I am sending my reply to both of you--feel free to forward it to others. I
have read the replies of others and agree with most of what they are
saying. We must remember, though, that most of the religious world does
not baptize for the remission of sins. Just as we would want to make sure
the mode is correct (immersion vs. sprinkling or pouring). We also want to
make sure that the reason is right. Is baptism for saved or lost
persons? My NT teaches me it is for lost people. Most denominations teach
that it is harder to get into the church than it is to get to heaven--they
minimize the importance of baptism.

Is baptism an arbitrary command? No, it is a beautiful reenactment of what
Jesus did for me. I am raised a new creation after baptism. Your
discussion could not come at a more crucial time. Many in churches of
Christ are abandoning the teaching on baptism. The July issue of the
Christian Chronicle is so disheartening to me.

When I study with people, I encourage them to be grateful to their
religious pasts for what was right, but to move closer to God in obedience
if we can. I ask them at what point did you become a Christian? When were
you saved? I write that answer down, and then we study. If a person
cannot remember why he/she was baptized or tell you the purpose, then
additional teaching is needed and baptism. Sometimes after I explain the
gospel response to them, they say "Oh that was what I did." Then we go
back to the written answer. There is precedent in Acts 19 for people being
baptized again. It is a small thing to do to be sure. If people have
doubts, I urge them to be baptized again. We want to make sure. I would
take your nephew aside and explain that many people do not baptize
according to God's plan. We care so much about you, we want to make sure.

It is true that there are groups that baptize for the remission of sins,
but most don't. Unfortunately, some churches of Christ no longer do
either. It is possible that a denominational preacher may scripturally
baptize one, if the person being immersed has the conviction that it is for
the remission of sins. There are relatively few instances that I have
found where this has occurred.

It is not enough to simply say I have been baptized. If we care about
souls, "why and how" must be asked. We baptized a Ph.D. raised Catholic
recently. She had been sprinkled as a baby. We baptized a man who had
previously been baptized as a Baptist; now he is a member of the church of
Christ, sure of why he was blood-bought. As others have said, it is not
cofc baptism but Bible baptism that matters. I have seen some look at Acts
8 and conclude that teaching about the kingdom or church is also needed at
conversion--therefore they insist that all be baptized again, without any
discussion. We must be kind but also scriptural in our answers.

Yours in Christ, Barry