Question:
Is there any scripture that proves it is necessary to be baptized the second time if one fails to live a Christian life after the first baptism or is probation closed with one who fails to live right after the first baptism?
Answer:
We know of no scripture which directly says that one who has departed from the Christian life should be baptized a second time on returning to the faith. However, there are numerous passages that very clearly teach this. In the message to the church at Ephesus, in Revelation 2:5, those who have left their first love are exhorted to repent and do their first works. From Acts 2:38; 8:36-38; 16:30-33, we see that the first work after repentance is baptism. Hebrews 6:1, 2 admonishes the believer to leave or advance beyond the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ and go on to perfection, not making it necessary to lay again the foundation of repentance, faith, baptism, etc.; showing that in case the Christian apostatizes, he will need to go back to these things, which, as the foundation principles, are essential to the fully developed Christian character.
The object of baptism is to show death to sin, that the candidate has repudiated sin. He has forsaken the old ways and habits, and when, after baptism, he has gone back to these old practices, it is necessary to lay again the foundation from which he has departed.
During all the years of their apostasy and rebellion, God’s dealings with the Israelites show that there is repentance and salvation for those who have wandered away from Him. Although they had utterly turned away from Him and were worshiping idols, with the heathen, still He pleaded with them to return to Him, and He would forgive and cleanse them. Read Jeremiah 3:6-15.
