When you are baptizing someone (in any mode) do you apply the water 3 times (once for each name of the Trinity)? Or do you just apply the water once?

Is there a precident in Reformed practice? And what is the basis for it?

__________________
Patrick
MDiv, RTS Jackson
Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church (OPC), Lisbon, NY

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.
"Let us not please ourselves that we have deep understandings, but let us shew our understandings by our practice." Richard Sibbes

I apply the water once, and leave my hand on the person's head while I use all three names.

__________________
Fred Greco
Senior Pastor, Christ Church PCA (Katy, TX)
Christ Church Blog

"The heart is the main thing in true religion...It is the hinge and turning-point in the condition of man's soul. If the heart is alive to God and quickened by the Spirit, the man is a living Christian. If the heart is dead and has not the Spirit, the man is dead before God." (J.C. Ryle)

I've never seen it applied three times.

I hope there won't be another division among the Reformed and evangelicals over baptism!

1.Those who immerse (only those they believe are believers)

2.Those who baptise those who profess the faith and their children by sprinkling or pouring once.

3. Those who baptise those who profess the faith and their children by sprinkling or pouring thrice.

Of course there are no doubt baptists that immerse thrice.

But God is One and the Holy Spirit is One and we are regenerated once not thrice.

__________________
Richard
communicant member, FCoS
Perth, Scotland UK

His Name forever shall endure;
last like the sun it shall:
Men shall be blessed in Him,
and blessed all nations shall Him call (Ps. 72:17)

I've never heard of any controversy over it. I've seen it applied 3 times (both sprinking and immersion) and applied once. I don't think I've ever heard anyone quibble about it. But I just wondered if there is a proper procedure that I've not heard about before in the Reformed tradition.

If I'm not mistaken, i thought i read something in the didache about baptizing thrice.

Scripture is our authority. Once suits just well Biblically, don't you think? There's no Scriptural reason to believe that we should baptize thrice and am quite positive that no one can make a substantial case for it from exegesis (as far as I'm aware, correct me if I'm wrong).

Why do you ask? Does such a question really matter?

IMO i don't think it would be WRONG to do it 3 times, but why do it if once is all that's required?

__________________
Nathan Riese
Under Care, PCA
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Aledo, Illinois
Current student at MBBC
Future student of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary
www.gpts.edu

Generally (or at least from my understanding) reformed folks are pretty laid back about this issue. Really the only time it becomes an issue is when you have Anabaptists who insist that you have to be baptized a certain way, or apply the water a certain number of times, in order for it to be valid. So most of the discussion you will come across will be addressing that issue.

Correct me if I'm wrong here! (By the way, my dad has always done what Pastor Greco does.)

__________________
Ben Franks

I attend: Ketoctin Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC)
in Purcellville, Virginia
I'm a member of: Heartland Community Church (PCA)
in Wichita, Kansas
I blog here (along with my Dad): http://rrfranks.blogspot.com/
And I'm a student here: www.phc.edu

"Remember the speeches we have spoken so often over our mead, when we raised boast on the bench, heroes in the hall, about hard fighting. Now may the man who is bold prove that he is."-Aelfwine at the Battle of Maldon

I sprinkle once very slowly while I say "in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Why? One name -- "ad extra indivisa;" one baptism.

__________________
Yours sincerely,


"Illum oportet crescere me autem minui."