If you were young when you got baptized and really don't think you truly understood the meaning of being baptized, then is it okay to get re-baptized when you do fully understand?  And if you can, should you?  And if you should, is it required?  Or is the one time the only time?

Sincerely,
Dried Off

Dear Dried Off,

The word ‘baptism’ simply means ‘immersion’ – it is the reason for your immersion that makes baptism a soul-saving act.  When we understand that baptism saves us from our sins (1 Pet. 3:21) and are baptized by the authority of Christ (Acts 2:38) and believe in His Name (Mk. 16:16), then that baptism saves us.  Many people are baptized without understanding these things… in which case, they just get wet.  You will have to evaluate for yourself whether or not you understood what you were doing when you were baptized.  If you did, there is no need for re-baptism.  If not, we’d recommend you starting looking for water.

My question is: my son left the church because some christians hurt him; now he says he won’t have anything to do with christians, but I’ve been praying for two years.  He still doesn’t let go of the hurt.  I'm standing on God’s promises that He will save all my family; do you think my son will come to God?

Sincerely,
A Mother’s Worry

Dear A Mother’s Worry,

You can influence your son’s life, but he has the freedom to choose or refuse God.  Your example will have an effect on your son (Pr 22:6), and you should continue to pray (Pr 15:29) and be a preserving salt in his life (Matt 5:13).  We are so sorry for the heartache you are going through because of your son’s choices (Pr 10:1).  Hopefully, he will repent some day and return to the Lord, but ultimately, that choice will be up to him.

Does God want us to work with Him or for Him?  When did salvation begin?  What is the origin of salvation?

Sincerely,
Business Partner?

Dear Business Partner,

We work for God - He is King (1 Tim 1:17)... we will always be subordinate to Him.  Salvation began with Christ's blood on the cross (1 Pet 1:18-19).  Jesus is the beginning and the end of our creation and salvation (Rev 21:6).  We cannot be saved without Christ (Jhn 14:6).   God planned to save mankind through Christ before He created the world (Eph 1:3-4).  God's plan for our salvation was perfectly laid out from the beginning, and when the right time came... Jesus was sent to die for our sins (Gal 4:3-5).

I have a question about Jesus and how I can be baptized in the Holy Spirit.  It says in the Bible that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, and they talked in tongues, right?  So I’m wondering why I can’t speak in tongues; I’ve gone up to the front at church a long time ago when I was young and was prayed over, but no tongues ever came out of me.  Does this mean I’m not God’s child?  Am I doomed?  I know it sounds dumb, but I need help; I don’t know what to think.  I don’t want to go up there again ever; I’m scared now.

Sincerely,
Tongue-Tied

Dear Tongue-Tied,

You don’t need to speak in tongues to be saved… which is a good thing because nobody speaks in tongues anymore.  Holy Spirit baptism was a miraculous event that happened to the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).  The only other time that Holy Spirit baptism occurred was at the first Gentile conversion (it was given as a sign to Peter that it was okay for non-Jews to become christians – Acts 10:45-48).

Holy Spirit baptism is not what saves you; water baptism is what saves you (Acts 8:36, Mk 16:16, 1 Pet 3:21).  The Holy Spirit provided certain people with the ability to perform miracles.  Other than the apostles, christians received these miraculous abilities by the laying on of the apostles’ hands (Acts 8:16-19).  Doing the math, that means that the last person to have miraculous abilities (like speaking in tongues) had to have lived at the same time as the apostles.  The last apostle died over 1,900 years ago!  Any church that tells you that you have to speak in tongues, prophesy, perform miracles, etc. to be saved is lying to you and misapplying the Scriptures.  We recommend you read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”, so you can see what the Bible really says about salvation.  If you would like help finding a faithful, Bible-following church in your area, feel free to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

About a year ago, I was put through the trial of a lifetime - at the mere age of nineteen.  Despite being a baptized christian, I realize that I lost touch with God for a period of my life and spiraled into sinful ways.  I truly believe the trial I went through was to get me closer to Him and to take me to new places and away from bad things.  The one thing is that while I love and trust the Lord, I HATE the situation I am in.  It's going to be a lifetime battle as well.  Is it all right to accept trying times but yet hate the situation at the same time?  Does God want us to be fully on board with the trying time we are in, or is it acceptable for us to not fully be on board?  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Struggling

Dear Struggling,

All christians must suffer (Acts 14:22), and suffering helps make us better people (Heb 12:6), but enduring suffering is not the same as enjoying it.  All suffering brings sorrow and grief (Heb 12:11), but a christian can know that God will not allow them to be tempted beyond what they are able to handle (1 Cor 10:13).  Christians can rejoice in trials even though they hurt because they produce perseverance and hope (Rom 5:3-5).  Even when we suffer for our own sinful choices, christians can rejoice because endurance through trials proves our faith in Christ (1 Pet 1:6-7).  The righteous may fall down many times in life… but they always get back up (Pr 24:16).  We are sorry that you are suffering so very much; trials are never, ever easy… but the eternal benefits far outweigh the hardship (Php 1:23).