Baptism in water is the final separation of man and his earthly life and the beginning of a new life as a complete Christian.
It is more than a public ceremony of a person’s convention to the Lord Jesus, it means that the world is completely dead to us through the burial process of baptism. We do not have the old sinful nature in us anymore. In other words, sin no longer rules us as we die to it through baptism. After His resurrection, the Lord Jesus taught His disciples about its importance by giving them a clearcommand: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)
Why do I need to get baptized?
It is important to get baptized when you repent, decide to abandon a life of sin and accept the Lord Jesus. Repentance is the first condition for baptism. We usually have cases in which people are baptized without repentance; they are not “converted” to Christ, but “convinced” of Him.
Why was Jesus baptized then?
To show us the way; when Jesus came to John to be baptized, John said,” I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness” (John 3.15). So Jesus gave us the example to follow.
When you get baptized, you can’t expect to receive material blessings, such as a house, a car, a good job or anything else; baptism is beyond material blessings. Baptism is the greatest blessing you can receive as from that moment on, you will belong to God, you will become Jesus’ property. It’s like when you need to travel. In order for you to travel abroad you must have a passport to guarantee your entrance in the other country. In the same way, baptism is the passport for you to enter the Kingdom of God.
Why is baptism done by immersion?
Baptism in water signifies the beginning of a new way of life as water is the most natural and purifying element. Baptism by complete submersion in water represents total burial. For this reason baptism is done only by immersion.
“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.” (Matthew 3:16)
What is repentance?
Repentance is a feeling of sorrow or regret for a wrong that has been done. The understanding of true repentance is important for each Christian:
a. The sinner must recognize his sins. This is the first step for a sincere and honest repentance: nobody can repent for something he does not recognize.
b. The sinner must hate sin. If the sinner does not see his sin as abhorrent and hateful, then most certainly he will commit it again and be enslaved by it.
c. The sinner must abandon his sin. If we do not turn our backs on sin right now, we will never get rid of it. It does not help to think that we triumph over sin if it is still within arms reach. For instance, sometimes we associate with people who do not share our faith, and they usually lead us down the wrong road, right along with them. Even if we were to resist, we will eventually fall.
d. The sinner must forget the sin completely. The last step of total repentance, is to forget the sin we committed as if it had never happened.
When is the right time for me to get baptized?
A person decides to get baptized in water when he/she realizes that his way of life has not been right before God and consequently decides to start a new life with the Lord Jesus.
