Baptism

A question I've always had... if you were previously baptized, but you later in life deny your faith and change your mind about what you believe in religiously, do you still go to heaven? Is baptism a definitive way to get into heaven as you always hear it to be?

 

I dont think I've heard that baptism is the key to heaven. If you renounce your faith (ie Christ as your Saviour) it doesnt matter what's happened previously.

Forgive me if my assumption that Baptism is a strictly Christian sacrament is incorrect.

 

Baptism is generally a symbolic welcoming into the church for an infant who cannot yet make that decision for himself. If that person later decides to renounce God, then that baptism would not save them.

However, please remember that the relationship with God is very fluid - so you could go your entite life denying Him and at the last minute embrace Him and He would forgive your sins and welcome you to heaven.

 

my understanding is the only way to lose your salvation is to actually renounce Jesus as your savior.

 

Baptism is purely a symbolic gesture, amongst most Protestants. If you deny your faith, you are not saved because you were baptized. And consequently, if you believe and were never baptized, it doesn't keep you out of heaven either, in my opinion. Some would argue that, but it's illogical to me.

 

I disagree that it's a symbolic gesture, we consider it a sacrament. It's a covenant with God.
I do agree baptism does not get or keep you out of heaven. Otherwise Jesus wouldn't have told the thief on the cross he would see him in Paradise.

 

You are Catholic?

 

It varies from religion to religion, but most, if not all, Christian religions consider baptism a sacrament as far as I know. Holy communion is widely accepted as a sacrament as well.

Per my understanding, a sacrament is a rite initiated by Christ that brings about grace. There are several other sacraments depending on which religion you're talking about, but yes, Catholics and Orthodox do recognize the most.

 

Thank you. No I'm not catholic, but when I had my children baptised I fully understood what I was doing and it wasn't a ritual.

 

Baptism is a huge topic...

My short answer:

IMO, I agree that baptism is a sign, even a sacrament to some (a holy sign or practice), but that being baptized does not grant one salvation. Salvation is about giving Christ lordship over one's life. It's not a concept someone just casually accepts, and then tucks it away to be irrelevant to the rest of their life until it's time to die.

My long answer:

For those that baptise as infants, the baptism is more about a covenant with God and recognizing what God has already done for the infant. God covenants with the child, the parents covenant with God to raise the child teaching and living examples of Christian discipleship, the congregation covenants with the family and with God to help raise the child in the teachings of Christ and support the family. Only later, typically at confirmation, does the child make some purposeful/intentional decision about being a disciple of Christ and giving Christ lordship over his/her life.

For those of the predominant evangelical tradition, baptism is an outward sign of an inward decision to "accept Christ into your heart" or "accept Christ's gift of salvation."

There are two doctrines that sometimes compete in conversations about Baptism, though they're not necesarrily in conflict with one another: first, salvation by grace alone, and second, that true faith produces fruit.

Most of the salvation by grace alone stuff comes from Paul, particularly in the book of Romans. Most of the true faith salvation/"you shall know them by their fruit" stuff comes from Jesus in the gospels, particularly the Matthew 25:31-46 and the book of James.

For me, salvation is about perceiving the amazing amount of love Christ showed (and shows) for me (and us all) and by seeing that, being transformed to live and give in a similar manner, as much as possible.

The acts of love, forgiveness, and giving that I engage in do not in any way gain me salvation/a place in heaven. But if I am saved, then I will seek to live in those ways.

It's sorta like Moses after he spoke to God on the mountain. For ever after that experience, Moses' face glowed from having been in the presence of God or from looking, even indirectly, at God. For the rest of his life, Moses wore a veil, so as not scare people (see Exodus 34:29-35). Once we have perceived the amazing grace of Christ, then we are moved to live for Christ.

For another example, its sorta like the Kevin Costner version of Robin Hood, where Morgan Freeman plays the Moor character (I can't remember the character's name). Robin Hood frees the Moor from prison, and then the Moor lives the rest of his life following and serving Robin Hood.