"AND NOW WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET UP, BE BAPTISED AND WASH YOUR SINS AWAY, CALLING ON HIS NAME." Acts 22 : 16
What are you waiting for.........?
The Ethiopian Eunuch had this attitude when Peter preached Jesus to him. He IMMEDIATELY requested and RECEIVED baptism. (Acts 27 - 38)
Does this not show that you dont need to know everything to get baptised. The Eunuch was religious but was lost, but his conversion, as with many others in the new testament, occurred after ONE sermon. Jesus stated that much teaching would FOLLOW, not PRECEED baptism. (Matt 28 : 19,20 ) So, what qualifies a person for baptism is - BELIEF IN CHRIST, REPENTANCE AND WILLINGNESS TO FOLLOW HIM. With these things, you are ready for baptism.
I have been thinking about this in light of how the Org. conducts itself regarding those wishing to be baptised.
In the 'Organized to do Jehovah's will' book, there are 104 QUESTIONS split over 3 SECTIONS. Their criteria for qualifying for baptism is explained this way : -
" By having each candidate comment on EVERY question, the ELDERS get a clear picture of his depth of understanding, leaving no doubt as to whether he is READY for baptism or not." (page 217)
"Additionally, THEY will want to ascertain whether the prospective minister deeply appreciates the truth and demonstrates proper respect for...(Jesus?)....JEHOVAH'S ORGANIZATION." (PAGE 218 )
According to the NT every person who BELIEVES IN JESUS CHRIST should be baptized and should be baptized as soon as they have believed. Why does the org. not follow this ? Instead, according to their rules, a person needs to be studying and coming along to meetings, and going out in field service and handing in a report and commenting at meetings, all of which can take up to a year, before they can even approach the elders to ask about being baptized. They presume they need to know everything the Bible teaches (everything the org. teaches) and accept it fully before they can be baptized. This is in the instructions given to elders, to make sure this is the case..:_
" If the person does not understand primary Bible teachings (JW teachings), the Elders will arrange for him to receive NECESSARY personal assistance so as to QUALIFY for baptism at a LATER TIME." (PAGE 218)
" Others may need to be given TIME to demonstrate more appreciation for field service or SUBMISSIVENESS TO ORGANIZATIONAL arrangements."
" ALL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE REVIEWED" (all 104 of them)
"Elders assigned to help a baptism candidate will meet after the THIRD session and decide whether the person SHOULD be accepted for baptism or not. .......Thereafter, one or two of the assigned elders should meet with the person and inform him whether he QUALIFIES for baptism or not"
(All quotes from page 218)
BELIEF IN CHRIST, REPENTANCE OF SINS, AND WILLINGNESS TO FOLLOW CHRIST. This is what qualifies one for Baptism.
"And now WHY ARE YOU WAITING? Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins calling on the name of the Lord". (Acts 22 : 16)
"As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, 'Look, here is water. What can stand in they way of me being baptised? And he gave orders to stop the chariot, Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him" (Acts 8 : 36,37)
Was even ONE question asked of the eunuch that made Peter decide if he was ready for baptism.
As a JW, who really does make the decision to be baptised ? Is it truly a personal decision ?
If they truly followed the examples of baptism recorded in the Bible, then a person could request to be baptised on a first call at the door, or even at the return visit, or whilst studying, and certainly before engaging in field service.
Even when a person expressses their beliefs within the org. they can still be made to WAIT at the elders discretion if they think they are not 'spiritual' enough, or not 'progressing' enough.
All in all, Jesus is barely in the picture. Yet, HE IS CENTRAL TO BAPTISM AND DEDICATION ! The org. yet again have got it all wrong. The decision is most definitely not yours, but is theirs. They decide, and do it on their terms. ! Jesus only gets to poke his nose in at a Jw baptism in the first question asked of the candidates, with the most important question, about DEDICATION being for the support of the organization, following a close second.
I have therefore decided after a lot of thinking on the matter to renounce my JW baptism, by being baptised again, THE PROPER WAY - IN CHRIST !
Sorry about the long post but it's been eating away at me. Thanks for reading.