Baptism
Publicly proclaim your faith in Christ
Baptism is the first step of obedience that Jesus requires of his followers, as it displays the gospel and gives us the opportunity to publicly profess our faith in Jesus as our King. In the act of baptism, we unite by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus our Lord.
What is Baptism?
Baptism is an ordinance from the Lord where those who have turned from their sins and come to faith in Jesus, identify with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection by being immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. It is a sign of belonging to the people of God, and a symbolic display of gospel transformational.
Many people think that Scripture presents baptism as a necessary condition of salvation. That can be disproved in one story: Jesus told the thief on the cross next to him, “Today you’ll be with me in glory.” If baptism were necessary, he’d have been like, “Hurry! Somebody get a hose and a bucket!”
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (emphasis added). Confess and believe. That’s it.
Baptism is like a wedding ring. Wearing a wedding ring does not make you legally married. It demonstrates that you have a covenant with your spouse. You are no more married when you wear your ring than when you don’t. In the same way, baptism demonstrates your conversion; it’s not a pre-condition of that conversion.
This is why, by the way, we only baptize after people become believers. If you get baptized before you are converted (say, as an infant), that is not an evidence of your faith. It’s evidence of your parents’ faith. Baptism is the evidence of repentance.
Many people think that Scripture presents baptism as a necessary condition of salvation. That can be disproved in one story: Jesus told the thief on the cross next to him, “Today you’ll be with me in glory.” If baptism were necessary, he’d have been like, “Hurry! Somebody get a hose and a bucket!”
Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (emphasis added). Confess and believe. That’s it.
Baptism is like a wedding ring. Wearing a wedding ring does not make you legally married. It demonstrates that you have a covenant with your spouse. You are no more married when you wear your ring than when you don’t. In the same way, baptism demonstrates your conversion; it’s not a pre-condition of that conversion.
This is why, by the way, we only baptize after people become believers. If you get baptized before you are converted (say, as an infant), that is not an evidence of your faith. It’s evidence of your parents’ faith. Baptism is the evidence of repentance.
Should you get Baptized?
If you have repented of your sin and claim Jesus as King then you should follow him in believers baptsim by immersion.
There are many people who get baptized but never repent. Maybe someone convinced you that you could accept Jesus as Savior without surrendering to him as Lord—like he was a salad bar, where you can take the parts you want and leave the ones you don’t. But all throughout Scripture, we see that to be baptized is to repent. Baptism symbolizes us walking out of the wilderness of our sin and into the new life of faith and obedience.
If your life did not radically change when you got baptized, then it was not a baptism of repentance. You just got wet in front of a bunch of people.
There are many people who get baptized but never repent. Maybe someone convinced you that you could accept Jesus as Savior without surrendering to him as Lord—like he was a salad bar, where you can take the parts you want and leave the ones you don’t. But all throughout Scripture, we see that to be baptized is to repent. Baptism symbolizes us walking out of the wilderness of our sin and into the new life of faith and obedience.
If your life did not radically change when you got baptized, then it was not a baptism of repentance. You just got wet in front of a bunch of people.
Baptism is a big deal.
You may ask “What’s the big deal about baptism? Isn't it just a ritual. Does it even change anything?" look at Jesus’ baptism.
When Jesus was baptized, he heard the affirmation of the Father and was filled by the Holy Spirit. No big deal? Seems pretty significant. Jesus is about to go into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. This affirmation of the Father will become the core of his resistance against Satan. He can say, “The Father has declared over me his love, and that love is going to give me the strength to withstand Satan.” His body may be in the wilderness, but God is his home.
Baptism functions like that, too. Baptism is like a flag you put in the ground that signifies for you and to everyone else that you have left the wilderness of sin where Satan rules and entered the promised land of obedience where God rules. Satan has no more jurisdiction! Your loyalty to the King is on display for all to see!
When Jesus was baptized, he heard the affirmation of the Father and was filled by the Holy Spirit. No big deal? Seems pretty significant. Jesus is about to go into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. This affirmation of the Father will become the core of his resistance against Satan. He can say, “The Father has declared over me his love, and that love is going to give me the strength to withstand Satan.” His body may be in the wilderness, but God is his home.
Baptism functions like that, too. Baptism is like a flag you put in the ground that signifies for you and to everyone else that you have left the wilderness of sin where Satan rules and entered the promised land of obedience where God rules. Satan has no more jurisdiction! Your loyalty to the King is on display for all to see!
I'd like to be baptized or get more information about baptism.
The Bible says that all professing Christians should be baptized (Matthew 28:18-20). Whether you've been following Jesus for a long time and never got baptized or are a new Christian, we would be honored to baptize you!