EW CHRISTIAN RITUALS have the rich symbolism, the memory-making potential, and the witness opportunity of baptism by immersion. Yet I fear that this doctrine may become dangerously diluted in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

No, we haven’t opted for sprinkling or pouring. And to my knowledge no infants are involved. Nevertheless, I suggest we’re losing sight of baptism’s true significance, and our clouded understanding is demonstrated by the way some routinely rebaptize. Let me illustrate:

• A couple years ago an exuberant young pastor conducted a Week of Prayer at an Adventist middle school. His sincerity and enthusiasm struck a chord with the students, and when at the close he made an appeal for baptism, the response was good. After he broadened his appeal to include rebaptism, the numbers were even better.

  (Keep in mind that the oldest of those requesting rebaptism were in the eighth grade. And most hadn’t been baptized initially until they were in the fifth or sixth grade. Baptized Christians for a mere one to three years, they were extended a blanket invitation for rebaptism.)

• Recently the guest speaker for a high school Bible conference reported that the event had been tremendous—so moving that 60 young people had been baptized. I rejoiced that God had been able to minister through him so marvelously. And then I discovered that some of the most active youth from my congregation—who had been baptized initially not more than two years before—were among the 60.

• A recent evangelistic series yielded an impressive number of baptisms. I was surprised, however, to discover that nearly half were rebaptized, including many spiritually committed youth and adults.

Routine Rebaptisms?

• A few years ago an evangelist planned a series of evangelistic meetings and held a preparation rally for all who had volunteered to help. At the conclusion of the rally the evangelist made an appeal for rebaptism. Many responded—elders, deacons, Sabbath school leaders, youth leaders. The purpose of the meeting was to inspire and instruct those who already were sufficiently committed that they had volunteered as helpers. Yet apparently as a matter of routine, they were invited to be rebaptized.

• Recently a young pastor visited my congregation to baptize a youth with whom he’d studied elsewhere. I asked him to make a brief appeal after the baptism, which he did, beautifully. In keeping with current practice, he appealed to those “interested in either baptism or rebaptism.”

• I well remember attending the baptism of a number of Adventist college students. Since I’d only recently arrived at my pastorate, I wasn’t well acquainted with the 19-year-old girl from my church who was being baptized.

  “I think it can often be more meaningful when you wait until you’re a little older, as you have, before going through the rite of baptism,” I told her before the service. “Now you can enter into the experience more fully and with deeper understanding.”

  “Actually,” she responded somewhat sheepishly, “this will be the fourth time I’ve been baptized.”

  Four times baptized—and just 19 years old.

No Biblical Precedent
The New Testament recounts no stories of people being rebaptized because their relationship with God had become less than ideal. There is no record of rebaptism as a reinitiation rite for reclaimed backsliders. Yet even then such reclaimed backsliders must have existed.

The other apostles didn’t require that Peter be rebaptized because he denied his Lord. We  often invite people to be rebaptized these days, however,  simply because they haven’t had as close a walk with the Lord or as good a prayer life as they might like.

The absence of a biblical precedent for rebaptism to signify a recommitment to Christ is significant. While the Bible’s silence doesn’t preclude the practice, it should indicate the wisdom of caution. Moreover, the context of Jesus’ response to Peter’s request at the Last Supper to have his whole body washed (John 13:6-10) implies that baptism isn’t a repetitive ritual for ongoing spiritual cleansing.

Both Ellen G. White and the Adventist Church Manual advocate rebaptism in certain circumstances. However, neither contain justification for the wholesale approach to rebaptism that’s becoming widespread in the Adventist Church today.

Rebaptism, if practiced at all, should be in only the most rare circumstances. I don’t recommend an open invitation for rebaptism. Further, I believe any move in that direction should be initiated by the individual, not prompted by pressure from a persuasive speaker. We need to consider seriously the long-term impact of our current course of action.

The Big Problem
In the overwhelming majority of cases, people seek rebaptism because they feel their behavior has made them unacceptable to God. Perhaps they’ve committed a major sin. Or they’ve persisted in committing little sins. They’ve turned their back on God and become indifferent. But whatever their sense of inadequacy and estrangement, they feel they can be reinstated in God’s grace only if they go back to square one.

