[kosta50]

MarkBsnr: Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Three times MarkBsnr, three times, not once. One-time immersion is invalid baptism.

[DragoonEnNoir]

Three times MarkBsnr, three times, not once. One-time immersion is invalid baptism.

Where are we instructed that only an immersion 3 times is valid? While it is a useful tradition, in that it instructs and adds gravitas to the ceremony, I do not see any scriptural support for this, or evidence that this was the practice in the early church.

Is baptism a 'magical' act that requires exact invocation of a rigid formula, or is the spirit and truth behind the act more important?

I'm always open to new knowledge (that is Godly) though, so if I am misinformed, please let me know.

[MarkBsnr]

Umm, I didn’t say that.

But yes, three times it is.

[hosepipe]

[.. Three times MarkBsnr, three times, not once. One-time immersion is invalid baptism. ..]

Baptism is a burial(of the old man) not a birth..
Sometimes it takes a number of times to finally put the old boy down..