WHY MUST I BE BAPTISED?

We follow the example of Jesus

IT IS A COMMAND FROM JESUS

Christian baptism is not merely a Christian or church tradition. Christian baptism was instituted by Jesus Christ Himself. After Jesus completed the work He came to do on earth, He stood on the Mount of Olives just before His ascension and gave the following speech to His disciples:

“God authorised and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:19-20 | The Message

A PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT YOU ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR

Anyone who believes and is baptised will be saved.

Mark 16:16 | New Living Translation

Peter replied, “Repent and return to God, and each one of you must be baptised in the name of Jesus, the Anointed One, to have your sins removed. Then you may take hold of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 | The Passion Translation

A PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT YOU DIED TO YOUR OLD SINFUL LIFE

If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realise we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land!

Romans 6:2 | The Message

SYMBOLISES THAT YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN AND CLEANSED FROM ALL SIN

What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptised. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.

Acts 22:16 | New Living Translation

OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WORD IS CRITICAL

But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

1 Samuel 15:22 | New Living Translation

Then Jesus left Galilee to come to the Jordan to be baptised by John. But when he waded into the water, John resisted him, saying, “Why are you doing this? I’m the one who needs to be baptised by you, and yet you come to be baptised by me?” Jesus replied, “It is only right to do all that God requires.” Then John baptised Jesus.

Matthew 3:13-15 | The Passion Translation

IT IS A VITAL AND POWERFUL TESTIMONY

So there are three witnesses in heaven: the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One; and there are three witnesses on the earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree [are in unison; their testimony coincides].

1 John 5:7-8 | Amplified Bible

BAPTISM IS A DECLARATION

Baptism declares that you are a follower of Jesus Christ. It is a public confession of your faith in, and commitment to, Jesus Christ.

BAPTISM IS A BIBLICAL PATTERN

THE NEW TESTAMENT PATTERN

The following encounter between Philip and a man from Ethiopia clearly indicates the New Testament pattern and requirement for baptism.

As they were travelling down the road, the man said, “Look, here’s a pool of water. Why don’t I get baptised right now?” Philip replied, “If you believe with all your heart, I’ll baptise you.” The man answered, “I believe that Jesus is the Anointed One, the Son of God.” The Ethiopian stopped his chariot, and they went down into the water and Philip baptised him.

Acts 8:36-38 | The Passion Translation

BAPTISM ALWAYS FOLLOWS REPENTANCE AND SALVATION

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:38 | New Living Translation

BABIES SHOULD NOT BE BAPTISED, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED, WILLING DECISION TO ACCEPT JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOUR

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire family, and many of the Corinthians who heard what had happened believed in the Lord and were baptised.

Acts 18:8 | The Passion Translation

FAITH IN JESUS, AS THE SON OF GOD, IS A PREREQUISITE FOR BAPTISM

But as Philip preached the wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm, and the name of Jesus the Anointed One, many believed his message and were baptised, both men and women.

Acts 8:12 | The Passion Translation

DO YOU NEED TO BE BAPTISED TO BE SAVED?

BAPTISM IS A COMMAND BUT IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR SALVATION

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

Matthew 28:19 | New King James Version

THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THAT SALVATION IS ACQUIRED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

John 3:36 | New King James Version

Then he led Paul and Silas outside and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved—you and all your family.”

Acts 16:30-31 | The Passion Translation

YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favour) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God; Not because of works [not the fulfilment of the Law’s demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]

Ephesians 2:8-9 | Amplified Bible

BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART AND CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:9-10 | New King James Version

IMMERSION SYMBOLISES THE BURIAL OF THE “OLD-PERSON” AND THE RESURRECTION INTO A “NEW LIFE” IN CHRIST

A person, therefore, gets baptised by being totally immersed in water. This was the method of baptism in the New Testament and the early church. According to church literature within the first 200 years of the churches’ existence, there is no indication of any other means of baptism.

If we’ve left the country where sin is sovereign, how can we still live in our old house there? Or didn’t you realise we packed up and left there for good? That is what happened in baptism. When we went under the water, we left the old country of sin behind; when we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new life in a new land! That’s what baptism into the life of Jesus means. When we are lowered into the water, it is like the burial of Jesus; when we are raised up out of the water, it is like the resurrection of Jesus. Each of us is raised into a light-filled world by our Father so that we can see where we’re going in our new grace-sovereign country.

Romans 6:2-5 | The Message

THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES ARE AN INDICATION OF IMMERSION AS THE METHOD OF BAPTISM

And as Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon him in the form of a dove.

Matthew 3:16 | The Passion Translation At this time John was still baptising people at Aenon, near Salim, where there was plenty of water. And the people kept coming for John to baptise them.

John 3:23 | The Passion Translation

A steady stream of people came to be dipped in the Jordan River as they publicly confessed their sins. They came from all over southern Israel, including nearly all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Mark 1:5 | The Passion Translation And he ordered that the chariot be stopped, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptised him.

Acts 8:38 | Amplified Bible

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