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Frequently
Asked Questions
about Methodism
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Questions
and Answers provided by Dr. Wayne Evans, Pastor of Grace UMC.
Question- The
Apostles’ Creed says “I believe in the holy catholic church.” Does that mean Methodists are part of the
Roman Catholic Church?
Answer -
No. The term “catholic” means “universal,” not
the denomination headed by the pope (the word is not capitalized as it
would be
if it referred to a denomination). The
line in the creed acknowledges the one faith we share with all others
who
follow Jesus Christ as his disciples.
Thus we are part of a world wide “universal” church that is far bigger
than the United
Methodist Church. Our affirmation of the
catholic church, is
another way of saying we know we aren’t the only Christians, and the
faith we
share is far more important than any differences we may have.
Question - Why do Methodists baptize babies?
Answer - Baptism
is the ceremony that celebrates one’s entry
into the church. God’s promises to disciples include their children
(Acts 2:39).
Entire families were baptized in the New Testament (Acts 16: 15) when
the head of the household became a believer and was baptized.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to
me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom
of God belongs” (Matt. 19:14).
If children are already in the kingdom
of God, baptism should not be
denied to them.
Question - Why do Methodists baptize by sprinkling,
pouring,
and immersion?
Answer -
Because the
Bible sanctions them all three methods:
“I will sprinkle
clean water upon you and you shall be clean
from all your uncleannesses. A new heart
I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you” (Ezekiel
36:25-26).
“He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt. 3: 11) and I will pour
out my Spirit”
(Acts 2:18).
“We have been
buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans
6:4).
Our methods of
celebrating the Lord’s Supper are symbolic
rather than duplications of one event: Jesus
used only one cup, but some churches use individual cups; Jesus used
wine, some
churches use grape juice; Jesus reclined at the table, most of us today
kneel
or sit to receive the elements. So also
what matters in baptism is what it symbolizes, not how it is carried
out.
Question - Shouldn’t persons baptized as babies be
re-baptized when they make their profession of faith?
Answer - There is
no record in the Bible of anyone receiving
Christian baptism more than once. “There
is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5).
Question - If a person re-dedicates his/her life to Christ,
is re-baptism appropriate?
Answer - Baptism
is
God’s promise of grace to us, not our promise to God. God never
changes his mind about us, no
matter how sinful we are. As a human
father does not have to re-adopt a wayward child, neither does God
neither
re-adopt us when we fail to live up to our calling to be his disciples.
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