I was baptized about 2 years after I was saved. I wanted to be baptized immediately, but we were in a church with no baptismal tank, and I seemed to be the only one wanting to be baptized.
Fortunately we moved, and we started attending a church with a double baptismal tank. I asked my husband to get baptized with me, and so we did.
I remember I was sitting on the women's side, waiting for our turn to be baptized. I was complaining to God that I wish I had been baptized earlier. God said that it was my time, now. My husband was on the men's side waiting to be baptized, and told God he didn't think he was ready, yet! God told him it was his time now! About the same time, from what we can figure out.
No, I do not see baptismal regeneration mentioned in the Bible. It is a symbol for our identification with the death of Christ, and his rising again. If you know anything about the ritual washings and baptisms of the Jews, they were for cleansing. Some Jews even had a Mikvah or bath in their houses, with free flowing cleaning water, to wash themselves ritually clean. So yes, there is that aspect to baptism. Being washed clean from our sins!
But that is not baptismal regeneration! (However, if someone was actually saved when they were baptized, that is an interesting concept. Because, really, they should have been saved before they went into the tank! Still, God can do what he want, including saving people coming up out of the baptismal tank!)
Fortunately we moved, and we started attending a church with a double baptismal tank. I asked my husband to get baptized with me, and so we did.
I remember I was sitting on the women's side, waiting for our turn to be baptized. I was complaining to God that I wish I had been baptized earlier. God said that it was my time, now. My husband was on the men's side waiting to be baptized, and told God he didn't think he was ready, yet! God told him it was his time now! About the same time, from what we can figure out.
No, I do not see baptismal regeneration mentioned in the Bible. It is a symbol for our identification with the death of Christ, and his rising again. If you know anything about the ritual washings and baptisms of the Jews, they were for cleansing. Some Jews even had a Mikvah or bath in their houses, with free flowing cleaning water, to wash themselves ritually clean. So yes, there is that aspect to baptism. Being washed clean from our sins!
But that is not baptismal regeneration! (However, if someone was actually saved when they were baptized, that is an interesting concept. Because, really, they should have been saved before they went into the tank! Still, God can do what he want, including saving people coming up out of the baptismal tank!)
