About Water Baptism

Water baptism has been a part of the church since its birth more than 2000 years ago in Jerusalem. It is an essential element in the life of every believer. In the New Testament it is a rite of passage to indicate that a person is committing himself or herself fully and completely to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. By going into the water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, believers visibly demonstrate their faith.

There are five things that Scriptures explain about water baptism and why we instruct that every believer needs to be baptized.

1. The book of Galations talks about being baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:27). The book of Acts talks about being baptized "in the name of Jesus Christ" (2:38; cf. Mt. 28:19). These Scriptures are talking about the fact that once you become a believer in Jesus Christ and are baptized, you are now the property of Christ and you share in his life, his Spirit and his inheritance with God (Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 26-4:7).
2. When we are baptized in water it is our response to what Christ has done in our life, the new life he brought to us when we were born again. To be a valid exercise of faith, we need to turn from our sinful lifestyle and face a holy God before we are baptized in water. We need to be able to express a personal faith in Jesus Christ (Col. 2:12).
3. The apostle Peter wrote that when we undergo water baptism with a sincere heart of faith and devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our life, it is a powerful means of receiving the grace and favor of God (1 Peter 3:21).
4. Water baptism is an outward sign of what has already happened on the inside of every person who has made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. It is a testimony of Christ reigning as Lord and Savior in the believer's life and of the cleansing power of God to wash away sins (Titus 3:5).
5. When we are baptized in water we are testifying to the world that we identify with the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:1-11). This marks an end to a life of sin (Rom. 6:3-4,7,10,12) and the beginning of a new life in Christ (Rom. 6:4-5,11; Col. 2:12-13). Therefore water baptism involves much more than being sprinkled with water or immersed into water, it involves a commitment to a lifelong practice of turning your back on every evil word and deed (Rom. 6:6,11-13) and reaching toward - in the power of the Holy Spirit - a new life that reflects God's standards of righteousness.
   
   Scriptures
   Genesis 7:23; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Romans 6:4; 1 Peter 3:21