Considering baptism? Am I ready to be baptized?
Baptism is for anyone who wants to accept or has accepted the teachings and call of Jesus Christ.
All those who are willing to repent of their sins and confess their faith in Christ should be baptized
(Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-39).
God, the author of all things, created mankind to have fellowship with Him. Sin entered the world
and we became separated from God. Jesus Christ gave up His position next to God to come to earth
where He lived a sinless life. He voluntarily died on a cross to pay the price for our sins and then rose
again thereby allowing us the possibility of a renewed relationship with God. Jesus Christ is the only
mediator between God and mankind. All those who desire to accept His sacrifice in faith, responding
to God’s grace, should be baptized. You need not understand everything there is to know about God.
You need not “clean up your life” first. You need to simply understand the purpose of your baptism
and commit to following Christ.
If you’d like to be baptized or talk more about baptism, please
contact Wade Allen by phone at (765) 689-9469 or by email at wadeccg@outlook.com.
Why should I be baptized?
A person should be baptized to:
follow the example of Christ (Matt. 3:13-17),
to obey Christ’s command
(Matt. 28:18-19),
to accept forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16),
to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38),
to express trust in Christ (Acts 8:12-13),
and to testify to God’s work in his or her life (Rom. 6:1-8;
Gal. 3:27).
Baptism also serves to cleanse a guilty conscience (1 Pet. 3:21).
The Holy Spirit prompts
individuals to recognize their sin and guilt. The only method by which the human soul can be wiped
clean of sin is through the blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:27-10:7). This “washing away” of sin is most
clearly demonstrated in the act of baptism (Acts 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). Since one of the biggest obstacles
between God and man is human pride, baptism also offers a venue by which believers humble
themselves before God and others and admit their need for Christ’s redemption (James 4:6). In
addition, baptism meets a God-given human need for making a commitment, much as a marriage
ceremony is an official act of love and commitment. The act of baptism, by itself, cannot save an
individual who lacks faith. We are saved through accepting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and that
includes repenting of sins, confessing Christ and being baptized.
When should I be baptized?
A person should be baptized at the time he or she trusts in Christ. The Bible teaches we are saved by
grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8), but in the New Testament church, a person’s baptism was always the
first expression of faith, not separate from it. So baptism was not just a symbol or a memorial of faith,
but offers a means of union with Christ and a benchmark of transformation, marking the place and
time a person made a commitment to Christ (Rom. 6:1-8). At the Church of Christ at Grissom, we are attempting to restore
the original intent and practice of baptism. Therefore, we ask a person to be baptized at the point that
he or she is ready to make a commitment to Christ.
How should I be baptized?
The word for “baptism” in the New Testament is the Greek word baptizo, which means “To immerse in
water.” Examples of how it was used in first century culture include the dyeing of a garment by plunging it into a vat, the drawing of water by dipping one vessel into another, or even the sinking of ships
at sea. Some form of the word is used 91 times in the New Testament. The vast majority of these cases
refer to the act of submitting to immersion in a body of water in response to a person’s admission of
his sinfulness, a sense of repentance, and the realization of the need for God’s mercy and forgiveness
to overcome that condition. The New Testament teaches that baptism represents the death, burial and
resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:1-5). Baptism specifically serves as a symbol of the burial of the old
self and the resurrection of the believer’s soul to walk in life with Christ. Therefore, at the Church of Christ at Grissom, we
baptize people by immersing them in water.
Must a person be baptized during a worship service?
No. Baptisms at other times are acceptable and were the norm in the early church (Acts 8:38; 16:33).
However, baptisms during worship services do provide the opportunity to testify to your faith and
show humility.
What about infant baptism?
If the purpose of baptism is to publicly identify a believer in Jesus Christ, the question may well be
asked by some, “What is the significance of my baptism as a baby?” Biblically, baptism is for those who
have made a personal decision to trust Christ alone for their salvation. God creates all of us in His image, and babies are incapable of sin, and also unable to have an understanding of sin and salvation. In
the New Testament the examples we see of baptism are with people old enough to make the decision
for themselves. If you were baptized as a child, it was the intent of your parents that you would one
day be a follower of Christ. Your baptism as an adult can be viewed as the fulfillment of your
parent’s wishes.
Should a person ever be rebaptized?
Any person who has trusted in Jesus as the only Son of God and who has willingly been immersed
into Christ may become a member of the Church of Christ at Grissom whether the baptism occurred at CCG or
elsewhere.
Rebaptism is encouraged for those who lack confidence in their initial baptism experience
because they don’t remember it, they were coerced, or their heart was not right with God at the time.
Anyone who has fallen into sin after having been baptized should repent and seek forgiveness, but
rebaptism is not necessary (1 John 1:8-9).