Baptism
You Must Be Born Again
John 3:3-7 - Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicomedus asked "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time to be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and Spirit. Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit. Do not be amazed that I said, 'You must be born again.'
Baptism is a public declaration of faith where we are born into the body of Christ. When we are baptized, we are reenacting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we are submersed into the water, our sins our buried with Jesus, and when we come out of the water, we are raised from the "dead", just as Jesus was. It is the death of our previous self to live in the renewal of life with the Holy Spirit that dwells inside of us.
John 5:24 - "I assure you: Anyone who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life."
It is important that we make this decision within our lifetime. We cannot be born into baptism or born into the faith, we must choose to follow Christ. Infant baptism is strongly symbolic that the parents will raise their child in the presence of the Lord. We walk in the newness of life when we freely choose to follow Jesus fervently in complete submission and repentance. This act of obedience is the fulfillment of the parent's baptism and prayers.
What will happen to me after I am baptized?
Forgiveness of Sins - New Testament Christians were "baptized for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:37-38). Baptism is the point at which one comes in spiritual contact with the blood of Jesus (Romans 6:1-4).
Admittance into the Universal Church - Those who were baptized were added to the universal body of saved by the Lord (Acts 2:38-41, 47; Galatians 3:26-27 )
Confidence in Salvation; Rejoicing - After being baptized, Christians were confident and joyful people (Acts 8:35-39)
A New Family - When one obeys God and becomes a Christian, he becomes part of God's family (Matthew 12:50). Thousands of brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers are multiplied to him (Matthew 19:26).
A New Start - After one is baptized, he is "raised to walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:1-4 ). This allows us to have a fresh start with God. Our past sins are remembered no more (Hebrews 8:12).
All Spiritual Blessings - Being baptized into Christ, one now has access to all the wisdom and spiritual blessings that reside within Christ (Ephesians 1:3; 3:14-21).
What will not happen to me after I am baptized?
Miraculous Gifts - Christians in the first century were granted miraculous powers to reveal and confirm God's will (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:1-4 ). However, these powers were generally conferred through "the laying on of apostle's hands" (Acts 8:14-18). Since all the apostles are dead, and since we now have the completed and confirmed revelation of God in the Bible, the source and cause for miraculous gifts have ceased (I Corinthians 13:8-10; the Bible is "perfect" or complete - "looks into the perfect law of liberty", James 1:25). Therefore, you should not expect to be able to miraculously speak in foreign tongues, raise the dead, heal the sick, etc, because the age of such miracles has long passed.
Freed from All Earthly Consequences - Just because we are forgiven from our sins, we may not be freed from all the earthly consequences of sin. For example, if a drug addict becomes a Christian, he will still have to fight the damage done to his body; however, he will be equipped with spiritual tools to make that battle easier and victory possible. Children born out of wed-lock will still exist and will still need to be nurtured, even though the fornication that produced them has been forgiven. Many more examples could be multiplied.
Instantaneous Maturity - Each of us come to Christ with lots of baggage, some more than others. It takes time for our thinking to change. Therefore, it takes time to mature as a Christian, and it requires diligence (Hebrews 5:12-14). Do no be discouraged if you cannot do all that you desire as a new Christian. Give God time to "sanctify you completely" and to "perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you" (I Thessalonians 5:23-24; I Peter 5:10 ). Be patient with yourself as your are transformed and purified (Romans 12:1-2; I John 3:1-3).
Invincibility - As implied by the previous point, you will be neither invincible physically nor spiritually. You may still sin, once you become a Christian. However, now you will have the reason and power to stop sinning (II Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-18), plus you can readily obtain forgiveness after conversion (I John 1:9-2:1). Furthermore, bad things may still happen to you. There is no promise that all your sufferings will cease, once you become a Christian. In fact, the entire book of Revelation was written to encourage those who were suffering persecution for being a Christian - to the point of death (Revelation 1:9; 2:10)! The difference is that you will now have the key to harness, justify, accept, and overcome any suffering that befalls you (James 1: 2-4). In fact, this suffering will lead to your glory (I Peter 2:19-23; 3:13-17; 4:12-19; 5:10), whereas it leads to the misery, ruin, and destruction of the non-believer.
Scripture Supporting Baptism
John 3:16-18: God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Titus 3:5: He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 3:26-27: So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
1 Peter 3:21: And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Acts 10:47: Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.
Acts 22:16: And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.
John 3:5: Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”
Mark 16:16: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 6:3: Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Luke 3:21-22: When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
1 Corinthians 12:13: For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
John 1:33: And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’
Acts 19:4: Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
Acts 19:5-6: On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.