What is conditional baptism, and is it biblical?

Conditional baptism is a practice of the Catholic Church. It is administered when a person questions the “validity” of his or her previous baptism and it can be ascertained that said baptism was indeed invalid. It is a rebaptism performed to ensure the legitimacy of the sacrament. If the previous baptism was done improperly or if it was administered by a heretic, the conditional baptism will correct what was wrong. Scripture does not support the practice of conditional baptism.

Jesus expresses the significance of baptism in Matthew 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (ESV). Baptism represents Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Moreover, it signifies death to sin and new life in Christ. “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3–4 ESV). However, Catholic practice of conditional baptism is rooted in the notion that baptism is necessary for salvation.

According to Catholicism, “the effect of this sacrament [of baptism] is the remission of all sin, original and actual; likewise of all punishment which is due for sin” (“The Decree for the Armenians,” Papal Bull “Exultate Deo,” Pope Eugene IV, 1439). Given the Catholic teaching that baptism remits sin, one can see why Catholics would want their baptisms to be considered valid. When a Catholic doubts the validity of a previous baptism, then an investigation is made and a conditional baptism is sometimes conferred. The wording used in conditional baptisms is “If you are not already baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 19:1–7 is often cited to support conditional baptism. In Ephesus, the apostle Paul encounters men who had received John’s baptism but lacked a complete revelation of Christ and had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit. Paul baptizes them in the name of Jesus and corrects their incomplete understanding, at which time “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (verse 6). This passage certainly depicts a rebaptism of those who had not yet received the gospel (and thus had not received the Spirit), but it is not a conditional baptism.

The only thing that would make a baptism “invalid” is if the one baptized was an unbeliever. Baptism does not save from sin and cannot take the place of faith in Christ. If someone was baptized before salvation, then it is good and proper for that one to be rebaptized after receiving Christ. Pastors and elders should address concerns believers have about baptism. Pastors should teach the biblical meaning of baptism and the sufficiency of God’s work in Christ. Acts 8:36–38 is an excellent example of how baptism should be administered. After the Ethiopian eunuch believed the gospel, he was immediately baptized. Faith precedes baptism. There is nothing ambiguous about this.

Conditional baptism is administered by those who believe baptism washes away sin to ensure the work of baptism was effective. Such works-focused ideas undermine the sufficiency of Christ’s work on the cross.