This is just a short follow up blog from yesterday's. I finally finished that Methodist theology literature and confirmation was brought up which I thought I would write down so I could remember it and just to give you ( and me) some light on the Methodist beliefs.
So Baptists believe that baptism is the profession of faith, saying they believe in Christ as their lord and savior who died for their sins and bridges the gap between the sinner and God, etc. etc. etc., so they get baptized when they make this commitment, this choice in their life, whatever.
Methodist do that too but it's called confirmation. It's not joining the church, that's what essentially happens with infant baptism along with God's grace coming into your life at that point, but a profession of faith almost exactly like the baptist baptism. Basically Methodist confirmation = Baptist baptism.
Also something I forgot to emphasize is that Methodists don't believe baptism is required to be Christian nor to live a life of faith but believe that it is the time when God's grace becomes apart of the child's life and well I'll just quote it, "The saving grace made available through Christ's atonement is the only hope of salvation for persons of any age. In baptism infants enter into a new life in Christ as children of God and members of the Body of Christ. The baptism of an infant incorporates him or her into the community of faith and nurture, including membership in the local church." I failed to mention that in the other blog. So with my personal theology, experience with God and interpretation of the Bible I would have to believe that baptism is a profession of faith rather than an entrance for God's grace. However, the issue still stand from the other blog about having to be re-baptized to join the church which I'm not quite sure I want to get re-baptized since, 1. Already baptized and made my profession of faith 2. it's disrepectful toward my parents and their beliefs 3. Family, hmmm, discontent on changing denominations to put it lightly. More stuff to pray about.
