Why Be Baptized?

Why Be Baptized?

Why do we make a big deal out of baptism?  Or, a better question may be why should you get baptized if you have not been baptized?

Before I share some reasons for you to be baptized, let me clarify a few other important details about baptism.  Baptism is not for everyone.  It is for believers in Jesus Christ.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.”  The clear New Testament pattern as evidenced repeatedly in the book of Acts is that people repent of sin and place their faith in Jesus and are then baptized as a testimony of their salvation.  Baptism is a symbol of salvation and not a sacrament that confers grace.  Also, the proper mode of baptism is immersion.  We believe that baptism is done by immersion because that is the meaning of the word, the New Testament example, and the symbolism it represents (see Romans 6).

So then, if you are a follower of Jesus, why should you experience believers baptism by immersion?  Here are a few reasons:

1.  You are following the example of Jesus (Matthew 3:15).

2.  You are obeying God and making your initial public confession of faith in Christ (see the pattern of the book of Acts).  This is a gospel witness to others.

3.  You are publicly confessing Jesus and showing that you are not ashamed of Him (Matthew 10:32-33).

4.  You are giving the church an opportunity to join with the angels in celebrating your new life in Christ (Luke 15:7).

5.  You are demonstrating that you are a genuine disciple of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20).

6.  You are proclaiming the gospel of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus for your sins by the symbolism of your action (Romans 6:1-6).

7.  You are picturing the fact that you have died to the old you and been raised to new life through the work of Jesus in your life (Romans 6:1-6).

8.  You are picturing the fact that Jesus has washed your sins away (Acts 22:16).

If you are a believer and have never been baptized, we encourage you to take that step of obedience and publicly declare your faith in Jesus.  Of course, if you are not yet a Christian, we encourage you to receive Him by faith.  If you have questions or we can assist you in taking these steps, please contact us at 865-471-5530 or jimmy@thetruelifechurch.com.