5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

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.

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom

How do you convince your spouse that God is real?  He believes one minute, and the next has doubts… which I know is the devil putting the thoughts in his mind.  He says he wants to believe, but then he calls us names and acts like the world.  What can I do to show him you can’t be of this world and of God, too?  He has been going to church and praying to feel God’s presence, but he says he doesn’t feel it, and it is discouraging him; he believes God doesn’t love him, and his heart is hardened like Pharaoh’s.  Are there any words or Scripture you would recommend to me?  Thanks and God bless.

Sincerely,
The Wife Of Mr. Doubtful

Dear The Wife Of Mr. Doubtful,

Your spouse either doesn’t have enough evidence that God exists, or he has a misunderstanding of how God works.  If your husband doesn’t have enough evidence that God exists, we recommend you have him read “Demanding Evidence” and look at some of the reference material from that post.

However, we think it may also be possible that your husband is under the misconception that God is all about emotion.  God doesn’t make us “feel His presence” in any sort of miraculous way.  Certainly, there are times we feel closer to Him than others, but that isn’t miraculous; that is emotional.  God exists whether we feel close to Him or not.  The Bible tells us that God is the same today, yesterday, and forever (Heb 13:8).  Whether or not we feel like God loves us, He says He does (Jhn 3:16), and we’ve got to take His Word for it!  God tells us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jhn 4:24).  You might remind your husband (gently) that no matter how he feels about serving God – the truth is that how we live does matter (Jas 2:18-24).  Beyond that, continue to let your influence and uncompromising moral faithfulness affect your spouse (1 Cor 7:12-16).

5 minutes a day 5 days a week - a year of Bible Wisdom