Baptism

Have you been baptized? 

To “baptize,” by definition is “to immerse, or submerge.”   There is not one incident of sprinkling or pouring as baptism in the Bible.  There is not one clear example of infant baptism.  Every occurrence of Christian baptism in scripture is full immersion of an individual who has come to faith in Jesus Christ.  Read the book of Acts and you’ll see that baptism commonly follows conversion. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

We’re saved by God’s grace as we put our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work.  Then having become a believer, we identify with Him, confessing Him publicly through the waters of baptism.   This is important for Jesus said in Matthew 10:32 & 33:

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

Jesus gave a clear command for us to baptize believers.  He said in Matthew 28:18-20:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them (disciples) in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus also said in Mark 16:16:

“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”

Unbelief leaves a person condemned.  Belief saves, baptism follows as a significant step in your Christian walk.  Simply said, if you believe, then you should get baptized, because Jesus commanded it.