Such a belief fails to appreciate fully the magnitude of sin, the magnitude of God’s grace, and the nature and meaning of baptism.

Baptism doesn’t supernaturally transform a person. There’s nothing mystical or magical about the water or about the immersion itself. Baptism is a ritual, a symbol, a role play. I’m not saying that baptism doesn’t make a difference. It certainly does. To the degree that a person gets into the spirit of the role play, the life is affected.

Rituals create memories, and memories influence both self-concept and behavior. When tempted, many a person has found strength to resist by looking back to a wedding, a baptism, an ordination. These rituals are based on the law of “impression through expression.” The public expression of one’s desire to remain true to a calling, to honor a marriage vow, to accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord—all of these make a difference.

Despite the beauty of the ceremony and the impact of the ritual of baptism on our resolve, we go into the water as sinners, unworthy of God’s grace, and come out of the water as sinners still unworthy of God’s grace. Yet God grants us His grace. And it’s sufficient to cover our great inadequacy.

Baptism is an expression of our desire and commitment. But we don’t literally bury the old sinful self in baptism (see Rom. 6:4). We do it figuratively. We go through a role play to remind ourselves, and to demonstrate to the world, what our desire is. And we accept by faith that God will treat us as if that desire were already a reality. We then rise from the water, seeking daily to give substance to what we have claimed by faith.

Big Sins Versus Little Sins
Advocates of rebaptism may unwittingly assume that our daily peccadillos don’t seriously jeopardize our standing with God, but sins of major magnitude do. God winks at little sins. Big sins or ongoing sins require serious action. Thus, to show how terribly sorry we are, we must be rebaptized.

But how do I know if my sin or indifference is of sufficient magnitude to necessitate rebaptism? I don’t. Then why not play it safe? If in doubt, go ahead and be rebaptized. But this pattern of thought soon initiates the very cycle that led my young parishioner to be baptized four times before her twentieth birthday.

It works like this:  After hearing a stirring preacher tell of the need to shun impure thoughts, a youth recalls some of the lurid and lustful imaginings he has entertained. When the preacher makes a call for rebaptism, the youth feels he must respond. He knows how sinful he is.

But despite his rebaptism, the lust doesn’t magically vanish. In fact, a year or two later, in a moment of extreme temptation, he acts on the lust. Now, if he needed to be rebaptized for having lusted, he certainly needs to be rebaptized for having

fornicated. And should he ever commit an even more grievous sin—according to his hierarchy of grievousness—or if he falls again to the same temptation, he may automatically assume that yet another baptism is the only avenue to grace.

Ironically, instead of providing peace of mind, rebaptism ultimately robs people of spiritual certainty and hope. The first baptism is an unqualified celebration of God’s grace and forgiveness. Subsequent baptisms carry the subtle and insidious suggestion that there are limits to God’s grace and forgiveness.

Further, the person who is baptized multiple times must inevitably wonder, Just how long is God going to put up with my unacceptable behavior? How many times is He going to tolerate my need for rebaptism? If my last grievous sin necessitated rebaptism, this latest one certainly would call for it.

Have We Forgotten?
Scripture makes it clear:  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).*

“My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One” (1 John 2:1, 2).

“Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away” (John 6:37).

The Bible doesn’t say that these promises apply only in the case of mild to moderate sins, but that big sins call for more dramatic action. Sin is sin. Grace is grace. Grace is always available. And grace is always the only means of salvation.

There are certainly times when public confession is warranted,  times when the course of life needs major adjustment, times when wrongs need to be put right, times for new beginnings. But there are other avenues than rebaptism to achieve these goals.

Let’s bring back the testimony meeting to provide an appropriate opportunity for public confession. Let’s revive the old-fashioned altar call for recommitment to Christ. Let’s reeducate concerning the role of foot washing as a symbol of cleansing. Let’s create opportunities for new beginnings.

And let’s reserve for baptism the special significance that our Saviour Himself placed on it.

*All Scripture quotations are from the New International Version.

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James Coffin is senior pastor of the Markham Woods Seventh-day Adventist Church in Longwood, Florida.