Baptism
Baptism is the symbolic act of immersing a professing Christian in water according to the command of Christ and as an outward sign of many wonderful truths of God's grace and our salvation.
“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 6:4
Obedience
to God's Command
Baptism is a public testimony before God and other witnesses (1 Timothy 6:12) in which you identify yourself as a “follower of Jesus Christ.” In baptism, you are testifying that you have placed your faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for your sins and have made a commitment to submit your life to God. It declares to the world that you have repented from your sins, turned to God in faith, and made Him your Lord and Savior (Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:4; Acts 2:37-38, 16:31-34;22:16). It illustrates that you have died to your old life of sin, been buried with Christ, raised to a new life in Christ.
Why is baptism important?
Baptism is an important part of your Christian walk but it is not essential to salvation. The Bible clearly says that a person cannot be saved by doing any kind of good works – including the “Work” of being baptized (Romans 3:20, 28; Romans 4:5; Ephesians 2:8-9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:4-5).
God's Word commands us to be baptized. Acts 2:38 says, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for [in view of] the forgiveness of sins.”
Christ was our example. Matthew 3:13 says, “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.”
Believers in the Bible practiced it. Acts 2:41 says, “Those who believed were baptized and added to the church that day - about 3,000 in all.”
It is part of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus Christ gave the church the mission of making disciples, which includes baptizing them.
When should a person be baptized?
It is to be done after a person is saved. Believerʼs baptism follows the “born again” experience at conversion (John 3:3), symbolizing the death of our old way of life (going down) and our “first breath” (raising up) to a new life in Christ (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the pattern in the New Testament. New believers were commanded to be baptized (Acts 2:38, 22:16). Whenever possible baptism should immediately follow oneʼs conversion.
Although one who desires baptism must first be “born again” (John 3:3), he does not need to feel worthy, perfect, or sinless. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the only perfect and sinless person who became the worthy sacrifice for the sins of all men (John 1:29; Romans 5:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22, 3:18).
Baptism in Scripture
Bible verses that highlight the importance and meaning of baptism.
“Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”
Matthew 3:5-6
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:37-38
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Baptism Class
If you have believed in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and believe in Him as your savior and would like to display that publicly, we would love to help!
Join us on January 19th at 10:30 in Conference Room 1 for our Baptism Class. This class will last about an hour and a half!
This class is required for participation in the next baptism.
Have any questions?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about baptism, our team is always available to provide guidance and support.
Ready to take the next step?
Contact our team today to learn more about baptism at LifeHouse Church.
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Just as you are called by James to question the validity of your faith if you have no works to back it up (James 2:14-26), so you have reason to question the validity of your claim to be a true disciple of Christ if you resist getting baptized.
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The only prerequisite to water baptism is salvation. Please seriously consider the following questions before requesting to be baptized:
Have I agreed with Romans 3:23, that “I am a sinner” in need of a Savior?
Have I received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior and turned (repented) from my former life of sin? (Acts 2:38)
Am I committed to being a “follower and imitator of Jesus Christ?” (1 John 2:6)
Resource: LifeHouse Baptism Guide
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Check out the LifeHouse Baptism & Testimony Guide!