Baptism
If you’ve recently made a decision to follow Jesus, getting baptised in water is a great next step in your journey of faith. Baptisms are an outward declaration of the decision you have made in your heart to surrender to Jesus. It provides a marker in your life that anchors your faith when you face the hard times of life. It becomes a reference point that God has saved you and is faithful to continue what he has started in your life.
What is the meaning of Baptism?
1. Baptism illustrates Christ’s burial and resurrection and is a symbol of moving from death to life.
"...having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead."
2. Baptism illustrates your new life as a follower of Jesus.
"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."
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
3. Baptism illustrates your belief in Jesus.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Why should we be baptised?
1. To follow the example set by Jesus.
"As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him."
2. It is an act of obedience.
"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."
3. It is a public declaration of your belief in Jesus Christ.
"Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved."
How should we be baptised?
Jesus was baptised by immersion.
"As soon as Jesus was baptised, he went up out of the water."
Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion.
One example:
"Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him. When they came up out of the water..."
