ardinance, certainly, but nowhere in scripoture is there a hint that one had to be a member of that particular assembly to partake.

[HappyChristian]

Scripture gives much authority to the local church, though.  And, while we are firm believers in the "close" position (which is how our church practices), individual churches can make the decision as to whether it's close or closed.  

[OLD fashioned preacher]

The original post dealt with having to be baptized by THEIR church to become a member of it.

Only their church members can partake of the Lord's Supper in their church.

Pilgrim said he doesn't mind having to be a member but he's already been Scripturally baptized, just not in THEIR church.

Thus the statement about missing out on the Lord's Supper and the question about how often baptized.

[John81]

Not entirely correct.  The members should not allow an unrepentant adulterer partake in the Lord's Supper for example.  How would we know you ask?  She's sitting right next to him.  The last time this was brought up you rejected 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.  Then there's also Matthew 18:15-17 and other verses that deal with separation from members not following correct doctrine.  

This would be dealing with separating them from the church, not the Lord's Supper, and naturally if they are cast out of the church for unrepentant open sin, they won't be partaking of the Lord's Supper there.

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Don't know anything about the churches, but here's what I have listed in your area (info may be old):

 

HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH - PASTOR MIKE HANAFEE

1982 NE 25TH AVE.  #11 & #12

HILLSBORO, OR 97124

 

TRUE VINE BAPTIST CHURCH - PASTOR RICHARD GLENN

7815 SE POWELL BLVD

PORTLAND, OR 97206

C: 503-777-0827

 

GREATER FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH - PASTOR DON WATTERS

931 N SKIDMORE

PORTLAND, OR 97217

C: 503-287-4345

 

GREATER PORTLAND BAPTIST CHURCH - PASTOR RICK ADAMS

17800 SE MAIN ST

PORTLAND, OR 97233

C: 503-761-1136

[JerryNumbers]

No, the believer, saved person, is to partake of the Lords Supper with their church family, the church they're members of,  study it out in the Bible, & do not think of universal church, for there's not one.

 

If someone from another church were to visit us on the day we have set aside for the Lords Supper, it may be that they've been discipline by their home church, & or not even attended church in years.

 

And I refuse to let them put their self in a dangerous situation, they may even be ignorant to this, that is do not understand, never been taught about it, & doing so is part of the job that God has given me as pastor of a New Testament Church. Sad to say many pastors do not understand the WHOlE job they are to do for their Lord.

 

1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

1Co 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

 

You & your church are responsible to the Lord for who you allow to set at the Lord's table. It should only be saved baptized members of your local church that are in good standing. The one who shows up once a year should not be allowed to partake.

[JerryNumbers]

I remember there's a member here that says any new member to their church has to be baptized, even if they've been saved & baptized.

 

I would rather be part of a church that does that than a church that accepts anyone's baptizing. That is I would submit to being baptized again rather than join a church that accept the baptizing of anyone.

[John81]

Ephesians 4:4-6

King James Version (KJV)

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

[Ukulelemike]

Scripture gives much authority to the local church, though.  And, while we are firm believers in the "close" position (which is how our church practices), individual churches can make the decision as to whether it's close or closed.  

I agree. The big issue being, the Bible doesn't really present a standard, save for that it must be a born-again Christian. The fact that there is a warning about taking it unworthily, tells me that even then, unbelievers were, and they needed to be warned to be right with God before partaking. Sounds like it was at least "close". But you're right, I believe the Lord has given liberty in it, even in how often we partake. Many have many solid rules they have created around the practice-it MUST be each week, it MUST be every time we meet, it MUST be at Passover, it MUST be a 'love feast with a big meal".

 

What does the Bible say???

[John81]

I agree. The big issue being, the Bible doesn't really present a standard, save for that it must be a born-again Christian. The fact that there is a warning about taking it unworthily, tells me that even then, unbelievers were, and they needed to be warned to be right with God before partaking. Sounds like it was at least "close". But you're right, I believe the Lord has given liberty in it, even in how often we partake. Many have many solid rules they have created around the practice-it MUST be each week, it MUST be every time we meet, it MUST be at Passover, it MUST be a 'love feast with a big meal".

 

What does the Bible say???

As you have well pointed out, here and in other posts. Scripture says the Lord's Supper is for believers and believers are to exam themselves before partaking. Where, in all this can one come up with liberty for a church/pastor to tell fellow believers they are unworthy to partake of the Lord's Supper at "their" church (it's supposed to be the Lord's church)?

 

Again, as you well point out, some churches/pastors have come up with set in stone rules saying the Lord's Supper must be celebrated on certain days only (and always), and such. This is an example where the Bible doesn't tell us anything at all, with regards to the frequency of partaking of the Lord's Supper, so there is clearly liberty in this area (and no room to say one MUST partake on the Sunday closest to the full moon).

 

Those who are to partake of the Lord's Supper, Scripture makes clear, it's those born again in Christ; and they are to examine themselves to make sure they rightly partake. All of this is on the individual, with no hint whatsoever that any church or pastor has any duty in the matter other than to administer the Lord's Supper and inform those in attendance it's for believers only and of their need to examine themselves prior to partaking (or not) of the Lord's Supper. This is very clearly a matter between the individual and the Lord, not a matter for a church or pastor to determine. There is one mediator between God and man, and that's Jesus.

[JerryNumbers]

 

Ephesians 4:4-6

King James Version (KJV)

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

 

There is NO universal church, only local churches. Universal is a doctrine of the RCC, they invented it trying to make the pope leader of this world.

[swathdiver]

There is NO universal church, only local churches. Universal is a doctrine of the RCC, they invented it trying to make the pope leader of this world.

 

 

In all sincerity, who/what then is the body of Christ?

 

What does 1 Corinthians 12:13 refer to?