Why Should I Be Baptized?
Have you wondered if water baptism is the next right step for you? Long ago, a group of people wondered the very same thing. They had just heard the Apostle Peter bring the message of salvation and then asked, “Brothers, what must we do to be saved?” This is the response they received:
Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:37-38, NLT.
So, if you have heard this message of salvation and have turned away from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, water baptism is your next step.
What is water baptism? Simply put, your water baptism publicly demonstrates the new life and love you have for Jesus Christ. It symbolizes this new life, much like a wedding band symbolizes marriage.
Would it concern you if you looked at your mom or dad’s hand and saw their wedding band was missing? It would. The absence of the symbol of their love and commitment to one another would make you wonder what may be wrong with their relationship.
Water baptism is like a wedding band. It, too, is an outward expression symbolizing your love and commitment to Jesus Christ and His teachings. Your water baptism is a declaration of your love for God, your love for people, and your love for yourself.
You might ask, “What does water baptism symbolize?” That is a good question. Water baptism symbolizes these three spiritual truths occurring in your life as a follower of Jesus:
1. Water baptism symbolizes your choice to die to the sinful desires you once indulged in before repenting and placing faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. This is expressed by taking your next step to be baptized. A decision to be baptized is not made by an unspiritual person but by someone new in Christ, who is dying to their selfish desires and is living in new ways that glorify God.
2. Water baptism symbolizes the burial of your old self with Christ under the waters of baptism. As you are taken down under the waters, your old self is symbolically being buried as Christ was buried after His death on the cross.
3. Finally, and wonderfully, water baptism symbolizes you being resurrected just as Jesus was resurrected into a new life. As you come out of the waters of baptism, you, too, have been resurrected into a new life with Jesus!
If you have turned away from your sins and have placed faith in Jesus for salvation, we would love for you to register for Worship Center’s water baptism class. Just as the Ethiopian man said to Phillip,
“Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” Acts 8:36 (NLT)
So, come and learn about water baptism and join others as they, too, publicly declare their faith in Jesus through water baptism. Join the baptism class here.