Why should I get baptised?

If you are reading this, I assume you have already accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour by the confession of your mouth and believing in your heart (see Romans 10:9) but not quite sure about getting baptised. Baptism is an important step in cementing your decision to follow Jesus. But you may have questions like "why should I get baptised?" and "will I be able to go to heaven even without being baptised?" or "what is baptism all about?". This short article will hopefully clear those doubts for you and help you confidently take the next step in your Christian journey.

1. Baptism was a direct commandment from Jesus Christ

   • We read in Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16 that Jesus gave clear instructions to his disciples on how to make more disciples. He said "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" and "make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit". In the same verses, Jesus also said that "only those who believe and are baptised will be saved".

   • So, it is pretty clear that Jesus's expectation for every person who wanted to become His disciple as well as to get saved, was for them to get baptised once they believed that He was the Son of God.

     
     

2. Baptism completes the process of being born again

   • In the story of Nicodemus visiting Jesus at night, Jesus tells him that "unless one is born of water and of the spirit, one cannot enter the kingdom of God" (see John 3:5). Earlier in the same chapter Jesus told Nicodemus that "unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God". Although there are slight difference in wordings, Jesus essentially spoke of being born again as the same as being born of water and Spirit.

   • There is no way of being "born of water" unless one is baptised in water. And in the same manner one cannot be "born of Spirit" unless one is baptised by the Holy Spirit. These are two separate experiences, but both are spoken of as crucial to give us access to the Kingdom of God and Heaven.

The above two points alone are sufficient to prove that baptism is important and must be done by anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. To further demonstrate this in action by people, the below scriptures will help solidify the case for taking your step to get baptised. Please take the time to read the scriptures and highlight the verses that have the word baptism in it.

• Jesus's Baptism and Open heavens (Matthew Chapter 3:13-19)

• Story of Cornelius and his household (Acts Chapter 10)

• Multitudes getting saved on the day of Pentecost (Acts Chapter 3)

• Story of Philip and Ethiopian eunuch (Acts Chapter 8:26-40)

• Story of Paul's conversion (Acts Chapter 9:1-19)

How do I get baptised?

The word baptism comes from a Greek word called "baptizo" which simply means to "immerse". It was apparently a common term used in the textile industry when dyeing a garment to obtain a certain colour. It would have been impossible to change the colour of a garment from say white to red, without dipping the whole garment in red dye.

Additionally, the scripture is very clear that (except of Jesus Christ), all others had to repent of their sins and believe in the Son of God before getting baptised. This can be found in the same stories/examples given above. It is not possible for a child to repent of their sins as the child would not have the understanding of what is right or wrong, or who the Son of God is.

It is said that a child reaches this level of understanding around the age of 12, when they are able to understand what sin really is, and be able to discern fully between right and wrong. Therefore, it is common practise for parents to wait till their child reach or cross 12 years, before they are baptised. Of course, many children reach that level of maturity earlier, and there is nothing stopping them from being baptised, as long as it is evident that the decision they are taking is through their own conviction and faith.

Also, if you read Romans Chapter 6, Paul the apostle beautifully summarises the symbology of water baptism, where being immersed in water imitates the death and burial of Jesus Christ, and coming up out of the water imitates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also symbolises  a brand new life in Christ, where we are no longer our old self and live to fulfil the fleshly desires of our body, but rather live to fulfil the will of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This power to live a victorious life overcoming our sinful nature is possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit, who is given to us a guarantee once we believe and get baptised.

I hope these words help you to understand the importance of getting water baptised and encourage you to confidently move forward to obey the commandment of Jesus Christ.

God bless!