Generally only the Evangelical and Christian churches, such as Pentecostal, Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian differentiate between baptism and christening. The Catholic, Lutheran and Episcopal consider them one and the same. Debra Bacon is an award-winning journalist and editor who has managed and assisted with managing several interesting businesses, including The Country Press Group in Malakoff, Texas, which published four newspapers in East Texas.
Regardless of how old we are, we never stop learning. Baptism is a visible sign of the reality of the new life in Christ. Baptism is a personal commitment to follow Christ as Lord and Savior. Baptism also is an outward witness to our faith in Christ as Lord and Savior. There are many reasons why baptism is important as a religious ceremony. Second, it is the act of washing away our sins.
Fourth, baptism is the way we can be saved from sin and eternal death. Fifth, it saves us from suffering in the future. Sixth, it is the act that shows that we are Christians. Seven, water baptisms were first practiced by Jesus Christ and by his apostles. Being baptised does not make a person perfect but cleanses them from sin so they can have fellowship with God through Jesus Christ.
Our acceptance of Christ is what makes us a Christian. We must make a public commitment to follow Christ and obey His commandments. We must believe that Jesus is the Son of God. We must believe that He died for our sins. We must believe that He was raised from the dead. These are basic Bible truths that all Christians accept. Step 2 : Second, we must receive baptism. If we are not baptized, then we do not have a personal relationship with Christ. Step 4 : Fourth, we must confess our faith in Christ and pledge allegiance to Him.
Step 5 : Fifth, we must receive the christian name that represents our profession of faith. One of the most debated issues in Christianity is baptism. Even though the words baptism and christening are used interchangeably, there is a subtle difference. Christening refers to the naming ceremony to "christen" means to "give a name to" where as baptism is one of seven sacraments in the Catholic Church. In the sacrament of Baptism the baby's name is used and mentioned, however it is the rite of claiming the child for Christ and his Church that is celebrated.
Baptism represents a deliberate act of identification with the person of Jesus Christ and his Church. This decision implies a personal relationship with Jesus that requires nurturing through such things as worship, prayer, Bible study and other spiritual disciplines. Share this comparison:. If you read this far, you should follow us:. Diffen LLC, n. The baptism ceremony usually occurs during a regular Sunday church service. The parents and godparents are invited to the front of the church by the pastor and asked some questions about faith on behalf of the child and their intentions in raising the child in faith.
The parents and godparents respond together. Some churches practice full immersion for a second or two, like the Eastern Orthodox church. Baptism is instructed by Jesus to all who believe in him. A christening service is nearly identical to a baptism service, but may vary slightly from church to church. It may include a part in the service where a christian name is given to the child.
However, all christenings include the vital act of baptism with water and the Holy Spirit. There is no reason to be both christened and baptised as they are really the same thing. The bible only commands baptism once, and it lasts a lifetime. Sarah Lawrence. So the word christening was used for many years before the word baptism was used. The bible translation in by Wycliffe used the word christen when Jesus was christened by John in the River Jordan.
The bible translation by Tyndale used the word baptism , and so did the well-known King James version of the bible in This new word came about as theologians were wanting to discuss the act of baptism separate from becoming a christian.
Around AD the word christen often meant c hristian , but it also meant the act of making someone a christian through what we now call baptism. If you believe in God then you are baptised — which is how God planned it. Christening became a word used by every day people, but baptism was used by the church and theologians. Thereby causing a split where two different words meant the same thing — depending on who was speaking. This research surprised me. I always assumed baptism was the original word used and christening was a newer word that people used to describe baptism plus a naming ceremony.
However, it seems that the original word was christen — to make someone a christian. I really like that! The first believers of Christ Jesus were following his lifestyle so closely; they were helping the poor and loving their neighbour just as Jesus did. The words christening and christian are both centred on Christ which seems to me very fitting. The main difference today between the words christening and baptism depends on the age of the person being baptised.
When a baby is baptised people often use the word christening , but when an adult is baptised we usually call it baptism.
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