Can someone point me to a website with the baptismal questions on them? Just the ones they ask you during the baptism talk. :) Thanks.
Peace.
What are the baptism questions....
by starfish422 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Nathan Natas
Baptism Questions Over The Years
BAPTISM QUESTIONS
1913
When receiving candidates for water immersion, Charles Taze Russell, the first president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1884-1916), would put the following questions to such candidates:
"(1) Have you repented of sin with such restitution as you are able, and are you trusting in the merit of Christs sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins and the basis of your justification?
"(2) Have you made a full consecration of yourself with all the powers that you possesstalent, money, time influenceall to the Lord, to be used faithfully in His service, even unto death?"
After the candidates had answered affirmatively, he would say: "On the basis of these confessions, we acknowledge you as a member of the Household of Faith, and give to you as such the right hand of fellowship, not in the name of any sect or party or creed, but in the name of the Redeemer, our glorified Lord, and His faithful followers."See TheWatchTowerandHeraldofChristsPresence as of May 15, 1913, page 159, column 2, under the heading "Broad Unsectarian Questions."
Other baptismal speakers would follow this pattern with candidates for water immersion.
1942
*** w64 2/15 123-4 Did You Make an Acceptable Dedication to God? ***
(1) Do you believe in Jehovah God the Father, that salvation belongeth unto Jehovah, and that Christ Jesus is his Son in whose blood your sins are washed away and by whom salvation comes to you from God?(2) Have you therefore confessed your sins to God and asked for cleansing by Christ Jesus, and therefore turned away from sin and the world, and consecrated yourself without reservation to God to do his will?
1955
*** w55 7/1 411-2 Christian Baptism for the New World Society ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him the Father through his Son Christ Jesus?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Christ Jesus and through the Bible under the enlightenment of the holy spirit?
1956
*** w56 7/1 407 Why One Must Be Baptized ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him the Father through his Son Jesus Christ?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightenment of the holy spirit?
1958
*** w58 8/1 478 Baptism ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?
1960
*** w60 5/15 308 "What Prevents Me from Getting Baptized?" ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?
1963
*** w63 6/1 333 Baptism Necessary for Christians ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?
*** w66 8/1 465 Baptism Shows Faith ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?
(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?
1968
*** w68 5/15 297 Recognizing God's Requirements for Life ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son, Jesus Christ(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?"
1970
*** w70 5/15 309 Your Conscience Toward Jehovah ***
(1) Have you recognized yourself as a sinner and needing salvation from Jehovah God? And have you acknowledged (TO HIM) that this salvation proceeds from him and through his ransomer, Christ Jesus?(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for redemption have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to Jehovah God, to do his will henceforth as that will is revealed to you through Christ Jesus and through Gods Word as his holy spirit makes it plain?
1973
*** w73 5/1 280 Baptizing Follows Discipling ***
If you feel the same about serving Jehovah God and taking Christs yoke upon you, we suggest that you consider the following two questions, which are asked of candidates for baptism:
(1) Have you repented of your sins and turned around, recognizing yourself before Jehovah God as a condemned sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?
(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?
1985
*** w85 6/1 30 Subjecting Ourselves to Jehovah by Dedication ***
(1) On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?
(2) Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovahs Witnesses in association with Gods spirit-directed organization?
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TheOldHippie
"in association with Gods spirit-directed organization"
Strange, somehow, that an organization can be spirit-directed; I thought God's spirit was directed at people, individuals, not at dead structures ........
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Sangdigger
All the language seems pretty much the same untill 1985. Then apparently the spirit started working throught the org. only, and not individuals.
There was also another long list of questions (like 90 of them) from a book that you had to answer correctly befor being "approved" to be baptized. Does anybody know what the boook was? or what the questions were?
thanks
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anti-absolutism
I was baptized in 1986, at 17 years of age. I guess that means I got the 1985 version. I certainly didn't take what I thought was faith in God lightly but I swear the real question(s) I was hearing during that talk were like this:
1) Do you realize that your two older sisters and your older brother have all gone on to pioneer by now and you haven't even taken the step of baptism yet?
2) Do you not realize that you will never get any respect from any of your peers in the organization until you follow exactly in their footsteps, and that first step is baptism?
To these questions I very Boldly answered "YES", and the rest, they say, is history. I guess when coming out it made it a little bit easier for me than actually answering the real questions.
Cheers, Brad
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TheOldHippie
Sangdigger, it was - and is - the "Organized" book, and the questions form the appendix of the book.
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Sangdigger
Old hippie, thanks for the info. Im curious to see what i agreed to 22 years ago. Cheers