Re-Baptism: Personal Testimony
Scott & Lisa Ketelsen
Why Re- Baptism?
Brethren, we are writing you this letter to introduce ourselves and to explain to you why Lisa and I have decided to get re-baptized. To make a long story short, Lisa and I live in the Tacoma area of Washington and have been married for 15 years. Our walk in the things of God consists of about 12 years for me and many more years for Lisa as she had previously studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her sister got ex-communicated for whatever reason, and Lisa was told that if she were to continue in the JW faith she should not associate with here sister. She left the JW’s. Years went by and we met. When we first came to the Gospel of salvation it was through an Assemblies of God minister. At the time we had been married about 3 years. I was immediately baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit as tradition demanded, the trinity. Lisa did not get baptized then because she was a sprinkled Lutheran form the age of 12.
After about a year some things happened and our understanding of God changed. We then found ourselves in a small body of believers who were, for the most part, Oneness Pentecostals. That is Jesus is fully God and fully man. There is one God. Not three. But it was more like a Dual nature modified modalistic type, we call it a Binity. We were worshiping Jesus and calling him God, but staunchly maintaining his humanity as the Father and the son shared the same name. We are the baptized into the name of Jesus Christ.
After about 10 years of fellowship, building relationships, ministering in the word and music some other things happened. Lisa and I came to the understanding that we have now. That is that there is One God alone Yahweh, and one human son of God Yahshua. Many refer to it as the Abrahamic faith doctrine or the Christadelphian doctrine of God. We came to this understanding on our own and through many circumstances and study. We came into these truths and only found later that many others believed as we do.
Here we are today having gone through all this, having been baptized twice already, and faced with this same act of conscience again. Not wanting to repeat any previous errors of the past we started to look at the word of Yahweh to see the deeper issues of His heart in regards to baptism.
The doctrine of Baptism is generally understood and we are not going to lead you into a study on Baptism. Just because one receives a new doctrine does not constitute a re-baptism in our opinion “unless it refers to the accurate knowledge of God in Christ” that is Yahweh manifesting himself through His Son. Lisa and I feel that our conviction to get re-baptized is not based on the basic reasonings, rather it is an act of repentance. We are not basing this decision on any of man’s arguments through persuasion or any denominational order to conform or be accepted. The following is short look at why we have come to these conclusions.
When considering these things a few scriptures came to mind.
Ex. 20:1-3
Elohim spoke all these words, saying: :2 I am Yahweh your Elohim Who brought you forth from the land of Egypt, from the house of servants. 3 You shall not come to have other elohim in preference to Me.
In calling Jesus God in the past we were in essence calling on another elohim rather than the One true Elohim, Yahweh. Therefore, although in ignorance we feel a need to repent of our idolatry. Re-baptism for us would be that act of obedience.
Another set of scriptures
Mt 16:15-17
He is saying to them, "Now you, anywho are you saying that I am?" 16 Now answering, Simon Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Now, answering, Jesus said to him, "Happy are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, thatfor flesh and blood does not reveal it to you, but My Father Who is in the heavens.
By calling Jesus God in the past were denying the nature of the son. He is the anointed of Yahweh. (Acts 10:38) Therefore, if were are to be conformed into his image and likeness (Rom 8:29, 2 Cor 3:18) Not only in the flesh as a human (Phil 2:7) but also a human full of the divine deity (Col 2:9) (Rev 21:3)
If we accepted Jesus as God we are in essence denying our hope. For God cannot die.
Phil 3:10-12
10 that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death ; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. (NASB).
If Baptism as a type of the death of messiah (Rom 6:3) and we are to be conformed to his death through baptism (Phil 3:10) then how can we be called the sons of Yahweh? Rom 8:14, 8:19, 9:26
Is this not the hope of us all? Rev 21:3.
If our baptism is in the name of a pagan idea or philosophy then are we in obedience to the word of Yahweh and His plan for the ages?
Our opinion is that re-baptism is a matter conscience in regards to which God we serve and which image we are to conform to.
The first century brethren did not have these problems as we do today. They did not have 2000 years of Gnostic and pagan philosophies to wade through. We feel that in these last days Yahweh is revealing these truths to us in order to see if He has a people who desire to be called by HIS name and recognize and accept the salvation He has brought forth in His Son Yahshua.
Isa 66:1-2
Thus says Yahweh, "The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is this house which you are building for Me? And where is this place of My rest? 2 Yet all these were made by My hand, and all these are coming to be Mine," averring is Yahweh. "Yet to this one will I look: to the humble and smitten spirit, and he who trembles at My word.
For His desire is
Zech 14:9 :Then Yahweh shall come to be King over the entire earth. In that day Yahweh is coming to be one, and His name one.
Eph 3:14-16
On this behalf am I bowing my knees toward the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, after Whom every kindred in the heavens and on earth is being named, that He may be giving you, in accord with the riches of His glory, to be made staunch with power, through His spirit.
If our identity and or hope is based on the accurate knowledge Him and His Son, therefore our understanding was wrong and in repentance and submission to His divine purpose we are committing to a re-baptism.
It is our hope and prayer for peace in your hearts through the knowledge of Him who gives life to all men. Thank you for your time and we look forward to meeting you.
In Messiah Yahshua,
Scott and Lisa