Expert: Clive Heath - 8/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: several sbc members are being rebaptized because they were bap. on the wrong side of the cross they need to be bap. on the right side of the cross, what does this mean?

ANSWER: Hi Tim,

Hope you are well and that I can help you with this, it is a very unusual question.

From how I see it is that the members concerned were baptized on the wrong side of the cross, as they were baptized under the covenant of the Old Testament and not the New Testament.

Being baptized does not make you a Baptist Christian, you should be this and repented before being baptized, that is the only way to Salvation. You will also then sit on right side of God.

I hope this helps, please feel free to get back to me if needed.

Regards and God Bless

Clive Heath.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Please desrcribe how someone today can be baptised under the old covenant and why they should be rebaptised?

Answer
Hi Tim,

I hope the following will clarify things -

We have to decide what side of the Cross we want to be on.

On the left side as the bad criminal was on the left side of Jesus on the cross, wanting to be set free from all his problems and burdens at any cost and then cursing God when this does not happen.

Or

On the right side, fully aware and praising God for our sufferings, putting trust in the
Lord, this giving us the final victory over death.

My view is that the wrong side is the left side, we as baptists trust in God and want to sit on his right hand. So I think it is about positive and negative beliefs.

Remember that being baptized does not make a christian,so perhaps they or others are
doubting their beliefs.

Best Regards

God Bless

Clive Heath