{"id":26415,"date":"2020-10-12T17:38:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-12T22:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=26415"},"modified":"2020-10-14T14:14:39","modified_gmt":"2020-10-14T19:14:39","slug":"is-my-baptism-invalid-because-i-panicked-while-under-the-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-my-baptism-invalid-because-i-panicked-while-under-the-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Is my baptism invalid because I panicked while under the water?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I have a question. I have been a Christian or saved person for the past 4 or 5 years, I had never been baptized before. Yesterday, I was baptized and I panic while underwater. Then it was over and they lifted me up out of the water. I was disappointed in myself for panicking.\u00a0Now I feel that I disappointed myself and God. I now question whether my baptism was valid in the eyes of the Lord.<\/p>\n

Can you please help me understand what I should do? Please help me.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\nJesus once asked, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?<\/em>” (Luke 6:46). While you were interested in following Christ for several years, it would not be proper to say you were a Christian until you actually obeyed the Lord and entered into the covenant with him. Sins are removed in baptism. You are not saved while you had remained in your sins. “A<\/em>nd in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;<\/em>
\nhaving been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead<\/em>” (Colossians 2:11-12).\n

Salvation is not indicated by a feeling. Feelings can be wrong. Salvation comes because you met God’s terms for being saved. “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you — not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience – -through the resurrection of Jesus Christ<\/em>” (I Peter 3:21).<\/p>\n

I can understand that you are disappointed that you panicked while under the water. That happens to some people. But your disappointment is your own feeling. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that what you feel must be what God feels. You did what God commanded despite your fears. That is the mark of courage and obedience.<\/p>\n\t

Response:<\/h2>\n

Good morning,<\/p>\n

I just want to take this time to give you thanks. Thank you, man of God, for responding so quickly to my email, and for helping me see the light. I know now that the devil was just playing with my mind. I should have known because I know the signs. I have learned a lot from many people, but I also know that I still need to learn much more spiritually. That’s why I thank God for people like yourself, who is always there to guide and to direct people such as myself and to inspire!<\/p>\n

You must have a beautiful and blessed day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I have a question. I have been a Christian or saved person for the past 4 or 5 years, I had never been baptized before. Yesterday, I was baptized and I panic while underwater. Then it was over and they lifted me up out of the water. I was disappointed in myself for panicking.\u00a0Now…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[52],"class_list":["post-26415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-baptism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":48128,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-went-back-into-sin-after-my-baptism-does-that-mean-my-baptism-was-invalid\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":0},"title":"I went back into sin after my baptism. Does that mean my baptism was invalid?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I just had a question. I was baptized at about 19 years old. I knew what I was doing, which was to live a different life, to be baptized and turn from my old self. I thought that when I came up from the water, I would be\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":9404,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/where-does-the-bible-parallel-the-use-of-the-laver-to-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":1},"title":"Where does the Bible parallel the use of the laver to baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 12, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I am trying to finish up my paper, and I remember learning about the basin or laver bowl stand for the tabernacle in Exodus chapter 30, but I can't remember where it says it relates back to baptism. It might be in Hebrews. I was wondering if you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":64220,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-my-baptism-invalid-because-i-did-it-to-avoid-going-to-hell\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":2},"title":"Is my baptism invalid because I did it to avoid going to hell?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 22, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: When I got baptized, I was being baptized not necessarily wanting forgiveness but more about keeping myself from going to Hell. I was sincere in my commitment to God giving Him my life, but I was baptized out of fear of going to hell. This burdens my conscience every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16027,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-person-be-baptized-correctly-while-being-in-a-denomination-that-teaches-wrongly\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":3},"title":"Can a person be baptized correctly while being in a denomination that teaches wrongly?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question about baptism, I thought that one could not be taught wrong and baptized right. I recently got re-baptized, because I was young (12) years old when I obeyed the gospel. I just could not remember if I understood what the gospel was about at that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2447,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-person-be-baptized-correctly-while-being-in-a-denomination-that-doesnt-believe-in-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":4},"title":"Can a person be baptized correctly while being in a denomination that doesn’t believe in baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a question about baptism, I thought that one could not be taught wrong and baptized right. I recently got re-baptized, because I was young (12) years old when I obeyed the gospel. I just could not remember if I understood what the gospel was about at that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2350,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-if-a-person-does-not-go-completely-under-the-water-at-the-same-time-is-it-still-a-baptism\/","url_meta":{"origin":26415,"position":5},"title":"What if a person does not go completely under the water at the same time? Is it still a baptism?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 25, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What are your thoughts concerning baptism when a finger or knuckle or possibly someone with long hair doesn't all get under at the same time or under at all? It seems like that could happen accidentally with no knowledge of it or could also be noticed by the baptizer.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26415"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26415\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}