Baptism: the privilege of entering faith fully

Baptism:

the privilege of entering faith fully

What is baptism?

Baptism is the public act reflecting your personal decision to follow Jesus and the new life in Christ that is now yours.  It is your initiation into Christian life.  There are three sets of people involved.

God: Your baptism marks what God has done for you in sending Jesus who died as your substitute bringing forgiveness and freedom. 

Others: Your baptism is not an individual or private act, but intentionally a public declaration of your faith in God and union with his people, the church. 

You: Your baptism is a momentous moment, as you declare your faith in Christ and demonstrate his gospel’s effect on you. 

Why should I be baptised:

There are a number of reasons given in the Bible as to why, if you choose to follow Jesus, you should be baptised.  Here are some:

It's an act of obedience to Jesus.  Jesus says to get baptised if you believe in him.  'Then Jesus...said ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’  (Matthew 28:18-20)  Jesus, who we pledge allegiance to, commands his followers baptise those who choose to follow him.  Not to baptise someone who believes or be baptised as someone who believes, unless for exceptional reasons, is an act of disobedience - by the church and the individual.  Jesus says ‘You are my friends if you do what I command’ (John 15:14).  Why would we want to start our new life in Christ disobediently?  Because of this it was and is normal church practice (e.g. Acts 2:37-18) and even Jesus himself was baptised (Matthew 3:13-17). 

Its a dramatic sign of our cleansing.  ...be baptised and have your sins washed away by calling on his name (Acts 22:16).  ...this water symbolises baptism that now saves you also – not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.  (1Peter 3:20) Believing in Jesus means our sin and shame is cleaned away; the ‘bath’ of baptism is a sign of this. 

It symbolises our death, rebirth and new life in a significant way.  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ were baptised into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  (Romans 6:3-4)  Jesus calls us to die to our selfish motivations and be reborn to a new life.  Baptism is a dramatic symbol of this.  You are lowered into the water (horizontally laid out like in a coffin!) before symbolically rising; dripping wet and symbolically ‘washed’ of your sin and shame, to enter a new life in Christ.  In essence you are saying ‘Lord, I die to self’ as you enter the water, and ‘Lord, I have been raised to live for you’ as you rise from it. 

It should stimulate our transformation by the Spirit. He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.  He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.  (Titus 3:5)  Though it is Jesus and faith in Jesus alone that saves us, the Bible suggests the symbolic act of being baptised in true faith can be the source of new power and new joy in the Spirit.  God often uses our baptisms to generate a greater experience of God, to bring out certain gifts of the Spirit, or as a future source of assurance when our faith might wane or times are difficult. 

It marks our entrance into the church family.  For we were all baptised by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free...  (1Corinthians 12:13)  Baptism is the normal way we enter God’s universal church as we identify ourselves not only with Jesus but with his people.  Therefore we encourage baptism be closely followed by the commitment of membership into your local church.

How should I be baptised?

Practically there are a number of important things to consider about how you should be baptised:

When you are old enough to understand a considered and clear decision about following Jesus through the entirety of your life, comprehending its priveledge and cost.  Therefore as a church we do not practice infant baptism, but we do celebrate and welcome children into the full life of the church through blessings and dedications.

Publicly.  Don’t be ashamed of marking ‘your good profession of faith before many witnesses’ (1 Timothy 6:12).  Invite friends and family to witness this tremendous picture of the gospel.

In faith as public baptism follows personal belief in Jesus.  You should not be baptised for any other reason (e.g. cultural or family pressure), nor is anything but genuine faith required.

By your local church in which you can serve, learn, love and grow in Christ.

Ideally by full immersion in water which more completely displays the symbolism already described.  Of course there are exceptions, e.g. medical reason that mean full immersion is inadvisable. 

What if I have been baptised, Christened or confirmed already?

Some people who turn to Jesus as adults may have been christened or baptised as a child, or been confirmed as a teenager or young adult.  Should you be baptised now as a conscious believer?  The answer depends on your view of that earlier act.  Was it void and empty, isolated from any true commitment to Christ?  Faith is what qualifies you for baptism and if that earlier event was devoid of faith, then baptism now may well be the right thing.  However, if that earlier event had genuine meaning in terms of faith, then probably baptism now would not be appropriate. 

However the desire for baptism  potentially points to a renewed, re-found, or re-invigorated faith.  So finding an appropriate, alternative way of marking that new commitment or richer faith you have come into is a good idea. It’s best to talk to your pastor about this.

What next?

Is it time for you to speak to your pastor or church leader, clarifying any questions you have and perhaps thinking about being baptised yourself?