REBAPTISMS
By Pastor G. ReckartRecently I rebaptized five Pastors. Why did I do this?
All five of them had been baptized by Pastors who were committing adultery at the time they were baptized. So the question came up if their baptisms were valid? I said they were not valid because a backslider has no authority to baptize. There is scripture only for Godly men to baptize and especially those who are ordained and upon which there is specific authority given to baptize.
The Pastors wanted to know if the good intention of the baptismal candidate would make these baptisms valid even if their Pastor was backslid? My answer is that these may have had good intentions but they are still in their sins. If we accept the baptisms of men committing adultery how about accepting baptisms by men who are secretly committing homosexual acts? At what point do we say these baptisms are not valid?
Some years ago I faced this problem when I informed a PAW pastor dressed like a Catholic priest with turned around collar and black priest shirt, wearing a large gold cross around his neck, rings on nearly every finger, was baptising in Jesus name. I said this man was out of order and he certainly did not have New Testament authority to baptize anyone. I refused to compromise on this very important issue over the years. Either baptismal candidates are baptized by holy men of God whose lives are respectable and commendable as true servants of God, or their baptisms are invalid.
As such I rebaptise everyone baptized by a woman preacher.
I repabtize everyone baptized by a Branhamite serpent seed preacher.
I rebaptize everyone baptized by a backslid preacher or a false prophet.
I rebaptize everyone baptized by a Preterist.
I rebaptize everyone baptized by sabbath keepers or law keepers.
I rebaptize everyone baptized by an unordained novice.
I rebaptize everyone baptized by a deacon.
I will rebaptize everyone who has been baptized by a person who was not scripturally ordained and found faithful in doctrine and given authority to baptise.
In an upper new England state a young man went to his Pastor for baptism. A date was scheduled. On the appointed day the young man was in church and ready for his scriptural burial and resurrection. He was ready to pass through the waters of separation. When it came time to baptize the Pastor decided he would not get into the water and do it. So he instructed his assistant pastor to baptise the young man. The baptism was performed. The young man afterward said he felt nothing in the baptism. He was troubled in his soul. A few months later he sent me an email about his baptism and its circumstances. I told him he should feel a spiritual change and a blessing in his baptism. He said he felt worse after his baptism then before. I enquired about his baptizer and his qualifications. His baptizer had not been a faithful servant of God and had not been ordained to perform the functions of a Minister. I instructed him to go back to his Pastor and request rebaptism by him. He made the request and was denied. He was informed the scripture says there is "one baptism" and once a person was baptized in Jesus name by anyone there was no reason or authority for rebaptism. I told him if he continued to feel his baptism was not proper or had not been performed by a true and holy man of God ordained to baptize, to come to Florida and I would rebaptise him. A few months later he came to Florida and was rebaptized. When he came up out of the water the Holy Ghost fell upon him and he rejoiced and shouted all over the baptistery. There are many now being baptized and there is no Holy Ghost water experience of being born of the water. Until a person's water baptism is valid there will be no "born of the water" imputed unto them. They will remain in their sins and lost. We must have qualified and holy ordained men doing the baptising of all converts. There is no other acceptable doctrine for Apostolic Churches.
I am finding now that I must rebaptize many who come from churches where television, movies, pagan holidays, and new-age is practiced. Many of these are bound up with rebellious spirits and demons. They have carried this baggage with them for years and have never been free from their sins to live a holy and righteous life. I am coming to see modern Pentecostalism in all of its liberal rebellion being in need of rebaptisms.
Baptism is a vital and essential element of our faith and our salvation. Through it we receive the precious blood of Jesus for the remission of sins. This is a holy event that is not in the hands of unholy men or religious organizations. The more and more liberal these become the more I see the need for a revival generation who will go back to Titus 3:5 and understand the washing of regeneration.
Until many are rebaptized they will not be free of their sins and they will not be saved.
Let only godly men go into the water and pronounce the name of our holy God over these souls. All others stay out of the water or I will rebaptize everyone they put under.