If you’re thinking about getting baptized or you just want to learn more about it, you will to read these three reasons why we should all get baptized. By the end, you’ll be able to decide if you’re ready and learn where to go if you still have questions.
What is baptism? And why do people do it?
It is a biblical tradition where you can publicly profess your faith through a symbolic ceremony involving water. Once you’ve decided to follow Jesus for the rest of your life, you can choose to be baptized as a way to symbolically represent your decision to your family, friends and others present. The ceremony involves your pastor or another Christian mentor or leader, you and water. The ceremony is symbolic for Jesus dying on the cross… that’s the water. Being buried in the tomb… that’s going under the water. And being raised from the dead… that’s coming up out of the water. It means we are fully accepted and that through Jesus, we are burying our sin and being raised forgiven. It represents a new start with a life in Christ.
The person doing the baptism usually says it’s being done on behalf of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It could involve the person being baptized making a statement about accepting Jesus as their savior. Each church or pastor has their own baptism traditions and the actual words and steps can vary quite a bit. Some churches do a sprinkling of water on people and some do a submersion in a small pool, trough, a lake or even an ocean.
The word baptize in Greek means dip or immerse. Most scholars agree that this is the way that the early church did practice baptism and sprinkling came in later. Some people, for medical reasons, cannot be immersed so sprinkling is a good alternative for those folks. You’ll want to talk to your pastor at your church to learn more about their traditions.
The most important thing is why you do it. Wholeheartedly accepting Jesus as your savior, and committing to following him, means so much more than anything else. Baptism doesn’t guarantee you a trip to heaven but it is an outward sign of a change that’s already happened inside of your heart. For example, a married couple’s wedding rings are an important symbol. A wedding ring tells everyone that you’re married but the wedding ring isn’t what made you married. If someone loses their ring they’re still married. Baptism is the same way. It’s a symbolic action that we belong to Jesus and we’ve committed our lives to him.
I didn’t get baptized until I was 33 and I grew up in the church. There wasn’t a moment in my life that I didn’t think I was a Christian. I had been presented with the opportunity to be baptized a few times but fear was holding me back. Not because I questioned my belief, but I cringed at the idea of being in front of a large audience, being the center of attention and publicly talking about how I felt about Jesus. Funny! And now I do a podcast and blog!
One Sunday, my pastor gave a sermon where he spoke about baptism. He talked about what it was and why we practiced it. He explained that we can still follow Jesus without being baptized. It was the first time I had heard that if you accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and savior that you’ll spend eternity with him even if you don’t get baptized! That did it for me. Jesus worked that message into my heart and remove the fear. When I heard Jesus would love me it took pressure off and after that I wanted to do it. In Ephesians 2 verses 8-9, paul reminds us we’re not saved by any good works, including baptism, But only by grace through faith in Jesus.
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves. It is a gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast.
I responded to an invitation to get baptized that was given to the whole congregation and a week later, I was in the baptistry (That the pool behind the stage) getting dunked. I was a little nervous on the big day, but looking back, I am so glad I did it. When I came up out of that water, I felt like a million bucks. I was so relieved, so happy and I finally felt like I had stepped into my true self and everyone there knew I was a Jesus follower.
Here are three reasons why you should get baptized:
- Jesus did it. He is our role model. Jesus asked John the Baptist to baptize him. And he told us in scripture to do it. Matthew 28 19 says go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. When we follow his example in the baptismal water, we’re publicly confessing our faith and identifying ourselves with him.
2. It’s a chance to stand proud, take a stance and not be ashamed. While it doesn’t save you, it publicly solidifies your connection to Jesus. It can open up conversations about Jesus with family and friends that may not know him yet. And it’s a way to celebrate with those who don’t know him, that you are all in and a part of a Christian family.
3. It creates a milestone moment in your life. You have a faith story to tell your kids, your grandkids, your neighbors, your coworkers, etc., for the rest of your life. My church gave me a certificate to commemorate the day while it wasn’t the exact day I gave my heart to Jesus, it was the day that I told everyone else what I did.
It creates a new milestone, like your birthday or your wedding day, your baptism, the birth of a child, etc. These are significant moments. It’s a point in time when God did something big in your life.
If you’re unsure if you’re ready, please start praying about it. Talk to your pastor, or a Christian mentor about their own experience. Ask questions on whatever you’re concerned about. Even the littlest things like what you wear or what you do with your hair or big ones, like who is Jesus are are all worth asking. Being baptized is a big deal but it’s not scary. It’s not high pressure and you will be so glad you did it. Some people are baptized as infants and some people do it as a child or an adult. Baptism is a very common practice in the Catholic and Protestant religions.
I’m Protestant and I believe baptism is a decision to be made when you fully understand what baptism represents in your faith journey. I don’t think infants can make this decision, but I know it’s a tradition in Catholicism. If you were baptized as an infant, you may want to learn some more about it. See if being submerged as a teen or adult is the right thing for you.
Here are some scriptures that talk about baptism if you want to read more:
Romans 10:9, Ephesians 4:4-5, Mark 1:4-11, Colossians 2:12, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Romans 6:1-5, Matthew 28:19, Acts 10:48, Mark 16:16, John 3:5
