Baptism
What is baptism?
Believer’s baptism is an important step as a follower of Christ. It is a picture of what God has done in the life of someone who has chosen to follow Jesus. Going under the water is a picture of dying to our own wants and desires, like Jesus did when he died for us. Coming up out of the water is a picture of a resurrected life as a brand-new child of God. When you are baptized, you are choosing to be identified in the world-wide family of Jesus.
What if I was baptized as a baby?
Believer’s baptism and infant baptism are two independent and complementary traditions that have been practiced since the early church. In fact, many of the earliest churches practiced both. Infant baptism has several meanings, depending upon one’s tradition, but it is usually a covenantal ceremony decided upon by the parents that positions the child into the church family.
Believer’s baptism is different in that it is an intentional proclamation by the follower of Jesus. Believer’s baptism in no way negates or disrespects one’s baptism as an infant.
Who should be baptized?
Baptism is for everyone who has chosen to follow Jesus. The New Testament is full of examples. Here are just a few:
Acts 2:41 states that everyone who accepted Peter’s message about Jesus was immediately baptized that day.
Acts 8 tells a story about Philip baptizing an Ethiopian political leader immediately after choosing to follow Jesus.
Acts 9 tells of Paul’s baptism immediately after his encounter with Christ.
Acts 16 tells 2 stories of two families being baptized immediately after salvation.
In Acts 18 a synagogue leader was baptized.
In Acts 19 a group of John the Baptist’s disciples in Ephesus were baptized in Jesus’ name..