I am Saved, Now What? – Water Baptism
Acts 22:16 --- And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
Once you are born again there are other steps to take and other things that God desires to do in your life. One of those things is being baptized in water. What is the importance of water baptism? Good question…why did Jesus say we should be baptized? Is it wrong if I am not baptized?
Let’s start by saying when Jesus gave the Great Commission to the disciples, He included baptizing people in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the disciples who followed Jesus carried out that mandate in the book of Acts. Everywhere they went, they preached about salvation and the kingdom of God. When people receive salvation through believing in Christ, they were then baptized in water. So when people are saved, they should follow with water baptism!
Acts 8:36-38 --- Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Some religions or denominations teach that a baby can be baptized --- BUT we see here that you must believe with all of your heart FIRST. So to baptize a baby is not found in the Bible, and as this verse points out there is no way a baby can choose to follow Christ.
Acts 2:38 --- Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized [this is water] in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
After he preached his sermon on the day of Pentecost, there were 3000 people believed and were saved. Obviously, if the disciples followed the Great Commission, these same 3000 people were baptized in water also.
Rom 6:1-2 GW --- What should we say then? Should we continue to sin so that God’s kindness will increase? That’s unthinkable! As far as sin is concerned, we have died. So how can we still live under sin’s influence?
When you are baptized as a believer --- you are following Jesus in 3 ways:
Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? When we were baptized into his death, we were placed into the tomb with him.
As Christ was brought back from death to life by the glorious power of the Father, so we, too, should live a new kind of life.
Baptism is an outward testimony or expression of what has taken place on the inside of a person who has committed their life to Christ. The water represents the grave where the burial takes place, and that is why immersion is important. When a person goes down into the water, they become one with Christ in dying. When a person comes up out of the water, they become one with Christ in being raised to life as Christ was.
Matt 3:11 --- I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Vs 13 --- Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 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. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Contact the church office if you are ready to follow in obedience to water baptism!