Salvation army and water baptism

[chaplainjared]

Do you think the salvos view on water baptism is corect? I am a fan of it becuase i believes it signifies something special. I agree that you dont need to be baptised to be saved, however i think it is important, and also a beautiful thing.
...and lets face it, Jesus got baptised too!

I believe the salvation armys view on it is soft and woosy. its like they refuse to make a decision on it becuase it will be unpopular with some people.

[Abiel]

The Army simply believes that baptism is not essential to salvation. Therefore it is not practiced in our meetings. Therefore anyone is free to seek baptism, if that is what God wants of them.
I am baptised. I was baptised into the Anglican Church as a baby. I accept the validity of infant baptism. Many sincere Christians would reject my baptism. Others would be concerned about my salvation. It's a can of worms.

[TheDag]

I think the salvos are smart. Their doctrine basically outlines the essentials to being a christian and then allow you to make up your mind on other things as long as you can support it using the bible. The salvos in australia do have position statements on other topics but they aren't widely publicised (just ask em if you want to know type thing).

[IL2474JC]

well, im a salvo but i also belong to a community church. I was baptisied last year is August at my community church. I also question that salvos (well my core) dosnt have communion. Its an interesting debate i guess.

[elm0]

I also question that salvos (well my core) dosnt have communion. Its an interesting debate i guess.

The reason most Salvos don't have communion is quite simple. The church was started to reach the lost, including alcoholics, so giving them wine would have been rather unChristlike. I was married by our corps officer last year, and my wife and I had communion as part of our wedding, our officer didn't have a problem with it, he even supplied the bread and grape juice.

As for baptism, it sure isn't discouraged by any Salvos I know. Our corps have had a few baptisms since I've been there, usually in someone's pool, and at least once at the beach.

I quite like not having baptisms and communion as a normal part of the services, makes the times when they do happen special.

[Sascha Fitzpatrick]

Yeah I like it.

I grew up pentecostal, and often felt that it was a 'duty' rather than a priviledge and a rememberance.

In the salvos, my awareness of the reasons why we do things like this in the church has become so much wider, and my appreciation of the Lord's sacrifice is much greater because it has become something 'special' rather than 'a must do'.

And I've yet to meet a salvo who disagrees with the reasons why communion or baptism has been carried out - and are highly encouraging if someone feels led to partake in either tradition...

Sasch