Should I Be Baptized Again?

In Acts 18:24-28, there is a record of an encounter between Aquila and Priscilla and a preacher named Apollos. Apollos had preached mightily in the city of Ephesus; spreading the word about Jesus, but knowing only the baptism of John the baptist. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and helped him to understand what his preaching had been lacking. Later, Apollos went to Corinth and became the preacher for the church of Christ in that city.

In Acts 19:1-7, there is a record of an encounter between the apostle Paul and twelve men who had been baptized in accordance with the message of John the baptist. Paul supplied them with the knowledge they were lacking and then baptized all of them in accordance with the teaching of Jesus Christ. Why did these twelve men have to be baptized again, but Apollos did not?

What they had been taught

The answer lies in knowing when these men were baptized and what they had been taught. Apparently, Apollos had been baptized either by John, or by one of his disciples. Somehow, he had not been involved in the Earthly ministry of Jesus (perhaps he was in Alexandria or Asia at the time). When he encountered Aquila and Priscilla, he was in a right relationship with God, for none of John’s disciples needed to be baptized again, but he needed further training, so he could preach the full gospel. The men that Paul encountered had apparently been taught and baptized by Apollos, while he was still preaching the baptism of John. They had to be baptized again, because the baptism of John was no longer in effect, after the day of Pentecost, recorded in Acts 2. They had been taught the wrong doctrine, and could not, therefore, be baptized rightly.

Have I been baptized rightly?

The same principle applies today. One cannot be taught false doctrine, and somehow be baptized rightly. If you were taught and baptized according to denominational doctrine, I submit that you have not really been baptized at all. The question is not really “Do I need to be baptized again?” but, “Have I been baptized rightly?”

“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…” – 1 Peter 3:21