What is Baptism?
If you have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ and surrender your life to Him the next step for you to take is baptism. Baptism is a public declaration of the faith you have in Jesus Christ and it is an act unifying yourself with the church. Baptism symbolizes our death to sin and our being made new by the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is the outward expression of what the Holy Spirit has done inside of you.
Colossians 2:12 (ESV)
Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Am I Ready?
Sometimes we might struggle with the idea that we must be “perfect” in our actions and deeds before we take the step to be baptized.
Though God calls us away from the sin in our life, we are still imperfect people.
God looks at the heart of the believer and longs to see his children in pursuit of living a holy lifestyle.
Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means!
We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized 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.
Why Be Baptized?
You might be asking yourself, “why should I be baptized? Was not giving my life to Jesus Christ enough for salvation?”
It is important to note that salvation comes only through the invitation to God to be the Lord of your life.
Acts 2:21
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
However, God gives us a command to be baptized.
As Jesus ascended into heaven he gave the command we refer to as “the great commission”
Matthew 28:19 (NIV) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.